Continued from the previous blog!

Establishment of univocal answer demands here an organized construction of the whole thought from the outset. Where did such an idea stem from is also a matter of inquiry in this write up. Now, let us take the first step by quickly having a formal glance about how Indian scriptures limpidly apprehend two core words of the Indian tradition- rights and duties. As per the gist of magnum-opus Indian scriptural insights, We have duties towards others and rights towards ones own self. This thought supersedes the conventional thought of I have rights against someone or something. Let us evaluate and analyze how duties or in simpler terms responsibilities towards others, renovates the whole perception called letting go and thereby restores the pristineness of the idea. Even though the aforesaid point apparently appears to be veering away from the proposed goal, inherently it is a perfect link to the crux of the theme. We ought to here elaborate and elucidate on the evolutionary phases of life as excogitated by the sages through the Vedas, viz., Brahmacharya-aashrama, Grihasthaaashrama, Vaanaprastha- aashrama and Sanyaasa- aashrama. The Aashrama system of the Hindus laid a substantial quality of foundation to the whole idea of letting go, is worth a mention and your applauding attention. Brahmacharya-aashrama is a stage wherein the learning and assimilating of one particular knowledge system is prioritized in an individual to nourish and nurture ones own strengths of the self and also simultaneously develop a set of skills that can help him shoot troubles at different domains of life. Eventually the whole operation culminates in bringing about equilibrium in the society. Grihastha-aashrama is a phase of life wherein the absorbing, imbibing and implementing of the learned system is prioritized. It also permits an individual to develop a responsible and meaningful, close and intimate union with a person, who is otherwise legally known as a spouse. This phase in addition, allows the couple to procreate and thereby gift the society with a productive individual. People of this stage, being cornerstone of the society, support and sustain the growth of the rest three stages and the people therein. The whole functioning of this system climaxes in bringing about equipoise in the society.

Vaanaprastha-aashrama is a period of life, wherein the couple at once or sometimes husband and wife separately depending on the emotional maturity and security levels, quit the house and thereby those smaller confinements called husband, wife, children, son/daughter-in law Etc., to share their knowledge with the younger and upcoming generation. They now involve themselves in creating and making of individuals in an impartial way. They extend their fulfilling of responsibilities towards a larger piece of the society. People, who are made completely, only can contemplate on making someone furthermore complete, is clear-cut lucidity we obtain about this state. Psychological summarizing of this state is they, bit by bit, set out on the path of grandeur where they glide from an atomistic world to a holistic world. Sanyaasa-aashrama is wholly about the holistic world. It is a non-physical state of revealing ones true identity to ones own self. Sanyaasa is magnanimous and single one of its kind, as ones true identity is disclosed; yet, there is no sense of identification with it. Each of these Aashramas, if to be comprehensively comprehensible, will demand classified articles and certainly remains out of the scope of the current one. Returning to where we had started from, in an effort to conclusively reconcile, the four Aashramas found in the Vedic literatures, which form to be the bedrock of this nations rich culture has predefined purposes. When an individual applies himself into the system, he churns out a sense of satisfaction, if he meets the responsibilities of the system dutifully. The amount of pleasure extracted at the completion of each stage is immensely intoxicating that it doesnt allow one to go beyond that state. Herein, the scriptures of the ancient Indians intervene to produce a vivid impression to the individual about what is letting go. Each of his deed in each stage of life is prominently from ramping up the society and making it a more harmonious place to live in. It is not about what an individual derives and extracts, but it is all about what the impact on the society is. Such stagnation of an individual in each stage allows discrepancy to creep into the system which might cause an irreparable damage to the succeeding generation/s. The sum and substance of living in each Aashrama is to ameliorate the health of the society and not greedily meeting ones own needs. Society as stated by the ancients has no individual existence. Society is but the people dwelling therein under a bigger umbrella. The health of the society depends on the health of the people therein.

Hence, the sense of happiness which is resultant of no expectation and is but a dutiful deed is the summum-bonum of the Ashrama system. As an instance, a typical tender-hearted mother of any nation and any creed invests her energy, time and other resources on a child without expecting anything in return from the child. On a cruder note, her commitment towards the child is a dead investment if the child goes permanently astray failing to canalize its energy into something generative. To continue on a similar note, she isnt reaping any greater benefits if her child gifts her small article to commemorate the special occasion of he/she receiving his/her first salary. Why did this loving and compassionate mother dutifully with a sense of responsibility do all that towards her child or children, doesnt bring to the fore any better reply, but for knowingly or unknowingly she was trying to elate the spirits of the child to be healthy, which invariably affects the health of the society. Each Aashrama zeroes in on having a strong edifice upon which the wellness of the society is enhanced and enriched. Such state of prosperity is determined by the individuals who by choice wisely, dutifully, with a sense of responsibility and beyond all other consideration without any expectation, stay exclusively bound to the course of actions of the system. And at the completion of each Aashrama, without being attached to it, letting go, to set out on to a newer phase is in true sense letting go. Here, on the contrary to the previous definition of letting go, a movement from one sphere to the other is after attaining fulfilment and happiness in an all inclusive manner is accentuated. Fulfilment also induces in one a great sense of gratitude towards those who facilitated and complimented in an individuals process of edification and refinement. In the previous wrong notion of letting go, as in the instance of relationship or any other instances for that matter, there is an emphasis on discontinuing with whatever is causing miserable pain and the antonym of discontinuation being continuation, focuses on continuation with someone in a relationship or in anything else, until everything is comforting and convenient. Letting go, as per the vague interpretation or precisely, discontinuation as we discussed, results in inducing a sense of aversion and negation towards the person or a thing who or what is bothersome. However, movement to a newer sphere, here as per the Aashrama system promises entering into higher strata of fulfilment and happiness. Thus, this modus operandi teaches how having duties towards others or in finer terms towards society and rights towards oneself in fulfilling those duties is in true sense a wholesome way of self-learning letting go.

Growing from good to better and better to best is the crux and kernel of the whole idea, originating from the Ashrama system of the Vedic literature.