(From 'Day by Day with Bhagavan': 11-9-46)

D.: How to control lust, anger, etc.?

M.: Whose are these passions? Find out. If you remain as the Self, there will be found to be nothing apart from the Self. Then there will be no need to control, etc.


D.: So we must rid ourselves of lust (kama), anger, (krodha), etc.

M.: Give up thoughts. You need not give up anything else. You must be there to see anything. It is the Self. Self is ever-conscious.


Another of the group asked: How are lust, anger, acquisitiveness, confusion, pride and jealousy overcome?

M.: By dhyana.

D.: What is dhyana?

M.: Dhyana is holding on to a single thought and putting off all other thoughts.


D.: How to conquer desire, anger, etc.?

M.: Desire or lust, anger, etc., give you pain. Why? Because of the ‘I’- conceit; this ‘I’-conceit is from ignorance; ignorance from differentiation; differentiation from the notion of the reality of the world and this again from ‘I-am-the-body’ idea. The last can be only after the rise of the ego. The ego not arising, the whole chain of mishaps disappears. Therefore prevent the rise of the ego. This can be done by remaining in your own real nature; then lust, anger, etc., are conquered.


It seems today Rangaswami (an attendant) was trying to coax Bhagavan into eating an orange about noon and, when he told Bhagavan, “These oranges and other fruits are all brought in by devotees only so that Bhagavan may use them.

So, why should not Bhagavan use them?”

It seems Bhagavan replied, “Why should you think that I eat only when I eat with this mouth? I eat through a thousand mouths.” R. told me of this.

Sri Ramana Maharishi