Needs the Yoga of Renunciation

In the Śrīmadbhagavadgītā, Arjuna asks Kṛṣṇa to give him a straight teaching about on which is better-renouncing action or the yoga of action.^[1] An immature mind cannot handle ambiguities, grey areas, and many different possibilities. In an attempt to simplify the complexities of living, a person often seeks to be told specifically what to do and often falls into the trap of assigning "good" to one thing and "evil" to its opposite. Often, that mind set is unable to hold tension and is driven by reactivity to act or to shun action for the wrong reasons. Many people seek out someone in authority who will give them the answers and tell them what to do. Kṛṣṇa teaches to expand the person's understanding. We need to ask ourselves how far along have we moved from a black and white worldview. What is important is to be persistent in one's practice of yoga, whichever path we tread and do not give up. A path of renunciation, a path of study and reflection, of contemplation and action all lead to the same. Kṛṣṇa says that “both the renunciation and performance of action lead to freedom. But, of the two, performance of action is superior to the renunciation of action”.^[2]

If we decide not to do something because of fear, that is not renunciation of action. If we retaliate because someone has hurt our pride, that is not right action. Deciding to refrain from an action, that may harm someone unnecessarily, is a decision made in the spirit of renunciation. Offering the outcome to God, that is renunciation in action. The same choices in different situations can have a different meaning -it is the inner motivation that is important.

The Gītā teaches:

“jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati
nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṃ bandhāt pramucyate.”^[3]

“One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcome material bondage and is completely liberated.” 

Only the ignorant speak of devotional service as being different from the analytical study of the material world. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.^[4]

For the average person, this may seem rather philosophical and hence not applicable to their lives. But actually, psychologically, we are often faced with these inner decisions about whether to act on a certain impulse, or to try to solve a problem by taking action or whether to wait. Maintaining a certain level of self-control, allow things to work them out. But sometimes we shun action for the wrong reasons. We may think that refraining from action is wise. But, we have to examine our inner state.

According to the Gītā, It is hard to renounce action without following the yoga of action. This yoga purifies the man of meditation and bringing him soon to Brahman.^[5]

The key to renunciation is a steady practice of meditation and the introspection that arises with that practice that heightens are awareness of our motives, our thought processes, our emotions and desires. Otherwise, we are constantly forced to act based on our whims, our moods, our egotistical desires, passions, lack of discrimination. We are unable to exercise the self-control that enables us to discern how to be of service to another rather than to seek our own gain. We may have a discrepancy between what we say, think, believe and what we are, what we aim for. Integration of thought and deed, requires a refined consciousness that comes from a meditation practice balanced by a life in the world of responsibilities and creative work, activity. The process of living and wrestling with life situations, while at the same time meditating and gaining self-awareness brings about the wholeness that we truly seek.

We need to take a lot of practice in meditation, to reach an inner state that has transcended the control the senses and ego have over the mind. This is not something we can talk ourselves into -it is an actual state of being, where detachment has taken place. There are dangers along this path as well, for we are not looking for a detachment that makes us dysfunctional in our daily living either. We need to ground ourselves in daily life, while reaching a state of calm detachment. We are not seeking out of bliss. Careful and understanding observation of our inner state, accompanied with fulfillment of our natural desires and role in life, help us to recognize the forces of the ego, the senses and to choose our responses to life, rather than to react in an uncontrolled manner. Then, we can get the wisdom to act and remain untouched by sin, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.^[6]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

ibid, chapter V, 1 —sannyāsaṃ karmanāṃ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṃ ca śaṃsasi yac chreya etayor ekaṃ tan me brūhi su-niścitam.

[2]:

Ibid, chapter V. 2 —sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yoga viśiṣyate.

[3]:

Śrīmadbhagavadgītā, chapter V, 3

[4]:

Ibid, chapter V,4 —sāñkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam.

[5]:

Ibid, chapter V. 6 —sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ yoga-yukto munir brahma na cireṇādhigacchati.

[6]:

“lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā.” Śrīmadbhagavadgītā, V, 10.