The Philosophy of the Upanishads c12.s2.t3.78

c12.s2.t3.78

(1) The wise man is *akâmayamâna*. Every wish, craving, desire, all hope and fear have for him been destroyed; for all this presupposes an object to which it is related. Such an object however no longer exists for the wise man. “In truth, after that they have become conscious of this soul, Brâhmans abstain from desire for children and possessions and the world, and wander about as beggars. For desire for children is desire for possessions, and desire for possessions is desire for the world; for all together are vain desire.”² “This the men of old time knew, when they ceased to long for descendants and said, ‘What need have we of descendants, we whose soul this universe is.’”³ Gauḍapâda sums this up briefly and strikingly in the words:¹—“What can he desire who has all?” The wise man therefore no longer experiences fear. “He who knows this bliss of Brahman is not afraid either now or at any time”;² he is no longer vexed by anything”;³ “for wherefore should he fear? since fear assuredly is of a second.”⁴