Vairagya Sadhana (The Practice of Detachment)

Mind – Its Wavering 

Nature When a person notices a defect or an impurity in an article, he would never like to have it. For a person desirous of seeing God and realising him, vairagya (detachment) is the most important sadhana (practice). Vairagya helps us to churn the mind and turn it from outward vision to inward vision. Mind is very unstable, wavering, strong and dangerous. That is why Arjuna prayed to Krishna “Chanchalam Hi Manah Krishna Pramadi Balavad Dridham.” Krishna replied “I know that the mind is wavering, strong and dangerous. You need not fear on that count. To tackle such a mind, there are some easy methods like “abhyasa” (practice) and “vairagya” (detachment).” The elephant is very strong. But, it can be controlled by an “ankusha” (a hook made of iron used by the Mahout to control the Elephant). The horse is very unsteady. It always moves one part or the other of its body. That is why it is called “Ashwa.” Just as the “Ashwattha Vriksha” (peepul tree) shakes its leaves whether the wind is blowing or not, the horse also moves one part of its body or the other, always. Its nature is “chanchala” (unsteady). There is a sacrificial rite called “Ashwamedha yaga” performed in ancient times. Here the word “medha” means mind. It is always wavering and unsteady like the “ashwa” (horse). To control this unsteady mind and make it steady, is “Ashwamedha Yaga.” Another example is monkey. Its mind is never steady. That is why it has become proverbial to refer it as “monkey mind.” Just as a strong and powerful elephant can be controlled by an “ankusha,” just as an unsteady horse can be controlled by a bridle, just as some practice is required to control the fickle - mindedness of a monkey, similarly, the strong and unsteady mind can be put in place by “vairagya ” (detachment) and “abhyasa” (constant practice). The effort to recognise the impermanent and perishable nature of an object and controlling our mind not to divert its attention towards that object, is called “vairagya” (detachment). To discard the object itself, is not vairagya. Our attachment to the object, must be discarded. In short, discarding our attachment to an object and then trying to enjoy that object, is the practice of vairagya.

In this objective world, every object, every individual and every aspect, is subject to change. This universe is subject to “shadvikaras” namely, birth, growth, desiring an object, enjoying it, decaying and finally death. The Bhagavad Gita teaches that it is wrong on our part to waste our valuable life for the sake of such an impermanent objective world which is subject to shadvikara. You might have observed how the Garuda (the sacred eagle) in a Vishnu temple, the Nandi (the sacred bull) in a Shiva temple and Hanuman in a Sri Rama temple are positioned. These images reveal an aversion to the objective world and a liking for Divinity. The vision of Garuda, Nandi and Hanuman is clearly fixed on their Lord, but not towards the objective world, which is nashwara (of perishable nature). Once we notice a defect or an impurity in an object, we will never opt for it in our life under any circumstances. Even kings and emperors rolling in wealth, atlast recognised the truth that the peace they aspired for was not available in this objective world. They, therefore, went to the forests to contemplate on Divinity and do penance. History is replete with such innumerable instances. 

Vairagya does not come simply by recognising the defect or impurity in an object. We must discard that object and go for a perfect, pure and permanent object. It is no use identifying sorrow. We must also make an effort on our part to attain peace and happiness. Our effort to redeem sorrow and attain happiness is called vairagya. On the one side, we must recognise the defect or impurity in an object and discard it; on the other, we must opt for those objects which are perfect and pure in quality. Then only, our faith in the eternal truth will develop. In today’s world when we are confronted with pains, sorrows and difficulties, when our property is at stake, when we are on the death bed and when we are exposed to various other difficult situations, it is common for us to think of vairagya (detachment). A small example to illustrate the point. Supposing a person died. He is taken to the burial ground and either cremated or buried. While this process goes on, others watching the ritual suddenly begin to think “what a pity! Is it not a fact that all our bodies will have the same fate one day or the other?.” Thus, vairagya suddenly dawns on them. This is not true vairagya. This is “shmashana vairagya” (detachment in the burial ground). This is only a temporary phenomenon. A housewife, while undergoing labour pains before delivering a child, unable to bear the pain, decides not to have a child again. This is called “prasooti vairagya” (vairagya born out of labour pains). This is also temporary. If, however, a female child is born to her by chance, she would like to have a male child next year. Similarly, man undergoes so many vairagyas daily. When his desires are not fulfilled, he is frustrated and therefore develops a feeling of vairagya. All such vairagyas are only temporary. 

