Vairagyam II

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Vairagyam II

 

Doshadarshanam, Perception of faults

 

As we saw in the Panchadasi exposition, the doshadrishti or perception of

faults in the sense objects forms the foundation for developing vairagyam. The

method involves considering objectively the undesirable effects that result from

resorting to the sense objects concerned and form a conviction as to their

worthlessness. It is the intention of the Shastram that the objective of this

exercise is cultivation of dispassion and not hatred,dvesha, to the objects or

persons or relationships. This would be another problem by itself requiring a

separate treatment. Hence, care should be taken in the doshadarshana abhyasa.

It ideally culminates in developing indifference, audaasiinyam, udasina bhaava

towards sense objects. Here is a famous verse of Bhartrihari that is really

'frightening':

 

Bhoge rogabhayam, kule chyutibhayam, vitte nrupaalaad-bhayam

Maane dainyabhayam, bale ripubhayam, roope jaraayaa bhayam |

Shaastre vaadibhayam, gune khalabhayam, kaaye krtaantaad-bhayam

Sarvam vastu bhayaanvitam bhuvi nrnaam Vairaagyameva abhayam || 31 ||

 

The meaning: In enjoyment, there is the fear of disease; in social position,

the fear of falling-off; in wealth, the fear of (hostile) Government (A rule

could confiscate excess wealth, or very high taxation); in honour, the fear of

humiliation; in power, the fear of foemen; in beauty, the fear of old age; in

scriptural erudition, the fear of opponents; in virtue, the fear of traducers;

in body, the fear of death. All things of this world pertaining to man are

attended with fear; renunciation alone stands for fearlessness!!

 

A deep contemplation of the above makes us accord concurrence with the

teaching of the verse. Let me relate just one real-life story in substantiation

of the first named 'fear'. I had a friend from a very respectable Mudaliar

family. He was one among three brothers and two sisters. They were quite

well-to-do. This boy had good talents in sports and had accumulated innumerable

prizes and citations, medals, cups and what not in several athletic events. By

virtue of all this, even without much higher education, he got a clerical job in

a bank. After about two years into the job, he got married to his cousin, his

maternal uncle's daughter. Thereafter started his downfall. With somewhat good

looks, he ventured in vain in film acting. He fell into evil company. All

sorts of vices he fell into. His banking career took a beating. He borrowed

money to fund his vices and the creditors were after him. Unable to bear the

fall out of his vices, his wife committed suicide

leaving two small boys. The vices took a toll on his robust body and one day I

got information that he was in the ICU of a hospital. What I saw through the

glass door is a sight that I can never forget. The handsome man of less than 35

that he was, had shrunk to a skeleton of about three feet. The next day he

passed away. In those days nobody talked about AIDS. In retrospect, I think he

was afflicted by this. 'Bhoge roga bhayam' !

 

Nachiketas, in the Kathopanishad gives a very telling account of

dosha-darshanam:

 

Yamadharmaraja, the Acharya, offered a wide variety of attractions very rare

to be obtained in the human world and also of the heaven. In order to enjoy

these, Yama offered to bestow Nachiketas with a very long, healthy life as well.

Although tempted thus, Nachiketas who, like a vast lake, was not to be

perturbed, said: O Death, the enjoyable things enumerated by you are ephemeral –

whose existence invariably is subject to the doubt as to whether they will exist

or not tomorrow; moreover, all those enjoyable things such as nymphs etc., waste

away the vigour of all the organs of a human being; so these enjoyable things

are an evil since they wear away 1.virtue = dharma, 2. strength = virya 3.

intellingence = medha, 4 energy = balam, 5. fame = yashas etc. As for long life

which you wish to offer, about that too listen: all life – even that of Brahmaa

is short indeed; what need be said of the longevity of those like us?

Therefore, let the vehicles etc. and so also

the dances and songs remain yours alone. About wealth that was also offered,

Nachiketas says: Besides, Man is not to be satisfied with wealth in abundance;

for the acquisition of wealth is not seen in this world to satisfy anyone.

 

The Bhajagovindam has a strong word of caution :

Maa kuru dhana, jana, youvana garvam . Harati nimeshaat kaalaH sarvam.

Maayaamayamidam akhilam hitvaa….

Never pride on your wealth, kinsmen and youth. Mighty Time, Death, will take

them away within the wink of the eyelid. Determine that these are all illusory

and take to the enquiry into Brahman.

 

The 'defects' that the sense enjoyments are endowed with is said to be

three-fold:

 

DuHkha-mishritatvam: There is an admixture of pain in them. The acquisition

stage is filled with pain. The preparation and enjoyment is painful. When the

joy comes to an end there is pain. I think it is the Panchadasi which says:

Arthaanaam aarjane kleshaH, tathaiva paripaalane, naashe duHkham, vyaye duHkham.

