The six Arishadvargas are wants, frustration, greed, laxity, condescension and lowliness. These are the reasons why the mind at times becomes irrational. Passion and hatred are the seed for these Arishadvargas. Hatred is where passion is. They are two sides of the same coin. These are obstacles to our progress. Success is our right when we put righteous efforts. But Arishadvargas cause moral distortions and create obstacles in our path to success. They deprive us from the wealth, fame and fortune we deserve. Mother Lalitha carries a noose in her hand. It liberates us from the shackles of passion and hatred. That is why she is called Ragaswaroopa Pashadya. That means, she purifies the mind and gives stability. A stable mind can easily focus on God while meditating. Then we will experience the ultimate bliss.
A fulfilled want is lust. If not, it is frustration. If a thing can be easily achieved, it is greed. If not laxity. If the other person is smaller, it is condescension, if not it is lowliness. Thus, the Arishdvargas keep the mind distracted and unstable. They are like wild elephants. Very difficult to control. But the Divine mother has a powerful restraint for these wild elephants. So, she's called krodhakarankushojvala.
The mind is very powerful. It is sensitive and sharp. It dictates what the sense organs, and limbs should do and how they should work. It stores the knowledge that is acquired through various means and generates ideas to overcome challenges. So, we should be checking our mind periodically. We should continuously evaluate its thoughts and decisions.
The mind can produce great results through proper training and practice. For example, waking up early is a little difficult and embarrassing for many people. But if one is determined to wake up early and reminds his/her mind about it multiples times, it will ensure he/she would wake up early. Reminding the mind before going to sleep that "I should wake up at five o’clock tomorrow morning" will really wake you up at five o’clock the next morning. If you get up and do some exercise or do some meditation/penance or do your studies, then the mind will slowly get into the groove of waking up early. After doing this for a couple of days the mind makes it a routine. After that you will not be able to sleep after 5 o clock in the morning. This the beauty of the mind. Nothing is impossible for it. But first it has to be put inside the groove. It needs to be sharpened and trained.
Let me share one of my experiences on this topic. I once met a great person. He told me that he had quit smoking. He had had been smoking for about 30 years. Then I said, " I heard that it a very difficult task. How was this possible for you? Also, how can you resist the temptation when the thought of smoking appears again". He replied, "I asked my mind to resist the temptation of smoking the moment I decided to quit. I felt strongly that I have to quit smoking and planted it deeply in my mind. At first it seemed a little difficult. But every time I felt tempted, I reminded my goal to myself. I was not born smoking. I got into it during adolescence. I was quite happy before I got into it. Now after quitting I will be just as happy again." After a couple of weeks, the habit is gone. He saved all the money he used to spend on smoking and bought nice jewelry for his wife. This is an example of great mental strength. You just tell your mind what you want. Remind it multiple times in multiple ways. And you get that.
