5 Cardinal Vices

F ive vices are the five thieves we are always trying to find happiness from. However, the happiness we obtain from them is very temporary. Out of all the worthy things we pursue outside ourselves, we only experience temporary happiness. This creates a void inside us, and that void generates emotions, which are our vices.

The five vices are known as the "vikar" in Hindi. They are "kam" (desire or lust), "krodh" (anger), "lobh" (greed), "moh" (worldly attraction), and "ahankar" (false ego). Today, we will address these five vices.

Firstly, there is desire or lust. When this desire is unfulfilled, it leads to anger. Anger arises when we don't obtain what we want. This anger then turns into frustration and becomes a form of greed. Once we acquire what we desire, we become attached to worldly possessions, thinking that they belong to us. Finally, there is the ego, the false sense of self-importance that arises when we believe we have earned or achieved something. These five vices are like poisons.

When discussing Ravana, a pious and religious man, we learn that his desire for Sita, the most beautiful woman, led to his downfall and death. All of us have these five vices within us, although some people may have more anger, attachment, or other specific tendencies. These vices are referred to as "thieves" because, like thieves, they steal something from us. When we recognize that they are attacking us, we naturally try to distance ourselves from them. Although it may seem natural to experience anger, greed, attachment, or ego, our Guru teaches us that these are all things attacking us. Therefore, we must separate ourselves from these vices.

These vices are the reason why they are called thieves. They steal away our happiness, providing only temporary happiness in return. They rob us of our inner peace. For example, if we become angry, expressing our emotions may provide temporary satisfaction and happiness. However, these vices prevent us from experiencing lasting happiness, which is what I am referring to as the "everlasting happiness" that the Guru helps us channelize.

Lust or Desire (Kam) Now, let's focus on the first vice, lust or desire. When we speak about lust, we often associate it with sexual desire. However, if we consider the religious aspect, having excessive sexual desire is considered a sin. Psychologically, though, a healthy sexual desire is considered normal. Today, we will examine the spiritual aspect of lust. Sexual desire itself is natural and normal. For instance, if you are married, sexual desire is necessary for procreation. However, when it overpowers and becomes an addiction, it is called lust. Lust is not limited to sexual desire; it can apply to any form of desire. It refers to any desire that overwhelms and hypnotizes us, leading to blind obsession and craving. It clouds our judgment and makes it difficult to say no to those desires. Lust can manifest as an overpowering desire for another person, an obsession with food or certain experiences, or a craving for visual or sensory stimuli.

When it comes to lust, we are never satisfied. We always want more and more. It's like a pot with holes; when you fill it, you temporarily have water, but it will eventually drain out through the holes. So, the water becomes useless. Similarly, our bodies are like pots, and desires are like the holes in our bodies. When we fulfill one desire, we experience temporary happiness, but more desires arise. It's a continuous cycle of wanting more in our lives. For example, a cricketer worked their entire life to receive a certain award and when asked how are you feeling so he said so what? Once you have a desire to get a big house when u get it now you need a servant for maintenance so you see it's a circle of desire.So, there is no end to this desire. We need to channelize it. Don't desire only material things, but start desiring knowledge.

Anger (Krodh) Now, coming to the second vice, which is anger. What is the main cause of anger? Desire. So, if any desire is unfulfilled, you are bound to get angry. If you are hurt in any way or something has hurt you, you are going to get angry. Another reason why we get angry is because we believe we are right and others are wrong. We constantly try to prove that we are right and the other person is wrong. Many times, we blame others for our anger, but most of the time it is due to unfulfilled desires. We get angry when someone is rude to us or frustrates us. We either remove the frustration or take it out on someone else. There is a constant need to prove that I am right and you are wrong. However, when someone is angry, instead of attacking them, we should try to stop being angry ourselves. When we see someone angry, we try to provoke them, and in the process, we also become angry. It becomes a vicious cycle. Our Guru teaches us that when we are getting angry, we need to channelize ourselves and ask why our mind is not working properly, why our ego is getting hurt, and why our desires are causing anger. So, instead of blaming others for our anger, we should target ourselves and not believe others.

Greed (Lobh) The third vice is greed. What is greed? It is basically wanting more and more, and it should not be earned through unfair means. For example, if someone is in business and they have a monopoly on a certain product, they may charge five times the amount. Their conscience might tell them that this is greed. So, they asked Guruji if the amount they are charging is greed. Guruji told them that it is their right and not greed, as long as they are not cheating others or using unfair means. Greed comes into play when we see others following unfair means and succeeding, so we are tempted to do the same. However, Guru teaches us that greed is unethical earning and not the right way to earn. This greed will create karma, and whatever harm it causes in the future will come back to us. For example, if someone injects water instead of medicine to earn more, it is greed. They played with people's health because of their own greed. In the end, their greed backfired and they ended up behind bars. To channelize this greed, if you have a desire for outward progress or knowledge, you can redirect that greed towards wanting to learn more and progress on the spiritual path.

Attachment (Moh) The fourth vice is worldly attachments. Some people feel that emotional attachment is kind of okay. For example, as a mother, I have an attachment to my child, and it's fine. As a wife, it's normal to be attached. However, the Guru teaches us that this worldly attachment will keep us stuck and bring us back again and again. The minute we become attached to someone, we have to be born again and again. So what the Guru tells us is to turn this attachment into love. When we get attached to the people around us, the Guru tells us to bring in respect and start loving the entire world. Transform that attachment into love.

