Talks on the Gita -Vinoba 200

Chapter 16 CONFLICT BETWEEN THE DIVINE AND THE DEMONIACAL TENDENCIES 93. Self-restraint: The Scientific Way To Get Rid Of Desire, Anger And Greed 23. Taking all this into consideration, live in the world with self-restraint and avoid excesses. Do not follow your own whims; and also do not follow the whims and wishes of the people; that is not what the Gita calls ‘loksamgraha’. Loksamgraha does not mean following the wishes of the people. Organising men in large numbers or accumulating wealth does not necessarily lead to progress. Development does not depend on numbers. If population grows unchecked, men will kill one another. Firstly, they will kill birds and beasts and lose balance and will then kill and devour their own children. If desire, lust and anger are considered useful, there can be no doubt that men will end up devouring each other. Loksamgrah means showing the people the path of pure morality. If by freeing itself from lust and anger the human race disappears from the earth, it may reappear on Mars. One need not have worry on that count. God is unmanifest, but immanent. He would take care of all. Therefore, emancipate yourself, redeem yourself first. Do not look too far into the future. Do not worry about the whole of creation and the human race. Increase your moral strength, eschew desire, lust and anger from your mind. ‘आपुला तूं गळा घेई उगवूिन’ (‘Free your own neck from the noose.’). Even if you could do this much, it is sufficient. 24. It is a pleasure to watch the sea of samsara from a distance. How can a drowning man enjoy the beauty of the sea? The saints stand on the shore and enjoy the sight of the sea of samsara. There can be no joy without imbibing this attitude of remaining detached like the saints. Be detached like a lotus-leaf. Buddha has said that the saints stand on the hill-top and look down at samsara, which then appears trivial to them. Try to do likewise, and you too would find it trivial; you would lose interest in worldly affairs. In short, the Lord has exhorted us in this Chapter to shun the demoniacal qualities and acquire the divine ones. Let us make efforts in this direction.