Bhagavad Gita and Detachment

Brahmanyaadhaaya karmaani Sangam tyaktwaa karoti yah
Lipyate na sa paapena Padmapatram ivaambhasaa //   
                                                                          Bhagavad Gita, Chp 5, Shl 10.

He who performs actions,  offering them to Brahman, abandoning attachment is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unaffected by the water on it.

The word “Detachment” is a much-abused word like the word “Love”. I ain’t kidding! If you don’t believe me, turn around and ask anybody what is the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear the word ‘detachment’.

Every day we detach from things and people, it is a natural progression. Something that comes naturally to us seems difficult when applied to things or people- we love, it can be literally anything- animate or inanimate.

Many believe the feeling of ‘mine-ness’ creates attachment. But if you notice from the I-ness, emerge other feelings including MINE. An example is how marriage brings a significant change to mine-ness, our loyalties slowly but certainly transfer from one’s family of origin to the new partner, don’t they? Yet nothing ever changes to the feeling of ‘I’. Rather than addressing the effects, we should learn to tackle the root.

When I first started on this, I thought it was important to free myself from the so-called loved things. But the list was endless and had no clue where to start; under the guidance of my Guru and through self-reflection, realised that I was never really attached to the endless list. I was in fact attached to the tools- senses, mind, intellect and later discovered that the attachments weren’t mine but were of my Acquired or Pseudo “I”.

However, we need the pseudo self to work our way through in the society but while that is functioning, we should stay true to our identity within. With time, it will flow naturally till then we need to keep bringing the wandering mind and focusing on NOW. Because only if you are in the field of awareness you can be ‘YOU’ and observe the interactions. And when you become an observer then you realise the actions, as well as their fruits, were never yours. It is a task in itself as we as we are never fully present in the now but there is nothing practice can’t perfect 🙂

Tasmād asaktah satatam  Karyam  karma samācara
Asakto hy ācaran karma Param āpnoti Purusah //   
                                                                         Bhagavad Gita, Chp 3, Shl 19.

Therefore, only those who act without being attached to the fruits of his action, but as a matter of performing his duty, can attain the Supreme/Peace.

Trust me, you have no clue how I felt when this whole concept sunk in. For that matter, do not take any idea which comes your way, even if it comes from holy scriptures or a Guru. We’d been gifted with an intellect and we should use it. And apply only those principles that you believe in.  According to me, this is the best way forward to spiritual maturity.

Clearly, detachment is not about being aloof or emotionless, but disassociating from our acquired self and using it when necessary than being used by it.  Take control, practice detached engagement by finding strength from the lotus. For the beautiful lotus to blossom, the plant must fight through mud and water and yet not allowing the murkiness to affect it in any way. If the plant can do it, so can we 🙂

Image: the web