Storm of desires never dies - Tadapi na munchati aasha-vaayuh

            Dinyaaminyo Saayam Praatah
            Shishir-Vasanto Punaraayaatah
            Kaalah kreedati gacchati aayuh -
            Tadapi na munchati aasha-vaayuh
                         (Bhaj Govindam:12 - By Aadi Shankracharya)

Meaning:

Day and night, dusk and dawn

winter and spring come and go again and again.

In this game of time - the entire life goes away,

Yet the storm of desires never dies or declines.

                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Day and night - evening and morning - winter and spring repeatedly keep coming and going - keep changing again and again.

Similarly, the age keeps increasing - the lifespan keeps decreasing with this game of time - and eventually, it ends.

But the storm of hope and expectations does not subside - desires never end.

There are two deep meanings hidden in this verse.

Shankaracharya has touched on both - the physical and mental aspects of human life in this verse- by giving comparative examples from nature.

First - the common or popular meaning:

With each day and night - with the change of each season - 

the age of our bodies also keeps increasing.

In other words - the remaining span of life keeps on decreasing.

We keep moving from childhood to youth - from youth to middle age - and then to old age. 

But even when the body becomes old and weak, there is no end to the hopes, expectations, and desires.

In childhood, youth, and old age - only the form of desires changes - they do not end.

                  The other - mental aspect

The game of Kaal-Chakra (time) goes on forever.

Similarly, the play of hopes, expectations, and desires goes on in the human mind forever.

Just like the change of season does not mean the previous season has ended forever - Fulfillment or cessation of one desire does not mean that the hopes and expectations have ended forever.

There is no end to them.

Desires never end.

If one wish is fulfilled, then a new hope - another new desire will arise. 

Like the seasons, desires, hopes, and expectations also come and go. They only change - they never end.

As nature's game of seasons continues with time, the game of desires, hopes, and preferences also persists in our minds all our life.

Now the question is, what is the importance of this analogy of nature in our personal and spiritual progress?
It is not enough to discard this verse - and other such verses simply as a natural problem.
Everyone knows about changing of seasons.

Everyone knows about never-ending desires.
So, the important question here is - what is the solution?

The matter of consideration here is that we have knowledge of the change of seasons.

We know that the night, day, winter, and summer have not ended completely -

That they come and go and will come back again.

So, we prepare ourselves and make proper arrangements to avoid dark, summer, cold, etc.

We prepare warm clothes for winter and fans or A-C etc. for summer.

Similarly, if we can apprehend the mind's games thoroughly, we can try to find ways to control it - and avoid sorrow and despair.

                                              Solution

The solution to any problem is its opposite.

Since there is dark at night, we make arrangements for light to dispel it. 

We make arrangements to keep ourselves and our homes cool in summer and warm in winter.

Similarly, if any ill-will arises in mind, try to replace it with goodwill. 

Keep trying to convert inauspicious thoughts into auspicious thoughts. Negativity into positivity. 

Replace enmity, hatred, and jealousy with love and tolerance - unattainable, inappropriate, and harmful wishes towards others into auspicious, attainable, and beneficial thoughts.

By adjusting ourselves according to time and situations - we can make our lives easier, more comfortable, and more peaceful.

                                     ' Rajan Sachdeva '

          Meaning of Sanskrit words:
Din - Day
Yamini - Night
Saayam - Evening
Praatah - Morning
Shishir - Winter
Vasant - Spring
Punara - Again
Ayaatah - Come
Kaalah - Time
kreedati - Plays
Gacchati - Goes away
Aayuh - Age
Tadapi - Yet, even then
Na Munchati - Does not die or decline
Aasha-Vaayu - Wind (Storm) of hopes and desires