Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

Guna-Vrtti-Virodha: The word Vrtti is sometimes taken to refer to the Gunas
and to mean the modifications or functions of the Gunas. According to this interpreta-
tion Guna-Vrtti-Virodha would be the opposition or conflict between the functioning
of the three Gunas amongst themselves. As this does not make much sense it is much
better to interpret Vrtti as referring to the states of the mind. Guna-Vrtti-Virodha
would then mean the conflict between the natural tendencies caused by the preponder-
ance of one of the Gunas and the states of the mind which are constantly changing.
Such a conflict is very common in human life and is the cause of much dissatisfaction
in the life of the average individual. The following example will illustrate this conflict
and show how it is one of the major causes of human misery.
There is a man who is lazy by temperament owing to the predominance of
Tamas in his nature. He hates activity but is placed in circumstances where he has to
exert himself for his living. So he desires constantly a peaceful and inactive life and
the result of this strong desire entertained persistently is that in his next life his desire
finds fruition in an environment where he is forced to be quite inactive (he may be
born as an Eskimo or be placed in charge of a lighthouse). But in this life there may be
a preponderance of Rajas in his nature and he therefore wants activity in an environ-
ment where not much activity is possible. He, therefore, frets and is as dissatisfied
with his new lot as he was with the old. Sometimes, this conflict between the Gunas
prevailing at the time and the state of the mind or desire is of a temporary nature but it
always has the effect of producing discontentment for the time being.
Thus, Nature, by the natural operation of its laws is bringing about constantly
these oppositions between our tendencies and the states of our mind and this is why we
see everywhere general discontentment. Nobody seems to be satisfied with his lot or
circumstances. Everybody wants what he has not got. That is how Guna-Vrtti-Virodha
becomes one of the causes of human misery in general. The wise man sees the inevita-
bility of all this and therefore renounces desires altogether, taking what comes to him
in life without elation or resentment. What we should remember in this connection is
that every set of circumstances in which we find ourselves is the outcome of our own
desires, although by the time a particular desire finds fruition it may have been re-
placed by another desire of an opposite kind. Our desires cannot by the very nature of
things find immediate fulfilment and there imrt be a certain time lag in their realiza-
tion. During this intervening period our nature, temperament and desires may undergo