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Conquer attachment religion

CHENNAI: The Vedas envisage four objectives (Purusharthas) for the holistic development of a human being. They are Dharma, Kama, Artha and Moksha, and their ramifications are well elaborated in the Smritis, epics, and the Puranas. While Kama and Artha fulfil worldly needs, Dharma is the basis on which an individual pursues all his objectives. Moksha (liberation from bondage) is the ultimate goal, though this is not evident to human perception and hence has to be accepted on the basis of the Vedas, which are revelations.

In his discourse, Sri P.M.Vijayaraghava Sastrigal said the quest for liberation impinged on the other Purusharthas as all experiences had a role in developing dispassion (Vairagya), which was essential for spiritual growth. The Upanishads are the section of the Vedas (Jnana Kanda) which is totally dedicated to explain the Self (Atman), knowing which man attains liberation. The major portion of the Vedas deals with action (Karma Kanda) and it is important to begin with Karma as it is not possible to proceed directly to the Upanishads. The reason for this gradual shift seen in the Vedas is based on the nature of the human mind. Attachment to the body, which makes the individual identify himself with it (body), is there right from birth and temporarily does not exist in the state of deep sleep.

Attachment is due to ignorance of one’s true nature—the Self (Atman). The Viveka Chudamani of Sankara states: “Yearning for liberation (Mumukshutva) is the desire to free the mind from the bonds extending from the attachment to the body created by ignorance, by means of knowledge of one’s nature.” So a spiritual aspirant must constantly remind himself that his body-mind-intellect personality is not the “I” by identifying with the Atman. This involves a slow process of overcoming attachment to the body.

By learning from the scriptures that the mind is responsible for both bondage and liberation, one cannot or for that matter should not try to control the mind instantly as the repercussions will be counterproductive to the whole exercise. The mind by nature is very restless and strong. The Gita says that it is “through gradual practice that it attains tranquillity.”

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