Somebody once asked Guruji, "What is the difference between attachment and love?" Guruji explained that attachment will bind your life in such a way that the decisions you make based on attachment will be harmful for you and the people you love. She gave a very good example. She said, "If your child has diabetes and is eating something very sweet, as a parent, if you are attached to the child, that is attachment. But if you truly love him, you will realize that this is poison. In attachment, we become blind, but love helps us make the right decision at the right time."

Another example is when a child needs cough syrup, but instead, the parent gives vinegar and the child dies. This happens because the parent was attached to the child, so they were in a hurry and worried, and were not able to think properly. Now, let's come to the difference. Love makes you think in a broader perspective because out of attachment, we create a lot of Karma. Our attachment also increases when we are attached to someone. We become greedy and angry, so all these vices increase with attachment. There is more desire inside you, so your vice is increased. Karma is made on the basis of attachment, and it limits you. But when you love, you love unconditionally.

Some may say that this is impossible to do, but if you look at Guruji's life, you will see that it's not so impossible. Just like how Bhagwan ji is loving everyone in this world, it can be done. When we get attached to people, we start expecting from them. But in love, there is no expectation, and these expectations hurt and disappoint us because we can't live up to everybody's expectations, and not everyone can live up to ours. When you truly love someone, you don't expect anything in return. Attachment is when we love with conditions. Attachment makes you weak, whereas love makes you strong. When you are attached to somebody or something, you are performing your duty, helping them, and doing everything, but it makes you weak. Love makes you make decisions in the right manner and makes you stronger.

Attachment increases fear, whereas true love makes you fearless. When you have attachment and somebody comes home late, you constantly fear what happens to that person. You are constantly worried. But with true love, you become fearless. Whatever has to happen, has to happen. I have faith in my God. Attachment increases dependency, whereas love makes you independent.

Guruji teaches us how to be independent. Guruji transforms our worldly attachment into true love for each other. We should strive for this beautiful transformation and not confine ourselves to a small world where we are only attached to a few people. Instead, we should embrace the bigger world, a world filled with love vibrating everywhere. However, it's important not to misunderstand this message. Don't think that you won't be able to fulfill your duties. The only difference is that attachment will make you fall, whereas true love will make you rise. When faced with a significant decision, ask yourself whether you are making it out of attachment or because it is the right thing to do. By doing so, you will start to notice the difference between attachment and true love. This awareness will help you progress because attachment doesn't disappear overnight. But with consistent practice, you can let go of attachment and spread true love unconditionally. To overcome attachment, we need a Guru and a strong connection with God.

Ego (Ahankar) Now, let's talk about the fifth vice, ego (ahankar).

Each one of us has this ego or false sense of self. We exhibit ego when we refer to our body as "me." For example, saying "I have money" or "I don't have money" both stem from ego. It's similar to playing the game of snakes and ladders, where snakes bring you down when they bite you. In life, when you do good things, show compassion, and love, you climb up the ladder. However, when any of these vices, such as ego, come into play, they act like snakes, biting and causing you to fall down. One of the biggest snakes is ego, represented by the 99th place in the game. You may achieve great success and reach new heights in life, but the moment you let pride take over and touch that 99th place, your ego brings you crashing down. Ego is extremely harmful, and we must realize that whatever we have achieved in life is due to God's grace. When we get caught up in ego, everything shatters. The constant use of the word "I" is a manifestation of ego. We need to let go of the idea that we exist as separate individuals.

So, what is this ego that claims "I am so-and-so" and "I have achieved"? When someone says, "my body is hurting," it implies that they are separate from their body. But when you realize the truth, that you are not separate from your body, the ego naturally diminishes. We must transform this ego into awareness of who we truly are. We are not merely our bodies; we are souls. If I were to ask you, "Who are you?" you might initially respond with your name, gender, city, occupation, and other external aspects. These are the bricks that make up your life. However, these bricks shine because of the divine light within you, not because of their own inherent existence. We are born into this world without choosing our name, occupation, city, or even our family. We didn't choose our gender. So, what is there to be proud of? What is this false sense of self, ego, all about? We mistakenly believe that these shining external aspects are our true existence, and we polish them, unaware that they shine because of the divine light within us.

Within each of us, there is peace, but these five vices rob us of our happiness and peace of mind. Lust, greed, attachment, ego, and anger are the five vices that overpower us. To regain our natural state, we need to channelize these vices in the right direction. It is up to us to transform each vice into a virtue.

Conclusion Every time you feel proud, greedy, angry, or attached, just talk to yourself and ask why you are feeling proud or why these emotions are arising. Forget the external factors and focus on the divine light within you. Often, we become attached to material things that may be present in our lives today but can disappear tomorrow, such as money. If we understand that the divine light resides within us, we will not be swayed by these temporary voices and distractions. The Guru helps us avoid falling into the trap of these emotions by making us aware of our anger and attachments, which can ultimately lead to our downfall.

Now, the question arises: should we eliminate these emotions entirely? Is it wrong to have a little anger or greed, or are these feelings natural? Consider this: even a small amount of poison can be detrimental and lead to harm. Similarly, even a drop of these negative emotions can lead to our downfall if we let them overpower us. They have the potential to destroy us. Therefore, we must channelize these emotions in a productive manner.

The Guru teaches us to channelize these vices and transform them into virtues. Instead of blindly fulfilling our desires or suppressing them completely, we should seek guidance from wise individuals and be self-aware in order to defend ourselves against these vices. Our goal now is to redirect and harness these vices, turning them into virtuous actions.

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