Manda Vairagya And Teevra Vairagya 

Vairagya is of two types – Manda Vairagya (mild or light detachment) and Teevra Vairagya (intense detachment). Supposing somebody wants to undertake a good work. He does not get himself into action straightaway. He will go on postponing it thinking “let us do it tomorrow, day after tomorrow, after one week, after sometime,” etc. They waste their time like this. Supposing they wish to do some bad deeds. Then, they decide to do it then and there, thinking that tomorrow will be too late. Vairagya will be in the forefront for undertaking such bad things. Thus, Postponing good thing and deciding to undertake bad things immediately, is called Manda Vairagya. Now, about Teevra Vairagya. It means that once it is decided that a particular act is good, sacred and permanent, no further dillydallying on it. Straightaway he will put it into action. He will not even go to sleep, till it is accomplished. Such a Teevra Vairagya (intense detachment) is very much necessary for man. 

The Vairagya Of Buddha And Harischandra 

Lord Buddha laid out a royal path to vairagya. Once he realised that human body was perishable, Divinity was eternal, Truth is important and Non-violence was the guiding factor, he immediately renounced his wife, son and kingdom. He went to the forests and deeply contemplated on the Eternal Truth till wisdom dawned on him. Emperor Harischandra had to work as a watchman in the burial ground, by force of circumstances to defend truth. He was, from the beginning, travelling on the path of vairagya. One day, the dead body of a very wealthy person was brought to the burial ground by his friends and relatives for cremation. It was placed on the funeral pyre and lit. Thereafter, all of them returned to their respective places. The nature of a dead body is such that, when the spinal cord in the body is exposed to heat for sometime, the body rises up to a little height. That is why, before lighting the funeral pyre, a big wooden log is placed on the chest. In the instant case, all the relatives and friends of the deceased person had already left for their homes. Only Harichandra was standing near the funeral pyre. Poor man! He was placing one log after the other on the dead body to burn it completely. In a fraction of a second, Harischandra felt as though the dead body rose and sat upon the pyre! He was astonished! ‘What! Has life come back into this dead body?’ Thinking like this, he went near the dead body and it dropped down. Then Harischandra started thinking within himself thus: 

“Thinking the illusory world as real, 
Developing attachment as My wife and My child 
As long as there is life, out of delusion, 
This body is now being burnt in the fire 
Neither the wife nor the son come to his rescue” 

He was sorry for the pitiable and forlorn condition of the dead body, which once belonged to a man rolling in wealth. This situation took him to greater heights of vairagya.

Human beings, in fact, all living beings and the objects around in the world are liable to constant change. These changes are not imaginary or illusory. They are natural and inherent. Once we realise the nature of this changing world, we would never develop any attachment towards it. When a person knows that the snake is poisonous, he will never go near it. Only those who are ignorant of this fact or mad people would try to hold a snake and thereby lose their lives by snake-bite. The Gita has taught that it is better to recognise the illusory and transient nature of the Jagat and act accordingly in the beginning itself than suffer at a later stage by developing attachment and deluding ourselves. Unable to recognise this truth, man wishes to engage himself in ever so many activities: 

“I will do this; I will do that; I will do so many things; 
Thus, do not weave a web of imagination and get tired
 Having sown what seeds you are now here 
Only those fruits you will enjoy” 

“As the seed, so the fruit” – thus goes the saying. How can it be different? Whatever actions you perform, the Lord of Destiny (Brahma) will make a heavy garland of all those karmas good or bad without holding back even one. He will put this garland around your neck and send you into this world. 

“No garlands are to be seen around your neck 
when you are born out of the womb of your Mother. 
There is no Necklace of Pearls even for a sample 
No gold chain around your neck
Neither a Necklace of gems nor of Jades.
T_here is , There is, one garland around your neck_ 
Neither good nor bad is withheld 
All the karmas are made into a garland 
And put around your neck 
Brahma will send you into this world 
with that heavy garland.” 

Though this garland of karmas is not visible to us, it will be hanging around our neck. Whoever has recognised this truth must always try to perform satkarmas (good actions). Such an effort is called vairagya. King Janaka was a great Brahma Gnyani (a realised soul). He was the king of Videha, which means he attached no importance to the Deha (body). It means, he was Atma Gnyani (who realised the knowledge of the self). Oneday, after dinner, he was discussing something with his Ministers and followers. Therefore, he retired to bed late. He slowly got into sleep while the servants were pressing his feet and fanning him. His Queen was also at his bedside. The Queen, noticing that the King has fallen asleep, sent the servants out of the room. She was looking at him intently, as he was very much tired. 

Which Is The truth? 

