Sloka 21
Sloka 21
Original Text:
तद्वैराग्यं जिहासा या दर्शनश्रवणादिभिः । देहादिब्रह्मपर्यन्ते ह्यनित्ये भोगवस्तुनि ॥ २१ ॥
- Transliteration:
तद्वैराग्यं जिहासा या दर्शनश्रवणादिभिः । देहादिब्रह्मपर्यन्ते ह्यनित्ये भोगवस्तुनि ॥ २१ ॥
- Translation:
That dispassion is a desire to renounce through sight, hearing, and other means, towards all perishable objects of enjoyment from the body to Brahma.
- Word Meanings:
* तत् (tad) - that * वैराग्यम् (vairāgyam) - dispassion, renunciation * जिहासा (jihāsā) - desire to give up, renounce * या (yā) - which * दर्शन (darśana) - seeing, sight * श्रवण (śravaṇa) - hearing * आदिभिः (ādibhiḥ) - and others, etc. * देह (deha) - body * आदि (ādi) - starting from, etc. * ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahma, the Creator or the highest cosmic spirit * पर्यन्ते (paryante) - up to, ending in * हि (hi) - indeed * अनित्ये (anitye) - impermanent, temporary * भोगवस्तुनि (bhogavastuni) - objects of enjoyment
- Commentary:
This verse elucidates the concept of 'vairāgya' or dispassion, an essential tenet in Vedantic philosophy as well as in other spiritual traditions of India. Vairāgya is characterized by a deliberate distancing from the temporary pleasures and pains of the sensory world. This sloka defines dispassion as a conscious decision to renounce all impermanent objects of enjoyment, recognized through sensory experiences such as sight and hearing.
The aspiration for dispassion is not restricted merely to detachment from physical objects but extends to a renunciation that encompasses all aspects of material existence, from the gross physical body to the subtle and cosmic principles—even up to Brahma, the creator figure in Hindu cosmology. This comprehensive renunciation arises from the realization that all these are transient and therefore incapable of providing lasting satisfaction.
The emphasis on 'anitye bhogavastuni' underscores the transient nature of worldly experiences and the necessity of perceiving their temporality as a step towards spiritual liberation. This perspective fosters a detachment from the fleeting world and aligns oneself with spiritual pursuits that promise perennial bliss and realization of one's true self beyond the ephemeral material world.
Such a verse calls upon spiritual aspirants to cultivate a deeper understanding that transcends the limitations imposed by sensory experiences, urging them to seek the ultimate reality that lies beyond impermanence, often referred to as the eternal Brahman in Vedantic texts.
Further Readings: