"If only you go to the root of the problem, you will realise that whatever else you may escape, you cannot escape death. What man conceives as happiness now is, in reality, only misery in the guise of happiness. So understand the truth of these things, reflect upon the flaws in the reasoning which delude you. Then, as a result, detachment is strengthened and through that, you attain Jnana. Therefore, O Arjuna! liberate yourself from Janma (birth), Mrithyu (death), Jaraa (senility), Vyadhi (illness) and Dukha (grief)." Thus spoke Krishna exhorting Arjuna, with a great deal of affection.

Then He spoke of Asakthi, or Anaasakthi: the withdrawal of desire from objects, the absence of yearning. The greed to possess things that you see is caused by egoism. "I must have this," "I must be the proud owner of this valuable thing," this is how egoism prompts one. It is a strong cord that binds you to objects. Withdraw the mind and treat all as manifestations of the Lord's glory. Love all things as expressions of His glory, but do not delude yourself into the belief that possessing them will make you happy. That is an illusion. Do not dedicate your life for their sake; use them for your needs, as and when necessary, that is all. That kind of impulse activating you will be a great handicap in your progress towards liberation. Whatever you may acquire as property will have to be given up some day. You cannot take with you on that last journey even a blade of grass or a pinch of dust. Keep this fact ever before the mind's eye and then you can realise the reality.

Before one's birth, one has no relationship with this world and its material objects. After death, they and all kith and kin disappear. This sojourn is just a game played in the interval. Getting fascinated with this three-day-fair is foolish indeed. Desire tarnishes the mind and makes man unfit for higher pursuits. The Sadhakas who seek liberation and realisation must rid themselves of desire, for, like grease, it sticks and is difficult to remove once it is contacted.

After this, attention has to be paid also to another virtue, Samathwasthithi: the state of equanimity, of undisturbed calm during joy and grief, prosperity and adversity, happiness and misery. This is the fifteenth virtue of a Jnani. Being elevated or depressed by success and defeat, profit and loss, honour and dishonour, is an activity that is futile. Accept all equally as from the grace of God, His Prasada. As you wear shoes to tread over thorny places, or hold an umbrella to escape getting wet in rain, or sleep inside a mosquito curtain to escape the stings of insects; so too, arm yourself with an unshaken mind that is confident of the Lord's grace and bear with equanimity praise or blame, defeat or victory, pleasure or pain. To live bravely through life, this Sama-chiththathwam is declared essential.