[Advaita-l] Query on Titiksha in Sadhana Catushtaya

[V Subrahmanian]

On Tue, Mar 22, 2016 at 12:35 PM, Venkatesh Murthy (वेङ्कटेशः
सीतारामार्यपुत्रः) <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

>  Namaste
>
> In Sadhana Catushtaya they say Titiksha is bearing heat and cold. But
> in modern day the bad effect of pollution is there. In India you can
> see Pollution Index Real Time map
>
> http://aqicn.org/map/india/
>
> Question: Is Titiksha also means tolerating pollution? Because in
> olden days there was no pollution like today. Why should we tolerate
> pollution?
>

Actually, the concept of titikṣā is a little tricky.  We do have
instruction that one must protect the body from natural and other forces in
order that sādhana is possible. Sannyasins are allowed ochre robes and in
certain climates, blankets too. Their staff can also be a kind of defence
against animal/snake attack. Shankaracharya has said in the sādhana
panchakam:

क्षुद्व्याधिश्च चिकित्स्यतां प्रतिदिनं भिक्षौषधं भुज्यताम्
स्वाद्वन्नं न तु याच्यतां विधिवशात् प्राप्तेन सन्तुष्यताम् ।
 शीतोष्णादि विषह्यतां न तु वृथा वाक्यं समुच्चार्यतां
औदासीन्यमभीप्स्यतां जनकृपानैष्ठुर्यमुत्सृज्यताम् ।।

While this is so, in the BGB Shankara has said: Even if (that jnani
sannyasin) is unable to secure the bare minimum needed to the upkeep of the
body, he would not be disturbed.
So, the instances and level of titiksha depends on the state of the
individual and other factors. Generally, a commonsense based approach is
the best one.

Coming to pollution, if that is a sure danger to the individual, he can
consider leaving that city and relocating to a relatively pollution-free
place. If he is a man-of-the-world, he can do what is possible by him to
fight pollution.

regards
subrahmanian.v






>
> --
> Regards
>
> -Venkatesh
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