Question:

Dear Ektaji, what is the difference between an intention and raaga/dvesha?

Answer:

Beautiful Question! Intention is a plan to do an action. Raaga/Dvesha is the emotion behind the action.

• Intention is a surface level desire essential for doing an action. It is devoid of feverishness. it is just focusing 100% on the action. There is a lack of an emotional whirlpool.
• Raaga clearly means ‘I want, I want’ and Dvesha means ‘I dislike’ or ‘I don’t want’. This is accompanied by feverishness to achieve or disdain/rejection. It creates a whirlpool of emotion.

Intention is required to do all actions. A raaga or dvesha is not required, it is the unnecessary emotion created by contemplating the result of action. Learning to distinguish between the two and dropping the unnecessary one is called Viveka – the power of discrimination.

This Viveka was given to humans over animals so that we learn to choose wisely as we do not just run by nature like animals but have been bestowed with freewill. Use this table to help distinguish between with raaga/dvesha or an intention!

Question:

If I have an intention and it does not come true, must I drop the attachment to the outcome?

Answer:

Lord Krishna says, “karma karo, karmaphal ki iccha mat karo – Act but drop the attachment to the result/fruit of action”. Because you have the right to ‘action’ but you have no right to the ‘result/fruit of action’. What must happen will happen! Thus focus on the karm not the karmaphalam, got it?

When you focus on the fruit of action, you are focusing on the future, not in the present moment. And when you are in the future and not in present then whatever action you do, your focus is not on it, thus it is difficult to succeed in anything or attain 100% productivity.

If you are completely in the present, then your complete focus is on the action in the present. When your focus is 100% on your current endeavor, you efforts are 100% which brings 100% productivity or success.

Decision is yours!