Renunciation out of frustration, out of misery, out of pain is no renunciation at all.

🌷 Katho Upanishad 🌷

      

      Chapter 3

      

      The grace of the divine 

     🌻 Day 15 🌻

There are four types of cravings, eshanas.

       

Putreshana – “My son, my daughter, my children.”

Vitteshana – “Money, money, money...” Money reigns, there is nothing else.

Lokeshana – Repuation, “Oh! What will people think about me? Everybody thinks I am bad” or “Everyone thinks that I am the greatest person and I have to maintain that.” This craving for attention from people, for reputation, for fame, for recognition, is called Lokeshana.

 

Jeeveshana – I should live forever.

These four eshanas are like a wall between you and yourself, your true being. The Lord of Death tempted Nachiketa by saying, “I will give you lot of money and fame; you can be a king forever,” to see whether this boy was able to cross these eshanas and really wanted to know the secret of death. He tempted him, “I will give you all that but please don’t ask me this secret. Take other things you want, riches, fame .” But Nachiketa being very smart student said, “No, these are all temporary. Why should I bother about what people think about me?” Basic course point – don’t be a football of others’ opinion. “Let them all think I am hopeless. Let them think I am very good, so what. I don’t care.”

There are two types of “I don’t care.” One is out of frustration and another is with a smile, ‘I don’t mind, I don’t care.’ Many people give up things when it doesn’t work or when they are frustrated. But that giving up out of frustration is no good. Renunciation out of frustration, out of misery, out of pain is no renunciation at all. Saying “I quit” with a smile is wisdom! Renouncing with wisdom, knowing that it is futile, it has no substance, it has no joy in it; that is real renunciation! In that renunciation you don’t run away from things. Whether they are there or not, you don’t mind. They stop bothering you. 

अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेयस्ते उभे नानार्थे पुरूषँ सिनीतः ।

तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति हीयतेऽर्थाध्य उ प्रेयो वृणीते ॥

श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतः तौ सम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः ।

श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्षेमाद्वृणीते ॥

So when Nachiketa was offered all these temptations, he said with a smile, “No, but what I want from you is the secret of death.” When the boy was adamant, “I only want the highest; I don’t want any of these other

appeasements," the lord of death was pleased. This is a real student, a really good seeker. He was pleased by his patience and perseverance.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

Katho Upanishad