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What is Renunciation?

What is Renunciation?

In Sanskrit, there are two words: Sanyasa and Tyaga.
People in the English-speaking world think both mean renunciation.
They are related but not the same.
Here, I am talking about Tyaga.

Have you seen these people?
Who are in the ICU and say, “I have renounced food and Sansara for a few days.”
Who are heartbroken by a partner or friend and say, “I have renounced him/her.”
A 25-year-old man saying, “I have renounced playing with toys.”
A 10-year-old boy who says, “I have renounced playing with mud and my own potty.”
These events happens automatically
Some because of circumstance
and other because of maturity.

When people don’t have something, what they value,
But cannot admit it to others, nor convince themselves.
So they hide it under the guise of uselessness.
Why to acquire that which is useless, muddy, and dirt?

A person who never went to school says, “Education is useless.
After all, there is no job for the educated.
And educated people are arrogant.
They are fools, and they behave like the uneducated.
So I decided to remain uneducated.
I decided I will not read anything.”

When someone is poor, or
doesn’t have enough money to live his neighbor’s lifestyle.
And he says, “What is there in money?
All is maya, people become arrogant with money.
I’m chasing ultimate peace.
Money won’t go with me in the next life.
I decided not to work for money.
Money is the root of all worldly problems.”

When someone is in poor health,
And he says, “What is there in health?
After all, I’ve become old.
I’m fitter than those in hospitals.
How long will this body last?
After all, it’s mud, it will finish here.
So there’s no use in doing Yoga, Dhyana, or physical exercise.
Whatever I have, I’m happy with.
Why waste time on these things for this mortal body?”

A person who is in the hospital says, “What is there in food?
I have eaten enough, I’m just resting for some time.
I don’t crave those tasty items.
I feel disgusted by good food.
This watery moong dal or soup is the best for life.
Everyone should eat and drink this.”

A sweet and calm person, since childhood,
says, “What is there in anger?
People unnecessarily burn themselves in anger.
I have renounced anger.”

A weak person says, “I have forgiven
That mighty person of the village.
He abused me and my family many times,
But forgiveness is the greatest virtue.
I practice that.”

Humans don’t want to face their own weaknesses,
So they sugarcoat them
With great valuable principles.

We resist accepting
What comes from society, nature, government,
And sometimes we don’t accept ourselves completely.
We cannot control any of these.
So, helplessly, we must accept and live
And we call it renunciation.
otherwise, what is the option, suffer?

The ultimate foolishness of humans is
Not understanding or accepting the reality of the world around
Or our own existence, and giving good names to these denials.

What happens after this?
We live our whole lives in contradiction.

Renunciation is not when the sick refuse food,
But when a healthy person
knowingly and willingly gives it a break or reduces it.

Renunciation is not when you forgive the mighty,
But when you have the power to punish and don’t use it.
Even the thought doesn’t occur to you.

Renunciation is not about not having money,
Nor is it about giving when you have enough.
It’s about keeping money in its proper place, not in your mind.
Have it, use it properly,
Without letting others know
you are the sponsor or donor.

Renunciation is not when your body is sick
And you say, “What is there in the body?
It’s all mud, it will one day return to nature.”
But keeping it well and knowing,
“Healthy I came, and healthy I will leave,
And for that, I need to keep this cloth, called a body, clean.”

Renunciation is not when
you don’t have the ability to get angry due to your own nature.
But when you know, “I can get angry at will,
But this particular situation isn’t suitable for anger,
it’s of no use.” So, you go silent.

Sometimes people think earning is a big thing,
It takes a lot of hard work to become rich,
But renouncing is more difficult.
Therefore, a rich person decides to do
this more difficult task and renounces everything.
Now, until he die, people say,
“That person living in that cave was a billionaire once upon a time.”
And that person also feel, “I have done the most difficult thing in life.”
This is not renunciation,
But your own madness for the glory of renunciation.

O Chaitanya, the only glory of renunciation is
You become peaceful, whether people know or not doesn’t matter.
You know the value of things and use them properly,
no matter what people think of you.
You live where you are,
rather than running from one place to another
in search of bliss, joy, and happiness.

It is neither about dropping all clothes
nor becoming flashy.
It is neither about having lots of money
nor donating it all.
It is neither about becoming obsessed with the body
nor being careless with it.
It is neither about loving people
nor about hating people,
But about having compassion for everything
in your heart and living with that.
It is not about refusing to read books
and remaining uneducated,
Nor is it about getting mad for knowledge
and reading everything restlessly.
It is not about having all the power
nor renouncing all position and authority.

Hari Om Tat Sat Yours Truly Hari

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