Dispassion ... by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

Dispassion   ...   by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

Dispassion is the most important acquisition in the spiritual quest. In the absence of dispassion, saadhana will not fruition. In the absence of dispassion towards the fleeting world, there cannot be any realization or liberation. So, when, through causal thinking, you develop viveka, understand that you will also gain vairaagya. They are very much interdependent. Any saadhana – through devotion, karmayoga or knowledge – will become effective only when it is strengthened and intensified by dispassion. And what is dispassion?

Dispassion is an attitude of indifference towards the objects of the world. The objects of the world always carry an alluring note, an enticing note. They will always enchant one's senses. This enjoyable nature of the world is what makes us so attracted to it. And this attraction acts as a pressure; so much so, that the mind is overshadowed and subdued by the objects.

This overpowering by the objects should be toned down. And the power that enables you to subdue the attraction towards the world, is dispassion. Now, dispassion does not grow easily. In some seekers it is inborn. For others, dispassion is hard to cultivate. How to develop dispassion as an enriching quality of the mind? This is where the spiritual and philosophical analysis along with the enlightenment it brings about, helps.

Sri Krishna first of all emphasizes that the objects exist in the Supreme but the Supreme does not exist in the objects. Are the objects worthy, if they are devoid of the presence of the Supreme? Again he says: Even the objects of the world do not exist in the Supreme! That means their existence is ephemeral to begin with and illusory to end with.

When we know that the objects are ephemeral – fleeting and transitory – automatically the attachment and allurement which they bring about generally, will be countered by this knowledge and discrimination. The knowledge and its effects become un-negatable. Thus the buddhi starts acting upon the mind which is allured by the objects, and the allurement is progressively attenuated.

When the dispassion grows in ample measure the mind will feel free and independent and start dwelling upon the Subject Self. When the mind is free of the hold of the objects and starts clinging to the Self, peace and bliss become unobstructed.