The Enemy Within

DO WE KNOW OUR REAL FRIEND AND ENEMIES?

I don’t know, how many times people have read or heard that, in human life we always consider some outsider (here, outsider means person that is not you) as our enemy or friend. Like if someone matches our vibe then they can become our friend and if you are facing any difficulties, we keep our distance from that type of person, it is as simple as that. but we always forget that everyone has unique set of characteristics, and everyone are similar at the same time. For instance, if I don’t like someone it means that I don’t like any part or characteristics of myself. The fact is, you are your greatest friend of yourself and greatest enemy as well, which lies on how much do you know yourself.

It cannot be denied that human life is for knowing our own self rather than hustling everywhere to prove our worth or find our way into this world. When I said, do we know our real friends or enemies? I meant; do we know ourselves inside out? Our own likes, dislikes, hobbies, interest, goals are another part of it but truly knowing yourself means knowing your mind and body, their trigger point and taking control of it. You got it right! Our mind and body are our greatest friends if they are in our control. Now, some of you might have questions like, what’s so special about it? Even a kid knows this fact that our mind and body are always in control. But it isn’t

always true, as human being we have four major interconnected assets: Brain, Mind, Body and Senses. As humans, we have body, to feel the beauty of nature and enjoy it we have senses, these senses are controlled by mind and the mind is controlled by brain. Imagine your most cherished desire suddenly appears before you. You would pursue it relentlessly, regardless of the obstacles. Our deepest desires are sources of pleasure sensed by our bodies. When we crave something, our senses drive us to pursue it eagerly. They prompt our minds to strategize and our brains to devise every possible

means to achieve that pleasurable goal. In ancient scriptures, these senses are referred to as Shathhripus: Kama (lust, craze, desire), Krodha (anger, hatred), Lobha (greed, miserliness, narrow-mindedness), Mada (arrogance), Moha (delusion), and Matsarya (jealousy). The Bhagavad Gita, in Chapter 2, verses 62 and 63, explains that contemplating the objects of the senses leads to attachment. From attachment arises desire, and unfulfilled desire leads to anger. Anger gives rise to delusion, which clouds the mind and memory. Confusion of memory leads to loss of reason, ultimately resulting

in complete ruin. Ultimately I want all of you to understand that, we ourselves are our own enemies with uncontrollable mind completely driven by our senses.