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Renounce means

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Renounce means renounce the mentality of sense gratification.
Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

In this way if we live, bhakti-yoga, then there is no such thing as to give up. Prapañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. To give up, renounce... Renounce means renounce the mentality of sense gratification. That is renounce. Otherwise nothing can be renounced. Everything can be properly utilized.

Renouncing means that you're falsely possessing.
Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

You have created different types of religion on the basis of this bhoga and tyāga. So you give up all them. Then? Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "You surrender unto Me." Because you cannot enjoy nor make any renunciation. But here it is said tapasā, tyāgena, by renouncing. Renouncing means that you're falsely possessing. So you give it to Kṛṣṇa, the original proprietor. Just like one hundred dollars note, a child has taken from the father. The child does not know how to use that hundred dollars note, but he, he'll not give it to the father. "No, I shall not give it." Father is begging: "Oh, my dear child, you are so nice. Kindly give it to me." Actually the note belongs to the father. But because he's child, he's innocent, ignorant, he does not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, dadāsi yat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam. Dāna, this tyāga, "You renounces this world for Me. You renounce your wealth, your property for Me." The same thing. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. He's not a beggar. But He's patting the child, "Oh, you are very good boy. Kindly give it to Me." That is the way. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Because... The same example: the child does not know how to utilize that hundred dollars note. He'll simply spoil it. The best thing is to give it over, hand it over to the father. He knows how to use it. It is his property.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Renouncement means renouncing connection with woman, or renouncing sex life.
Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969:

Reporter: When did you renounce your family?

Prabhupāda: In 1959.

Reporter: How are they managing without you?

Prabhupāda: They are managing. My sons are grown up; they are earning. My wife is also rich man's daughter. She has got some property. So they have no problem.

Reporter: Do you ever see them at all?

Prabhupāda: No. I cannot see. I cannot see at least my wife. But if my sons and daughters come to see me, they can see. But my wife cannot see me. That is stopped. That is the system of sannyāsa. A sannyāsī cannot meet his wife again. That is renouncement. Renouncement means renouncing connection with woman, or renouncing sex life. That is renouncement.

Initiation Lectures

Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, renouncement means renouncement of sense gratification.
Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973:

So renouncement, simply giving up something, is not very good idea. You must have something better. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). If you get something better, then you give up something inferior. Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, renouncement means renouncement of sense gratification. The Māyāvāda sannyāsa means karma-tyāga, simply reading Vedānta philosophy, sāṅkhya philosophy, and everything given up. But our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is giving up the wrong thing and accepting the right thing. Side by side. Simply if I give up, it will not stay very long time. If I simply by sentiment give up, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "This world is false and Brahman is the real, reality," so there are so many sannyāsīs, we see, they give up the so-called mithyā world and come to the Brahman realization by meditation, by meditation, meditation... Then meditation means hospital and school. Because there is no Brahman, there is no reality. So after much meditation, (he) comes to the conclusion that "Now I am a sannyāsī. I must open schools, college and daridra-nārāyaṇa sevā and goat-nārāyaṇa killing." This kind of sannyāsa has no meaning. Daridra-nārāyaṇa sevā. By killing goat nārāyaṇa. Goat is not Nārāyaṇa. Simply daridras are Nārāyaṇa. If you accept one as Nārāyaṇa, why should you not accept the other as Nārāyaṇa?

