Daurmanasya
By Swami Harshananda
Daurmanasya literally means ‘frustration’.
A complete control over one’s own mind is a virtue that we often hanker for. Patañjali (200 B. C.) the great master of Yoga, had dealt with this topic from two standpoints.
- In the negative aspect, one should try constantly to avoid or overcome the various obstacles that disturb our mental balance or concentration.
- In the positive aspect, repeated efforts should be made to tackle the mind directly and control it.
Patañjali in his Yogasutras lists nine major and five minor obstacles which he refers to as ‘antarāyas’[1] to the control the mind. ‘Daurmanasya’ is listed as the second in the list of minor impediments. Literally it means ‘being in a bad state of mind’.[2] In effect, it refers to the frustration which one gets when one’s desires are unfulfilled or thwarted.
It is neither possible nor desirable to fulfill all our cravings and ambitions. Hence we should take recourse to discrimination and be convinced that desire is the root-cause of all our troubles. Once the intensity of desire is lessened, the shock of disappointment will also be lessened. When it is completely eliminated, the problem is permanently solved.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore