Vairagya (dispassion)

August 10, 2006

From holy_trinity (AT) googl (DOT) com

Sri Ramakrishna to Vijay : " What is deep dispassion like?

Listen to a story. Once there was a drought in a certain region. All the farmers

were digging canals to bring water from afar. A farmer had great determination.

One day he resolved that he would go on digging till water from the river flowed

along the whole canal. And here the time came for his bath. His wife sent him

some oil through her daughter. The daughter said to him, 'Father, it is time for

your bath. Massage your body with the oil and take your bath.' He replied,

'Please go away,I have some work to do.' It was past midday. The farmer is still

at work in his field, forgetting all about his bath. Now his wife came to the

field and said, 'Why haven't you taken your bath yet? Your rice is getting cold.

You are always over doing things. If the work is not yet accomplished, do it

tomorrow, or do it after your meals.' Taking the spade in his hand the farmer

hurled some abuses at her and made her run away. And said he to her, 'You have

no sense. There have been no rains. There is no crop. What will the children

eat? Without food, we shall all starve to death this time. I have vowed that I

shall bring water to the field today, after that I shall think of bath and

food.'Seeing his mood and determination, the woman ran away. The farmer worked

very hard throughout the day and joined the canal to the river in the evening.

He then sat on its bank and enjoyed seeing the river water gurgling in the

field. He was now at peace and full of happiness.

He went home and calling his wife he said to her, 'Now bring some oil

and prepare a smoke.' Then in a carefree mood he took his bath, ate his meals

and snored happily in his bed. This kind of determination is an illustration of

deep vairagya.

" And there was another farmer, he was also bringing water to his field. His wife

went and said to him, 'It is already late. Come on now, there is no need to work

so hard.' Without saying much in protest, this fellow put down his spade saying,

'Since you say so, I am coming.' (All laugh.) This farmer then could never

bring water to his field. This is the example of mild vairagya.

" Just as without great determination water did not reach the field of

the farmer, in the same way the man does not attain the Lord. "

From : Kathamrita - Section IV, Chapter 3 Sri Ramakrishna instructs

Vijaykrishna Goswami and other Brahmo Bhaktas

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