Category Archives: viddhi

Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 10

27 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.27, airaavatam, amritodbhavam, cha, chapter 10 verse 27, gajendraanaam, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, maam, naraadhipam, naraanaam, ucchaihshravasam, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 10

ucchaihshravasamashvaanaam viddhi maamamritodbhavam |
airaavatam gajendraanaam naraanaam cha naraadhipam || 27 ||
 
Among the horses, know me as Ucchaihshrava born of nectar. Among the elephants I am Airaavata, and among the humans I am the leader.
 
ucchaihshravasam : Ucchaihshrava
ashvaanaam : among the horses
viddhi : know
maam : me
amritodbhavam : born of nectar
airaavatam : Airaavata
gajendraanaam : among the elephants
naraanaam : among the humans
cha : and
naraadhipam : the leader
 
We continue to learn about Ishvara’s expressions in this shloka. The Puranaas describe the story of deities and demons churning the ocean for gaining the nectar of immortality. Before the nectar came out, several other divine entities emerged and Ucchaihshrava, the divine horse, was one of them. “Uchhai” means great and shravas means prosperity. Symbolically, Ucchaihshrava stands for the prosperity we attain when we put in focused effort and renounce our material desires. Shri Krishna says that among all the horses, the divine Ucchaihshrava is Ishvara’s expression.
 
Airaavata is a four-tusked white elephant who is the mount of Indra, king of the deities. He is credited with showering rain. His mother is Iravati, grand daughter of sage Kashyapa. Given his status, Shri Krishna says that among all the elephants, Airaavata is Ishvara’s expression.
 
Next, Shri Krishna turns to more familiar grounds by referencing humans. Among human beings, he says that Ishvara expresses in the leader. But this is not just any ordinary leader. Ishvara expresses himself in leaders whose accomplishments are a product of their hard work and effort, and whose leadership is in line with dharma or righteousness. It is easy to get name and fame by virtue of association or by performing unrighteous acts. This is not the leader that is referenced here.
 
So whenever we see the result of hard work, a humanitarian leader, or the cooling rain that parches a dry land, we should remember that all these are Ishvara’s expressions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 10

24 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in 10.24, aham, asmi, brihaspatim, cha, maam, mukhyam, paartha, purodhasaam, saagaraha, sarasaam, senaaneenaam, skandaha, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 10

purodhasaam cha mukhyam maam viddhi paartha brihaspatim |
senaaneenaamaham skandaha sarasaamasmi saagaraha || 24 ||
 
Among the spiritual teachers, know me as Brihaspati the foremost, O Paartha. Among the military commanders I am Skanda, and among water bodies I am the ocean.
 
purodhasaam : among the spiritual teachers
cha : and
mukhyam : foremost
maam : me
viddhi : know
paartha : O Paartha
brihaspatim : Brihaspati
senaaneenaam : among the military commanders
aham : I am
skandaha : Skanda
sarasaam : among water bodies
asmi : I am
saagaraha : the ocean
 
Further enumerating Ishvara’s expressions, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is expressed as Brihaspati, who is the foremost among the spiritual teachers and the priests of the deities. Brihaspati is described in the Puraanaas as the “purodha” or guru of Indra, who is the king of all the deities. He was the son of Sage Angiras, one of the seven original rishis or Sapta-Rishis. His counterpart in the world of the demons or Asuras was Sage Shukrachaarya.
 
Next, Shri Krishna says that Isvara is expressed through Skanda, the most powerful army commander in the world. Skanda, also known as Kaartikeya, is the son of Lord Shiva. He is described as having six faces and twelve arms. When the army of the deities began the war to kill the asura named Taraka, a celestial voice proclaimed that victory could be possible only if Skanda was made army commander.
 
The earth is filled with several water bodies, ranging from tiny rain puddles to lakes that are visible from outer space. But the most expansive body of water is the ocean. Some estimates suggest that there is 1260 million trillion litres of water on planet earth. On average, the ocean is around 1 kilometer deep and can go to 11 kilometers in some places. The ocean sustains life on this earth and is home to thousands of species. This vast and awe-inspiring ocean is one of the most powerful expressions of Ishvara.
 
