The Human Condition: The Vedic View

An excerpt from my book: 'Keshav: Ancient Wisdom for Focused Living'.

In my book I describe the mind as having two parts (or two states): the Thinker (the commander) and the Feeler (the monkey). Most the time the mind is in the state of the monkey. The monkey mind is the source of all our emotions, and it is what gives suggestions to the commander on how to act.

I also want to recall the three bodies. The reason for this is to understand the root of our emotions from a Vedic perspective. Of course, we could have chosen to take a modern approach to emotion and desire, and I have discussed desire in great depth in my book. But I feel that long before any modern philosophers or thinkers even began developing theories of mind and emotion, the Vedic scriptures like the Upanishads, Bhagavata Purana, and the Bhagavad Gita, all described satisfying theories. From all my research, and any bias aside, I strongly believe that the theories of desire and emotion given in the Vedic teachings are by far the most fulfilling descriptions. Based on these scriptures, Swaminarayan also provided extensive analogies and descriptions of these topics in his primary teachings collated in the Vachanamarut. Today, we will take a small glimpse into some of these theories.

To recall (and as you can see in the cover image), we are made up of the gross, subtle and causal bodies. The gross bodies makes up our physical bodies and our organs. The subtle body is home to our antahkarana (made up of the four inner faculties). Emotions are the function of the manas (mind), and reasoning (cognition) is the function of the buddhi (intellect). The causal body is the seat of our desires (kāma), as well as our karma. It is also described as the root of ignorance, and it is believed to be the cause of rebirth in Hindu theology. The emotions we experience stem from desire (kāma). These emotions are experienced frequently on a daily basis, and they give us a lot of information about ourselves and others. The culmination of our desires from this lifetime, as well as our past lives, is known as vāsanā. For ease of understanding, and to differentiate between kāma and vāsanā, whenever the word ‘desire’ is used, we are referring to ‘kāma’, and ‘vāsanā’ is used for the culmination of desires.

Desires are connected with attachment, clinging, and yearning. They are usually directed towards an object of pleasure that is perceivable and can be remembered. This could be an object that has already been attained, or, something that is anticipated to give one happiness and pleasure. If it is attained and enjoyed, there is a clinging and yearning for more of that object. The ancient Vedic seers emphasised continuously that it is attachment which leads us to cling and yearn for more and more.

When we want to fulfil a desire, it is known as kāma, or, kāmanā. If the desire is expressed or fulfilled, the emotion experienced is known as santosha (satisfaction). If the object is not attained, there is krodha (anger). If it is obtained, there is lobha (greed), mada (pride), and moha (infatuation). If we find that someone else has fulfilled that desire, there is irshā, or, matsar (jealousy). As you might have probably figured out by now, all of these are obstacles in both our spiritual life and our personal life too. They are the inner enemies of the king. Hence, back to the earlier point, desire is the root of our suffering. Or, to be more clear, our inability to understand and work with our emotions is the cause of our mental suffering. According to Vedic thought, it is avidyā (ignorance) that keeps one bound in this material world, as long as the mind is full of thoughts and feelings.

The Bhagavad Gita is the discussion between Krishna and Arjun. They are in the middle of the battlefield and despite of being one of the greatest warriors, Arjun has an emotional crisis, moments before the battle. He begins to question the purpose behind this war between him and his cousins.

I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up. My body is trembling, my hair is standing on end, my bow is slipping from my hand, and my skin is burning. I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling.

This entire emotional state (paraphrased from Bhagavad Gita 1.28-1.30), that Arjun describes of himself, resembles that of anxiety and grief; one that we often experience throughout our life too. The Bhagavad Gita deals with the human condition. Arjun can be seen as a reflection of who we are – lost and bewildered by our own thoughts and emotions, guided by the divine Krishna. The crisis faced by Arjun is the crisis felt by the jivātmā – you and me. The emotions that Arjun is facing in the battlefield are the very form of human existence and condition, as well as the identity and experience of human suffering.

• shoka: grid about things that have come to pass
• moha: delusion about the present moment
• bhaya: anxiety about the future

How do we overcome this suffering? How do we rule over our emotions? The Vedic scriptures say time and time again that it is because of our mistaken belief (misidentification) and wrongful attachments to the vishays, beings, happenings, as well as our self-centred desires that are the root of our suffering. To simplify, we bring back the ego. Pramukh Swami Maharaj often used to say that it is the identification with ‘I’ and ‘mine’ that is the cause of our suffering.

In the Bhagavad-Gitā, Krishna gives the Vedic view of the world as being a place primarily of suffering, from which one should seek moksha (liberation).1 He describes the world as being dukhālayam (full of misery and suffering) and ashāshvatam (temporary). The human condition itself, according to the Vedic standpoint, is that every living being must undergo the process of rebirth until they become like Brahman, after which the process of rebirth is stopped.

The Vedic teachings give us methods by which the human condition can be reframed into a vision of meaning, purpose, and values, all of which serve the final part of the book. This is just a brief introduction to the Vedic viewpoint of the human condition. We delve deep into this topic in my book, available here.

Prayers and Love,

Vinay