The Life Giving Nectar of Renunciation

By: Babhru Dāsa

It’s an easy thing to get lost in the illusory world with all of its sensory delights. In fact, for the sadhaka-bhakta who is trying to become free from such enjoyments, they witness that the bodily and mental sense functions continually fall prey (without effort) to such material allurements. Why is this? Simply put, the idea of exchanging rasa (relational tastes) with “something” (in this case moving or non-moving things) is so much hankered after by the living spirit, nay the drive is even hardwired into the very essential core of their own selves, that it forces them to try and obtain material sense enjoyments, as it is usually the only thing a conditioned soul knows.

 Indeed, in a fundamental sense, “living” means to experience, and experience must have an object and a subject.  Another way to understand this in a pragmatic way is that the mundane and subtle senses are of the world, and therefore they find their connection with worldly things.  Because they are of the same quality, they are drawn together at all times. Like trying to stop the wind from “blowing,” it is very very difficult.

In this regard, the spiritual seeker truly finds themselves walking on a razors edge. The reason being that most spiritualists are “lay-people” (spiritual practitioners that maintain a “worldly existence”) who have chosen a path of being involved with the mundane rasa’s of the world. And if they are not extremely careful, they may just find themselves carried away, ensnared, unknowingly, by the invisible cords of illusory material attachment. Alas! In advanced cases, such illusory snares are even considered to be spiritual blessings, bestowed upon them by God to award their “good sadhana.”  For example, the sadhaka may obtain many sense enjoyments, from wealth, to fine foods, to an enjoyable living environment amongst other things.

However, the ascetic, the renunciate, acts to free themselves of such illusory confines. They laugh at that which the world has to offer. The highest of fleshy/mental joys are not enough for the ascetic, the experiences of love and joy in the world are seen as dust in the wind. Such things can never satisfy the ascetic. The ascetic is desperate, starving not of just food and sensory stimulation, but of divine aspiration. Their thirst for progressive enlightenment cannot be quenched, and thus, for the ascetic, living is done via the internal senses, and not the external. The ascetic is very happy with what he has been supplied by God, namely their own soul and their connection to God. To step through the window of the unlimited, all they must do is go within themselves and perform sadhana-bhajana. They consider withdrawing their senses from the world fundamental to their spiritual practice.  And therefore Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhara Maharaja would often say, “one must, die to live.” In other words, the sadhaka should give up their false ideas of value and enjoyment, and give themselves whole-heartedly in search after the “Sweet Absolute,” who is categorically different from the material energy.

Yet, it is true that the vast majority of bhakti-sadhakas will not or cannot be an ascetic (in outward appearance and lifestyle.) But to their great misfortune, many falsely declare that their own path of “living in the world, but not of it,” is wholly different than that of the ascetics (who give up the world entirely.) That austerity, simplicity, restraint, and contemplation are not required for them (in a similar way to the ascetics.) Regrettably, this idea is very detrimental to spiritual progress.

As mentioned above, it is an easy trick for the mind to play, “that worldly enjoyment/involvement is ok for me, because of my designation within society.” And of course the mind would play this trick, as it is constitutionally made of illusion, and therefore illusion comes quickly and easily for the baddha-jiva who listens to their mind. In this way, the mind will generally act against the souls best interest and convince oneself to further condition themselves into material entanglement.

In a more practical stance, why would one want to enjoy worldly things that offer no advantage to their sadhana? Mostly, it will be that one enjoys outwardly due to lack of enjoying inwardly, via the divine dance of bhakti-rasa in the heart. Indeed, every time we want to enjoy worldly things we should ask ourselves, “what benefit to the attainment of bhakti-rasa can there be in this mundane enjoyment?” A sobering question really. Yet, instead of such questions, many a time, the mind will quickly declare affirmations to their plans for mundane involvement. For example, one may protest and say that Sri Krsna Himself says that the sadhaka must enjoy worldly delights:

yuktahara-viharasya
yukta-cestasya karmasu
yukta-svapnavabodhasya
yogo bhavati duhkha-ha

“He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.” Srimad Bhagavad-gita  6.17

Thus we can understand the truth that recreation must be a part of the sadhakas life. But the perception of recreation as fundamentally not (directly) helpful for their bhakti must also be there in the mind of the doer. Otherwise they run every risk of not caring to decrease their illusory enjoyments while simultaneously increasing their internal/external bhakti-seva. And thus one lamentably finds that complacent spiritual practice has replaced, their deep thirsty hankering for attainment of the Divine.

In fact, it would serve the sadhaka well to occasionally take tally of where their life is heading, and if spiritual progress has remained the core theme of their life. Are they advancing through the stages of bhakti as outlined in “Madhurya-kadambini?” If not, surely something must be adjusted. It is not a difficult thing to understand.

All these truths are very nicely outlined in Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraj Goswami’s masterpiece, “Sri Caitanya-charitamrta.” Indeed a very large portion of the sixth chapter of the Antya-lila is dedicated to the ideas of renunciation in bhakti. Of course many will say that these teachings only pertain to renunciates who are similarly “classed” to Srila Raghunath Das Goswami. Yet if one is sober in heart, they can truly understand the simple message which is portrayed by guru and shastra below:

“Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.” – CC Antya-lila 6.220

Anyone, whether an ordinary materialistic person or a pure devotee, can understand the behavior of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees if he studies it minutely. One will thus find that the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are not at all attached to any kind of material enjoyment. They have completely given up sense enjoyment to engage fully in the service of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and dedicate their lives and souls to serving Kṛṣṇa without material desires. Because their devotional service is free from material desires, it is unimpeded by material circumstances. Although ordinary men have great difficulty understanding this attitude of the devotees, it is greatly appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.”- CC Antya-lila 6.220 Puport (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

So in the verse by Kaviraja Goswami, and the following comments by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, it becomes abundantly clear that worldly renunciation cannot be separated from the bhakta’s path towards prema. The true devotee is renounced in nature. Because bhakti, characteristically bares the fruit of renunciation. And not just that, but renunciation is described as the, “basic principle sustaining the lives of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees.” In other words, it means that renunciation is a valuable supporting pursuit (alongside bhakti) in its own right. Furthermore, it is boldly declared as very pleasing to Mahaprabhu!

It is also notable that the author does not care to distinguish those devotees in the renounced ashram (sanyass) from those in the householder ashram (grhasta.) Therefore, the honest and simple hearted devotee, wherever they may be in life, will fully imbibe the ideals of renunciation as life-giving nectar, let go of all worldly tethers (internally and externally,) and soar towards their ultimate goal, namely Sri Krsna-Prema.