Tantric Advaita


Vibhats Rasa

Vibhatsya Rasa - Disgust

 

Vibhatsa or Disgust is the Rasa that lies at the basis of Depression, though that state may also include other Rasas. Still, the Disgust Rasa as self-pity is at the basis of it.

Vibhatsa is a feeling of Disgust or dissatisfaction with oneself and others. Vulgar, uncivilized, and perverted actions, using bad words and manners, and showing bad intentions to others are all manifestations of the Vibhatsa Rasa.

Though the problem of self-pity is basically mental and supported by bad body chemistry, the ego has the power to control it or to surrender to this feeling of Disgust. The ego may lose the power to control Vibhatsa if it has been deeply hurt by seeing bad intentions behind the words and deeds of others, making the person feel cheated.

With the mind freely wielding negative thoughts and illusions of sense- and self-gratification, Vibhatsa leads to the neglect of responsibilities, often with regard to one's health and loved ones. Strength and will are destroyed - the ego becomes the king that has forsaken his country. This neglect in Disgust creates deteriorating, highly tamasic, body chemistry, and new failures in daily life, only further securing the chains of the trap. Disgust also creates bad karma.

Mastering Disgust

Depression
Never Again
Self-pity is mostly avoided by frequently paying attention to Shringara. Good company may certainly help from the moment that Vibhatsa is sufficiently controlled to allow oneself to enjoy the company of others and to become enjoyable company oneself.

Paying attention to one's health avoids bad body chemistry. Using sufficiently hot spices helps digestion and avoids the overpowering by tamas, a major cause of Disgust.

The best reaction to feelings of Disgust is to ignore them, recognizing that they lead nowhere but downward. The main task in mastering Disgust is to simply stop negative identification. When longer periods of Vibhatsa persist, confidence and will must be strengthened by strict disciplines.

Depression

Depression is a complex emotional state that involves the Disgust Rasa foremost, but may also include the Sadness and Fear Rasas.

Some people in depression have psychological problems whose origin and therapeutic cure go far beyond the Rasas and the scope of this website.

The depression discussed here is the one that happens to many people now and then. As an emotional state, depression is rather complex because it involves the Disgust Rasa as self-contempt and dissatisfaction, but may also include the Sadness and Fear Rasas. The person in depression may then shift from self-pity to sadness to fear and back to self-pity. When each of these Rasas manifests individually, they may quite naturally subside after having run their course. If one shifts from one to the otherunhappy Rasa however, one can only sink deeper and it is hard to get out of the resulting depression.

Nevertheless, it is important to realize that Disgust - as severe dissatisfaction with oneself - is at the basis of depression. Many depressed people will disagree with that statement, feeling that nobody can understand their problem because they cannot understand it themselves. The reason for that confusion (which is typical for a state of depression) precisely lies within the mixture of Rasas, which makes it difficult to state that this or that is the cause of it.

Still, to tackle the basic issue of self-contempt is the best way out of depression. Hence for people in depression, the advice given for mastering Disgust is best : keep good company, enjoy uplifting sensory input, purify body chemistry and mind and most of all stop identifying with errors made in the past ! You may remain sad about the past or afraid of the future for some time longer, but do not take it personal. Do not feel like you are bound by those past errors, that you would be destined to make them again and again. Nobody is, everybody can change anytime. Depression is not anybody's natural state.

Vibhatsa Rasa Chart

Basic Rasa : Disgust

Sub-Rasas : Depression, Dissatisfaction, Vulgarity

Dominant Element : Water

Dominant Dosha : Kapha

Dominant Guna : Tamas

Dominant Kosha : Mind (Manomayi Kosha)

Friendly Rasas : Wonder, Anger, Courage

Enemy Rasas : Love

Neutral Rasas : Joy, Sadness, Fear, Peace

Rasa Produced : Fear

Key for Mastering : Ignore it and stop negative identification, while turning to purification (see also Rasa Sadhana & The Yoga of Nine Emotions)

Siddhi : Prakam (power to assume any form)

Deity : Mahakala



About


Leela is the ancient vedic name for the theater of life. Life in all its forms is an illusion behind which we can find the ultimate truth of pure Being. Yet life is also a divine theater, a spiritual game played by us, the actors. Yoga allows us to hold on to the bliss of truth while playing the game. And also this yoga is a game, which we can only take seriously if we do not take ourselves and this game too seriously. That is the meaning of Leela Yoga, nothing more, nothing less. So, Leela Yoga is a vision on yoga and also a name for a simple organisation that allows me to bring this vision into practice... more about Leela Yoga & Peter Marchand

Peter Marchand Facebook page

International Leela Yoga Facebook Group

Leela Yoga Newsletter

Belgium : www.leela-yoga.be

New book : www.tantricadvaita.org

Harish Johari students sangha : www.sanatansociety.org

  in sweet memory
of Harish Johari

Quotes


As the destination is the same for all, it is easy to make the error of assuming that the path must be just as universal.

The attachment that happens in the pursuit of happiness is the main source of unhappiness.

Don't think of going somewhere, because this somewhere will come along with you wherever you go, as you are already there.

Yoga requires unity between enjoyment and suffering, between bhoga and yoga, even between attachment and detachment.

How can anyone be "good" without a choice between good and bad?

While the mind creates the illusion of the universe through the senses, the intellect creates the illusion of understanding it.

When our day has been entirely ego-centered, then our meditation will probably have similar poor quality.

When the focus on the self is held strongly enough, the flow of kundalini energy happens on its own, naturally.

Tiptoe inside, don't make a sound, don't scare away that which cannot be found.

Enlightenment is nothing more or less than the final level of the game of life.