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Those guided by impulses and instinct wander about the world like drunkards, devoid of discrimination between right and wrong, true and false. The overpowering influence of these animal impulses makes them forget the dire consequences of yielding to them. They have no shame or fear, but they simply revel in the search for worldly pleasures and in the accumulation of comforts and in the sheer enjoyment of luxuries. For those plunged in these impulses, the intellect is a useless, functionless possession. By constant pursuit of sensory pleasures, the Vasanas become hardened and they strike deeper and stronger roots.

That is why the advice has been given in the Githa, to give up the fruit of one's actions. The Vasanas become stronger because the fruits are always kept in mind whenever actions are performed. This makes men proud and conceited and they always try to thrust their pride in the faces of others. The Vasanas enslave them and under their influence they stoop even to the lowest type of wrong-doing, for getting rich and earning the money needed to satisfy them. They start worshipping Mammon as their God. Of course, riches are essential; but surplus riches, riches that give worry, anxiety and pain are not desirable at all. One should not seek to acquire riches to that extent.

Besides, men strive to earn the praise of others and avoid being blamed by others. This too is to be classed as a malina or impure Vasana.

The world is a nest of crows; some caw in praise; some caw in derision. But men should be above the reach of praise and blame. Make light of praise; treat it as something spat out by others. Then only can you be free and enjoy real happiness. And about blame. See how the world has not allowed even Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Siva and Baba to escape from its tendency to blame! They talk ill even of the gods, imputing to those perfect beings evil motives and actions!

From such foul-minded persons as these, can any consideration be expected towards mere 'man'? Any excuse is enough for them. The white man hates the black; the black hates the white. The Saivite scandalises the Vaishnavite and the Vaishnavite spreads stories about the Saivite. Just as every one loves his own religion, his own native place and himself, he loves his own methods of worship and forms and ceremonies. This love takes the form of praise on one's own creed and blame of the other's faith. Though all this is related to one's relationship with God, such impulses are and must be classed under malina or impure Vasanas. Next