With this in mind, we should be able to see Ishvara in our teachers, in military prowess used for just means, and when we drink water.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 7

08 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in 7.12, aham, bhaavaaha, cha, chapter 7 verse 12, eva, iti, mattaha, na, rajasaaha, saatvikaaha, taamasaaha, taan, te, teshu, tu, viddhi, ye

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 7

ye chaiva saatvikaa bhaavaa rajasaastaamasaashcha ye |
matta evati taanviddhi na tvaham teshu te mayi || 12 ||
 
And indeed, all saatvik qualities, and all raajasic and taamsic qualities, know those to be only from me. Know that I am not in them, but they are in me.
 
ye : all
cha : and
eva : indeed
saatvikaaha : saatvik
bhaavaaha : qualities
rajasaaha : raajasic
taamasaaha : taamasic
cha : and
ye : all
mattaha : from me
eva: only
iti : this
taan : those
viddhi : know
na : not
tu : but
aham : I am
teshu : in them
te : they
mayi : are in me
 
Shri Krishna began this chapter by indicating that Ishvara is the essence of everything. He also provided a short list containing tangible examples of his glories, which he concluded in the previous shloka. In this shloka, he summarizes this point by saying that the three fundamental aspects of prakriti or nature arise from Ishvara, but are subservient to Ishvara.
 
Sattva, rajas and tamas are the three aspects of prakriti or nature. A more detailed explanation of these three gunaas or aspects is provided in the 18th chapter. At the internal level, these aspects are the moods of our mind. A taamasic mind is dull, a raajasic mind is active and a saatvic mind is serene. Moreover, a saatvic object or thought is tied to knowledge, a raajasic object or thought is tied to activity and a taamasic thought or object is tied to ignorance, sloth or procrastination.
 
We see all these three aspects in our personality. The body is taamasic. It likes to be in stasis, it does not like to move. A lot of energy is required to move our bodies. Our limbs and our praanas or physiological processes are raajasic because they embody action and movement. Our mind and intellect are saatvic because they embody knowledge. Later in the Gita, Shri Krishna will classify everything, including desire and faith, into these three classications.
 
Now, all three aspects of prakriti cannot exist by themselves. Nothing can exist without a base or a support. Shri Krishna says that it is Ishvara who provides existence to these three aspects of prakriti. However, he qualifies that statement by pointing out that they are in Ishvara, but Ishvara is not in them. In other words, Ishvara can exist without the gunaas, but the gunaas cannot exist without Ishvara because they need his support.
 
What is the implication of this statement? Every object, person or situation that we encounter in this universe is comprised of a permutation of the three gunaas. All three gunaas are supported by Ishvara. Therefore, Ishvara is everywhere, behind every object, person and situation in this universe.
 
So then, what prevents us from knowing Ishvara? Shri Krishna covers this topic next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 7

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in 7.10, aham, asmi, beejam, buddhihi, buddhimataam, chapter 10 verse 7, maam, paartha, sanaatanam, sarvabhootaanaam, tejas, tejasvinaam, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 7

beejam maam sarvabhootaanaam viddhi paartha sanaatanam |
buddhirbuddhimataamasmi tejastejasvinaamaham || 10 ||
 
Know me as the eternal seed of all beings, O Paartha. I am the intellect of the intelligent, the radiance of the illustrious.
 
beejam : seed
maam : me
sarvabhootaanaam : of all beings
viddhi : know
paartha : O Paartha
sanaatanam : eternal
buddhihi : intellect
buddhimataam : of the intelligent
asmi : I am
tejas : radiance
tejasvinaam: of the illustrious
aham : I am
 
Previously, Shri Krishna spoke about seeing Ishvara as earthly fragrance, brilliance in fire, life in beings and austerity in the austere. He continues to give a list of his glories in this shloka, beginning with the statement that he is the eternal seed of all beings. He also addresses Arjuna as Paartha, descendent of King Prithu.
 
