AT THE FEET OF THE MOTHER
Ask Alok da

What is the major difference between Sacrifice and Renunciation of something for the sake of the Divine? Sri Rama leaving the kingdom and going to the forest is only Satya Nishtha, not Renunciation or Sacrifice, but Bharatha offering the kingdom to Rama Paduka and remaining in Chitrakut and governing Rama’s kingdom is Renunciation. Am I right? 🫴🏼🪷😊🙏🏻🌻

It is a question of semantics, playing with words. Satya nistha is the motive, but the act is renunciation. Renunciation is an action that may be done for a number of reasons, such as inability to face the challenges of life (a weakness leading to tamasic vairagya), or disappointment (rajasic vairagya), or a higher reason, such as search for truth, allegiance to truthfulness, sense of honour and duty (sattwic). Rama was moved by the Sattwic man’s sense of duty and honour. But the act is renunciation. 

Affectionately,

Alok Da

(Follow- up Question:)

50% I have understood. Remaining slowly, I will reflect and understand. Also, Sri Aurobindo might have written about it in the “Essays on the Gita” also…

Oh, there are three whole chapters on Sacrifice in Essays on the Gita and three in the Synthesis of Yoga.  I sent you the passage where conscious and unconscious sacrifice are dealt with.

  1. Works and Sacrifice: https://incarnateword.in/cwsa/19/works-and-sacrifice
  2. The Significance of Sacrifice: https://incarnateword.in/cwsa/19/the-significance-of-sacrifice
  3. The Lord of the Sacrifice: https://incarnateword.in/cwsa/19/the-lord-of-the-sacrifice

Affectionately,

Alok Da

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