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Re: Satvika ThyAgaha

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • June 12, 2000 


Dear Sri Malolan,

This topic has been discussed in many previous posts
to the list. Here is a brief explanation, followed
by links to other elaborations contained in the archives.

    sAttvika tyAgam is a moment of reflection in which one
    dedicates the act one is performing (or has performed) 
    entirely to Bhagavan, with the realization that Bhagavan is 
    performing it for His own purposes through oneself 
    entirely for Himself.  

    It is well-known that Sri Krishna in the Gita urges
    the seeker of liberation to act without expectation
    for reward, performing the karma entirely as worship
    of Him. In the 17th adhyAya, He again categorically
    states that such action is of 'sattva' or motivated
    by purity.

    In contrast, outright renunciation of ordained religious 
    acts is tAmasa-tyAga, something that is regularly 
    warned against in the Gita.

    In the Gita-bhashya, Sri Ramanuja beautifully describes 
    the mood of one who performs his or her religious duties 
    while established in sattva-guNa. This mental state
    is formalized in our ritual practice as a sentence based on 
    Sri Ramanuja's words in the Gita (which themselves are 
    based on earlier tradition) and Nitya-Grantha which
    should be uttered or at least reflected upon before and 
    after every religious act.  

    In an abbreviated form, here is one version:

         bhagavAn eva svaniyAmya sva-Sesha-bhUtena mayA
         sva-ArAdhanaika-prayojanAya, svasmai svaprItaye 
         sarva-seshI paramapurushaH sriyaH-pati svayam eva 
         kArayati.

    Translation:
         Bhagavan Himself, 
         Who is the Supreme Person, 
         Who is the Lord of Sri,
         Who is the Independent Whole upon which
           all else depend as dependent parts,
           existing for His glory 
         Is performing this act through me who exists as His 'sesha', 
         Who is solely dependent on Him, 
         Who completely under His control, 
         For Himself, 
         Solely for the purpose of worshipping Him,
         For His own pleasure.

    After doing the karma, say the same thing, except replace the
    last word "kArayati" ("is performing") with kAritavAn ("performed").

Some other links which explain this:

http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/nov95/0136.html
http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/jul98/0046.html
http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/jul98/0041.html

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan
Mani


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