Ishtopadesh Gatha 6

English Translation of Acharya Pujyapada swami’s Ishtopadesh – Deliberation (vivechana) and Poetic Translation by Acharya shri Vidyasagarji maharaj

Utthānikā (Introduction)

Continuing the discussion on the nature of worldly pleasures, it is emphasized that this so-called happiness is merely an illusion—a semblance of joy, driven by desires (vasana-matra).

Worldly happiness, as perceived by most, is not genuine or lasting. It is superficial and fleeting, arising from attachment and desire, which ultimately lead to discontentment. True happiness, as distinguished by spiritual teachings, is not found in the pursuit of sensory or material pleasures but in the realization of the self and detachment from transient cravings.

इष्टोपदेश गाथा 6

वासनामात्रमेवैतत् सुखं दुःखं च देहिनाम् । तथा ह्युद्वेजयन्त्येते भोगा रोगा इवापदि ॥6॥

Vāsanāmātramevaitat sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ cha dehinām।
Tathā hyudvejayantyete bhogā rogā ivāpadi॥6॥

Poetic Translation (Padyanuvad )

Tan-dhāri jīvon ka sukh to, mātra vāsanā ka jal hai,
Dukh hī dukh hai sukh-sā lagta, mṛg-marīchikā ka jal hai।
Sankaṭ kī ghaṛiyōn meṁ jis vidh, rog bhayaṅkar, us vidh haiṁ,
Bhog satāte bhoktāon ko, bhog hitaṅkar kis vidh haiṁ? ॥6॥

The experiences of pleasures and pains of the samsari jivas (uneman- cipated souls) are purely imaginary; for this reason the sense produced pleasures give rise, like disease, to uneasiness on the approach of trouble.

Note – If the pleasures and pains of the world were not the product of imagination they would be lasting, unchanging and eternal. But we see that what is the cause of pleasures today becomes a source of disturbance and pain as soon as trouble arises or calamity overtakes the enjoyer, Hence the acharya points out that sense-produced pleasures and pain are purely imagi- nary in their nature, notwithstanding that the infatuated humanity regard them as real and run after them. By the use of the word imaginary it is not to be taken that the acharya denies the reality of the experiences altogether, what he is aiming at in reality is only an emphasis on the nature of true happiness to be described later.

Deliberation (vivechana)

Analysis: The so-called happiness of worldly beings is nothing more than an illusion born out of desire (vāsanā). The term vāsanāmātra implies “craving” or “thirst,” which is merely an insatiable longing and not true happiness. As described, this so-called happiness is essentially a form of suffering.

Acharya Pujyapada Swami Ji, in his text Sarvārthasiddhi, explains the concept of “pravīchāra” as “vedanāpratikāraḥ pravīchāraḥ,” meaning it is merely a response to pain. In reality, pravīchāra is not happiness but simply an act of countering discomfort or pain. Considering it as happiness is a subjective belief, which is fundamentally flawed.

Everyday Example:

In daily life, hunger causes discomfort, and this pain is alleviated through food. If someone is thirsty, they are provided water to relieve the pain of thirst. When people eat food—be it bread, a sweet like laddoo, or a regional delicacy like baati—they experience different tastes but are ultimately doing the same thing: counteracting the discomfort of hunger. This act of countering hunger does not equate to true happiness. The belief that one finds joy in this process is merely a personal perception.

If you introspect, you’ll realize that countering discomfort doesn’t eliminate hunger permanently. Thus, the pleasure derived from it is transient and not genuine happiness.

The Analogy of Lubrication:

Acharyas describe five practices related to monks’ dietary discipline, one of which is akṣamrakṣaṇa. This can be compared to lubricating a vehicle’s axle. Just as a vehicle needs oil or grease—not necessarily ghee or some luxurious substance—to run smoothly, monks consume food merely to sustain their bodies. When the stomach growls, like the creaking of a wheel, food serves as the lubricant to keep the body functioning.

The essence here is that using necessary resources to counteract physical discomfort is practical, but considering it as a source of happiness is ignorance. If one examines this deeply, they will realize that worldly pleasures (etad sukham) are mere illusions of happiness (sukhābhāsa), not true joy.

This so-called happiness of worldly life is, in reality, an illusion—a shadow of suffering. True happiness is not found in fulfilling desires but in transcending them and understanding the transient nature of such pleasures.

Acharya continues by explaining the nature of indulgences and sensory pleasures. These pleasures excite and disturb the soul, much like diseases during times of adversity (such as poverty) can cause severe agitation. When both poverty and illness strike simultaneously, each moment becomes unbearable. Similarly, sensory pleasures create a continuous restlessness with no true resolution or end.

Insights from Sacred Texts

In the Yogasara and Paramatma Prakash, Acharya Yogindudev provides profound insight. He highlights that even revered beings like Rama and the Pandavas, who possessed the right vision (samyagdṛṣṭi), prayed to the Divine for freedom from merits (puṇya) that lead to material indulgences. They sought to avoid blessings that might tempt the mind toward sensory gratification.

Worldly beings, on the contrary, often desire material wealth and indulgences, believing it will bring happiness. However, these material acquisitions and pleasures tend to lead one away from spiritual focus, often making one forget the Divine. Such indulgences are distractions that hinder practices like self-contemplation, spiritual meditation, and introspection.

The Illusory Nature of Sensory Pleasures

The Ratnakaranda Shravakachara, authored by Acharya Samantabhadra Swami, further elaborates:

Verse:
karma-paravaśe sānte duḥkhairantaritodaye |
pāpa-bīje sukhe’nāsthā śraddhā-nākāṅkṣaṇā smṛtā || 12 ||

Meaning:
The pleasures related to the five senses are subject to the influence of karma (karma-paravaśe). They are temporary (sānte), meaning they come with an inevitable end. While they may feel delightful at the moment, their results are not favorable, as they are deeply intertwined with suffering (duḥkhairantaritodaye). These pleasures are akin to “sugar-coated” poisons—appealing on the surface but destructive within.

The Path to True Awareness

Pleasures, being karmically driven, are fleeting and deceptive. They distract the soul from its higher purpose, making it challenging to focus on self-realization or the Divine. Acharya stresses that only when the mind turns away from external sensory objects and redirects inward can one achieve genuine spiritual progress. Without this shift, indulgences remain as mere manifestations of vāsanā (desire) and ultimately lead to suffering.

The passage uses vivid analogies to describe the nature of indulgences and the importance of spiritual integrity. Here’s an explanation:

The Sugar-Coated Medicine Analogy

Just as bitter medicine may need a sugar coating to be palatable for a patient, sensory pleasures (pañchendriya viṣaya) are similarly deceptive. They appear sweet on the surface but are inherently harmful—filled with suffering and the seeds of sin (pāpa-bīja).

When consumed, these pleasures seem enjoyable at first, but like sugar-coated pills, they dissolve within and reveal their true, bitter nature. The pleasure derived from indulgence is fleeting, mixed with pain (duḥkhairantaritodaye), and ultimately binds one to sin, not merit (puṇya).

Consequences of Sensory Indulgences

Indulging in sensory pleasures results in karmic bondage, much like planting the seeds of a thorny babool tree. The tree grows with deep roots, and when it bears fruit, it also brings sharp thorns. Even its shade offers little comfort, as one risks being pricked by the thorns falling from above or rising from below. This reflects the unavoidable suffering intertwined with sensory pleasures, making them a source of pain rather than joy.

Detachment and Right Belief (Samyagdṛṣṭi)

Acharya emphasizes the importance of not developing faith or interest in such transient pleasures. This detachment aligns with one of the eight limbs (aṣṭāṅga) of samyagdṛṣṭi (right belief). Just as a body loses its essence if its essential limbs are removed one by one, right belief cannot exist without its eight integral aspects.

Without all eight limbs intact, right belief becomes incomplete and loses its true nature. For example, if someone loses a hand, they are still a human but are described as “lacking” or “disabled.” Similarly, incomplete adherence to the eight limbs weakens the foundation of spiritual progress.

The Warning from Acharya Samantabhadra

Acharya Samantabhadra asserts that right belief can only sustain itself if all eight limbs are upheld. Any compromise dilutes its essence. He uses the analogy of physical completeness to stress the importance of spiritual completeness. Just as a person with missing limbs is seen as incomplete, a person lacking any aspect of right belief is spiritually handicapped.

The central message is to recognize the deceptive allure of sensory pleasures and avoid attachment to them. True spiritual progress requires introspection and commitment to the eightfold path of right belief. This detachment ensures freedom from karmic bondage and aligns one with the ultimate goal of self-realization.

The concept of samyagdarshan (right belief) emphasizes that true contentment is rooted in self-realization, not in sensory pleasures. Here’s an analysis of the passage:

Self-Satisfaction vs. Sensory Pleasure

• Samyagdarshan is about self-contentment (atma-trupti), which transcends the fleeting satisfaction derived from sensory pleasures (indriya sukh).
• Sensory pleasure is not true happiness; it is merely a temporary relief from discomfort or suffering. Achieving comfort from pain is not equivalent to experiencing genuine joy.

Misinterpretation of Happiness in Worldly Life

• From a worldly perspective, people often equate material comfort and the ability to alleviate suffering with happiness. For instance, someone with resources to counteract discomfort perceives themselves as “happy” and living a blissful life. However, this perception is an illusion.
• The worldly being (samsari jiva) remains entirely captivated by this superficial happiness, dedicating their entire existence to its pursuit. They toil day and night to accumulate material comforts, mistakenly believing them to be the source of joy.

The Universal Chase for Sensory Pleasures

• Across all realms of existence (gatis), living beings are predominantly engrossed in seeking sensory gratification. Few exceptional souls recognize that these pleasures are merely a way to counteract suffering and thus turn their focus toward self-discipline and spiritual practice (atma-sadhana).
• Some individuals go further and view sensory pleasures not as happiness but as mere wages for the body—a means to fulfill its functional needs while focusing on higher pursuits.

Challenging Societal Conformity

• The majority of beings, driven by delusion (moha), collectively pursue sensory pleasures, believing this to be the ultimate goal of life. Such widespread conformity can lead individuals to question their own spiritual beliefs, wondering if they are mistaken for not following the masses.
• However, Acharya explains that this collective pursuit of sensory pleasures is an outcome of delusion. Under its influence, the incorrect path appears correct, and society strays further from the true path of righteousness (sanmarg).

This passage serves as a reminder to question societal norms and not be swayed by the collective pursuit of material comforts. True happiness lies in self-awareness and spiritual practice, not in the endless chase for sensory satisfaction. By recognizing the transient and illusory nature of worldly pleasures, one can focus on the deeper fulfillment that comes from self-realization and detachment.

Swadhyay Ishtopadesh Gatha 6 & 7

Ishtopadesh Swadhyay youtube playlist

इष्टोपदेश Ishtopadesh

गाथा 1 (Gatha 1) | गाथा 2 ( Gatha 2 )| गाथा 3 ( Gatha 3)| गाथा 4 ( Gatha 4 )| गाथा 5 ( Gatha 5) | गाथा 6 | गाथा 7 ( Gatha 7 )| गाथा 8 | गाथा 9 | गाथा 10 | गाथा 11 | गाथा 12 | गाथा 13 | गाथा 14

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