Hari Aum.
In the ancient scripture known as the Shrimad Bhagavatam (which describes Krishna's life), there is a section where Krishna gives His devotee, Uddava, some very important spiritual teachings. These teachings are collectively known as the 'Uddhava Gita'.
In the Uddhava Gita, Krishna discusses an enormous variety of spiritual topics in great detail including various paths to God-realisation including karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga.
He also discusses the duties of people in the various stages of life, including the student (brahmachari), the householder (married person), vanaprastha (retired/reclusive householder) and sannyasi (wandering ascetic).
The theme of renunciation (sannyasa) is central to all of these four stages of life. It is not only the wandering ascetic who is to practice renunciation. Non-attachment to worldly objects and renouncing the obsession with 'me' and 'mine' is necessary for anyone who wishes to attain God, whatever stage of life they may be in. This is internal sannyasa.
Internal sannyasa is an attitude of mind, where one is free of obsessive desire for pleasure, power, wealth, name and fame. It is a state where one is devoted to God. This state is the goal for the householder according to Krishna.
A very heartening message from Krishna in the Uddhava Gita is that the householder can attain God-realisation even if he/she remains a householder throughout life.
In verse 55 of the 'Varnashrama' section of the Uddhava Gita, Krishna says:
"One who is devoted to Me can continue to live in the home itself till his end, performing all the duties of the home as offerings to Me."
Krishna does not insist on external sannyasa for every single human being. However, He commands every human being to live by the principles of internal sannyasa, whatever their external life may be.
In the Bhagavad Gita, He says that renunciation of the desire for the fruit of action is real renunciation. Not renouncing action itself.
This message of Lord Krishna for householders saying that God-realisation is possible for us is wonderful and encouraging. In today's world, many people suffer from the incorrect notion that external sannyasa is the only way to God. This clearly is not the case according to Lord Krishna Himself. In fact Krishna also says in the Uddhava Gita, that one who takes external sannyasa when he/she is not suited to this life, will lose both this world as well as the next.
Living a life of balance is the key. One needs to be moderate in eating, drinking, sleeping and in everything else. This is a sattvic life. One should avoid the extremes of rajas (overactivity/overindulgence) or tamas (inertia).
One should strive to become a devotee of God. Then it does not matter whether one is living the life of a wandering devotee (sanyasi), or a devotee at home serving God in the form of the family (householder). One can choose whatever external life is suitable to one based on one's own circumstances.
Whatever external life one chooses, it should be an aid to the cultivation of devotion. One who recognises the presence of God in one's parents, spouse, children, relatives and society when dealing with them need not worry that they will bind them to the world. Because one knows that these are not one's earthy relatives and friends but rather, that they are all manifestation of God (like everything else in creation).
Seeing God in one's family and in the entire world, the householder can climb to the heights of God realisation. This has been the experience of many householder saints, including the great rishis of the Vedic times.
Those of us who are householders, let us take heart from Krishna's reassuring words in the Uddhava Gita. Let us cultivate a very high degree of internal sannyasa through japa and other forms of tapas. And thus, let us attain God-realisation (our birthright according to my Guru Sivananda) in this very lifetime.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
In the ancient scripture known as the Shrimad Bhagavatam (which describes Krishna's life), there is a section where Krishna gives His devotee, Uddava, some very important spiritual teachings. These teachings are collectively known as the 'Uddhava Gita'.
In the Uddhava Gita, Krishna discusses an enormous variety of spiritual topics in great detail including various paths to God-realisation including karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga.
He also discusses the duties of people in the various stages of life, including the student (brahmachari), the householder (married person), vanaprastha (retired/reclusive householder) and sannyasi (wandering ascetic).
The theme of renunciation (sannyasa) is central to all of these four stages of life. It is not only the wandering ascetic who is to practice renunciation. Non-attachment to worldly objects and renouncing the obsession with 'me' and 'mine' is necessary for anyone who wishes to attain God, whatever stage of life they may be in. This is internal sannyasa.
Internal sannyasa is an attitude of mind, where one is free of obsessive desire for pleasure, power, wealth, name and fame. It is a state where one is devoted to God. This state is the goal for the householder according to Krishna.
A very heartening message from Krishna in the Uddhava Gita is that the householder can attain God-realisation even if he/she remains a householder throughout life.
In verse 55 of the 'Varnashrama' section of the Uddhava Gita, Krishna says:
"One who is devoted to Me can continue to live in the home itself till his end, performing all the duties of the home as offerings to Me."
Krishna does not insist on external sannyasa for every single human being. However, He commands every human being to live by the principles of internal sannyasa, whatever their external life may be.
In the Bhagavad Gita, He says that renunciation of the desire for the fruit of action is real renunciation. Not renouncing action itself.
This message of Lord Krishna for householders saying that God-realisation is possible for us is wonderful and encouraging. In today's world, many people suffer from the incorrect notion that external sannyasa is the only way to God. This clearly is not the case according to Lord Krishna Himself. In fact Krishna also says in the Uddhava Gita, that one who takes external sannyasa when he/she is not suited to this life, will lose both this world as well as the next.
Living a life of balance is the key. One needs to be moderate in eating, drinking, sleeping and in everything else. This is a sattvic life. One should avoid the extremes of rajas (overactivity/overindulgence) or tamas (inertia).
One should strive to become a devotee of God. Then it does not matter whether one is living the life of a wandering devotee (sanyasi), or a devotee at home serving God in the form of the family (householder). One can choose whatever external life is suitable to one based on one's own circumstances.
Whatever external life one chooses, it should be an aid to the cultivation of devotion. One who recognises the presence of God in one's parents, spouse, children, relatives and society when dealing with them need not worry that they will bind them to the world. Because one knows that these are not one's earthy relatives and friends but rather, that they are all manifestation of God (like everything else in creation).
Seeing God in one's family and in the entire world, the householder can climb to the heights of God realisation. This has been the experience of many householder saints, including the great rishis of the Vedic times.
Those of us who are householders, let us take heart from Krishna's reassuring words in the Uddhava Gita. Let us cultivate a very high degree of internal sannyasa through japa and other forms of tapas. And thus, let us attain God-realisation (our birthright according to my Guru Sivananda) in this very lifetime.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
