Rise and Live above Attachments

Rise and live above attachments, live like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. The lotus flower grows in ponds and marshes yet floats gracefully on the water surface. Though it remains in water, it does not get moist. It remains clean. It looks pure. The drops of water on its petals and leaves do not spread, but appear well-formed, round and shimmer just like pearls.
One should learn from this majestic flower and live like the lotus. The surface of the lotus leaf is similar to that of the human tongue. When you eat something, it does not stick onto the tongue for long but instead is rolled out to the sides and then swallowed. The hand that puts food into the mouth does get oily or soiled but the tongue does not get sticky or soiled. You never feel the need to wipe the tongue. You clean your hands; you wipe out the oil from your fingers. The lesson to learn here is that you should learn to live in this way. Like the lotus leaf and the tongue, rise above all attachments and materialistic things. One can be attached to the very smallest of things in this world and on the other hand detach himself from something that is very special to him.

Once upon a time someone stole a blanket from a babaji

Once upon a time someone stole a blanket from a babaji (wandering hermit). The babaji went to the police station to lodge a complaint. In the written complaint he mentioned that his blanket and bedding have been stolen. He has lost his quilt, pyjama, overcoat and all of his personal belongings. While he was narrating the incident to the police officer, the thief who had stolen the blanket walked in.

He stood there listening to the hermit in total disbelief. They was furious and interrupted the officer writing the complaint for the hermit. He threw the blanket in Babaji’s face, saying “Here is this ragged blanket that I stole, but you are lying to the officer and falsely reporting that so many things were stolen from you. The Police officer asked Babaji, “Why were you listing all those items? Your list seems unending whereas the issue was only an old and torn blanket.”.

Lessons from the Lotus flower

Babaji replied, “It is my blanket – my blanket is also my pillow. When I go to sleep I put it under my head but when I spread it over my body it serves as my quilt. Sometimes during the day I spread it on the ground and it serves as my cushion and when I feel cold I wrap it around me as an overcoat. My blanket is my entire world. It is very precious to me.” The officer said, “Fine. Take it away – your worn-out blanket.

Take your entire world and get out of here.” So you saw that a torn blanket became his whole world. Why? Because there was a deep attachment. But if you offer a detached person a palace, he will not take long to let go of it and detach himself from it easily. For him the huge palace has no meaning, it is not an attraction to him. He is already detached from the worldly objects. This is what Lord Krishna explains in The Bhagavad Gita as ‘yog’.

Lord Krishna says that it is Nishkam Karma Yog

Lord Krishna says that it is Nishkam Karma Yog, or Yog of the desireless action. When a person lives and works like this, that condition is called Sanyas Yog as well. One should learn the art of giving up though it is very hard to practice. It has been described in a different and unique way in the Vedas, Tyakten bhunjeethah, i.e., the desire to use with a sense of renunciation. With this feeling of renunciation in all activities you can still live in the world itself and be a Sanyasi or a renouncer. You will be a sanyasi in the real sense of the term with the feeling of renunciation and performing all activities of the world.

The term ‘sanyas’ means renunciation

The term ‘sanyas’ means renunciation. A Sanyasi is the one who has given up things and the world out of his own volition, with happiness and in a systematic manner. He lives like a lotus flower in a pond. He is in water yet he is not attached to it or affected by it. Yet its roots remain grounded and the lotus flower does not waver or submerge underwater. Some renounce and leave the world and go to forests and say that they are sanyasis and have given up the world. But the forest is also a part of the world; it is not outside the world. If you go and sit in the jungle you will be reminded of the world, of the disputes of the world.

Disputes and disputants are there in the jungle also. In fact, disputants are everywhere. You cannot escape them. Therefore, you will have to first correct yourself from inside. Connect to your roots, your God, your inner true self. Otherwise, you shall get lost in the desires and attachments of this material world. You will be fooled by illusions all around you. You have to learn to rise above all attachments yet live in this world.