Sadhana Chatushtaya 02 | Voice of Upanishads | Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha

16/01/2025 1h 11min

Listen "Sadhana Chatushtaya 02 | Voice of Upanishads | Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha"

Episode Synopsis

This is the second in a set of four talks on 'Sadhana Chatushtaya', based on Vivekachudamani, during the Sadhana Shibiram Jamshedpur held on 09 October 2023.

In this Satsang, Swamiji explains the Sadhana Chatushtaya (the four-fold pursuit of the spiritual seeker.) When the seeker has Viveka, the quality of Vairagya also starts growing in him.

A human being is governed by two forces acting on his personality. The Centripetal force anchors the mind within and the centrifugal force tries to take one away from the centre or core and the mind is distracted by external things. In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that a seeker must generate centripetal force to make the mind focussed within and parallelly reduce the centrifugal force. This reduction of centrifugal force is Vairagya where the mind does not get affected, attracted, or repelled by any external object or situation.

Vairagya is impersonality and impartiality of outlook. Normally, we apply the colour of ‘me and mine’ and ‘others’ to everything. Whatever is connected to ‘me and mine’ we develop a liking for it and whatever is connected to ‘others’, we develop a dislike for it. A seeker must remove the colour of ‘me and mine’ and ‘likes and dislikes’ from all world perceptions. Vairagya is an impartiality where one is free from raga and dvesha. Impersonality must be practiced by a seeker in all activities and interactions.

We suffer from delusion, right from birth. When the intelligence overcomes the delusion, then one will grow indifference towards everything. Vairagya is a quality of the Soul. Introspecting constantly on the Self, one can grow Vairagya.

For human beings, everything in this world—enjoyments, name, fame, honour, beauty, virtue etc.-- is coupled with fear. Vairagya (dispossessiveness, not clinging to external enjoyments) alone bestows fearlessness. Swamiji emphasizes that Viveka should naturally lead to Vairagya. Vairagya shows us the real nature of the world and object enjoyments and helps us grow in unaffectedness and impersonality.

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