Vairāgya - 2

St. Tukārām gives clear guidance for the practice of renunciation.

Indriyancha jaya vāsanecha kshaya | sankalpāhi na ye vari mana|

Tukā mhane na ye jāniv antara | antari yaa thāra anandacha ||

(इंद्रियांचा जय वासनेचा क्षय l संकल्पाही न ये वरी मन ll तुका म्हणे न ये जाणीव अंतरा l अंतरी या थारा आनंदाचा ll)

Organs should be controlled from running towards sense pleasures. The mind should be controlled so that desires or doubts do not emerge in the mind. Subconscious desires should be eliminated right from the roots. They need to be fully eradicated and not just be temporarily hidden, covered or even suppressed. When organs are controlled, and the mind is in a pure, unperturbed state, it leads to manifestation of Pure Bliss (Ātmānanda, आत्मानंद), which is internal, ever-present, Supreme Bliss.

Sañkalpa (संकल्प) means a ‘desire’. The desire can be for presence or absence of certain things in life. E.g. ‘I want a new car’ is a desire. ‘I do not want to travel’ is also a desire. Inner cravings lead to more desires. Some desires are fulfilled while some are not fulfilled. The unfulfilled desires stay rooted in the mind. Many personal intrinsic desires get suppressed only due to the social or family obligations. But such suppression is not effective.  We need to gradually detach from desires and train the mind to completely obliterate subconscious desires. 

The very purpose of renunciation is Pure, Supreme Bliss. The Bliss manifests in the mind (Antahkaraṇa). It is the mind that needs to practice being ‘dis-passionate’. We need to discipline the mind to progressively detach from the worldly matters, material belongings and primarily our own body.

Detachment from the World

Let’s first think about what it means to renounce the surrounding world. The world is fast-paced and dynamic by nature. It undergoes transformation all the time. We cannot stay isolated from the world since our body is ultimately a part of it. Many people crave to lead a free, unrestrained life. But it is impossible to stay secluded from the dynamics of the world. Such idea of freedom is spurious. Many incidents take place in the world, and their repercussions are invariably felt by us. They cannot be avoided. There is a famous verse which says –

Jaga jagāpari chale | Te ishvarsūtre bāndhile ||

(जग जगापरी चाले | ते ईश्वरसूत्रे बांधिले)

- ‘The world continues to function in its own manner as designed by Ishvara’.

Nobody is completely autonomous, and nobody can govern the dynamics of the entire world. We get affected by many social incidents and react to them. However, it is possible to keep a leash on individual reactions about worldly matters. Conscious control on own reactions leads to the detachment from worldly matters. Renunciation is thus pertinent to individual reactions.

The world is not autonomous by itself as well. It is governed per the system of Ishvara.  However, we have an autonomy to react as we decide. It is necessary to be mindful and cognizant of the surroundings where we live in today. But we should strictly refrain from giving pointless reactions or needless opinions about incidents in the world. Discrimination (Viveka) helps attain this balanced approach in life. Renunciation does not mean we should leave our house, and stay in a forest. Nobody can escape from the world per say. Impractical ideas of renunciation become a topic of mockery and create discrepancy in the society. Maintaining a reactionless, neutral state while fulfilling prescribed duties in the worldly life is the logical practice of renunciation. St. Tukārām says, ‘We do not play any role in creating the universe and governing its functioning. So, our reactions need to be mild and controlled.’

Detachment from the Personal World

Let’s think about our own small personal world. Scriptures teache us to stay detached from the house where we reside. The detachment can be on two levels. First is Vastu-tyāga (वस्तुत्याग), where one physically leaves the house and stays in a remote place. Second is Sanga-tyāga (संगत्याग), where one continues to stay in the same house, but maintains an internal mindful detachment from it. The simple concept of ‘sanga-tyāga’ forms a strong foundation for spiritual progress.

When a house is newly constructed, there is a feeling of ‘ownership’ for the house. After a few years of living in, ‘mineness’ (Mamattva, ममत्त्व) develops and it results into attachment. Renunciation here means that only ‘mineness’ for the house should be given up. The ‘ownership’ should be maintained for all practical purposes.

Spiritual pursuit is not meant to create chaos in everyday life. People should not get confused or misled about the two paths of everyday life and spiritual life. Routine life should not be perturbed in anyway. We should be sufficiently ‘engaged’ in everyday responsibilities so that detached mindset does not become irksome or inconvenient for others. Renunciation in this context, does not mean giving up the ownership of a house and responsibilities of household chores. It means letting go of the ‘mineness’, excessive love and emotional involvement in the house. This is precisely the difference between Vastu-tyāga and Sanga-tyāga.

As we practice renunciation, we should evaluate if the feeling of ‘mineness’ is indeed diminishing or not. E.g. sometimes we have to let go of people or objects that belong to us. If such cases are dealt with poise and harmony, it means ‘detachment’ has been put into practice. Consider a situation where a house catches fire. If renunciation has been embraced in the right spirit, then the owner can keep a calm, unperturbed mindset in the situation. He can take corrective measures such as calling the fire-brigade, pouring water etc. Even without the sense of ‘mineness’ or ‘attachment’ for the house, efforts can be made to control the fire in different ways. Renunciation does not mean abandoning duties or responsibilities. In fact, taking prompt, instant, useful actions with a stable mindset is an indication of proper renunciation. Not feeling dejection, despair, hopelessness, repentance or bitterness is a part of it. ‘Mineness’ brings antagonism towards those who jeopardize objects of that mineness. Many miseries are experienced due to excessive attachment. Detachment should be progressively, consciously and mindfully developed. Dispassion which comes due to adversity or helplessness is not genuine. It does not sustain in the long-run.

As one gets old, it becomes imperative to divide the house, farm or land amongst children. ‘Mineness’ about the real-estate vigorously rebounds at this stage.  Adamant people take extreme measures such as hunger and water strike to protest the situation, which indicates despondency. It cannot be called as renunciation.

Same is the case with loved ones. What we love and treasure the most is the biggest obstacle in attaining liberation (Moksha). This is an excruciating fact, but true. It is natural to feel boundless love and attachment towards little kids. It is ‘by design’ per the system of Ishvara. Cuddling, playing and affectionately talking to kids is a part of our duty. But it is necessary to not let excessive attachment develop in the parent-child relationship. ‘Loving’ someone is different from calling him ‘mine’ and staying emotionally attached to him. A young baby depends on grown-ups for all his daily needs. We can think of a baby as an incarnation of the God and lovingly fulfill all his needs. This is just a form of devotion (Bhakti, भक्ती). Service to a little baby is like service to the God. Kids need appreciation as much as they need food when they grow. So, negligence is not right in that phase. The problem arises when we continue to feel the same degree of ‘love and mineness’ towards a growing child, who becomes increasingly more independent as he grows up. It is better if we nurture only proportionate level of ‘mineness’ as is needed by the child, and invest rest of the time and energy in contemplating about Antarātman (अंतरात्मा) i.e. the all-pervasive, transcendental principle of Ātman, which is our true nature.

 

To be continued...