Upeksha
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The basics
What is upeksha?
Hansaji Yogendra, April 21, 2023: The Times of India
Much of the European Enlightenment grounds itself in German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s treatise ‘What is Enlightenment?’ Here Kant posits that enlightenment is the emergence of the self from selfincurred immaturity, the inability to use one’s wisdom or thought without the preponderance of validation from another. This recourse to reason has formed the philosophical basis of much of western modernism. Yet it has been largely unsatisfactory in addressing the malaise that haunts much of modern life and thought. An ancient and more accessible alternative can be found in the concept of upeksha.
As a philosophical concept, upeksha has been delineated in numerous Pali and Sanskrit texts, including the ‘Yog Sutras’ of Patanjali. Central to the concept of upeksha is the aspect of self-reference. Upeksha eliminates all external points of selfreference. It argues that you cannot know the Self, who you are, when you expect others to define who you are or what you may become. Upeksha is, in this way, a state of even-ness of the mind, it frees the mind from pernicious seeking of external validation.
It asks of us to find a truth that is true for us. And being thus grounded in authentic selfhood, upeksha becomes causative of an unfettered sense of equanimity; that is, a mind undisturbed by the constant flux of all that is fleeting and external.
Anecdotally, upeksha can be illustrated in the story of how Krishn got the derisive epithet ‘Ranchod. ’ The story goes that, after Krishn killed Kamsa, Jarasandh, Kamsa’s father-in-law, lay siege to the city of Mathura to exact revenge for his death. Krishn, the source of inexplicable power, could have extinguished all of creation at will. Yet, he chose to leave Mathura with his followers and set up the new city of Dwarka.
The question in the Divine Mind was not a question of power but a question of priorities. Do you prioritise the ego-satisfaction of conquering another or do you prioritise the well-being of your subjects?
This quality of decisionmaking can come only from a mind steeped in equanimity, in upeksha. It is the quality of a mind that does not need to pander to the insecurities of the ego or the expectations of the external. That is why Krishn as ‘Ranchod’ is truly illustrative of the transformative power of upeksha.
Thus understood, upeksha is not the mendicant’s withdrawal from the world in search of salvation. It is an intense participation in the world but a participation that stems from knowing and accepting yourself. It is rooted in self-belief and self-confidence that make you unperturbed by the world’s labels for you; just as Krishn was unaffected by the 'Ranchod’ moniker.
Upeksha asks us to consciously distance ourselves from all that is wicked or disruptive. It is an underscoring of the need to prioritise what is in our best interests and suggests that we may not always meet people who are honourable, brave, kind, or wise. That is the way of the world. So, we must consciously prioritise distance from these entities and experiences.
It is an old way of saying that if it costs you your mental peace, then it is too expensive. Learn to walk away from the noise. Learn to walk in peace with yourself.
The writer is director of The Yoga Institute, Mumbai
