Talk:Manikigita

maṅkigitā (‘song of [the sage] Maṅki’) The Bhagavadgitā (‘Song of God’) by its extraordinary beauty, elegance and spiritual eminence, inspired the emergence of many other gītās, most of them being in the Mahābhārata itself. One such is this Mañkigltā. It is a part of the Sāntiparva (ch. 177, verses 5 to 54). The sage Maṅki purchased two oxen, yoked them and was taking them to a field. It so happened that a camel lying on the road, suddenly got up when the oxen had just approached it and started running with the yoke on its neck and the two bullocks hanging! Having lost his source of livelihood, Maṅki developed vairāgya or dispassion and taught this gītā to his own mind. The gist of the Mañkigltā can be given as follows: The mind is full of desires. These desires can never be satiated. A person takes a lot of trouble in acquiring wealth. But the accumulated wealth tempts thieves and robbers who take it away, harming or even killing its owner. Loss of wealth also generates intense suffering. Hence one must destroy the seven enemies—kāma (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (delusion), mada (intoxication), mātsarya (jealousy) and ahaṅkāra (egoism). The best way to conquer desires is to stop saṅkalpa (deciding to work for fulfilling the desire). By attaining yoga (concentration of mind on Brahman) I will become happy. Then you (= the mind) can never dupe me into sorrow and suffering! See also BHAGAVADGĪTĀ.