செறிவறிந்து சீர்மை பயக்கும் அறிவறிந்து
ஆற்றின் அடங்கப் பெறின்.
Serivarindhu Seermai Payakkum Arivarindhu
Aatrin Atangap Perin (123)
If one exercises self-restraint with knowledge and intent, he will be counted among the wise.
ज्ञातव्यं तत्वतो ज्ञात्वा संयमी यो भवेन्नर: ।
महात्मनां गुणाज्ञानां कृपया स सुखी वसेत् ॥ (१२३)
कोई संयमशील हो, अगर जानकर तत्व ।
संयम पा कर मान्यता, देगा उसे महत्व ॥ (१२३)
ರಿಯಬೇಕಾದುದನ್ನು ಅರಿತು ನಲ್ವಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಯಮದಿಂದ ನಡೆದರೆ, ಸಂಯಮವು ಪ್ರತಿಯಾಗಿ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಕೀರ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ತರುತ್ತದೆ. (೧೨೩)
അറിവുള്ളതിനോടൊപ്പമടക്കവുമൊരുത്തനിൽ സ്ഥായിയായ് കാണ്കിലോ ലോകരെല്ലാം വാഴ്ത്തിപ്പുകഴ്ത്തിടും (൱൨൰൩)
Hat jemand Selbstbeherrschung und ist sich ihrer in seiner Erkenntnis bewusst, wird er unter den Weisen anerkannt und gepriesen
ஒருமையுள் ஆமைபோல் ஐந்தடக்கல் ஆற்றின்
எழுநம்யும் ஏமாப் புடைத்து.
Orumaiyul Aamaipol Aindhatakkal Aatrin
Ezhumaiyum Emaap Putaiththu (126)
Like a tortoise, if one is able to restrain the five senses, he will gain not just in this birth, but also the next.
पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि सम्यम्य विद्यमानस्य कर्मवत् ।
आत्मरक्षणशक्ति: स्यात् सप्तस्वपि च जन्मसु ॥ (१२६)
पंचेन्द्रिय-निग्राह किया, कछुआ सम इस जन्म ।
तो उससे रक्षा सुदृढ़, होगी सातों जन्म ॥ (१२६)
ನ್ನ ಒಂದು ಜನ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಮೆಯಂತೆ ಐದು (ಇಂದ್ರಿಯ) ಗಳನ್ನು ಅಡಗಿಸಿ ಕೊಳ್ಳಲುಸಮರ್ಥನಾದರೆ, ಏಳು ಜನ್ಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಅದು ಅವನಿಗೆ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ನೀಡುವುದು. (೧೨೬)
പഞ്ചേന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ കുർമ്മം പോലടക്കാൻ പ്രാപ്തനായവൻ ഏഴുജന്മങ്ങളിൽ സ്വന്തം ജിവിതം രക്ഷനെടിടും (൱൨൰൬)
Beherrscht jemand in dieser Geburt seine fünf Sinne wie eine Schildkröte, ist er vor allen sieben Geburten geschützt.
தீயினாற் சுட்டபுண் உள்ளாறும் ஆறாதே
நாவினாற் சுட்ட வடு.
Theeyinaar Suttapun Ullaarum Aaraadhe
Naavinaar Sutta Vatu (129)
The wound created by a fire will heal;but not the scar produced by the tongue.
वह्निज: स्यात् व्रणा: शान्त: चिह्नमात्रं न शाम्यति ।
वागग्निजव्रणस्येह नैवोपशमनं भवेत् ॥ (१२९)
घाव लगा जो आग से, संभव है भर जाय ।
चोट लगी यदि जीभ की, कभी न मोटी जाय ॥ (१२९)
ಿಚ್ಚಿನಿಂದ ಸುಟ್ಟಹುಣ್ಣು ಮಾಯುವುದು. ಆದರೆ ನಾಲಗೆಯ ನುಡಿ ಕಿಚ್ಚಿನಿಂದಾದ ಹುಣ್ಣು ಮಾಯುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. (೧೨೯)
കാലക്രമത്തിലാറുന്നു തീയിനാലേർപ്പെടും വ്രണം വായിനാൽ വ്രണമുണ്ടായാലൊരുനാളുമുണങ്ങിടാ (൱൨൰൯)
Die Wunde verursacht durch Feuer, heilt – die Wunde, verursacht durch die Zunge, heilt nie.
Nearly every religion, every spiritual path speaks of self-restraint. One must wonder then, about why we have sense organs in the first place, if they have to be restrained. It seems like a pretty elaborate arrangement – having the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue and the sense of touch – such vividness in sight, such a vast range of tastes and the ability to feel sensations…why are they there if they have to be restrained all the time?
न जातु काम: कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति ।
हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ।।
na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām upabhogena śāṁyati
haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva bhūya evābhivardhate
Desire cannot be quenched by the fulfilment of desire. Desire increases by its fulfilment, as when clarified butter is poured over fire it increases the ferocity of the flame; it does not make it cease.
The senses are present for a reason – to experience the world – it’s sights, the sounds, the tastes…kama is one of the Puruṣārthas, or four pursuits of human life. But anything in excess is dangerous. The problem with indulging our senses is that we don’t know when to stop, and this leads to an endless spiral of wants and desires that cannot be quenched, thus resulting in sadness and dissatisfaction.
śamaḥ,damaḥ,uparama – are three of the Shat-sampat, or six treasures.
Śama – keeping calm under any circumstance.
A large part of life goes in experiencing pressure – the pressure of performance, the pressure of constant deadlines, the pressure of achieving something in life, and the pressure of maintaining a family. Learning how to keep calm is essential – for only a calm mind can think clearly.
Dama – The restraint of the sense organs.
Śama is the inner restraint (of the mind), and dama is the external restraint. Our sense organs (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) are the means through which we experience the world. Every product that is sold out there, be it movie, or a device, or food, or clothes – they all in some way engage our senses. This is also why we find it so difficult to control ourselves – we always more more of everything.
Practising dama is critical for self-discipline. When we engage in our needs, but are in control of our wants, we engage in dama.
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् |
आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति || 64||
rāga-dveṣha-viyuktais tu viṣhayān indriyaiśh charan
ātma-vaśhyair-vidheyātmā prasādam adhigachchhati
But one who controls the mind, and is free from attachment and aversion, even while using the objects of the senses, attains the Grace of God.
Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.64
Uparama – Upa is above, and rama – is enjoyment. Uparama is a consequence of śama and dama.
The Bhagavad Gita says that when the mind experiences something superior, it’s fascination for the inferior is automatically curbed. The experience of the inner self – the calmness, the joy, the peacefulness that comes with curbing our external senses and looking within – this experience is far superior to what we think makes us happy.
This is why the ancient scriptures, and Tirukkural as well, emphasise on restraining the senses. Not because they do not want us to enjoy…but because they want us to feel true enjoyment. The path may be long, the process tough, but the end would more than justify it.
Valluvar, through the analogy of a tortoise withdrawing its limbs and head into its shell, encourages us to become free of the external, and look within. A thought that has also found voice in the Bhagavad Gita – यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वश: – One who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell…experiences divine bliss.
And how do you go about it? स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः – When the senses withdraw themselves from the objects and imitate, as it were, the nature of the mind, this is pratyahara – which is the fifth limb of the ancient Indian science of Yoga.