Earlier, Shri Krishna asserted that Ishvara is the cause of everything in the universe. So then, why is he seemingly repeating himself by the statement “I am the eternal seed”? It is to ensure that we gain the correct understanding.
 
Normally, when any tree grows out of a seed, the seed ceases to exist. In the case of Ishvara, however, the seed is eternal. In other words, the seed is changeless, but the entire content of the universe lies in an unmanifest form in this seed. It manifests itself at various points in the universe’s life span, not just at the beginning. So therefore, we need to learn to recognize the eternal seed and not get carried away or stuck in the level of names and forms.
 
Next, Shri Krishna urges us to recognize Ishvara in intelligence. We admire intelligent people for their ability to think clearly about complex issues without getting swayed by noise. How is their way of thinking different? A glass of clear water lets through more light than a glass of water that is agitated or clouded by dirt. Similarly, an intelligent person‘s mind is less dominated by the sway of emotion, and therefore enables the brilliance of Ishvara to shine through the intellect unhindered. In this manner, Ishvara becomes the intelligence of the intelligent.
 
Finally, Shri Krishna adds tejas or radiance to his list of vibhootis. This radiance manifests in us when when we are in good physical and mental health, when we have slept well, when we are fit. Also, when someone had earned a lot of wealth through self effort, or has performed selfless service, they also have a certain kind of glow. Shri Krishna says that it is Ishvara manifesting in these illustrious individuals in the form of tejas or radiance.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 7

30 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in 7.5, anyaam, aparaa, chapter 7 verse 5, dhaaryate, idam, itaha, iyam, jagat, jeevabhootam, mahaabaaho, me, paraam, prakritim, tu, viddhi, yayaa

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 7

apareyamitastvanyaam prakritim viddhi me paraam |
jeevabhootam mahaabaaho yayedam dhaaryate jagat || 5 ||
 
But, know this lower (nature as) different than my life-giving higher nature, O mighty-armed, by which this universe is upheld.
 
aparaa : lower
iyam : this
itaha : than
tu : but
anyaam : different
prakritim : nature
viddhi : know
me : my
paraam : higher
jeevabhootam : life-giving
mahaabaaho : O mighty-armed
yayaa : by which
idam : this
dhaaryate : upheld
jagat : universe
 
In the previous shloka, Shri Krishna described his nature that was made up of 8 factors: 5 physical elements and 3 subtle elements. Now, he says that those 8 factors comprise the lower, or inferior, type of nature. It is different than the higher or superior nature, that is the life force of the universe. It functions as a force that holds the universe together.
 
A house is built out of bricks, wood, iron rods and so on. But the building blocks by themselves do not make a house. There has to be an integrating or unifying principle in the form of cement that holds the house together. Shri Krishna says that his higher nature is the cohesive force that upholds the universe. By using the word “jeeva-bhootam”, he is saying that he becomes the universal jeeva or being that makes the universe as a single entity rather than a disjointed chaotic mess.
 
Furthermore, it is this higher nature that becomes the experiencer of the entire universe as a subject. What does the word “subject” mean? Whenever we see something, two things are required: the subject (one who sees) and the object (that which is seen by the subject). If I see a sofa, then I am the subject, and the sofa is the object. The sofa can never become the subject because it is an inert object. Only conscious entities can become subjects. There is a spark in us, a conscious principle, that enables us to see, hear, touch, taste and smell, in other words, to become a subject.
 
Throughout our life, we seek knowledge about the world though several sources. But those studies only cover the world of objects, which is indicated here by the term “lower nature”. Only spirituality provides us knowledge about the subject, which is nothing but our own self.
 
So then, why are we talking about subject and object here? It is because Shri Krishna’s lower nature creates the world of objects, and his higher nature creates the world of subjects. When the universe originated, it split, as it were, into two aspects: the lower and the higher nature. The lower nature or prakriti is what we generally describe as the universe that we can see with our eyes and with our telescopes, in both its visible and invisible aspects.
 
That was the lower nature. The higher nature further split itself into subsets. Each subset became a jeeva, which is the conscious principle operating within each of us. That jeeva principle within us makes us a subject, an experiencer.
 
