It is better to be far from worldly atmosphere to get detachment from it

[dattaswami]

It is better to be far from worldly atmosphere to get detachment from it

 

The psychology of the people is to get attraction towards the things, which are far and to get detached from the things, which are very close. Infact, this is the general psychology of souls and even angels are not exceptional as said in Veda ‘Paroksha Priya ivahi devah pratyaksha dvishah…’, which means that even angels like any item, which is far and dislike any item present before the eyes. This is the reason for God keeping us in close association with worldly atmosphere and to keep Himself far from us. Whatever God does is always meaningful and we criticize God without understanding Him in depth. You should always be closely associated with the items from which you want detachment. You should always keep yourself far from the items on which you like to maintain your attraction. When the item existing away from you becomes closely associated, your attraction towards it starts diminishing. This is the reason for the repulsion towards the contemporary human incarnation, which exists before your eyes. Similarly, the reason for attraction to past human incarnations and the energetic incarnations of God related to the upper world is that these forms are not before your eyes.

 

Sage Vasishtha says that it is better to be far from worldly atmosphere to get detachment from it. You may think that this contradicts the above statement regarding human psychology. But it is not so as it is clear on sharp analysis. The statement of sage Vasishtha does not apply to the stage of leaving the family permanently. His statement should apply to a temporary period of meditation on God in the case of a householder. The householder gets real detachment from the family being close to the family. Now he wants to concentrate on God for sometime. For this purpose, he should leave the house and go to a lonely place and meditate upon God for sometime. He can meditate upon God in the atmosphere of the house. Therefore, one should leave the house for a short period to concentrate on God in a lonely atmosphere as said in Gita (Vivikta Sevi…). But if one leaves the house permanently and goes to a forest for meditation upon God, everything fails. The concept of leaving the family forever brings tremendous attraction on the family in the mind leading to failure of meditation upon God. Therefore, the statement of Vasishtha in Yoga Vasistha should be taken for a short exit from the house and not in the case of permanent exit.