Letting go of what fades…: Lessons from Gunatitanand Swami

The Illusion of Permanence

When What We Chase Keeps Slipping Away

We spend so much of life collecting—possessions, recognition, followers, and moments of fleeting success. Yet each treasure eventually fades. Cars rust, phones become outdated, careers stall, and even the reflection in the mirror changes with the seasons.

Gunatitanand Swami’s timeless reminder pierces this illusion:

“All of creation is perishable.”

This simple truth is not meant to depress us but to awaken us. Everything we see, own, and admire carries an invisible expiry date. Still, the mind whispers, “Just one more purchase, one more achievement, one more compliment…”—as though the next thing will finally make impermanence behave.

Recognizing that all things pass is the first step toward wisdom, but it’s not yet freedom. To live beyond attachment, we must learn not just to understand impermanence—but to feel at peace with it.

The Power of Company: Learning Freedom by Example

How the Company of Saints Changes Everything

If the world constantly tempts us toward attachment, where do we turn for balance? Gunatitanand Swami gives the answer in a single phrase: seek the company of the eternal.

“When we walk beside those who have unhooked their happiness from temporary things, their peace rubs off on us like sunlight warming chilled skin.”

Being in the presence of a person who lives anchored in God changes us—not through sermons, but through state. Their unshakable contentment, gently reorients our compass.

Spiritual Company as Contagious Peace

When we spend time with those rooted in the eternal, detachment stops feeling like deprivation and starts to feel like liberation. Just as anxiety spreads through a tense crowd, serenity spreads through a saint’s company.

Their example teaches us that real happiness doesn’t depend on what we hold—it depends on what holds us.

Detachment as Delight, Not Denial

From Clinging to Contentment

“Slowly, detachment stops feeling like loss and begins to taste like freedom.”

The word detachment can sound cold or joyless, but in truth, it is the doorway to deeper love and appreciation. When we no longer cling, we finally see things as they are—temporary gifts, not permanent possessions.

In this state, the world remains vibrant and engaging. We still enjoy relationships, beauty, and success, but without fear of loss. Fascination replaces craving; gratitude replaces anxiety.

Joy in Every Passing Moment

When our happiness is rooted in the eternal—God, pure awareness, or the quiet space beneath thought—no loss can shake it. We can savor every gift while it lasts and release it gracefully when it goes.

This is the inner wealth of a true devotee: joy that no market can crash, no age can fade, no time can touch.

To know more about Gunatitanand Swami: https://www.baps.org/About-BAPS/TheFounder%E2%80%93BhagwanSwaminarayan/TheSpiritualLineage-TheGuruParampara/GunatitanandSwami.aspx

Swamini Vato Study App: thesatsanglife.com/vato