Chapter 5 verse 7
“He, who is devoted to the path of action, whose mind is
quite pure, who has conquered the Self, who has subdued his senses, who
realizes his Self as Self in all beings though acting is not tainted”
Our ancestors and sages through their infinite wisdom and
meditation arrived at the workings of Universe and understand the God principle
and what sustains this universe. As a direct result of that understanding, they
developed the guidelines on how to live one’s life. There are the 4 pursuits
called purusharta- Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha and the 4 stages of life-
Brahmacharya, Grihasta, Sanyasa and vanaprasta.
As one progresses in their life in the pursuit of desires from Knowledge
gathering to living a householder’s life if lived within the constructs of
righteous living (Dharma), they invariably with God’s grace turn away slowly from
gathering of wealth, fulfilling desires to understanding their real life
purpose. At this point, they may be ready for renunciation- Sanyasa not
necessarily from the physical world but of the mind and senses. That person who
has graduated from the householder’s life or worldly life to a life lived
consciously through the conscious alone is no more affected by the results of the
action. At this point, the final stage of life to be lived away from society in
the forest in meditation and minimal wants/needs is also symbolic of living and
working in the world as if water sits on lotus leaf. The water is there but
does not stick to the leaf. Likewise the person who has reached the state of
complete detachment lives in varnashrama as if living alone in the forest
minimally. The 4 stage of life has a new dimension for me today! But all this
begins with action. Even renunciates have to act! Just act without all the
baggage associated with the action!
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