Vairāgya - 1

Vairāgya-Shaṭakaṃ, one of the three series of hundred verses written by the famous poet Bhartṛuhari, is a fascinating poetry on ‘renunciation’ or ‘detachment’. He has clearly mentioned that renunciation (Vairāgya) can lead to true ‘fearlessness’ in life, but the very idea of renouncing sounds ‘scary’ to many people. This is an astonishing fact.

What exactly is renunciation or detachment? Why is it intimidating? Who should renounce? Why? What exactly should be given up? We should carefully analyze these questions to comprehend the topic in a precise and wholesome manner. When the core purpose of renunciation is understood, it indeed stops being frightening.

Rāga (राग) means love or excessive attachment. Virāga (विराग) means the absence of attachment. Vairāgya (वैराग्य) means the state of being detached. The conventional idea about renunciation is centered around asceticism, monastery, or a monk living in the monastery. It is hard to imagine a person practicing renunciation without adapting formal Sañyāsa. Bhagvad-Gitā explains it in a beautiful manner. Gitā says that formal Sañyāsa is not necessary to practice renunciation in life. One can be a renunciate (Virakta, विरक्त) even without being a Sañyāsi. Two types of renunciations are described in Gītā - One is renouncing the ‘results of actions’ (Karma-phal-tyāga, कर्मफलत्याग) and the other is formally renouncing the ‘material world and related actions’ (Karma-Sañyāsa, कर्मसंन्यास). They are also called as Sanga-tyāga (संगत्याग) and Vastu-tyāga (वस्तुत्याग) respectively.

Vedic doctrine prescribes ‘four stages of life’ based on age and inclination, known as Āshramas (आश्रम). If the fourth stage of ‘Sañyāsa’ is adapted with traditional rites, it is mandatory to officially give up all material belongings, and follow the protocols of dressing, behavior and conduct for monks. A fundamental change in life-style is expected when one officially renounces the ‘material world’. But renouncing ‘results of actions’ does not depend on any external ritual. The results are not renounced in a literal sense. One is supposed to only consciously detach from the results, which is an internal change in mindset, not an external event.

It is important to not succumb to the pressure of being perceived as a ‘detached person’ externally by others. There are no obvious external symptoms of detachment. It is inappropriate to expect internal dispassion or detachment to be visible externally. People may incorrectly infer that the seeker cannot possibly be detached since he looks just the same from outside. But opinions, beliefs or expectations of others should not influence the seeker’s ability to detach from results. Renunciation is not a matter of ‘display’ or ‘show-off’. The state of dispassion need not necessarily be known to anyone else.

If a seeker has a secret desire that his detachment be ‘noticed or appreciated’ by others, his so-called renunciation is just a façade. It is pretentiousness that is not related to real dispassion. Appreciation is needed in other spheres of life such as Art, since it inspires an artist to perform better. But no recognition is needed in spiritual pursuit. External or explicit appreciation may transform the detached mindset to a conceited one. Ego (Ahankāra, अहंकार) is a highly dangerous trait. Ability to renunciate material pleasures may pave a way for spiritual arrogance of being an exceptional and distinguished seeker. Problems in worldly life reflect in spiritual life as well. Vanity keeps a seeker away from the eternal, Supreme, Pure Bliss that manifests as a result of genuine detachment. The world does not need to take cognizance of internal detachment of any seeker.

‘Who practices renunciation?’ is an important question. A body has a gross form, subtle form and Ātman. So, who exactly practices renunciation? Who understands it? Who sustains it? We should carefully analyze these questions.

Gross body (Sthūl Deha, स्थूल देह) does not practice renunciation. A change in physical appearance due to different clothing, accessories of a monk is ‘external’. Renunciation that we are discussing here is purely ‘internal’. If a monk is naturally muscular, well-built and hefty, people infer that he must be still attached to food delicacies. Such conclusions are due to traditional ideas and expectations of Sañyāsa. Renunciation depends more on internal state of mind than what people say about it. The ‘shape or form’ of a gross body is unrelated to renunciation.

The subtle body (Sūkshma Deha, सूक्ष्म देह) consists of five action organs (Karmendriyas, कर्मेंद्रिय), five sense organs (Jñānendriyas, ज्ञानेंद्रिय) and the mind (Antahkaraṇa, अंतःकरण). Katha Upanishad discusses the nature of organs in this verse-

Parāñci khāni vyatṛṇat svayambhῡstasmāt parāṅpaśhyati nāntarātman||

(पराञ्चि खानि व्यतृणत् स्वयम्भूस्तस्मात्पराङ्पश्यति नान्तरात्मन्)

- ‘Brahmadeva, the original Creator, has designed all sense organs to be innately extrovert.’ Outgoing organs find it difficult to turn inwards or detach from outside world.

Organs can never practice renunciation, since they are insentient (Jaḍa, जड) by nature. They cannot function autonomously. Subconscious desires (Vāsanā, वासना) are rooted in the intellect (Buddhi, बुद्धी). They impel the organs to perform specific actions by building corresponding desires in the mind (Manas, मन).  Hence renunciation is pertinent to subconscious desires and not pertinent to organs. All our physical movements, actions and organs are governed by subconscious desires. Organs cannot practice renunciation by themselves.

Ātman is without action, mind and transformations of any kind (Akriya, Aman, Nirvikāri; अक्रिय, अमन, निर्विकारी). So, it does not nurture or practice renunciation. Ātman is naturally devoid of excessive love or attachment, and hence it is ‘desire-less’ by default. Ātman is non-doer (Akarta, अकर्ता), so it does not ‘do’ the act of renouncing. For renunciation, at least two factors are needed, ‘practitioner’ and ‘sense objects’.  Ātman is the only one, non-dual principle. There are no ‘other’ objects from which renunciation can be practiced in the realm of Ātman.

Ātman and gross body do not practice renunciation. It is the mind (subtle body / Antahkaraṇa, अंतःकरण) or Jiva (embodied soul) that practices renunciation. The very existence of Jiva is due to the presence of Antahkaraṇa. It is Antahkaraṇa that needs to practice detachment. But Antahkaraṇa tends to cling to sense pleasures as dictated by subconscious desires (Vāsanā, वासना). Unfulfilled subconscious desires from many past births manifest in the form of strong cravings and create obstacle in practicing renunciation.

 

To be continued...