मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदु:खदा: |
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत || 2.14||
Meaning of the Shloka: O son of Kunti! The attachment and detachment of senses and their sense objects result in emotions. These are transitory like the seasons. Hence, O descendant of Bharat, you must tolerate them without being disturbed. (Bhagvad Gita 2.14)
Context: Arjuna was paralyzed by the overwhelming negative emotions during the build-up to the Mahabharata War. The negative emotions included the fear of death of all his loved ones, the uncertainty about the path he should choose, and the existential ramifications of the same.
After Krishna explained the nature of death, He proceeded to talk about emotions to provide guidance on how you should deal with them.
How do emotions originate
Emotions, as Krishna mentioned, emerge from the interaction between our senses and their respective sense objects. We have five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch) that have the power to perceive and interpret various entities around us, leading to emotions.
Our afflictions toward the sense object determine whether the resulting emotion is positive or negative. For instance, certain activities appear more pleasureful and others appear as chores for this exact reason.
You can also include the five action organs as well. They include the arms, legs, voice box, the reproductive organs, and the excretory organs. The interaction of these action organs with their respective sense objects also leads to different kinds of emotions.
Why emotions are misleading
Keep in mind that the senses, action organs, and the sense objects themselves are all temporary and transitory. Consequently, emotions themselves are extremely short-lived.
You may have encountered this yourself. Our mood changes every few hours. Our emotions toward a certain activity, person, or thing evolve over the years and depend on the immediate circumstances.
Moreover, the sense and action organs are not connected to any knowledge source. The eyes thirst for beautiful sights and the tongue craves tasty food. They don’t have the capacity to know whether a particular sight or dish is beneficial for you.
Humans who give in to their emotions are basically bending to the wishes of their respective senses and action organs. For instance, people remain lazy because the sense of touch prefers comfort. The arms and legs get respite when they are not doing anything.
In other words, what may “feel” good is not necessarily the best path forward, especially when you understand how emotions originate. There are plenty of dumbasses that have shot themselves in the foot while chasing butterflies.
Conclusion: Emotions are a by-product
You have three bodies:
Sthula Sharira (gross body)
Sukhma Sharira (subtle body)
Karana Sharira (causal body)
The subtle body gives directions to the gross body to act or behave in a certain way, whose impact is experienced through the causal body. The causal body simply “feels” or experiences the consequences of your efforts and should never be in charge of decision-making.
To put it simply, emotions are a by-product of your actions and should remain that way.
Promoting your emotions to be the determinant of your actions will lead you astray. You will hang out in terrible spots with individuals who are going nowhere. You will also procrastinate yourself to deep depression and existential crisis.
When determining your next step in life, you should not think about how it would potentially make you feel. Rather, shift your focus to whether it is the correct path forward.
—
Next Chapter: Equanimity Leads to Inner Peace and Salvation
Previous Chapter: The Wise Remain Resolute in the Face of Death
Index (with Prologue): Krishna Said That
Comments