After sometime, the King got up from the bed and started shouting “Is this the truth? Or that is truth?.” The Queen was deeply upset over the behaviour of the King. In spite of her repeated questioning as to the reason for this sudden change in his behaviour, there was no reply from him. The only words he spoke were his continuous questioning “Is this the truth? Or that is truth?” Then the Queen called the Ministers and servants to help her ascertain the reason for this strange behaviour on the part of the King. They, in turn made enquires. But, there was no answer from the King. For all the questions, there was only one response from the King – his query “Is this the truth? Or that is truth?” Sage Vashishta was a triloka Gnyani (one who knows all that happens in the three worlds). Therefore, he closed his eyes for a moment and tried to think about the reason for this type of behaviour from King Janaka. He realised that King Janaka had a dream in which he was dethroned and was roaming in the forests with acute hunger. There, he saw some dacoits in the forest about to take their food in a leaf-plate. He went and begged them for food and they gave him some in a leaf-plate, taking pity on him. While he was about to partake of that food, suddenly from somewhere an eagle came and snatched away that leaf along with the food. He cried aloud in deep anguish that he could not take even the food offered as a charity to him. With this, the dream ended and he was awake. When he came into the waking state, he realised that as usual he was in his palace happily lying on a soft bed, with his Queen and servants doing all sorts of service for him. In the dream, he was dethroned and suffered from acute hunger and even the food offered to him as charity was snatched away by an eagle. When he woke up, he found himself happily relaxing on a soft bed in his palace, surrounded by his Queen and servants. He was the King as usual. Therefore, he was enquiring whether the dream experience was real (is that the truth?) or the experience in the waking state was real (is this the truth?). Vashishta, recognising the predicament of King Janaka explained to him that neither that was truth (dream experience) nor the experience in the waking state was truth; the only truth was he himself. There is no waking state in the dream state and vice versa. However, Janaka was there both in the waking and dream states. That is the truth. That is the Omnipresent. Thus explained Sage Vashishta. Our life during day-time, is a day dream and that during the night a night-dream. Both are dreams only. Thus, both waking and dream states are a kind of delusion. To make efforts to recognise such discrepancies is true vairagya, said Gitacharya. 

Tapas And Trigunas 

V_airagya_ does not mean leaving everything of this world, retiring to the forests and doing severe Tapas (penance). Now the question arises, what is Tapas (penance)? Putting your head down and lifting your feet up? No, No. That is a sort of exercise. That is called sheershasana (a yogic practice). These exercises are meant for keeping good health. That is all! Tapas means one’s intense yearning for Divinity. It is a state of mind, where one cannot bear his separation from God at any time and at any place. In such a Tapas there will not be the Trigunas (three qualities). All the three qualities of satwa, rajas and tamas lose their distinct identity and merge into one. Thus, Tapas is said to be the merging of three gunas (qualities) into one. That is why, Tapah-phala (the fruit of penance) is the bliss enjoyed by the unity of trigunas. A small example in our daily life; we make use of electricity for various purposes. There is a fan with three blades. When we switch on the fan and the three blades rotate in unison, we get a gush air that gives us comfort. Similarly, Bliss comes out of the unison of the three gunas. Our heart is like a room. The trigunas (satwa, rajas and tamas) are the three blades of a fan. Our intellect is the switch. Our Atmic Power is the current. Our Sadhana is the effort to put on that switch. The air that gives us comfort is the Bliss. Thus, our life itself can be converted into a Tapas. But, today man is not able to develop his Tapas - shakti (power of penance) and is only developing the tamas (darkness of ignorance). When man turns his vision on the Nashwara Jagat (perishable world), it becomes tamas (darkness). When the same vision is turned towards the eternal Atma, it becomes Tapas (penance). 

Mana Eva Manushyanam Karanam Bandha Mokshayoh 

All the powers are available in the method of diverting one’s mind. I have been telling a small example to the students. A door is kept closed under a lock. If you put the key in the lock and turn to the right, it will open. But, if you turn the key to the left, it will close. The lock is the same; the key is the same. The only difference is with regard to turning the key. Similarly, our heart is the lock and our mind is the key. If we turn our mind towards God, it is moksha (liberation). If we turn it towards nature, it is bandha (bondage). That is why it is said “Mana Eva Manushyanam Karanam Bandha Mokshayoh” (it is only the mind that becomes the cause for our liberation or bondage). Therefore, vairagya is said to be the effort to concentrate our mind on the Eternal Divinity, without turning it towards the perishable and impermanent world. We must cultivate intense vairagya. We should not postpone this sadhana, saying “next time,” “next time.”

Be Prepared For Our Last Journey 

When we want to go for attending a marriage function, we keep two dhotis and two shirts or two saris with blouses in a suitcase and get ready. If we want to go to a picture, we keep five rupees in our pocket, put on our chappals and start. Similarly, if we want to go for a walk, we take the walking stick and wear the chappals. We keep ourselves ready. All these activities are undertaken as a preparation. If we want to go, we can go; otherwise, we can even cancel these engagements. We can also postpone them ut, no such postponement or cancellation is possible with regard to our last journey. Therefore, how can we say “next time” in our life? We must always be ready and be fully prepared for our last journey, with intense vairagya. Time does not wait for anybody. Human beings must follow time, but, time will not follow them. Time is always pravahika (flowing). Even while enjoying this objective world, we must always discharge our assigned duty in life, with intense vairagya and devoid of attachment; thus teaches the Bhagavad Gita.