Renunciation

In Sanskrit, there is verse saying to consume with renunciation (tyag ke saath bhog karo). In today’s perspective, I would rather say, “Renounce if you want to consume. Camouflage yourself in such a way that you are able to renounce what others cannot; certainly you will get respect, money and a title ‘yogi’.

Someone starts eating only fruits and become Baba. Someone starts living naked. Someone never speaks. These people start doing everything which draws people attention and show how much renunciation, they are doing.   People are unhappy and frustrated. They seek for miracle but who is going to make a miracle, an ordinary married person who wears English pants and shirts. No, he cannot. People get attracted to renunciation, celibacy, difficult life and feel that this man has inner strength and he can do what I am seeking for. So actually, to be attracted towards renunciation is only a projection of our depression and frustration. And this can never solve our problem because the fundamental of this thing is standing upon the fact that the people who are consuming; who are enjoying are guilty, are sinners. Whatever seems natural, they say renounce it. It is no wonder they would say, stop breathing if one can be alive without air. 

I feel renunciation is an inward process, wells up from inside to outside. If one has no desire of money, fame; has no ego automatically a metamorphosis in his personality begins to occur. He starts becoming a real fakir, like Kabir. He finds the significance of world and stops chasing.

But now a days what is happening is very outward and can never reach to the core of life. They start decorating their life with all the senses of renunciation, like they increase their hairs and beards; accept celibacy; stops wearing good cloths and hope that this thing, this outward change is going to bring an inward transformation. But it never happens. Existence flows in its own way.

If one detach all the cloths and money this does not mean he will get rid of desires. Only if he will get rid of desires, he will able to detach cloths and money. So a real saint does not detach anything. The question of detachment only arises when there is attachment.