MIND : ITS MYSTERIES AND CONTROL : 7. 5 & 6.

Chapter-7. THE PSYCHIC STATES :


5. SENTIMENTS

Religious sentiment, moral sentiment, aesthetic sentiment (or sentiment for the sublime and the beautiful) are the three important sentiments of the mind. Feeling and sentiments are illusory.

They are not in Atman. They are deceptions created by the mind.


6. MOODS :

Mood is a mental state.

The Sanskrit term is Bhava.

This term also does not express the true significance of the word ‘mood’.

We say, “Mr. Naidu or Mr. Atkinson is a moody gentleman.”

This means he becomes a slave of the mood quickly.

We also say, “That gentleman is in ‘good mood’ or ‘happy mood.’ ”

“I can approach him now for a short interview or talk” or “He is in a very ‘angry mood.’

I should not see him now.”



The English people, during the course of their conversation, use the term ‘mood’ in a broad sense.

They say: “He is in a talking mood”; “He is in a silent mood”; “He is in a mood of hatred”; “He is in a mood of love”; “He is in a mood of selfishness”; “He is in a mood of jealousy”; “He is in a mood of separateness”; “He is in a mood of unity.”

In the light of Vedanta, these are all Vrittis (thoughts or emotions) only.

Dr. Bhagavan Das, the reputed author of “Science of Emotions” classifies these under emotions only.

Next : 7.THE TWO KINDS OF MOODS AND THEIR EFFECTS

Swami Sivananda

To be continued  ...