Tyaga

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

Mother you always talk about Tyaga. what is Tyaga?

Mother (Amma) Son every act that is done without regard for one's comfort is tyaga. Amma calls  any action that is done as offering to God for the benefit of the world without any sense of 'I' or 'mine', and with no regard for your own comfort. The struggle a person goes through for his own benefit cannot be considered tyaga.

Devotee:  Could you explain that Amma?

Mother: When your child is sick you take it to the hospital. You'll  walk to the hospital if this is necessary,  even if it's a very long way. You are ready to fall at the feet of any number of people to get your  child admitted to the hospital, and if the hospital rooms are full, you are ready to sleep on the dirty floor with the child. You'll  take time off from work for several days to stay with the child. But because all this struggle is for the sake of your own child, it  cannot be called tyaga.

People are prepared to go up and down the courthouse steps many times just for a tiny piece of land but they are doing it for themselves.  People work late and give up their sleep to get overtime pay. This is not tyaga. But if you sacrifice all your comforts and come to the aid of another person, then you can call it tyaga. If you help a poor  human being with the money  you have earned through hard work that is tyaga. Say that your neighbors child is sick and there is no 1 to be with him in the hospital; if  you stay with that child expecting nothing in  return from anyone not even a smile,  that qualifies as tyaga. If you reduce your expenses by forgoing some personal convenience, and use what you save from this for a benevolent purpose, that is tyaga.

Through such acts of sacrifice you knock on the door that leads to the  realm of the Self. It is through such actions that you gain entry into that world. This is what is known as karma yoga other actions only lead to death.  The actions you do with attitude of 'I' and 'mine' can never be of any real benefit to you.

When you visit a friend that you have haven't seen for  a long time you may give her bouquet of flowers. But you are the first to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the flowers, and  you also experience the gratification of giving. In the same way you automatically derive happiness and contentment from your selfless acts of tyaga.

Children even if someone is engaged in acts of tyaga doesn't find time for Japa (repetition of a mantra ), he will still attain the immortal state. His life will benefit others like nectar. A life filled with tyaga is the greatest form of satsang because others can see and emulate it.

~Amma