This article is taken from Swami Viditatmananda's Commentary on Atmasatkam Verse 3
When the very presence or thought of someone or something makes us unhappy, it implies a relationship of aversion or dvesa. On the other hand, if we are comfortable or happy in the presence of that person or object, it implies attachment or raga. Our lives are based on raga and dvesa. We are bound by our likes and dislikes. We do not pay attention to how our minds become influenced and, therfore, our mind slips unaware into liking certain things to such an extent that we cannot do without them. Similarly, the mind starts disliking other things and hating others to such an extent that we cannot stand them. The mind picks up all these likes and dislikes inadvertently. We are born with a tendency to have likes and dislikes. These likes and dislikes are binding. The mind falls into a habitual pattern of constantly thinking either of something that it likes or something that it dislikes. This pattern emerges when something bothers you or when when you are missing something. The acharyas (gurus) say that the likes and dislikes both belong to the mind and not to the Self. I am neither the one who likes nor the one who dislikes; I have no likes or dislikes.
This teaching is useful, particularly when the mind becomes sad. That is when the knowledge of Vedanta (Self knowledge)becomes most useful. Even so, it should also be applied when the mind becomes happy. However, when we are happy, we don't pay attention to the mind. What can make us happy, can also make us sad. When we empower something to make us happy, we are also empowering it to make us sad. It is we who inadvertently empower the world to make us happy or unhappy. It is for us to extricate ourselves from this by recognizing that these likes and dislikes do not belong to the Self.
