It is said, “Sarvaḿ vastu bhayánvitam bhuvi vaerágyamevábhayam.” An element of fear is inextricably associated with every object of this world. Those who run flourishing businesses, those who have plenty of money, are always haunted by the fear that one day they will incur a heavy loss. Top sportsmen and women live in constant fear of losing the championship. That is why they prefer to retire before that ever happens so that they can continue to convince people that they are still the best. “Had we taken part in the championship,” they say, “we would surely have won.” So, an element of fear is mixed with everything. There is nothing in this world which is not associated with fear in some way.

The scriptures declare that there is only one thing in this universe free of fear, and that is “vaerágya” (renunciation). The word vaerágya is derived as follows: “vi” – “rańj” + “ghaiṋ” + “an”. Everything in this universe is characterized by certain colours. Knowingly or unknowingly human beings are attracted by these colours. Some such as green and chocolate brown are very pleasing to the human eye. Perhaps you know that these two colours have been selected for those dancing the kaośikii dance. Colour has a tremendous influence on everything. When the human mind becomes strong enough not to be affected by any colour, it is called “vaerágya” or “renunciation”.

Renunciation does not mean giving up everything and going into seclusion. It is not an escapist tendency. Fundamentally it means not to be influenced by any colour. It can be compared with certain fishes who live in the muddy depths of ponds and yet never get smeared with mud. This psychic attitude is called vaerágya. When is one established in such a psychic feeling? When one realizes that those objects whose colours have so far influenced you, are not at all permanent. Visible today, they will disappear tomorrow. One realizes, “If I allow them to influence my mind today, I will feel acute pain when they disappear in future. So, in no stage of my life should I allow the colours of those objects to influence my mind.”

One should always live in harmony with the Supreme Truth which is the only faithful friend a microcosm can have. The very nature of the mind is to seek an object. Without its object, the mind cannot maintain its existence. Those who do not do good deeds will surely do some misdeeds. This is the general rule. So, those who don’t allow material objects to colour their minds will have to associate with something non material. This non material entity is Parama Puruśa, who was in the past, who is in the present, and who will remain in the future. He is the only entity which exists. The external manifestation of this entity – “sat” – is called “satya”. That’s why it is said, “Satye násti bhayaḿ kasyacit” (there is no fear in satya). Those who take satya, that is Parama Puruśa, as their shelter, are free from fear.

Yato váco nivartante aprápya manasá saha,
Ánandaḿ brahmańo vidván na vibheti kutashcana.

Those who do know Brahma, the embodiment of bliss, no longer fear anything. Actually, there is no plausible reason to be afraid of anything in this world because Parama Puruśa is more courageous than the most courageous and braver than the bravest. Those who take shelter in Parama Puruśa are therefore bound to acquire these qualities: courage, bravery, chivalry and so on. Once endowed with such qualities, what is there to fear? Satya is absolutely fearless “Satyameva jáyate nánrtam.” Only satya or truth triumphs and not falsehood. Whenever there is a clash between truth and untruth, truth’s victory is inevitable.

The falsehood which may exist today will not exist tomorrow. “Yah ágacchati sah gacchati” (whatever comes, goes). But satya is something which was in the past, which is today, and which will be in the future; and thus it is satya which ultimately triumphs. Untruth, being a moving phenomenon, may attain a temporary victory on its march, but never a permanent one. In Saḿskrta, permanent victory is called “vijaya” and temporary victory, “jaya”. “Satyameva jayate nánrtaḿ” (only truth triumphs, not falsehood). Falsehood does not win because it is relative, it is ever-changing.

“Satyena panthá vitato devayánah.” The path towards the spiritual world is coated with satyam. The subtle supramental wave that vibrates the universe is termed “deva”. The external world is also vibrated by energy of different kinds. Energy in Saḿskrta is called “indra”. But the wave that vibrates the subtle mental and spiritual world is called “deva”.

Dyotate kriid́ate yasmát udyate dyotate divi,
Tasmáddeva iti proktah stúyate sarvadevataeh.

This path towards divinity is known as “devayána”. That is, the path of elevation from crudity to subtlety followed by humans is known as devayánah (“yanah” means “path”). One who pledges to follow truth from the beginning, steps onto the path for the attainment of divinity. And the one who does good deeds while sincerely following satya finds it easy to advance along this path. This broad path of spirituality, which has been further broadened by truth, has been followed by many successful rśis (sages) who ultimately attained the supreme status of truth (áptakáma).

Who is áptakáma? We attain many things in this world through some structure or other. For example, out of the earth we get fruits and crops, out of water we get hydro-electricity. That is, we attain various things from various sources. That which is obtained through some medium is called “prápti” and that which is obtained directly from Parama Puruśa is termed “ápti”. Knowledge acquired from the study of books is called “prápta vákya” and the knowledge which we acquire directly in our minds is called, “ápta vákya”. We cannot retain prápti for long because it is transitory by nature. If acquired today it will remain with us for some time but will eventually slip away. A person who earns a lot of money today may become a pauper tomorrow. These are all cases of prápti.

A person may learn many things by hearing others’ discourses or by reading books. It’s our common experience, however, that the more one reads, the more one forgets. That is, reading and forgetting go hand in hand. People are fond of saying, “Chemistry is a mystery, easy to learn and easy to forget.” If a person who took a masters degree in twenty subjects is asked to sit for the school final examination today, he or she may not be able to pass, having forgotten so much of what was previously learnt. So whatever people learn in the relative world is prápti. It doesn’t last long.

There is a fine story to illustrate this point. Once King Akbar said, “Birbal, can you please tell me something which will make a happy man unhappy and an unhappy man happy?” Birbal replied in Persian, “Aesá din nehi rahega” (Such days will not remain for ever). This can be said regarding everything of the world.

Regarding ápta, however, this is not the case – it has come to stay and will remain forever. Hence an áptakámii is one whose wishes have been fulfilled through ápta. That is, whose mind has been filled with Cosmic grace. An áptakámi will never be misguided by the petty, mundane things of the world such as name and fame. Those rśis who followed the broad path of truth ultimately reached the supreme abode of truth. What is the abode of truth? Parama Brahma, that is Parama Puruśa.

The only way to progress is to take shelter in satya (supreme truth) – there is no other way. Nothing can be built on the weak foundation of falsehood. And the life of one who has resorted to falsehood, however learned or wealthy he or she might be, will definitely be fruitless. However, the one who follows the broad path of truth, the path already followed by the practitioners of áptakáma, will be entitled to take shelter in the supreme truth, will surely attain the Supreme rank and become one with the Supreme Entity.