Gita 18.53

Sadhak: "Six things to abandon—isn't this asking too much? How can anyone be free from all desire and anger?"

Guru: "Notice the verse says 'vimucya'—having released, not 'fighting' or 'suppressing.' These states release naturally when their root is seen clearly. When you truly understand that ego is a fiction, what remains to be arrogant about? When you see that nothing can be permanently possessed, what is there to grasp?"

Sadhak: "But some force and assertion seem necessary in life. How can we function without them?"

Guru: "'Bala' here isn't appropriate strength but forceful ego-assertion—bullying, dominating, imposing. Natural strength that serves dharma remains. The lion doesn't lose its power by being sattvic; it simply doesn't use power to prove itself. Similarly, you don't become weak; you become free from the compulsion to assert."

Sadhak: "What is 'nirmamah'—free from 'mine'? Don't I have responsibilities to my family, my work?"

Guru: "Responsibility continues; possessiveness ends. You care for your family without the anxiety of ownership. You do your work without the contraction of 'this is MINE.' The sense of 'mine' is a psychological cramp that adds suffering without adding love or duty. Release it, and you serve better, not worse."

Sadhak: "This state sounds beautiful but impossible."

Guru: "It sounds impossible because you're imagining forcefully removing these from your current state. The verse describes the result of the entire Gita's teaching. After understanding your true nature, practicing karma yoga, cultivating jnana, surrendering in bhakti—these obstacles dissolve. You don't achieve this state; you recognize it was always available once the clouds clear."