Through prayer, you want to gain some invisible result which will give you artha and k¡ma . Although spiritual seekers do not pray for a r t h a and k¡ma , they do pray for knowledge and maturity, which again is for one's own sake alone. This aspect of the human personality is very important and is basic to the vision of Ved¡nta . When you know that, whatever you do, is for your own sake, everything becomes meaningful. You find that what you do has its place and everything falls into place. Nothing is more efficacious than anything else; no one action is more important than another. Each action becomes important in its own sphere and is meant for producing its own result. Can we say that the ears are better than the eyes or that the eyes are better than the ears ? No, we require both. If I see you shouting at me but cannot hear what you are shouting, I cannot respond to you properly. Eyes have their own sphere, as do the ears. Similarly, each organ — the kidney, liver, heart, lung, and so on — has its own sphere, each one as important as any of the others. But in order for everything to fall into its place, the starting point must be proper. Here, the proper starting point is knowing that any action I perform is always for a given end and that end is for my sake alone. Ved¡nta takes this statement one step further to cover certain important relationships. A wife is dear to her husband not for her sake, but for his sake. Similarly, the husband becomes dear to his wife for her sake, not for his sake. If I understand that everything I do is for my own sake alone, then even my relationships would be very objective. I will not go about saying, ‘I did so much for you’ — the starting point for all kinds of trouble. Bhagavadg¢t¡ 14 F R E E D O M F R O M B E I N G A W A N T I N G P E R S O N That I want a r t h a and k¡ma reveals that, I am an insecure and unhappy person from two different standpoints. What do I really want ? Do I want the actual a r t h a and k¡ma , the objects themselves or do I want security and happiness ? Because I want security and happiness, all arthas and k ¡ m a s are reduced to security and happiness alone. If I am insecure, I naturally seek security and if I am unhappy, I seek happiness. However, it is not the security itself that I want. What I really want is freedom from insecurity. In terms of security, I am wanting. In terms of fullness and happiness also, I am wanting. Therefore, I want freedom from being a