SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 26
kama-krodha- vimuktanam
yatinam yata-cetasam
abhito brahma-nirvanam
vartate viditatmanam

kama--from desires; krodha--and anger; vimuktanam-- of those who are liberated; yatinam--of the saintly persons; yata-cetasam- -who have full control over the mind; abhitah--assured in the near future; brahma-nirvanam- -liberation in the Supreme; vartate--is there; vidita-atmanam- -of those who are self-realized.

TRANSLATION

Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

JOURNAL:

It is notable that anger and desire are listed together in today's sloka. And what is anger but a reaction to desire frustrated. A few verses back Krishna says;

Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world. (BG 5.23)

Both here and above He speaks of anger and desire as if they are two halves of the same coin. In my own life I know that anger has caused me a lot of problems and most of the time what I was angry over doesn't even matter a few days later. Today's sloka gives us the key to overcoming anger. Be self-disciplined, always striving for the perfect goal of self-realization. They say practice makes perfect so continue to chant your japa, reaching out to God. The reward is happiness in this world and liberation in the next.