Therefore, with these two shlokas, Shri Krishna has covered everything in the world – subject and object, inert and conscious, experiencer and experienced, building blocks and unifying force. But what is common between them? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 6

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in 6.2, asannyasta, bhavati, chapter 6 verse 2, hi, iti, kashchana, na, paandava, praahuhu, sanyaasam, tam, viddhi, yam, yogam, yogi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 6

yam sannyaasamiti praahuryogam tam viddhi paandava |
na hyasannyastasankalpo yogi bhavati kashchana | |2||

In this manner, that which is called renunciation, know that to be the same as yoga, O Paandava. For without renunciation of desires, one cannot become a yogi.

yam : that which
sannyaasam : renunciation
iti : in this manner
praahuhu : call
yogam : yoga
tam : that same thing
viddhi : know that
paandava : O Paandava
na : not
hi : for
asannyasta : without renouncing
sankalpo : desires
yogi : yogi
bhavati : become
kashchana : cannot|

Shri Krishna further elaborates on the definition of a sannyaasi or a monk in this shlokla. He says that the karmayogi and sannyaasi are, at their core, one and the same. One need not renounce the world in order to become a dhyaana yogi or a meditator. All one needs to do is to follow the path of karmayoga diligently. Only when the tendency to create new desires or sankalpa goes away can one become a meditator.

How can the action-oriented karmayogi and the actionless-oriented monk be the same? Let us investigate. It is only when the mind of the seeker is free of sankalpa does he become ready for meditation. Meditation can occur only when the mind is tranquil. Tranquility only occurs when the mind is rid of all desires. Now the question arises that how do we know whether such tranquility exists? Have we experienced it? Yes we have. Once we finally get an object that we were craving for a long time, our mind experiences tranquility for a fraction of a second. This is caused due to a temporary cessation of desires, and ends when new desires start agitating the mind again.

If one has reached an advanced stage in the spiritual journey where desires have gone down to a minimum, one becomes actionless automatically. We saw this in the fifth chapter. But if one still harbours desires, karmayoga is the means to slowly diminish desires through renouncing the results of action. So what needs to be renounced is attachment to results of action, not action itself. This recurring message drives home the point that action-orientation and actionless-orientation are the same, as long as the attachment to results is renounced. They both have the same effect: tranquility of mind.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 34, Chapter 4

24 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.34, chapter 4 verse 34, jnyaanam, jnyaaninaha, pariprashnena, pranipaatena, sevayaa, tat, tattvedarshinaha, te, upadekshyanti, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 34, Chapter 4

tadviddhi pranipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa |
upadekshyanti te jnyaanam jnyaaninastattvadarshinaha || 34 || 

Know that by complete surrender, inquiry and service, you will receive instruction from those who have gained knowledge through direct realization of the eternal essence.

tat : that
viddhi : know
pranipaatena : surrender to the feet
pariprashnena : inquiry
sevayaa : service
upadekshyanti : will instruct
te : they
jnyaanam : knowledge
jnyaaninaha : those who have knowledge
tattvadarshinaha : through direct realization of the eternal essence

In the previous shloka, Shri Krishna spoke about the realization of the eternal essence that is obtained through the sacrifice of knowledge. Here, he describes the method through which we should go about pursuing that knowledge.

Shri Krishna says that we should begin by approaching a teacher who has two key qualities. One, he should be a tattva-darshinaha. He should have realized the eternal essence himself first-hand. Second, he should be a jnyaaninaha, one who knows the technique of communicating this knowledge. Both qualities are essential and complementary. One without the another will not work.

Having approached the teacher, we should first completely surrender ourselves to him and accept him as our teacher. If we don’t do so then our ego comes into the mix and disrupts everything. The teachings will have no impact if such a thing occurs. We see this type of behaviour when someone approaches a teacher and ends up using that meeting to boast about one’s own knowledge rather than surrender to the teacher.

