Forum

FEAR AND RAGA

Fear (Bhaya) and Raga (attachment) are modifications or Vrittis in the mind. They are
temporary whirlpools or waves. The substance of the mind is nothing but Raga and fear. They
are twin-sisters. Hence they are closely related to each other. If you destroy fear and Raga there
is neither life nor existence for the mind. The Upanishad declares, “Detachment, faith, fear,
Raga, shyness, modesty, shame. etc.,” are only mind.
Fear is a product of ignorance or Avidya. Man forgets his essential, divine nature through
Moha or infatuation and identification with the body. He was the all-pervading immortal fearless
Soul or Brahman in the beginning. He was the “Santam (Peaceful), Ajaram (decayless),
Amritam (immortal), Abhayam (fearless) Brahman.” On account of egoism he became a
rebellious child. He separated himself from his Father. He had division of property. He started
his own independent living in this earth-plane. He rented a house in the mundane world. He
entered the body-house of flesh and bone and became a little timid man, a little Jiva, with all
sorts of fears. Thus started his downfall on account of his quarrel with his Almighty Father and
owing to his starting a new egoistic living with Raga-Dvesha.
He was bodiless muscle-less, fleshless, boneless, I-less, mine-less, desireless, Vasanaless,
when he was one with the Father, when there was a joint family. And so he was absolutely
fearless, and ever blissful and peaceful. He had no thought of body, house, property, wife,
children, position and prestige. He had no thought of diseases of body and fall from his social
status or prestige. He had no thought of enemies, war, riots and of running to any place for
safety, security. His original bode was peacefully secure and free from any sort of a danger and
enemies. It was all one Brahman community. There was no Hindu-Muslim trouble there. There
was no fear of attacks through bombs or torpedoes. It was an impregnable, invulnerable fortress.
It was disease-proof, bomb-proof, earthquake-proof.
In his new, independent egoistic life, he became selfish, crooked, narrow, and meanminded.
He entertained low thoughts. He ever thought of flesh and pleasures of the flesh. He
practiced the philosophy of flesh and preached the philosophy of flesh which is synonymous with
“Pig-philosophy.” Every day fears multiplied, as he was very much attached to his body, the
bodies of wife, children, and to his house, property, etc.
Raga (attachment) is the long-standing associate of fear. Wherever there is Raga, there is
fear. Fear and Raga co-exist. Man is attached to his wife. The body of his wife is his greatest
pleasure-centre. So there is fear for him, fear of losing her, fear of her death, fear of her running
away with another man, fear of her divorcing him, fear of her being displeased with him, etc. As
he is attached to his children, house and property, he has fear of losing his house, property and
children. He is drowned in sorrow and gets terrible shock if these objects are destroyed or lost.
Hence Raga is the cause of fear. If there is no Raga, there is no fear. The first link in the chain
of Raga is his attachment to his body. All kinds, of Raga start from this Raga to the physical
body.
Lord Krishna says in His Gita: “Vitaragabhayakrodhah sthitadheer muniruchyate”. “He
who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of stable mind.” Abandon
attachment through practice of non-attachment or Vairagya and attachment to the lotus feet of the
Lord or fearless Brahman. All fears will vanish.
You are attached to a fountain-pen, walking stick, book, watch, towel, cloth. Fear slowly
creeps in. There is fear of losing them. Always entertain the thought “All objects are illusory,
perishable and pain-giving.” You will have no attachment. Even if there is attachment, it will be
mild. You can drive it away with slight thinking and discrimination.
Give up attachment to this body by identifying yourself with the bodiless, sexless, pure,
all-pervading immortal Atman or Brahman. All sorts of fears and attachments will totally
disappear. Assert, feel, recognize:
“I am bodiless, immortal Soul or Brahman OM OM OM
I am sexless, all-pervading Atman OM OM OM
I am fearless Brahman OM OM OM
I am full of Vairagya now OM OM OM
There is no world at all OM OM OM
I alone exist OM OM OM
I am Deathless and Blissful OM OM OM
I am Absolute Brahman OM OM OM

May you all be free from Fear and Raga! May you all be established in the fearless,
(Abhaya, Nirbhaya) Brahman through the practice of courage and meditation on the fearless,
immortal Brahman.