Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta - Part 25

UPARATI- SELF WITHDRAWAL

Uparati is satiety; it is resolutely turning the mind away from desire for sensual enjoyment.

Some define Uparati as renunciation of all works and taking up Sannyasa.

This state of mind comes naturally when one has practiced Viveka, Vairagya, Sama and Dama.

Sri Sankara defines Uparati in his Vivekachudamani as follows: "The best Uparati, self-withdrawal, consists in the mind function ceasing to act by means of external objects".

Uparati implies an inner satisfaction gained through constant discrimination and unshaken faith in the spiritual fact that the experience of true bliss and plenitude is to be had only in the Atman. 

The mind of the student who is established in Uparati will never be agitated when he sees a beautiful object. There will be no attraction. He will have the same feeling when he sees a woman as when he looks at a tree or a log of wood. 

When he looks at delicious fruits or palatable dishes he will not be tempted. He will have no craving for any particular object or dish and will never say "I want such and such food".

He will be satisfied with anything that is placed before him. This is due to the strength of mind he has developed by the practice of Viveka, Vairagya, Sama and Dama. 

Further, the mind experiences a wonderful calmness and transcendental spiritual bliss by the above practices. 

It does not want these little illusory pleasures. If you have got sugar-candy, your mind will never run after black sugar. 

You can wean the mind from the object to which it is attached by training it to taste a superior kind of bliss. 

If you give cotton-seed extract to a bull or a cow, it will not run towards dry grass or hay. 

Mind is like the bull. Those who practice celibacy (of heart, not only in its literal meaning)  must be fully conversant with the technique of Sama, Dama and Uparati. Then only they will be established in its practice.

Continued.....

Love.

Sri Aurobindo