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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, Grihastha-

aashrama, 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.

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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, hechurns 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 allowone 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.

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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 oneselfin fulfilling those duties is in true sense a wholesome way of self-learning letting go.

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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.