वैराग्य
Vairagya
vairāgya
In simple words
Vairagya means 'without colour' — the mind no longer dyed by craving. It is not hatred of the world but a calm freedom from being pulled around by it.
What is it?
Dispassion is paired with practice (abhyasa) in both the Yoga Sutras and the Gita as the two means of steadying the mind. It grows from seeing clearly the limits of pleasure and possession. In Advaita it is one of the four qualifications for Self-inquiry. The Gita also includes dispassion toward sense objects among the marks of knowledge.
Scholar’s note
Yoga Sutras 1.12–16 distinguish lower dispassion from higher dispassion (para vairagya), indifference even to the gunas. Vedanta distinguishes mild, intense and supreme dispassion in some manuals. Some bhakti teachers regard dispassion as a by-product of love for God rather than an effort.How its meaning differs
Dispassion, together with practice, stills the mind; its highest form is indifference even to the gunas.
Dispassion toward enjoyments here and hereafter is one of the four qualifications for knowledge of Brahman.
As love for God grows, attraction to lesser things falls away of itself.
Dispassion (viraga) arises from seeing impermanence and suffering, and leads to release.
In the Bhagavad Gita — as Sadhak Sanjivani explains it
Summary based on Sadhak Sanjivaniसाधक-संजीवनीपर आधारित सारArjuna says the mind is restless and hard to hold; Krishna agrees, and says it is restrained by practice and dispassion (6.35). Swamiji explains vairagya as the senses not being drawn to objects — even while using objects for the needs of life, as scripture allows, the seeker should have no attachment or fondness for them (13.8). He suggests a reflection: great kings and rich people enjoyed a great deal, but in the end nothing of it remained with them (13.8). Merely keeping away from objects does not remove the inner relish (rasa) for them; that goes only on experiencing the Supreme (2.59). The desire for pleasure is the cause of all sorrow; when it goes, all sorrow ends (13.8). The deep-rooted tree of the world is to be cut with the firm weapon of non-attachment — which means ending one's relationship with it, not destroying it (15.3).
अर्जुन कहते हैं कि मन बड़ा चंचल है; भगवान् इसे स्वीकार करके कहते हैं कि अभ्यास और वैराग्यसे इसका निग्रह होता है (६।३५)। स्वामीजी बताते हैं कि विषयोंमें इन्द्रियोंका खिंचाव न होना वैराग्य है — शास्त्रानुसार जीवन-निर्वाहके लिये विषयोंका सेवन करते हुए भी उनमें राग, आसक्ति, प्रियता न हो (१३।८)। विचार करें कि बड़े-बड़े धनी और राजा-महाराजा हुए, बहुत भोग भोगे, पर अन्तमें उनका कुछ नहीं रहा — ऐसे विचारसे भी वैराग्य होता है (१३।८)। विषयोंसे इन्द्रियोंको हटा लेनेपर भी भीतरका रस नहीं जाता; वह परमात्मतत्त्वका अनुभव होनेपर ही निवृत्त होता है (२।५९)। सुखकी इच्छा ही सम्पूर्ण दु:खोंका कारण है; उसके मिटनेपर सब दु:ख मिट जाते हैं (१३।८)। संसार-वृक्षको दृढ़ असंगतारूप शस्त्रसे काटनेका अर्थ उसका नाश नहीं, उससे सम्बन्ध-विच्छेद करना है (१५।३)।
इन्द्रियोंका विषयोंके साथ सम्बन्ध होनेपर भी तथा शास्त्रके अनुसार जीवन-निर्वाहके लिये इन्द्रियोंद्वारा विषयोंका सेवन करते हुए भी साधकको विषयोंमें राग, आसक्ति, प्रियता नहीं होनी चाहिये।Where it appears in the Gita
Objects fall away, the taste remains — until God is seen
विषय छूटते हैं, रस नहीं—परमात्मदर्शनसे रस भी छूटता है
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिन:।
When the senses are held back, objects fall away but the taste for them remains; on experiencing the Supreme, even that taste goes.
इन्द्रियोंको विषयोंसे हटानेसे विषय तो छूट जाते हैं, पर रस नहीं छूटता; परमात्मतत्त्वका अनुभव होनेसे रस भी निवृत्त हो जाता है।
5.22Pleasures born of contact are wombs of sorrow
संयोगजन्य भोग दु:खके ही कारण हैं
ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दु:खयोनय एव ते।
Pleasures born of sense-contact have a beginning and an end and are sources of sorrow; the discerning do not delight in them.
इन्द्रियों और विषयोंके संयोगसे होनेवाले भोग आदि-अन्तवाले और दु:खके ही कारण हैं; विवेकी मनुष्य उनमें रमण नहीं करता।
6.35By practice and dispassion the mind is held
अभ्यास और वैराग्यसे मन वशमें होता है
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्।
Yes, the mind is restless and hard to control — but it is held by practice and by dispassion.
नि:सन्देह मन चंचल है और इसका निग्रह कठिन है; परन्तु अभ्यास और वैराग्यके द्वारा इसका निग्रह होता है।
13.8इन्द्रियार्थेषु
इन्द्रियोंके विषयोंमें वैराग्यका होना, अहंकारका भी न होना और जन्म, मृत्यु, वृद्धावस्था तथा व्याधियोंमें दु:ख-रूप दोषोंको बार-बार देखना।
15.3Cut the world-tree with the sword of non-attachment
असंगशस्त्रसे संसार-वृक्षका छेदन
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा।
Looked at closely, the world has no beginning, end or real standing; its firm-looking roots are cut with the strong weapon of non-attachment.
विचार करनेपर संसारका न आदि मिलता है, न अन्त, न स्थिति; इसके दृढ़ दीखनेवाले मूल दृढ़ असंगतासे कट जाते हैं।
Where else it appears
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Trace the idea from one source to the next.
- 1Gita verseBhagavad Gita 6.35The mind is restless, but it is controlled by practice and dispassion.
- 2Textयोगसूत्रYoga Sutras of PatanjaliThe same pair, practice and dispassion, as Patanjali defines them.
- 3Gita verseBhagavad Gita 13.8Dispassion toward sense objects as a mark of knowledge.
- 4TextविवेकचूडामणिVivekachudamaniDispassion as a qualification for Self-inquiry.
- 5Textभज गोविन्दम्Bhaja GovindamA hymn urging the reader to see through worldly pursuits (traditionally attributed to Shankara).
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