T Ram Sewak

JAGRAT JEEV

After focusing on the slumber of ignorance in which we all are asleep, Lakshman now explains when a being (jeev) can be said to have awoken (jagrat) from this slumber in Shri Ramcharitmanas 2.93;

"janahi tabahi jiva raghunath charan anuraga."

"A being is considered to have awoken from this slumber of ignorance when he develops vairagya (detachment) from this sensory world. Then, vivek (right understanding) arises in him; moha (delusion) fades away, and most importantly, bhakti (devotion) for Shri Ram's lotus feet develops in his heart."

Lakshman imparts to Nishadraj the essence of gyan yoga and seamlessly guides him into bhakti yoga. Under the spell of maya, we are all delusional and foxed by - this world's 'unreal reality'. However, we can overcome this delusion with the development of vivek (the ability to discern the real from the unreal). This vivek is nurtured by vairagya (detachment from this world's allurements and false pleasures).

To develop this ability to detach, we must have an evenness of mind and control over it. In Gita 6.35, Shri Krishna explains the two tools of mind control: practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagya). Over time, abhyasa strengthens vairagya, and vairagya strengthens abhyasa in turn. This symbiosis is a critical process of the spiritual journey. It's important to note that the prescription here is vairagya, not tyag (giving up). We have to do our duties dispassionately. There is no running away from them. This leads to vivek/gyan and further to bhakti.

In Gita 13.8-12, Shri Krishna lists vairagya and vivek as part of the moral attitudes and ethical principles essential for a seeker. Lakshman underscores here that the delusion that our mind develops under the spell of maya can be shattered only through vivek, which comes through vairagya. That emanates from mind control. This is the route for a seeker to become a jagrat jeev. / DAILY WORLD /

Namami Ramam Musings-62

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com