The Prisoner of Desire

art by Kathleen Adams

Prisoners are shackled by iron chains and balls. Living entities implicated in materialism are shackled by unlimited desires.

Thank you to Kathleen for the artwork. I, Mahat, found the following very appropriate, complimentary to her drawing. It is a short section from the Bhagavad-gita (6.4–10), the most famous Indian spiritual text.

A person is said to be elevated in yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sensual gratification nor engages in fruitive activities.

One must deliver oneself with the help of one’s mind, and not degrade oneself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and its enemy as well.

For one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, the mind will remain the greatest enemy.

For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. To such a person happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.

A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogi when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything—whether it be pebbles, stones or gold—as the same.

A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate ben-efactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the good and the bad all with an equal mind.

A transcendentalist should always engage his body, mind and self in relationship with the Supreme; he should live in the association of transcendetalists or alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness.