Shamadishatak - Dama (Control of the organs) - 2

Dama can be practiced only if sense and action organs are under complete control of the intellect. The major difference between Shama and Dama lies here. The mind craves especially for prohibited actions such as eating junk food, sleeping late or indulging in sense pleasures. Even though there is a strong desire to act in such manner, we remain indecisive about whether to execute that action.

On the one hand, there is a strong urge to act incorrectly, but on other hand there is Vivek that tells us to stay away from doing prohibited, illegal, preposterous, negative, or irrational actions. Prohibited actions are not performed despite strong impulses in the mind. Organs are pulled back, they do not act according to the wishes of the mind. Many seekers go through this phase. The mind (Manas) may wander or stray, and follow its whims, but no impulsive actions are taken. ‘Control on actions’ is the main indication of having accomplished ‘Dama’. ‘Controlling desires’ is an indication of having accomplished ‘Shama’.  When ‘desires don't even trigger in the mind’, it is an indication of having accomplished ‘Uparama’. 

Katha-Upanishad beautifully explains this concept using the metaphor of a chariot (Ratha). ‘Body’ is equated to a chariot where ‘Jiva’ is the rider, ‘organs’ are the horses, ‘intellect’ (Buddhi) is the charioteer and ‘mind’ (Manas) is the rein with which the horses get controlled. ‘Sense objects (viṣhayās, विषय)’ are the roads on which ‘horses of sense organs’ run and move the body-chariot. This is a fascinating description of how the mind and organs work together.  The parable is highly useful in deeper understanding of Shama and Dama. Horses (organs) cannot run on their own. Their reins are controlled by the charioteer. In other words, the ‘mind’ is controlled by the ‘intellect’. Hence the entire ‘body-chariot’ is controlled by the one who holds the reins i.e. ‘the intellect’. If the control by the intellect is relinquished, then the horses run wildly in any direction. This means if the ‘intellect’ does not control the ‘mind’ properly, organs perform their actions in untamed manner as directed by ‘subconscious desires (Vāsanā, वासना)’. The reins that are apparently controlled by the ‘intellect’, are ultimately in the hands of ‘subconscious desires’, which reside in the intellect.  The ‘mind’ uses ‘organs’ to gather various ‘sense objects’ to fulfill incomplete desires and conveys them to the ‘intellect’. The intellect takes a decision as directed by subconscious desires to enjoy a specific object to fulfill a pending desire. The intellect sends its decision to organs via ‘the mind’ as an intermediary. Organs then perform the actual action to enjoy that sense object and fulfill the pending desire. This logical thought-process has been beautifully explained by Vedic scriptures.

All organs are evidently subservient to the mind. They can be controlled (Dama can be attained) in three different ways -

·         Change in the subconscious desires (Vāsanā) - If subconscious desires are changed in a positive manner, then organs will automatically stay under control. Forbidden actions will not take place.

·         Change in the intellect - If decisions taken by the intellect are intrinsically changed per the guidance of saints or Vedic texts, then organs will not perform prohibited actions.

·         Change in the mind - If mind is convinced to stay away from adverse sense-objects, then organs will be controlled, and forbidden actions will not take place.

It is important to understand the link between the ‘mind’ and ‘subconscious desires’ (Vāsanā). Explicit desires (to perform actions) are born in the ‘mind’ only due to subconscious desires residing in the ‘intellect’. The mind starts wandering towards sense-objects because of these explicit desires. When a seeker consistently reads texts by saints, listens to discourses, studies scriptures such as Upanishads, his ‘intellect’ evolves, matures and the power of discrimination (Vivek) comes into effect. If ‘intellect’ and ‘mind’ do not work in sync, then a state of confusion prevails. The mind feels ambiguous about which actions to execute; and both Shama and Dama are half achieved. The mind is confused, and no concrete or correct action takes place in this state. Thus - 

1.    The ‘intellect’ (Buddhi) evolves by following the teachings of Vedānta. It mandates the ‘mind’ to keep all ‘organs’ under control. When organs are controlled easily without any resistance, it means both Shama and Dama are fully achieved.

2.    The mind runs amuck as dictated by subconscious desires, but organs do not perform forbidden actions. This means Dama is achieved but Shama is not. 

3.    The mind is attracted by sense objects and the intellect does not control organs. We enjoy the worldly objects even though they obstruct spiritual growth. Both Shama and Dama completely fail at this stage. 

‘Dama’ and ‘Shama’ depend on ‘action’ and ‘desire to perform that action’ respectively. The ‘control of organs’ is an earlier stage of achieving the ‘control of mind’.  Dama is included in Shama.

St. Tukārām Mahārāj says –

Indriyañchā jaya vāsanecha kshaya |

Sañkalpāhi na ye vari mana|

Tukā mhaṇe na ye jāṇiv añtara | Añtari yā thāra Ānañdācha ||

(इंद्रियांचा जय वासनेचा क्षय | संकल्पावरही न ये मन |

तुका म्हणे न ये जाणीव अंतरा | अंतरी या थारा आनंदाचा ||)

Three stages have been clearly explained in this Abhanga. When organs are fully under control, subconscious desires in the intellect are eradicated, and the mind has no new wishes, then we can experience absolute, Supreme, Pure Bliss (Ātmānanda, आत्मानंद), which is ever-available and ever-lasting.

A seeker who cannot control mind or organs (practice Shama or Dama) goes downhill very quickly. Bhagvad-Gitā explains the debacle of a seeker in this verse –

Dhyāyato visayān puñsāḥ sangasteshūpajāyate |

Sañgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodhobhijāyate || (2-62)

(ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङगस्तेषूपजायते |

सङ्गात् सञ्जायते कामः कामात् क्रोधोऽभिजायते ||)

 

The debacle starts with incessant thinking about sense objects. There are five types of sense perceptions - sound, touch, form, taste and smell (PañchaVishayas - shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa and gandha, पंच विषय -  शब्द, स्पर्श, रूप, रस, गंध). We naturally love to enjoy sense pleasures by acquiring worldly objects. But there are many obstacles in the way of acquiring objects. One has to choose between righteous-nonrighteous, just-unjust paths in the process. These choices keep us engrossed in our cravings.  The mind gets attached to that ‘one’ object of desire. Deeper the attachment, stronger is the desire to acquire and enjoy that object. All efforts get directed towards that ‘one object of desire’. Deeper attachment leads to faster downfall. Hence, we have to start putting a leash on ‘mind and organs’ every time we crave for an object. For that, we need to stay alert and introspect our responses. We need to strive for self-control consciously and explicitly in the beginning. But the mind-organ control is supposed to come automatically as we progress. It is not right if we spend our entire lifetime just struggling to master Shama and Dama. Both Shama and Dama are just spiritual practices, not the end-goal in themselves. 

To be continued...