Desire is all right as long as it is within reasonable limits. For example, if you feel thirsty, it is a reasonable desire to seek water to quench the thirst. Not satisfied with water, if one seeks cool drinks it is tantamount to excessive desire.
To illustrate the disastrous consequences of excessive desire. I will narrate a story. Once a
wayfarer, who was making a long journey by foot in the hot sun, was feeling tired and sought the
shade of a tree to rest for a while. It so happened that the tree was a wish fulfilling tree. Sitting
under its shade, he wished for a cup of cold water for quenching his thirst. To his astonishment a
cup of water was placed before him. After quenching his thirst, he felt that it would be good if
he could get a bed to recline on and enjoy a siesta. Immediately a bed was provided from
nowhere. Then he thought how nice it would be if his wife also was there. In a flash, he found
his wife there. At this stage, he had a doubt in his mind as to how his wife, who
was far away at home could come there and thought that it might be a demon in her form which
might even devour him. As he thought in this manner, the woman turned into a demon and
devoured him!
This is the result of excessive desire, which is the enemy within you.
(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)
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