Kalá [systaltic flow] gets transformed into káśt́há [linear flow] as a result of pulsating movement through crest and trough. What happens then? At specific points in time, one begins to gain control over particular thoughts. It is noticed that sometimes one has control over a particular thought but may not have such control at another point in time. Sometimes one has control over a certain thought, and at other times over some other thought. Sometimes one has control over anger but no control over greed. It may so happen that one does not have a weakness for wealth, name and fame but has no control over oneself while taking food. There was a chief minister who was well known to me. He was a good person who never used to accept bribes. He was good in all respects, but when he was given flattened rice (cuŕá), curd and sweet cake (peŕá), he would pay no heed to how much he had eaten. And so it goes.

In one matter we have no greed, but in another we have tremendous greed. These all belong to the category of vyatireka. It is called vyatireka because when kalá is getting transformed into káśt́há (it is not always the case that kalá shall be transformed into káśt́há), sometimes káśt́há becomes smaller than the kalá, while at other times, under the pressure of káśt́há, the subsequent kalá becomes larger than its normal state. That is why the state of vyatireka is very perplexing. For example, some women may have no greed whatsoever for food but strong weakness for saŕis. That is also a kind of greed. In certain cases, one has control and in other cases one is unable to maintain that control. Someone insults her in an abusive manner, and she endures it all quietly. People will say that she endures like mother earth. But she flies into a rage if anyone criticizes members of her father’s family. Sometimes she has full control and at other times she has no control at all. People are like this. This stage is known as the state of vyatireka. In this state one must remain vigilant so that one might be able to exercise this control in all situations.

In the stage of vyatireka the obstacles appear more from within than from without. These obstacles are psychic in nature. For example, when in the course of sadhana one attains the state of yatamána, then obstacles appear from all sides. Family members create obstructions. The environ-ment creates obstructions. But in the stage of vyatireka there is hardly any external obstruction. The disorder is internal. In one matter one gains control and in another one does not. There are some people who perhaps do not get angry, no matter what. So-and-so is a very good and innocent person but he becomes irritated when he sees specific individuals. It may be that a man is dreaded like the god death by his subordinates in the office because of his stern personality but at home he gets broom lashings from his wife. There he endures it. That means that his characteristic sternness is not always present. You will find many such persons in the world. You laugh when you hear me say this, but it is a significant aspect of human psychology. Do you understand? You have to exercise control at this stage.

Consider the matter of food. A certain person has no greed in all other matters but he is crazy for roasted brinjal. What an ordinary thing it is, roasted brinjal, you see, but he is under its sway. This type of psychology is very delicate. One has to deal cautiously with such issues. While dealing with such a person if we wrongly think – “He is a great man, should he be so crazy for roasted brinjal?” – then we are grossly mistaken. Rather we should give that great man puffed rice with roasted brinjal. Then only you can influence him.

Now in the state of vyatireka, it is easy to discover what type of weakness a person has. If you study behavioural psychology then when you see this state of vyatireka you will be able to understand where an indivi-dual’s weakness lies. Evil-minded persons can accomplish many things by taking advantage of a person’s weakness. This is how cunning people serve their interests, by taking advantage of that person’s foolishness. You should remain vigilant that when you are in such a state of vyatireka you should be conscious of your weaknesses, so that others do not become aware of them. You may have the opportunity to know the weaknesses of others, but you should not let others have the same opportunity.