Next, we should have a thirst for inquiry about the eternal essence, which will be reflected by the questions we ask the teacher. Questions like: Who am I? How do I free myself of bondage? This is what the teacher should be able to answer. All our scriptures including the Upanishads, the Gita and the Bhagavatam are a dialogue between a teacher and student. Furthermore, we should not question about worldly matters like should I get married, should I take this job and so on. Liberation should be top priority.

Finally, we should continue building a relationship with the teacher through serving him. This will foster humility in us. It will also built a better connection and tuning between the teacher and the student. In the Gita, both Arjuna and Dhritaraashtra heard the Gita, but only Arjuna truly understood it. This is because Arjuna was in tune with Shri Krishna and Dhritaraashtra was not. Also, there is absolutely no room for a transactional or “coaching class” relationship between the teacher and student. Service is the only way.

Even Sant Jnyaaneshwar gained knowledge by serving his guru Nivruttinaath. He says “yogiraaja vinavane mana aale vo maaye” which means “I gained realization by serving my guru yogiraaja Nivruttinaatha”.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 32, Chapter 4

22 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.32, bahividhaa, brahmanaaha, chapter 4 verse 32, evam, jnyaatvaa, karmajaan, mukhe, sarvaan, taan, viddhi, vimokshyase, vitataaaha, yajnyaa

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 32, Chapter 4

evam bahuvidhaa yajnyaa vitato brahmano mukhe |
karmajaan viddhi taan sarvaanevam jnyaatvaa vimokshyase || 32 ||

In this manner, various types of sacrifices have been explained in the Vedas. Understand that all those are born of action; having known this, (you will) be liberated.

evam : in this manner
bahuvidhaa : various types
yajnyaa : sacrifice
vitataaha : have been explained
brahmanaaha : Vedas
mukhe : mouth
karmajaan : born of action
viddhi : understand
taan : those
sarvaan : all
evam : in this manner
jnyaatvaa : having known this
vimokshyase : (you will) be liberated

With this shloka, Shri Krishna concludes the section on practical yajnyas. In this section, we came across many varieties of yajnya. There are several more types of yajnyas in the scriptures such as pilgrimages, how to perform poojas during certain festivals, chanting of japas and so on. With the guidance of a teacher, we can choose the one that works best for us and follow it diligently.

Having concluded this section, Shri Krishna now makes a very important point. He says that while performing these yajnyas, we should never forget that any yajnya is ultimately an action. We saw earlier that actions are performed by the gunaas of prakriti. And anything that is related to gunaas is distinct from the eternal essence. So, how can yajynas move us closer to liberation if they are in the realm of gunaas?

Another way of looking at this issue is as follows. Anything that is a result of action will always be finite by definition. We are looking for realization of the eternal essence which is infinite. How will yajnyaas, born out of finite action, make us obtain the infinite eternal essence?

The key point to understand here is that action does not yield realization, only knowledge can do so. Performance of yajnya is a preparatory step towards realization, just like we prepare for sleep in the night. We can lie down on the bed, we can drink a cup of hot milk, we can turn off the light and so on. But the onset of sleep happens on its own. Similarly, even if we perform yajnyaas, realization will happen when we gain the knowledge when we are not the doer or enjoyer of any actions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 4

03 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in 4.13, akartaaram, api, avyayam, chaatur, guna, karma, kartaaram, maam, mayaa, srishtam, tasya, varnyam, vibhaagashaha, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 4

chaaturvarnyam mayaa srishtam gunakarmavibhaagashaha |
tasya kartaaramapi maam viddhyakartaaramavyayam || 13 ||

Four classes have been created by me, based on the division of guna and action. Even though I created them, know me as the non-doer and imperishable.

chaatur : four
varnyam : classes
mayaa : by me
srishtam : created
guna : guna
karma : action
vibhaagashaha : division
tasya : that
kartaaram : being the doer
api : even though
maam : me
viddhi : know
akartaaram : non-doer
avyayam : imperishable

Earlier, Shri Krishna mentioned that humans cannot avoid action at any cost. So how can we achieve liberation from bondage while still performing action? To that end, Shri Krishna advises us to act per our svadharma. By efficiently performing svadharma, we can liberate ourselves while performing actions. This is the “why” of karmayoga.

