“Rupa Gosvami says that as long as we are in this material world we have to act; we cannot cease acting. Therefore if actions are performed and the fruits are given to Krishna, then that is called yukta-vairagya. Actually situated in renunciation, such activities clear the mirror of the mind, and as the actor gradually makes progress in spiritual realization he becomes completely surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 9.28 Purport)

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It is the land of stuff. It is the age of consumerism. Today, a flourishing commercial establishment has to constantly reinvent themselves if they want to keep up. They do not want to be the next victim to extinction, like so many of their predecessors. There was a point in time that the store allowing customers to rent video cassette tapes was bringing in cash hand over fist. The company that produced paper could count on increasing profits year after year. The same with the manufacturer of cameras, prior to the digital age.

As there is a constant flow of products, there are people ready to consume them. How does this square with the concept of renunciation, as emphasized in the Vedic tradition? The Sanskrit word is vairagya. The literal translation is “the lack of attachment.” Okay, perhaps we do not get so attached to the gadgets and toys that we have, but that is because we replace them with newer gadgets and better toys. The attachment remains, but the specific object on the other side changes.

In keeping with the spiritual tradition inaugurated by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada describes the concept of yukta-vairagya. The terms appear to contradict one another. Yukta is connecting and vairagya is disconnecting. How can both apply at the same time? We get the theoretical understanding from the words of Shri Krishna in Bhagavad-gita. The distinction is the mindset. As long as there is renunciation of the results to work, then it is like vairagya has a firm footing the entire time. More specifically, the results should be offered to Krishna Himself, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

Bhagavad-gita also provides the practical understanding. Though the work is mostly philosophical in nature, there is also a small narrative component. The person on the receiving end of the instruction makes a decision. He chooses in favor of work. He proceeds with the task at hand. His day at the office happens to be on-site, at a battlefield where countless soldiers have assembled. They will fight, gathered as two opposing sides. Arjuna will lead that fight, but he will not be attached to the results of the conflict. He can do this because of devotion to Krishna, who happens to be right next to him.

To get a taste of the practical application of yukta-vairagya in the modern day, we present the following hypothetical scenario. It involves an adult who has made the decision for practicing bhakti-yoga, which is another way to describe devotion to the same Krishna. Our person of interest happens to have a regular job. They do not live in the forest nor do they have any immediate plans to move to one. They have possessions, with the home acting as the central point of focus. They happen to come upon different objects that might serve as distractions for others, as a nexus of attachment. Instead, these objects simultaneously help the individual to maintain their standard of vairagya.

1. The bigger monitor

“Oh my goodness, it is like I can finally see again. When I am working on the magazine layout, for publishing the works of esteemed devotees, the experience is typically detrimental to the eyes. Well, not after this upgrade. It has some antiglare coating applied. I thought it was a sales gimmick. You know, some fancy term they come up with to fool people. Well, it looks like I have been the fool all these years. My productivity will increase at least five-fold with this thing. I am so excited.”

2. The better keyboard

“I am telling you, I feel like a shredder. Not one of those machines to dispose of sensitive material printed on paper. I am talking one of those lead guitarists in a rock band, going through their guitar solo. I can fly with this thing. My words-per-minute have gone up dramatically. I can produce so much literature now, based on the teachings of the acharyas. The sound of the keys is perfect. The sensitivity is just right. Where has this been all my life? I am so excited.”

3. The larger kitchen

“I finally have enough room. I can prepare food in large batches now. Just think how pleased everyone will be. I don’t know about my culinary ability. I hope that the Supreme Lord accepts my offerings. People say nice things to me, about the taste, but perhaps they are being polite. It does not matter. I will continue in this process. At least now the magnitude of the output will increase. I am so excited.”

4. The remodeled home library

“There is something to be said about cleanliness and tidiness. A neat and well-kept room puts the mind at ease. Well, I finally went through with it. I sacrificed the hard-earned cash to remodel that spare room downstairs. I turned it into a library. I have already spent many hours in it, sitting comfortably while reading Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. I should have made this move a long time ago. Oh, well. Better late than never.”

5. The more reliable car

“I am not what you would call ‘a car person.’ If you pulled up in something expensive, in something rare, in something that others would marvel at, I likely would not notice. I would have no idea that it was anything distinct. I am more interested in the features, for assistance to serve practical purposes. Along those lines, I finally decided to upgrade. I cannot believe how expensive new vehicles are these days. Nevertheless, I like everything about this new ride. I can move around comfortably. I can travel long distances with ease. This will come in handy during festival season, where I can take the family to celebrate special occasions relating to the appearances of the Supreme Lord in this world. I am so excited.”

अनासक्तस्य विषयान् यथार्हम् उपयुञ्जतः
निर्बन्धः कृष्ण-सम्बन्धे युक्तं वैराग्यम् उच्यते

anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṃ vairāgyam ucyate

“When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. This is known as balanced or proper detachment (yukta-vairagya).” (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 1.2.255)

In Closing:

Not to forest with clean break,
Rather with my items to take.

And sometimes upgrade to make,
Connecting without need to forsake.

Like that monitor larger in size,
Easier to read and better for the eyes.

And in kitchen with space profound,
Revolved bhakti everything around.

Categories: the five

Tags: bhakti, dailyprompt, god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, yoga