DigarthaH kleshakaarine ! There is pain in earning, pain in preservation, pain

when it is destroyed (by theft,etc), pain when it depletes. Fie upon wealth

that is pain all-over!!

Atriptikaratvam: There is seldom the feeling of 'enough'. The Gita called

it: Mahaashano mahaapaapmaa in the third chapter. Like a glutton it demands

more and more.

Bandhakatvam: It enslaves the one who courts it. The man who gets addicted

to sense enjoyments is a picture of misery. All virtues abandon him. He

perishes ultimately. This is brought out in the Second chapter Gita: Dhyaayato

vishayaan ….series. The Lord proceeds to point out the source of all evil: (Pl.

skip the Sanskrit words for ease in reading.)

2.62 In the case of a person who dwells on objects, there arises attachment

for them. From attachment grows hankering, from hankering springs anger.

2.63 From anger follows delusion; from delusion, failure of memory; from

failure of memory, the loss of understanding; from the loss of understanding, he

perishes.

Pumsah, in the case of a person; dhyayatah, who dwells on, thinks of; visayan,

the objects, the specialities [specialities: The charms imagined in them.] of

the objects such as sound etc.; upajayate, there arises; sangah, attachment,

fondness, love; tesu, for them, for those objects. Sangat, from attachment, from

love; sanjayate, grows; kamah, hankering, thirst. When that is obstructed from

any quarter, kamat, from hankering; abhijayate, springs; krodhah, anger.

Krodhat, from anger; bhavati, follows; sammohah, delusion, absence of

discrimination with regard to what should or should not be done. For, an angry

man, becoming deluded, abuses even a teacher.

Sammohat, from delusion; (comes) smrti-vibhramah, failure of memory

originating from the impressions acquired from the instructions of the

scriptures and teachers. When there is an occasion for memory to rise, it does

not occur. Smrti-bhramsat, from that failure of memory; (results) buddhi-nasah,

loss of understanding. The unfitness of the mind to discriminate between what

should or should not be done is called loss of understanding. Buddhi-nasat, from

the loss of understanding; pranasyati, he perishes. Indeed, a man continues tobe

himself so long as his mind remains fit to distinguish between what he ought to

and ought not do. When it becomes unfit, a man is verily ruined. Therefore, when

his internal organ, his understanding, is destroyed, a man is ruined, i.e. he

becomes unfit for the human Goal.

Thinking of objects has been said to be the root of all evils. After that,

this which is the cause of Liberation is being now stated: [if even the memory

of objects be a source of evil, then their enjoyment is more so. Hence, a

sannyasin seeking Liberation cannot avoid this evil, since he has to move about

for food which is necessary for the maintenance of his body. The present verse

is an answer to this apprehension.]

2.64 But by perceiving objects with the organs that are free from attraction

and repulsion, and are under his own control, the self-controlled man attains

serenity.

Certainly the functions of the organs are naturally preceded by attraction and

repulsion. This being so, caran, by perceiving; visayan, objects, which are

unavoidable; indriyaih, with the organs such as ears etc.; raga-dvesa-viyuktaih,

that are free from those attraction and repulsion; and are atma-vasyaih, under

his own control; vidheya-atma, [A.G. takes atma-vasyaih in the sense of '(with

the organs) under the control of the mind'. He then argues that it the mind be

not under control, there can be no real control, over the organs. Hence the text

uses the second expression, 'vidheyatma, whose mind can be subdued at will'.

Here atma is used in the sense of the mind, according to the Commentator

himself.] the self-controlled man, whose mind can be subdued at will, a seeker

after Liberation; adhigacchati, attains; prasadam, serenity, self-poise.

What happens when there is serenity? This is being answered:

2.65 When there is serenity, there follows eradication of all his sorrows,

because the wisdom of one who has a serene mind soon becomes firmly established.

Prasade, when there is serenity; upajayate, there follows; hanih, eradication;

asya sarva-duhkhanam, of all his, the sannyasin's, sorrow on the physical and

other planes. Moreover, (this is so) hi, because; buddhih, the wisdom;

prasanna-cetasah, of one who has a serene mind, of one whose mind is poised in

the Self; asu, soon; pari-avatisthate, becomes firmly established; remains

steady (avatisthate) totally (pari), like the sky, i.e. it becomes unmoving in

its very nature as the Self.

The meaning of the sentence is this: Since a person with such a poised mind

and well-established wisdom attains fulfillment, therefore a man of

concentration [A man who is free whom slavery to objects of the senses.] ought

to deal with the indispensable and scripturally non-forbidden objects through

his senses that are free from love and hatred.

(Thanks Sri Kanakaraju, the above is sourced from your website.)

Someone please recount the story of Yayati.

To be continued.

Regards to all,

subbu

 

 

 

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