[Advaita-l] Discussion on the importance of Vairagya

[srikanta at nie.ac.in]

This is with reference to the Email of July 31,2007 regarding the role of
Guru.Even Shankara mentions in his minor books regarding the importance of
Vairagya.If onne has the Vairagya(not abandoning everything and running
away),but a clarity of thminViveka naturally comes in.The imprtance of
Vairagya is corroborated by the following Sruthis and Smrtis.
1) The first slokah of the Isavasyopanishath states:
Isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat!
tena tyktena Bhunjita ma grda kasyacit dhanam!!
It directs the aspirant to cover the entire world with
"ISA"(vasyam-acchaditavyah0.Therefore,one has to be saved (safeguard)by
sacrifice.Do not be greedy,for whose is the wealth?
Here,Vairagya is explained to be the prime requisite of an aspirant.
2)The I-2-12 slokah of the Mundakopanishath states:
Pareksya lokan karmacitan brahmano
nirvedamayannastyakrtam krtena!
tad vijnanartham sa Gurumevabhigaccet
samitpanih srtriyam Brahmanishtam!!

Aftr examining the worlds obtained by "Karma'(action),a Brahmna is to
turnaway with disgust(vairagya)with the conviction that "the uncreated
cannot be obtained by the created"and to know that has to approach a Guru
with the "Samith"(fuel for the fire) who is well-versed in the Vedas(one
who has understood the Sruthis)and also who is established in "Brahman".
The Mundakopanishath(I-2-13) further says:
Tasmai sa vidvanupasannaya samyak
prasantacittaya samanvitaya!
Yenaksaram Purusham Veda satyam
provaca tam tattvato Brahmavidyam!!
To that (aspirant) who is having tranquility of the mind and having
control of the senses,that Vidvan(Guru) is to tell the "Brahmavidya",which
is  the Truth(satyapurusha)denoted by the letter(which is without
destruction-Aksaram.
3)In the BhagavadGita(Ii-52) Sri Krishna says:
Yada te mohakalilam buddhiryatitavisyati!
tada gantasi srotasya srutasya ca!!
When thy mind shall cross beyond the mire of delusion,then wilt thou
attain to a disgust of what is yet to be heard and what has been heard.
4) The Chandogyopanishath(VI-26-2) states:

.........satvasuddau satvasusuddhih satvasuddam dhruva smrtih smrtilambhe
sarvagrantinam vipramoksastasmai mrditakasayasya tamasasparam darsayati
Bhagavan Sanatkumarastagm Skanda ityacaksate tagm Skanda ityacaksate!!
".....After purification of the Food he obtains purity of
thought(mind),sattvashuddhi,After purification of thought he begets
permanent memory,after begetting permanent memory,he obtains the breakinf
of knots of ignorance).To such a one whose mind is purified by the
cleansing of the impurity,Bhagavan Sanatkumara pointed out the other shore
of the darkness of ignorance(avidya)"
Here, Sri Shankara comments:....To that Narada whose impurity(kasaya) is
washed by the corrosive of Jnana and the practice of vairagya,Bhagavan
Sanatkumara pointed out the other shore of darkness of ignorance.
Hence, we see that Vairagya is the primerequisite for
Self-realisation.Otherwise,the seeker will fall again and again into the
darkness of ignorance.
Bhava Shankara Desika me saranam.Hari Om Tat Sat.
                                                      N.Srikanta.