Knowing that one should perform one’s svadharma or duty in this world is core to karmayoga. But how does one know what is one’s svadharma? Shri Krishna addresses this point briefly in this shloka. He says that human beings are categorized into four classes or varnaas. These classes are based on the 3 gunaas, and the corresponding action that each guna prompts us to do.

The three gunas and their corresponding actions are as follows. Rajas is expressed as as activity or agitation. Tamas is expressed as lethargy or laziness. Sattva is expressed as knowledge and peace. So we have to perform self-analysis in order to understand how the gunaas behave within us and in what proportion to each other.

We will find that we will fall into one of these four categories. A brahmana who is predisposed to gaining knowledge, faith, sharing knowledge will usually have a prominence of sattva. A kshatriya who demonstrates courage, likes to organize and protect people, face challenges, take risks, try new things will have a prominence of sattva and rajas. A vaishya who likes to be creative and produce something will have a prominence of rajas and tamas. A shudra who likes to execute tasks but requires a lot of motivation will have prominence of tamas.

As we can tell, this shloka was heavily misinterpreted to support the incorrect notion that varna is determined by birth. There is no such thing. Just like we have career counselling in modern times, the Gita offered a scientific manner of selecting a career that is suitable for oneself both from a practical perspective, and also from a karma yoga perspective.

In the second part of the shloka, Shri Krishna reminds us that although he has set up this classification of varnaa, he is not the doer even in this act. It is maayaa alone that is acting in this world, whereas he is only the witness to its actions. We can think of ourselves as playing different parts in a cosmic play. Each part is different based on our svadharma.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 37, Chapter 3

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in 3.38, chapter 3 verse 37, enam, esha, iha, kaamah, krodah, mahaapaapmaa, mahaashanah, rajoguna, samudbhavaha, vairinam, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 37, Chapter 3

Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
kaama esha krodha esha rajogunasamudhbhavaha |
mahaashano mahaapaapmaa viddhyenamiha vairinam || 37 ||

Shree Bhagavaan said:
It is desire, it is anger, born of rajas. It is a voracious eater, a great sinner. Know it to be the enemy (here in this world).

kaamah : desire
eshah : this
krodha : anger
esha : this
rajoguna : rajas
samudhbhavaha : originated from
mahaashanah : voracious eater
mahaapaapmaa : massive sinner
viddhi : know
enam : it
iha : in this
vairinam : enemy

Earlier, Shri Krishna had mentioned that likes and dislikes are like highway robbers. They distract us from our path. But now, he uses the term “enemy” to refer to desire. What is the difference between a highway robber and an enemy? A highway robber does not care who we are, he just wants to distract us, rob us and let us go. But an enemy knows us, knows our weaknesses well, and intends to cause us great harm. Therefore, desire and anger are much more dangerous than likes and dislikes.

When we give a lot of attention to our likes and dislikes, it increases the proportion of the active quality, or rajas, in our system. When this happens, our likes and dislikes grow in size like weeds and become strong desires. We then go into a vicious cycle : strong desires create more rajas, which in turn makes the desires even stronger. Similarly, if dislikes grow, they turn into anger and hatred.

Now, when a strong desire gets fulfilled, there is a temporary pause in that desire, and the mind becomes still for a short amount of time. As we have seen earlier, an absence of desires clears the mind and lets the eternal essence shine through. When that happens, we experience peace and happiness. But, most of us wrongfully attribute that temporary spark of happiness to the object we just acquired, rather than to the absence of desire. So then, we go through life fueling our desires, in the hope that we can recreate that experience.

The tendency to recreate happiness through repetitive acquisition of an object is called greed. Moreover, the ego becomes strong through the increase in rajas, and it begins to go outward, comparing us with others. If someone has less than us, pride is created. Conversely, if someone has more than us, jealously is created.

The practical lesson here is that we should not encourage our likes and dislikes. In other words, if a like or dislike arises in the mind, we should not give it too much attention. If we do, it will get stronger. It is easier to control a like or a dislike. Once it has grown into a strong desire or hatred, then it becomes much difficult to control.