Patanjali Yoga Sutra — Tatparaṃ puruṣakhyāterguṇavaitṛṣṇyam||1.16|| तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्||१.१६||
Having learned the discrimination and established in the ātman within, the height of detachment or renunciation is when Sādhaka is able to renounce every manifestation in nature, which are made of triguṇās.
Where a sword cannot win, love can; where attachment cannot get you the Ultimate, detachment can; attachment breeds attachment, detachment breeds indifference. Detachment is freedom. As long as there is rein, freedom is just a mirage. Ātman and anātman are the two things. Renunciation is nothing but detachment to anātman and attachment to the Ātman.
Bhagavān says:
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम्॥गीता १४.०५॥
Satvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ|
vibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam||Gītā 14.5||
Prakṛti, the infinite universe is the womb of Me. This womb is the cause for three Guṇas namely Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. And these Guṇās bind the undying soul to the corporal body and fabricate bondage.
Any manifestation in the world is the outcome of these three Guṇās in varying permutations and combinations. As the Guṇās bind the soul to the world of matter and create a bondage, and when one is able to renounce any kind of manifestation in nature, he becomes triguṇātīta, being hollow, unperturbed by success or failure, Sādhaka experiences total freedom and the Soul reveals itself to such a Sādhaka. He is the embodiment of pure bliss and pure love. He is liberated even from the bondage of the vicious cycle of birth and death. How to understand the term triguṇātīta? Here is a marvelous anecdote:
Lord Śrīkr̥ṣṇa was very fond of his flute. ‘Why? What is the secret?’ thought yaśoda and asked the flute directly. Flute replied with a smile — ‘I am totally hollow; there is nothing in me; nothing good nor bad. There are no desires or demands of my own. I have totally surrendered and I just play to the tunes of Lord Śrīkr̥ṣṇa. That could be the reason, why He likes me!’
