Yoga Research Foundation The Teachings of Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda

One Term at a Time · 02

Vairāgya

वैराग्य

Dispassion.

Explicitly not dejection, and not the loss of feeling.

Something closer to the loosening of a grip.

Swamiji on Vairāgya

Our summary of the lecture passage in the film below. These are our words, not Swamiji's.

Vairagya is dispassion, a moving away from attachment, and Swamiji's first point is that it should not be seen as a miserable project. There is a disciplinary stage, and in that stage you need patience, but your whole life should not stay there. When life becomes joyous, the question of detachment no longer arises. He explains it with a wave. Tell a wave only that it must not be attached to the waves around it, and it is left in trouble, with nothing to hold. Give it the rest of the message, that it should be attached to the ocean, and everything changes: loving the ocean, it loves every wave in the right way. In the same way, if you love God, you love every person profoundly. You become like a flower that gives its fragrance to all, or a sandalwood tree that never asks who has come for its fragrance. Dispassion here is not a loss of love. It is love loosened from its small grip and widened.

If you love God, then you are loving every individual in a profound way.

Swami Jyotirmayananda, The Yoga Vasistha, Lesson 189, at 37:13

See also: Viveka, Raga, Bhakti, The Four Paths, Lesson 16: The Four Qualifications: Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-Sampat, Mumukshuttwa

Swamiji teaching it: Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda, The Yoga Vasistha, Lesson 189 (35:47 to 37:45)

One Term at a Time

One Sanskrit term at a time: a short definition, then Swamiji using the word in a lecture.

Start at the beginning: Vāsanā

  1. 01Vāsanāthe trace a desire leaves behind
  2. 02Vairāgyathe loosening of a grip
  3. 03Satsaṅgathe company you keep
  4. 04Vivekatelling the real from what only looks real
  5. 05Brahmanthe one reality behind every object
  6. 06Māyāwhy the world seems so real
  7. 07Jnanathe wisdom that sees through it
  8. 08Sadhanathe practice that carries you there
  9. 09Vicharaasking who you really are
  10. 10Ragathe pull toward what pleases you
  11. 11Dveshathe push away from what displeases you
  12. 12Samskarathe impression each like and dislike leaves on the mind
  13. 13Karmaaction and the result produced by action
  14. 14Gunathe three fundamental modes or qualities of nature
  15. 15Pranalife force; vital energy
  16. 16Samadhideep absorption in truth
  17. 17Jivaindividual self
  18. 18Chittamental process
  19. 19Japarepetition of mantra
  20. 20Dhyanameditation
  21. 21Muktiliberation
  22. 22Dharanaconcentration
  23. 23Atmasoul
  24. 24Bhavanafeeling
  25. 25Jnanithe wise one
  26. 26Sthita-prajnaone established in wisdom
  27. 27Aham brahmasmiI am Brahman
  28. 28Pranayamabreathing exercises
  29. 29Bhaktidevotion
  30. 30Sattwaa harmonious, focused state
  31. 31Rajasa restless, distracted state
  32. 32Tamasinertia
  33. 33Shravanalistening
  34. 34Mananareflection
  35. 35NididhyasanaVedantic meditation
  36. 36Tapasausterity
  37. 37Pratyaharawithdrawal of the senses
  38. 38Swadhyayastudy of scriptures
  39. 39Ishvara Pranidhanasurrender to God
  40. 40Shauchapurity
  41. 41Santoshacontentment
  42. 42Ahimsanon-violence
  43. 43Satyatruthfulness
  44. 44Asteyanon-stealing
  45. 45Brahmacharyacelibacy

What is The Four Paths?

Swami Jyotirmayananda's teaching on the four paths of yoga, in his own words, one short lesson at a time.

What it does for you

Swamiji teaches that the personality has four sides: action, emotion, will and reason. Each path cultivates one of them, and the course covers all four, so none is left out.

  1. Karma Yogaaction unfolds one’s hidden potentialities
  2. Bhakti Yogaemotion cultures the feelings and brings about emotional integration in the personality
  3. Raja Yogawill allows one to develop a strong will and a controlled mind
  4. Jnana Yogareason trains and renders the reason sharp and subtle

In order to succeed, all these four must be cultivated in a balanced and integrated manner.

Swami Jyotirmayananda, The Four Paths, Lesson 3

It is free and comes by email: a lesson every other day, 19 core lessons on action, devotion, meditation and wisdom, then 10 lessons called Going Deeper.

Every lesson is Swamiji's own text, so you learn the four paths from him, not from a summary.

Swamiji teaches vairāgya in Lesson 16 of The Four Paths.

Free. One lesson every other day. Unsubscribe whenever you wish.

Prefer to look first? Read Lesson 1 of The Four Paths.