वैराग्य-शतकम् / 100 Verses of Renunciation

Why am I speaking about Renunciation to a group of Young Adults? Isn’t Renunciation for old people?

Well, Renunciation does not mean ‘giving up’ (your wealth, your material possessions, actions). Just “Giving up” does not lead to “attaining Brahman or self-realization”. In fact, when Arjuna wanted to lay down arms on the Kurukshetra battlefield, Bhagwan Krishna sternly told him to fight and do his duty.

वैराग्य / Vairagya means to live life fully, but with the realization that everything around you is transient. Partake in joys and sorrows, but practice detachment.

And if you live life thus – as a ‘witness (साक्षी / Sakshi)’ rather than an ‘enjoyer (भोगी  / bhogi)’ – you will be happier, healthier, and more secure.

As is said in a वैराग्य-शतकम् shloka,

भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्तास्तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः । कालो न यातो वयमेव यातास्तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ।।

vairagya

0:00

It means –

भोगाः न भुक्ताः                We haven’t enjoyed pleasures;

वयम् एव भुक्ताः              (but) we ourselves have been consumed by desires.

तपः न तप्तं                       we have not performed penance / austerities;

वयम् एव तप्ताः      (but) we have ourselves got scorched.

कालः न यातः                   Time has not gone

वयम् एव याताः       (and) we only are “passing away”

तृष्णा न जीर्णा                    Thirst has not been quenched

वयम् एव जीर्णाः ।।    (yet) we have become old and worn out

As you go about your day, be mindful and aware –

• Am I getting so consumed by greed and desires that I am losing my empathy towards other living beings?

• Am I sharing and caring enough?

• Am I unnecessarily getting burnt by negative emotions – envy, jealousy, anger?

• Am I toiling enough for the right aims and aspirations?

• Am I happy with what I have and self-confident about what I can achieve?

Otherwise, years will pass by in a jiffy, and you will be left “wanting” and “desiring” even on your deathbed.

I loved the way this shloka uses wordplay to drive home the meaning with great effect. It urges us to lead a life of detachment, so that at the end of it, we can pass on without regrets.

If you learn and internalize this shloka, whenever you are taking any action or decision, you will stop a moment and check: “Am I practising वैराग्य / vairagya even while living a full life – not getting consumed or burnt by desires, but experiencing enjoyment with detachment?”

वैराग्य-शतकम् has been composed by King-turned-ascetic भर्तृहरिः (Bhartrhari) and there’s an interesting lore about him.

The story goes that as a King, Bhartrhari was presented with a divine fruit. He gave it to his wife to consume, who gave it to her lover, who in turn gave it to his female companion, a maid. The maid thought that a divine fruit is fit to be consumed by none other than the king, and hence gave it to the King! 😊

This made King Bhartrhari realize that love and pleasure is fleeting and thus embark on a quest to seek the permanent – the Ultimate Truth.

And in his search for self-realization, we all got this beautiful composition of 100 verses on Renunciation. (There are more books ascribed to him, but more on that some other time!)

Many people wrongly believe that Detachment or वैराग्य is for सन्यासी (Sanyasis) and वानप्रस्थाश्रमी (Vanprasthashramis) only, not for ब्रह्मचारी (Brahmacharis) or  गृहस्थी (Gruhasthis). And hence, unfortunately, they stay deprived of this easy formula for a contented life!

Practising Vairagya helps you navigate life’s ups and downs better, be more empathetic towards others, more secure and confident in your actions which naturally leads to you being a happier, healthier person!