‘Ari’ means enemy, ‘shad’ is six, and ‘varga’ is cluster. Arishadvarge thus mean a bundle of six enemies for the seeker. One may wonder that there exists only six enemies in this world of billions of existing. These six create thousands of enemies for the individual whose bandwidth should have been committed for moving ahead in one’s pursuit gets locked here at the basal levels.
What are these six enemies and are they stand-alone or depend on or feed into each other. We have the answer that there exist great inter-dependencies, and frustration on one front, opens the front for another. Cascading and inter-twined relation between these is a observable character.
The bundle of six enemies are listed as Kaama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, and Matsarya. The first in the list is Kaama and has reasons for to be the first. Kaama is uncontrolled desire, and greedy behaviour driving the character. What could be the reason? Unable to overcome the desire is the starting point of other troubles.
When someone seeks anything intensely and fails to get it, the result is severe anger, Krodha. Kaama can lead one to anyplace including shameless behaviour. Krodha can lead one to headless behaviour including risky, aggressive behaviour. Lobha, the next one is around attachment and aggrandising behaviour. One hides wealth, doesn’t spare or share for genuine needy. Finally, one may not even spend on oneself, even for minimalism.
Arriving from the above is Moha, attachment. The grievance is for ‘attachment’ and ‘not to miss out’ anxiety or FOMO. Often, Moha drives the Lobha, and any missing/slipping causes Krodha. Driving all these is the Kaama.
Mada is the haughtiness which can be because of possessions of some physical or intellectual ‘goods’ or even perceived possession. Either way one becomes enemy to the people around. Mada gets driven from ‘false sense of superiority’ too. In modern organisations, one can’t become a team player with this Mada.
Last in the list is the Matsarya, which is sense of envy turning into jealousy. I need to have is the Kaama condition, and why another has is the Matsarya condition. Progressive degeneration. Realising the oneness is the sure way of atleast becoming aware of the Arishadvargas and conducting oneself consciously in the life path.
Prof S Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of tradition and management. He is with VPSM. Views are personal. www.ainavolu.in/blog
