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The Divine Souls!

Today we'll be taking up, a topic, a very common question about anger: Why do we get angry, and how do we control it? Every question, no matter how small, if we are to answer it correctly, requires an understanding of the whole philosophy, because every question is like a thread. You pull on it, and it leads back to the core of the philosophy. So to answer this simple question, I will have to give you a very brief insight into the philosophy that is taught by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj. Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj has explained this topic many times according to Vedas and Gita and Puran. and as he always quotes from all these main scriptures to make any spiritual point. So let us see.

Anger. Why do we have it and how to control it? Why? We can look at a couple of different layers of why. Gita says, if we want to go right to the origin of anger, Gita gives us a very straightforward answer.

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते | सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते || 62||Dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate.

- Bhagavad Gita: 2/ 62

“Krodh” is anger. Where does ‘krodh’ come from? When you have a desire that is unfulfilled, you get angry. Very simple. If we always got our way, would we ever get angry? If everybody always did whatever we wanted, when would we ever get angry? If everything we thought automatically happened, we would never get angry. So, anger is the result of unfulfilled desire. So if somebody wants to eliminate anger, guess what you have to eliminate? Desire.

Okay. So then we come to desire. Why do we have desire? Gita says, “You repeatedly think about someone or something. And through this thinking, when you think of them that ‘I will get happiness from this person or this thing’”. Gita uses the word dhyan. You keep thinking about them. It's like a meditation on that person. You get attached.

Dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate.

Sangha or attachment arises through this repeated chintan. And why were we doing the chintan of that person? Because we believe them to be a source of happiness. So, now we have a link. Why do we get angry? Because we have a desire. And if by chance that desire is unfulfilled, then we get angry. Okay. Why do we have desires? Because we're attached to a particular person or thing. Whoever or whatever we're attached to, naturally, the desire for that thing will arise in the mind over and over again. It happens automatically. How big is the attachment? That big, that intense is the desire, and that intense will be the anger if the desire is unfulfilled. So attachment leads to desire which can, if unfulfilled, lead to anger. And where does attachment come from? Repeatedly thinking this person is mine. They will give me happiness. This thing is mine. I will get happiness from it.

So chintan causes asakti (attachment). That leads to kamana (desire). That leads to krodh (anger). And what is the origin of our thought process? This thing, this person will give me happiness. Why do we think that? Because we have a need for happiness. So if somebody could eliminate their need for happiness, then there would be no question of ever getting angry. However, our Vedas and other dharmic scriptures say that this is impossible. No one can eliminate their need for happiness because we are all ansh of Bhagwan; we're all a part of God, and God Himself is perfect happiness. And it is the nature of every anshi (part) to desire their ansh (whole). It is the nature of every part to desire