Yoga of Renunciation

Yoga of renunciation is renunciation of action in the sense that the yogi realizes that the actions are done by the mind and the body and the many energies of the outside world. Riding in a motor-car, one may see clearly that it is the car that is running along the road, not oneself. Even moving the controls, it is thought that guides the hand or foot. One is not doing it. What it is that has caused this relation between thought and hand is unknown. Carry the argument a step further - one can say that even the thought is an inner machine, and there is oneself behind that, and then care must be taken not to attribute to the oneself action such as that of the body or of the mind. That owner of the body or as some put it dweller in the body must not be confused with the mind.

As we have seen, we have to go beyond that, the who minds being only the inner instrument (antahkarana). Then as the Gita puts it, the yogi -thinks, 'I do not do anything even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting walking, sleeping, breathing, evacuating, holding. Krish maintains 'The organs move among the objects of sense yet the business is done by that Atma who is with t Brahman (God), though without action. All the object of the world are 'fruit of action' (karma-phala). It is all action less action of the Brahman. That is the unit necessary to both variety and harmony.

So the yogi acts only for 'self-purification', not for getting something. He renounces that, and strives to put all  action in the Divine, making it the action less action which has its own illumination, beyond desire for things or knowledge. That (not this) is what he values; it is his vet Self He is the happy man; he rejoices within; he is illuminated within.' 'He goes to the nirvana of Brahman.'

At the end of this article some practical hints for meditation are given:

Having put the external contacts outside and (having ma, the gaze even between the eyebrows, (and) having made equal the in and out breaths traveling within the nose, (and)  senses, manas and buddhi controlled, the aspirant, with liberal as his chief aim, his desire, fear, and anger being gone - it is ever who is always free.

Having known me, He enjoyer of yajna and tapas, the great (ishwara) of all worlds, the friend of all beings he goes to piece (shanti)

When the man is seeking yoga, we are now to he will of course undertake various actions and be involved in them, but when he is really 'mounted on yoga' he have no attachment to either objects or actions. He stands above illusion. To him all things have the same value earth, a stone, gold. He has the same buddhic outlook to wards friends, enemies, strangers, neutrals, haters, saints, sinners. He is poised in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, respect and contumely.

Some more practical hints are now given:

The yogi should practice meditation always on the Self, sitting in private, alone, having himself and his thoughts controlled without expectation, without grasping.

Having settled in a clean place on a firm seat of his own, not too high and not too low, which has some kusha grass, a furry skin, and a cloth upon it - there, having made the mind one-pointed, with the senses and thoughts and actions controlled, having sat on the seat, he should practice yoga meditation) for the purification of himself.