Stiti and Gati - Nonmoving & Moving:
Brahman is ‘being’ Stiti and creation is "Gati" or journey or moving. This journey is possible in two directions naturally. One way our journey is towards the objects in front of our senses. Not a single moment is possible to live in this creation without going to the world outside. Every moment we have to breath the air, which is going outside. The moment we open our eyes, our sight obviously goes into the world outside. Our nose, our tongue, and touch continuously give us the information about the outside world.
This way going outside is called ‘Raga’. But at the same time we also have to get back to the source or self, which is "vi-raga, or vairagya" which is opposite to Raga. This is also happening always with us and we are equally familiar with it as our familiarity of Raga.
But the problem with us is that every vairagya happening is supposed to take us to self but on the other hand, we are only coming out of one object and we again to go back to another object or another thing. We don’t stay in self or source!
We are supposed to feel satisfied every time we go to the outside object, but unfortunately we are not satisfied with the outside objects but we get bored with it in no time. We invest the next moment and next effort to go to another object. This further leads us from shifting from one object to the other in search of our happiness. If we do not have that object then we might feel miserable and think that life is useless. Every time we go outside, we return with greater and greater suffering and disappointment resulting into more restlessness.
Therefore some of the philosophers say "why do you want to go out side what is there? It is all made up of dirt, dust and therefore develop ‘Vairagya". Such a vairagya develops contempt for the outside world and greater hatred for those who go after world with Raga. You either have sympathy for them or, you are filled with anger hatred and jealousy for them.
Outside world therefore appears to be constantly contributing for our misery and restlessness of mind and it will not help to go back to our source or consciousness. Such a person is not in touch with real nature.
Search for satisfaction:
Common man will be shifting from one object to the other and one goal post to the other. Bigger house bigger car, visiting newer and newer places, higher and higher position etc., which are taking him more and more outside. So called spiritual leaders are also not saved from this race but it is in a slightly different way. They are caught up in more and more publications, getting more and more recognitions, etc. Both of them are living in dreams, imaginations and expectations but in the outside world if these things were to happen spontaneously, naturally like the way a banyan tree grows big, or mango trees gives mangos, then such an activity or a process would be a festivity and celebration. Unfortunately we celebrate only the goals and achievements and not the processes. Goal setting in Raga, and working towards that is also Raga, whereas vairagya is being in the mood of celebration.
Raga therefore is ‘doing’ and vairagya is ‘being’!
Raga is taking you to periphery, and vairagya is taking you to the center or source. Yogavasishta says whenever we are satisfied with the object, if we hold on to ‘satisfaction’ we would be in the center. If we hold on to the object we would go back to periphery and thus we develop an attachment to it. A pure mind is that which helps us to be in the world but we do not belong to the world. Vairagya is not what we do one time, but it is a state of "us". Vairagya is not a simple symbol outside, but it is a state within.
Vairagya cannot be a point of pride. Vairagya occurs because you have outgrown that object. The object itself did not become condemnable. Respect for the object is still there. Once it is not pride then we do not look down upon those who are attached to that object. We would sympathize with one who is with the object.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Thakur, used to say a few stories about Vairagya.
A wealthy business man came to a sanyasi and praised him saying, “Swamiji, you are great and wise. At the young age you have sacrificed money and riches, home and family life in pursuit of god”.
Swamiji replied to him, “No sir, you have done something greater sacrifice than me”. Added further, “For the sake of simple and trivial things like a car or a bungalow and some bank balance and fame you not only toiled day and night but you also have sacrificed God. I must admire your sacrifice”.
Vairagya is internal and it does not have to be exhibited. It is not something one has to be recognized about by seeing externally. While searching to see the vairagya outside, one might even miss the most valuable aspect of the glory of inner being.
A couple of gentle men came to Thakur in Dakshineswara temple from Calcutta in the afternoon. Thakur received them with humility and offered them water and food and made them comfortable. After initial conversations, Thakur asked them if they have any questions and doubts so that he could clarify.
Instead of asking questions they started looking around the whole room and all the objects there with surprise. Thakur observed their behavior but insisted whether they have anything to clarify.
Now Thakur realized their intention of testing him. With a teasing smile Thakur expressed himself echoing their doubt, “I don’t know why people call this as paramahamsa, I have a nice place to stay and sleep and I also have a nice wife who cooks nice food for me and I love to eat tasty food.” Now they are further shocked, “You also have wife staying with you! I think we have wasted our time coming to a wrong person.”
“I think so, you have wasted your time coming all the way from Calcutta here.” Thakur agreed.
They angrily got up and left that room of Thakur. When they were at some distance, Thakur from behind called them “Bhadrapurush, Gentle men, please come”. Hoping that Thakur may offer some clarification they came back running. Thakur very innocently, added, “I also have a nice mosquito net too", adding salt to the wound! As they got further annoyed and ran away. Thakur had a great laugh. While sharing this experience later on Thakur told his disciples how people are caught in all external symbols of Vairagya and miss the inner essence.
“We heard that you are parama hamsa ?” they asked.
Thakur replied, “Yes, people call this Paramahamsa! But don’t be bothered by all that. Most important thing is to think of the grace of the God and his Leela!”
They once again insisted, “But we don’t understand people call you as Pramahamsa but, you have a nice place to live with nice cot and comfort stay. We also see that you have nice clothes on hangers!”
“Yes, I do have a nice place to live which is clean and I also love to wear elegant clothes.” replied Thakur.
Then they expressed their real doubt to Thakur, “But you are a paramahamsa, who is supposed to have given up all worldly things. It looks like it is not true here”.
Vairagya is finding meaning and purpose in something which majority of the people do not see and we are so convinced that we leave rest of the things in pursuit of that. It is like we go to the restaurant and from the menu card we select one item and leave the rest of the items. We will not say that we have given up all other things. Similarly in the journey of spiritualty there is great joy and purpose of life and for that purpose we have left other things out of our own choice. We make sure that our mind is not caught on the object which could disturb our journey.
Vairagya is not end in itself. It is a process in the journey of spirituality or Chitta Vrutti Nirodha.
Vairagya means giving up.
So the next question arises - What is that we need to give up in spiritual journey?
Read in the next post about this.
Dhanyawad,
NVRaghuram