The Doctrine of Renunciation

The Doctrine of Renunciation

The Doctrine of Renunciation

In vedas and upanishads renunciation is united with enjoyment and is called 'त्यागभोग'। Actuated with self-consciousness, you can enjoy the resources on this earth. You shall not covet anything because the universe is covered or indwelt by the Almighty and the wealth belongs to no one but the supreme soul. Anyone can consume or enjoy with a surrender to the paramathma, the supreme soul but has no right to own anything. To own anything means to refuse the right of others to enjoy. All creations are part of the brahma and each has the same right to enjoy .Enjoyment of anything with genuine spirit of this renunciation, seeing the power of the supreme soul in everything, is said to be the real sacrifice where the enjoyment of the power of the Almighty is possible within.

Sometimes we may think 'I shall give away all my wealth' or 'I have only God in my mind' and so on. This ''I''or ''my'' moods entered in sacrifice casts the shadow of egoism and such sacrifice can't be the real renunciation. One has to make the real experience of the existence of the Supreme Soul within only with riddance of the egoistic thoughts . The selfless renunciation, no doubt, is sacred but can't be a perfect one when there is the shade of the thought of being a selfless renouncer.

Prayer, fasting, performing rituals and such sacrifices done with devotion, in order to gain certain goal are not the real renunciation. As the Geetha says “karmanyevadhikarasthe maa phaleshu kadhachana”( कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषू कदाचन). Do your duty, don't expect anything in return. It is called 'nishkama karmam' i.e. duty done without any desire of its result.

The first sloka of 'Ishavasya upanishad' says

ishavasyamidam sarvam yathkincha jagathyam jagath

thena thyakthena bhunjeetha ma grudha kasyasvid dhanam

One has to enjoy whatever ordained to one,with a sense of renunciation, not coveting what has been ordained for others.