Main Obstacle In God's Way.

 Of all the things, I have found that superfluous desires are the main obstacle in the way of God realization. 

As long as one is obsessed with desires for material things & beings, salvation is  impossible. 

Our sacred scriptures, "Shastras", explicitly state that one can safely satisfy the following four desires: 

(a) Hunger. 

(b) Thirst. 

(c) Sleep. 

(d) Calls of nature. 

If one tries to satisfy desires apart from the four mentioned above, then one would indubitably be in grief, in bondage! 

People nowadays are trying to find happiness in fulfilling their superfluous desires. 

But this would give only fleeting pleasure, not lasting joy. 

It's only by reducing one's desires that one can enjoy infinite bliss. 

Is there any way to reduce one's desires? 

I have discerned three ways to eliminate superfluous desires. 

I have named them as: 

(𝗮) 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱. 

(𝗯) 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱. 

(𝗰) 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱. 

(𝗮) 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 :

Desires arise only when there is a "void of loneliness" inside. One then tries to fill the void with things, social media, friends. 

But the bottomless void never gets filled. 

Yearnings go on multiplying! 

So instead of craving for mundane things, one must utilize one's loneliness creatively by pursuing one's hobbies, social work. 

The best way of course is chanting Hari Naam lovingly and incessantly as only with His grace, one gets contentment, one's "void" gets filled. 

(𝗯) 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 :

Material desires are like an itch in the groin that causes an irresistible urge to scratch. If one scratches one's groin, one may get relief momentarily but afterwards the itch would be back with vengeance! 

It's always wise to tolerate the itch for some time. Soon it would start fading and ultimately vanishes. 

Likewise instead of trying to fulfill superfluous earthly desires, one must ignore them. Soon they will lose their potency. 

(𝗰) 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 :

Sprinkling drops of water on the fire will never extinguish the fire but a bucketful of water will surely douse it. 

Likewise, overindulgence in lusty desires may sometimes mitigate such desires entirely. 

It's only due to overindulgence that sometimes sanity dawns. One then sees the futility, damaging consequences of fulfilling material desires. One then transforms oneself. 

Well, I believe that there's no harm in possessing material things but it would definitely be a tragedy if material things start possessing us! 

~ Sanjay Gargish ~