WHAT IS TYAGA(ABANDONMENT)

WHAT IS TAMSIC TYAGA? -Tamsic Tyaga-Giving up the obligatory duties is the lowest and darkest Tyaga.Every individual has his own obligation to himself and to the society.They incude unavoidable daily duties as well as special duties that may arise on special occasions in the life of an individual.Giving up such duties are called Tamsic abandonment.

WHAT IS RAJSIC TYAGA ?

To give up for the fear of suffering and hardship during their accomplishment.Take  for example,the case of a student.It is his duty to acquire his knowledge through education so that he can become a useful member of the society in life.He can give up his duty,arguing that there is no use in wasting life in this fashion.He can do much better by adopting a criminal profession.He shall be  master of his actions .He will have total freedom and there will be nobody  to put restrictions in this way ,Such a life could be financially more rewarding.So,why go through all these hassless of formal education.this abandonment (TYAGA) of duty through ignorance of Tamsic abandonment.Alternatively ,he may think that to go through school and college is a long drawn out process, several years of hard work is required to accomplish anything meaningful.Many sleepless nights will have to be spent for an uncertain future and the whole process is painful and not going through.Therefore ,let us give it up.This type of renunciation of duty for fear of anticipated hardship is called RAJSIC Abandonment.

WHAT IS SATTVIC TYAGA?

Those  who execute all their obligatory duties because they are to be done,because to remain without doing them is almost death for them-fall under the SATTVIC variety-like a student acquires education because it is a noble cause.This will equip him to face the challenges of life and make him a useful member of the society where he can contribute his fair share.The SATTVIC duty means doing actions with correct mental attitude through their inner consciousness without hanging for the fruits of actions.At this stage one can argue that if we are abandoning the fruits of action then where is the incentives to undertake an action?This is a logical question and cannot be kept aside.It demands a convincing answer .We know that  for every action there is bound to be a reaction according to the law in physics.As we sow,so shall we reap.When you plant a tree,the fruit is bound to follow.Then why run after the fruit and thereby lose sight of the tree which is going to bear fruits year after year.You have planted the tree by your own action.let the fruit run after you.You will be happier this way.

IS SATTVIC TYAGA POSSIBLE FOR ALL?

SATTVIC TYAGA is not possible for all of us due to our attachments to the world of matter ,certainly we can practice at least our clinging attachments and anxieties for the fruits of our actions.Karma theory says that to sustain life ,beings have to engage in activity.In spite of our thinking to the contrary,our sense organs,action organs and mind are constantly engaged in action.This is their inert nature.All that we can do is forcibly control physical activity for a certain period of time only.But even then,the mind will be wandering unrestricted.Therefore, performance of one's actions is one's duty and it is necessary for the maintenance of body and welfare of society.Without activity , progress is impossible and degeneration is certainly having shown that activity is an essential component of human life.The Karma yogis go one step further.They argue that the results of our actions are not under our control.A student can only prepare for the examination,a general can only lay out his best plans for a war,a scientist can conceive of the best results from his theories,a pitcher can through the best ball,a farmer can do the hard work in the farming,but none of them can control the outcome of their activities.Since the outcome of our actions is beyond our control and that the actions are necessary,the best course left open for us to follow and still retain our mental equilibrium is to renounce the fruits (results)of actions.This eliminates the pain of frustration and prepares a person to pursue the activity with greater vigor instead of brooding over the failure or over the success.Let us not  forget that all actions are directed towards success but they could result in failure as well.The important factor in this equation is the action itself.Success or failure,are merely outcome of our activities.The renunciation (abandonment) of the results of activity is called TYAGA.

In Bhagwad-Geeta, the SATTVIC TYAGA is elaborately discussed to achieve it .First the seeker should detach from the lower sensual eagerness and passions by identifying himself with the nobler ideas of self -control and moral perfection,Secondly such controlled mind changes from wilderness (sensual urges).This purified mind develops in itself the required amount of subtle power of thinking of consistent self-application (with Atama). Thirdly ,realizing pureness,there is no Vasanas and it cannot disturb the mind (Atama) .A true SATTVIC TYAGI is the step towards Sannyasi,Who has renounced the fruits of action and is not bound by actions or their fruits and attains total bliss,merges  with the eternal (spirit &Atama is one) and attains 'MOKSHA'(Freedom from the wheel of life and birth).