In the Bhagavad-gita verse (4.10), Krishna describes how we can move from material emotion to spiritual emotion. 

Broadly, the various emotions we have in association with the material world can be put into three categories: raga (attachment), bhaya (fear), and krodha (anger). We desire things in the world, triggering various emotions within us. We become concerned, worried, alarmed, and terrified when certain things go in an undesirable or unacceptable way, triggering fear. In between these two extremes of desire and fear is the emotion of anger, which arises when we try to get things to work in a particular way, but they don’t. When things have not yet reached the point of being a danger to us, it’s not fear that is triggered, but rather frustration, which comes off as anger.

Krishna says, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. We need to put aside these distractions so that we can fix our mind on him and eventually take shelter of him. He also says bahavo jñāna-tapasā which means that many in the past, being purified by the austerity of knowledge, have attained divine emotion pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. For us, jñāna-tapasā is important in this context; it refers to the austerity performed through knowledge. Let’s see how such austerity can help us deal with the three obstacles.

Attachment: We can’t suddenly give up material emotions and experience spiritual emotions; we need to engage in the intellectual disciplining of our inner world. Whatever emotions may be agitating us, we need to engage with them through philosophical understanding and set them aside, at least temporarily.

For example, if there is a strong desire for something—such as a better job, better health, or more money—these may be valid concerns. But while all these are artha (material pursuits), it is Krishna who is paramartha (the supreme goal). He is far more important and desirable than these things. We set aside lesser desires just as we would politely defer meeting someone less important when we have come there to meet a more important person. By having more important desires that we can prioritize, we can say no to less important desires without feeling too much deprivation.

Fear: We may have anxiety, worry, or insecurity about many things. Yes, these issues need to be practically dealt with, but ultimately, even our power to deal with those situations comes from Krishna. If we spend time connecting with Krishna, it doesn’t mean we are neglecting these issues; in fact, we are doing the best thing possible to eventually deal with them. Krishna may even take care of these problems for us or give us the intelligence to handle them. Such an understanding will help us better manage our fears. 

Anger: Someone may have spoken hurtfully or dealt harshly with us. Accepting that the event has already happened, and there’s nothing we can do to make it unhappen, puts an end to our war with reality. Such acceptance doesn’t mean that we deny or downplay how unfair or terrible that event was; it just means that we free our inner world from the resentment so that we can shift our focus to Krishna, knowing that he is expert enough to bring good out of the bad. If we connect with Krishna, he will give us the vision to understand the purpose behind such events and guide us on how to make things better.

When our inner world is thus freed from these distracting emotions, it becomes more receptive to Krishna’s presence and to the consequent activation of divine emotion. We begin feeling attracted to him, and that attraction eventually leads to absorption. Thus, the more we free ourselves from material emotions, the more we experience spiritual emotions.

Summary: 

  • Our inner world needs to be freed from domination by material emotion before it can become receptive to spiritual emotion.
  • By disciplined use of our intelligence, we can let go of domineering material emotions such as attachment, fear and anger. 
  • Being freed of such emotions, our receptivity to Krishna’s manifestations increases and we progress towards divine attraction and absorption.

Think it over:

  • What intellectual reasoning can help you put aside your attachments? 
  • What intellectual reasoning can help you put aside your fears? 
  • What intellectual reasoning can help you put aside your anger?

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4.10 – Being freed from attachment, fear, and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.