“When the lord of munis told the king the reason for his visit, the king became caught between love and truth and thus couldn’t come up with a response.” (Janaki Mangala, 24)

Download this episode (right click and save)

जबहिं मुनीस महीसहि काजु सुनायौ
भयौ सनेह सत्य बस उतरू न आयौ

jabahiṃ munīsa mahīsahi kāju sunāyau
bhayau saneha satya basa utarū na āyau

A wise person takes assessments along the way. When trying something new, when entering a different path, when chartering a new course in life, there may be great enthusiasm in the beginning. There may even be a picture of success, a vision of what the future holds. At the same time, the destination may not be reached in a day or two. Therefore, some sort of map assists in measuring progress, to tell whether things are going well.

Within the culture of sanatana-dharma, which equates to the science of self-realization, one of the more famous books of knowledge is Bhagavad-gita. This is a relatively short collection of verses, sung by someone who is referred to as Bhagavan, appearing within a much larger text known as Mahabharata. Bhagavad-gita contains discussion of the before and the after. The person in illusion and the person in liberation. The one who is in ignorance and the one in whom knowledge alights every gate in their body.

The disciple in the Bhagavad-gita conversation asks the question directly. What are the symptoms of the self-realized person? How can they be identified? It is consciousness at the foundation, after all. How can consciousness be measured if someone is known to speak infrequently? How can we judge the internals of a person based on externals like occupation, bodily health, and relationships formed?

Shri Krishna responds by describing various features and tendencies that equate with knowledge. At the foundation is detachment. Known as vairagya in Sanskrit, it is more subtle than simply giving things up. It is like having an out of body experience from morning until night. Working, but not really carrying an interest. Feeding the body, but not getting influenced by gain and loss, ups and downs, or highs and lows.

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य श‍ुभाश‍ुभम् ।
नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥

yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas
tat tat prāpya śubhāśubham
nābhinandati na dveṣṭi
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

“He who is without attachment, who does not rejoice when he obtains good, nor lament when he obtains evil, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.57)

There is potential for confusion on this issue. It appears that Krishna wants someone to become robot-like. Completely lacking in emotion. Not a care in the world. Indifferent to the sufferings around them. Elated from within, in identifying with the self, but ignoring everyone else.

We can look to the historical example of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya to see how this state of liberation manifests. Dasharatha is one in a long line of pious rulers. The dynasty is known as Raghu and Ikshvaku. Dasharatha fits the part. He is up for the responsibility. He is fearless, heroic, brave, chivalrous, and always attentive to the rules and regulations applying to the different orders. This system is collectively known as varnashrama-dharma.

At the same time, Dasharatha is known for his attachment to his eldest son, who happens to be an expansion of Vishnu. Appearing in the guise of a human being, Shri Rama is everything to the king. This was the son that the king had long since anticipated. Dasharatha carried out a yajna at the direction of a brahmana named Rishya-shringa. From eating the remnants of that sacrifice, the queens in Ayodhya became pregnant.

Now just imagine that the thing you cherish most in life gets taken away from you. Imagine that it is your beloved eldest son. Imagine that at the time of separation the son is not yet mature in years. They are still something like a child. You have to part with that son because of a request from a visiting sage. Vishvamitra once visited Ayodhya, and in the beginning there were nice and meaningful pleasantries exchanged.

Things changed when Dasharatha fell into despair. This was upon hearing the request of Vishvamitra. The rishi wanted Rama to serve as a sort of escort. The forest was getting dangerous, you see. These night-rangers were causing havoc. Only Rama could provide adequate defense.

The person in ignorance would allow their attachment to take priority. If Dasharatha was uncultured, he would refuse the request. He certainly would not willingly throw his beloved son into danger. It was like going from the cradle straight for the firing line. The proposal was utter madness.

We know that Dasharatha did relent. Reluctantly so, dharma always took priority. This is the meaning to renunciation. It is not that a person loses their emotions or becomes heartless. Rather, they can maintain the same compassion, while simultaneously understanding the guaranteed nature of separation. Rama went with Vishvamitra, and Lakshmana accompanied them. Dasharatha essentially sacrificed two sons for a higher cause, and due to Rama’s presence the tapo-vanas again became safe.

In Closing:

Of fatherly affection case,
Soon the comfort to erase.

When rishi a visit to pay,
With amazing request to say.

That child Rama for the forest needed,
Lakshmana then with them proceeded.

Despite king’s attachment great,
Never attention to duty to negate.

Categories: renunciation

Tags: god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, ramayana, renunciation, vairagya