Philosophy Discussions

Renounced means one should renounce his sense gratification, not renounce these things.
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: The Bhagavad-gītā also says, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyājam. You cannot give up these three things, even if you are in the renounced order of life. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. It is just like our Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, they are performing saṅkīrtana yajña and they are distributing Kṛṣṇa love. And to keep themselves fit, they are observing the rules and regulations and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. Following the rules and regulations and regularly chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that is tapasya. And this is the best dāna, charity. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was eulogized by Rūpa Gosvāmī: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "You are the most munificent incarnation because You are giving love of Godhead." So those who are distributing the idea of love of Godhead, they are the best charitably disposed man. So we, we have not given up yajña-dāna-tapaḥ. That is not to be renounced. Because a sannyāsī is renounced. Renounced means he should renounce his sense gratification, not renounce these things, yajña-dana-tapaḥ.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our renouncement means we renounce our personal sense gratification, that's all.
Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Anything which can be engaged in the service of the Lord should not be given up. This is our philosophy. Should not be given up. We do not say, "Oh, money is material. I do not touch. My hand becomes turned up." No. We don't say all these nonsense philosophy. (laughs) We know that money, lakṣmī, is Kṛṣṇa's property, so it should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Why money should not be touched? Money is Kṛṣṇa's. It must be touched and used for Kṛṣṇa. We don't try to (indistinct) that pseudo renouncement. What I have got that I shall renouncement? Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Our renouncement means we renounce our personal sense gratification, that's all. That is renouncement. Materialism means personal sense gratification, and spiritual life means no personal sense gratification, all Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification. That's all.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Renounce means to give up. This is the ordinary meaning.
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Yogeśvara: He says that the word sannyāsin should be translated as renunciation instead of devotion. The stage of renunciation, instead of...

Prabhupāda: What is the meaning of renunciation?

Robert Gouiran: Well, normal meaning.

Prabhupāda: No meaning?

Guru-gaurāṅga: The normal meaning.

Robert Gouiran: Normal meaning of the word...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Robert Gouiran: Usual meaning of the word.

Prabhupāda: Yes, What is the usual meaning of the word? First of all you say that...

Robert Gouiran: Renunciation is to get freedom.

Prabhupāda: Renounce means, renounce means, renounce means to give up. This is the ordinary meaning.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Renouncing means if I possess something. But if you have nothing to possess, where is the question of renouncing?
Room Conversations -- July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach:

Prabhupāda: Just like this table belongs to somebody else. How can I possess it? And if the table belongs to somebody else, how can I renounce it? Renouncing means if I possess something. But if you have nothing to possess, where is the question of renouncing? And if the things belongs to somebody else, how can I possess it? This is my proposal. You cannot possess other things. And then you will be thief. If I possess other's possession, then I am thief. And if I renounce, then I am false renouncer, but I did not possess anything. So where is the question of possession and renouncing come? But the whole world is struggling. Some group is struggling for possessing, which is called economic development, and some group is trying to renounce it. Just like a rich man's son. Without any, his labor, he possesses the father's immense property. He wants to renounce it. And the poor man is trying to possess it. These two classes of men are working. One is trying to possess, and the other is trying to renounce. There is no other third group.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Renounced means no more want. "I have got such a nice thing that I have no aspiration for getting any more."
Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So therefore real Vedic civilization is that gradually we have to give up this gṛha-vrata position. At one time you must voluntarily give up. Although I do not like to give up, still, by the order of the śāstra, one has to give up. Pañcasordhvam vanam vrajet. Vrajet means compulsory. Just like we accept so many things compulsory, similarly, to give up family attachment after fiftieth year, that is compulsory. We therefore invite all the compulsory, what is called, renouncement. Of course, nobody can go to the forest. That is not possible. They are not trained up as a brahmacārī. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa Land—"Come on." All the vānaprasthas, they can live in this land or Vṛndāvana, Hyderabad, simply for bhagavad-bhajana and no other purpose, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11), making all other purposes zero. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñāna and karma, these are bondage. Karmī, jñānī, yogi—they are especially bewildered. They want something, but still they say that "I am now renounced." So long there is want, he cannot be renounced. Renounced means no more want. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "I am fully satisfied now. I don't want any..." Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. "I have got such a nice thing that I have no aspiration for getting any more."

Page Title:Renounce means
Compiler:Laksmipriya, Jayaram
Created:18 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=4, Let=0
No. of Quotes:9