Vairagya Panchakam in five verses is the shortest among Vedanta Desika's works.Desika lived a simple and austere life, and this work reveals his vairagya.But should all desires be shunned?
What about the desire for moksha?Is that wrong too?The answer to this is given by Desika himself in his Paramapada sopana.In this work, Desika says we should shun that which should not be desired and this is what is meant by Vairagya.
Obviously, moksha would not belong to the category of that which is undesirable.Wanting to visit temples, serving God, serving the Lord's devotees all of these too are desirable desires.
In a sense man's greatest enemy is hunger,for is n't it hunger that causes him to have unworthy desires? It is said that there is a fire burning inside our stomach.It is this fire that causes the digestion of food.When there is no food,this fire inside us causes acute discomfort to us.A man may decide that he will not be greedy and not bow before a king seeking wealth.But how can he make the pangs of hunger go away?Desika says that as far as he is concerned, a few grains of rice are enough.If even that is not available, he will be content to drink some water from a pond.he is prepared to wear even torn clothes.
There was a sage called Ourva, whose mother had to take great pains to conceal her pregnancy from her enemies, who would otherwise have hunted her down.But the enemies did spot her, and she gave birth to a boy.
The moment Ourva was born, he cast such a look of anger at those who had been tormenting his people that they were too afraid to kill him.Thus, ourva was of fiery temper right from birth.He was so angry with the kings who had killed his family that he vowed to kill all of them.But he was advised to cast his anger into the ocean.he did as told.Thus there is said to be raging fire in the middle of the ocean.
Desika says that even if his stomach were to burn like that fire in the ocean, he will not ask anyone for anything.
What about the desire for moksha?Is that wrong too?The answer to this is given by Desika himself in his Paramapada sopana.In this work, Desika says we should shun that which should not be desired and this is what is meant by Vairagya.
Obviously, moksha would not belong to the category of that which is undesirable.Wanting to visit temples, serving God, serving the Lord's devotees all of these too are desirable desires.
In a sense man's greatest enemy is hunger,for is n't it hunger that causes him to have unworthy desires? It is said that there is a fire burning inside our stomach.It is this fire that causes the digestion of food.When there is no food,this fire inside us causes acute discomfort to us.A man may decide that he will not be greedy and not bow before a king seeking wealth.But how can he make the pangs of hunger go away?Desika says that as far as he is concerned, a few grains of rice are enough.If even that is not available, he will be content to drink some water from a pond.he is prepared to wear even torn clothes.
There was a sage called Ourva, whose mother had to take great pains to conceal her pregnancy from her enemies, who would otherwise have hunted her down.But the enemies did spot her, and she gave birth to a boy.
The moment Ourva was born, he cast such a look of anger at those who had been tormenting his people that they were too afraid to kill him.Thus, ourva was of fiery temper right from birth.He was so angry with the kings who had killed his family that he vowed to kill all of them.But he was advised to cast his anger into the ocean.he did as told.Thus there is said to be raging fire in the middle of the ocean.
Desika says that even if his stomach were to burn like that fire in the ocean, he will not ask anyone for anything.
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