Meaning of Trishna In Durga Saptashati

We are looking at the meaning of Durga Saptashati, 5th adhyaya.
The 19th shloka -
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु तृष्णारूपेण संस्थिता ।
नम्स्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ।

What is the meaning of Trishna?
It has several meanings.
One meaning is thirst.
Just like hunger, kshudha, thirst is also Devi.
We have seen while seeig the meaning of Kshudha, how essential hunger is for the upkeep of the body.
Thirst is also the same.
Thirst tells you that your body needs water.
Otherwise, you will not know and your body will be dehydrates, it will perish.
Even though thirst is not an enjoyable experience, Devi is present your body as thirst so that it stays hydrated and stays healthy.

Now, the second meaning -
Trishna is desire to have something.
Desire to have a good house, desire to have a good vehicle, desire to have a good family, desire to have good children, desire to have good and healthy food.
These are all trishna.
These are what make the world run.
Desire is behind growth and development.
Do you see development happening in a forest?
Because, animals are bothered only about their basic needs - food, water, shelter, sleep, procreation.
Only man has desires, only man can make development happen.
Because, he wants to grow, expand, make tomorrow better than today.
This comes out of desire or ambition.
That desire is Devi.

Trishna is also greed, desire to have something that doesn't belong to you.
How can Devi be greed?
Greed is negative.
We should avoid that.
But greed is there in the world.
World is not just good, nice things.
World is a mix of good and bad.
If the whole world has sprung out of Devi, if the whole world is Devi, then greed is also Devi.
How can it be otherwise?
In fact, world can exist only if both good and bad are there, only if dharma and adharma both are there.
World is a constant interplay between good and bad.
Haven't you seen that Chinese diagram - yin and yang.
Yin and yang are a pair of opposite but interconnected forces.
Yin is dark and negative, yang is bright and positive.
They are two halves of the same circle, equal.
World functions only if good and bad are there in a balanced manner.
When Bhagawan takes avatara for dharma-samsthapana, it is not to eliminate adharma altogether.
If dharma is 50 and adharma is 50 is the ideal condition, suppose adharma becomes 60 and dharma 40, he would came, eliminate whoever or whatever caused that extra 10 on adharma side and make it 50-50 again.
He would do the same even if dharma becomes too much.
That's why you see Asuras becoming powerful sometimes and throwing Devas out of Swarga.
Can it happen without divine support?
No, never.
In Mudgala Purana, an Asura asks Lord Ganesha - why are you always on the side of the Devas?
The Lord says - No, it is not like that.
When you people more powerful and arrogant, I take the side of the Devas and bring you in line.
Likewise, if they become more powerful and arrogant, I take your side, help you to subdue them.
This is the whole picture, this is the whole secret.

So, Devi is also greed.
She only gets into people and makes them greedy.
A mother has two sons, one of fair complexion and one dark.
Will she discriminate between them?
No, for her they are equally lovable.

Isn't this awareness that yoga tells you to develop and brings into you?
That stop distinguishing between good and evil?

Namaskaras to that Devi - नम्स्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ।