In a certain place the fishermen were catching fish. A kite swooped down and snatched a fish. At the sight of the fish, about twenty crows chased the kite and made a great noise with their cawing.
Whichever way the kite flew with the fish, the crows followed it. The kite flew to the south and the crows followed it there. The kite flew to the north and still the crows followed after it. The kite went east and west, but with the same result. As the kite began to fly about in confusion, it tired itself out and let go of the fish in its mouth. The crows at once let the kite alone and flew after the fish. Thus relieved of its worries, the kite sat on the branch of a tree and thought, "That wretched fish was the root of all my troubles. I have now got rid of it and therefore I am at peace."
As long as a man has the fish, that is, worldly desires, he must perform actions and consequently suffer from worry, anxiety and restlessness. No sooner does he renounce these desires than his activities fall away and he enjoys peace of soul.
The kite cannot live without the fish, for it needs the fish to survive. But luckily for us, there is no compulsion. Desires and Suffering come bundled together in a take-it-or-leave-it package. No doubt then, that Krishna tells us in the Bhagavad-Gita:
B.G 2.62, 63, 64:
dhyäyato vishayän pumsah sangas teshüpajäyate
sangät sanjäyate kämah kämät krodho 'bhijäyate
"While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises."
krodhäd bhavati sammohah sammohät smrti-vibhramah
smrti-bhramshäd buddhi-näsho buddhi-näshät pranashyati
"From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool."
räga-dvesha-vimuktais tu vishayän indriyash charan
ätma-vashyair vidheyätmä prasädam adhigacchati
"One who can control his senses by practicing the regulated principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord and thus become free from all attachment and aversion."
.