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Virakthi and Vairagya

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mohan Sagar • February 17, 1997 


Mr. Sudarshan writes:

>"Likewise, my boy", Sri.Parasharar continued,"when we talk of "virakthi" and
>"vairAgyam", we refer to them as appropriate emotional responses to a world
>not serving the Pleasure of the Lord ("bhagavth-AgnyA","bhagavath-icchai"
>etc.). So long as the things of this world serve us not in offering Ranga
>His Due Pleasure ("bhagavath-kainkaryam"), they deserve nothing but our
>unqualified revulsion (virakthi). But occasionally even such worldly things
>-- like the streamers, festoons and banners here did today -- do serve The
>Lord's Purpose or Pleasure ! At those times, my dear boy, we should embrace
>the world, and freely rejoice and indulge in it ! Even the objects of our
>"virakthi" would then turn into objects of Pleasure for the Lord ! It then
>becomes our duty as His servants ("sEsha"), my dear boy, to offer Him
>("sEshi") and for His Sole Pleasure, the very same "material" world that
>otherwise would deserve our revulsion!

>"Tell me, which is greater to us, after all -- Ranga's Pleasure or our own
>"vairAgyam" ?!!".

A wonderful concept that once again reveals the subtle distinctions in the
views of our tradition when compared to other sampradayas.  Is it not the
very nature of prapatti to realize that all this, including our material
life, in reality belongs only to Him, and as a result should be utilized in
His Service?  To renounce the world in a literal sense, as Bhattar's
disciples had originally construed, would be like trying to return something
to the Lord that already belongs to Him.

My regret is that the pressures of modern society prevent us from being able
to serve Him more.

Daasanu Daasan,

Mohan