So-called renunciation

Expressions researched:
"so-called renunciant" |"so-called renunciation" |"so-called renunciants"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Those who are without knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness artificially try to avoid material objects, and as a result, although they desire liberation from material bondage, they do not attain to the perfect stage of renunciation. Their so-called renunciation is called phalgu, or less important.

BG 2.63, Purport: By development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness one can know that everything has its use in the service of the Lord. Those who are without knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness artificially try to avoid material objects, and as a result, although they desire liberation from material bondage, they do not attain to the perfect stage of renunciation. Their so-called renunciation is called phalgu, or less important. On the other hand, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness knows how to use everything in the service of the Lord; therefore he does not become a victim of material consciousness. For example, for an impersonalist, the Lord, or the Absolute, being impersonal, cannot eat. Whereas an impersonalist tries to avoid good eatables, a devotee knows that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer and that He eats all that is offered to Him in devotion. So, after offering good eatables to the Lord, the devotee takes the remnants, called prasādam. Thus everything becomes spiritualized, and there is no danger of a downfall. The devotee takes prasādam in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whereas the nondevotee rejects it as material. The impersonalist, therefore, cannot enjoy life, due to his artificial renunciation; and for this reason, a slight agitation of the mind pulls him down again into the pool of material existence. It is said that such a soul, even though rising up to the point of liberation, falls down again due to his not having support in devotional service.

BG Chapters 1 - 6

So-called renunciation for the purpose of maintenance is never approved by the Lord, nor by any religious scripture.

BG 3.8, Purport: Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder kñatriya. Such activities gradually cleanse the heart of a mundane man and free him from material contamination. So-called renunciation for the purpose of maintenance is never approved by the Lord, nor by any religious scripture. After all, one has to maintain one's body and soul together by some work. Work should not be given up capriciously, without purification of materialistic propensities. Anyone who is in the material world is certainly possessed of the impure propensity for lording it over material nature, or, in other words, for sense gratification. Such polluted propensities have to be cleared. Without doing so, through prescribed duties, one should never attempt to become a so-called transcendentalist, renouncing work and living at the cost of others.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 5.84, Translation: To vanquish the false pride of so-called renunciants and learned scholars, He spreads real religious principles, even through a śūdra, or lowborn, fourth-class man.

CC Antya 6.14, Translation: Instead of becoming a so-called renunciant, Raghunātha dāsa, following the instructions of the Lord, returned home and played exactly like a pounds-and-shillings man.

Nectar of Devotion

Many forms of so-called renunciation are also not favorable to Kṛṣṇa conscious devotional service.

Nectar of Devotion Introduction: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has also mentioned in this definition of bhakti the word jñāna-karmādi. This karmādi (fruitive work) consists of activities which are unable to help one attain to pure devotional service. Many forms of so-called renunciation are also not favorable to Kṛṣṇa conscious devotional service.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

The Māyāvādīs may be able to confuse and mesmerize the public with word jugglery, but in truth their so-called renunciation is as false as the monkeys', for they have become mere beggars looking for distinction, adoration, position, and wealth.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3: The Māyāvādīs try hard to look like spiritualists, but in fact they are gross materialists. They may be able to confuse and mesmerize the public with word jugglery, but in truth their so-called renunciation is as false as the monkeys', for they have become mere beggars looking for distinction, adoration, position, and wealth. They are busy only with worldly progress; forgotten are the spiritual message and spiritual goals and ideals. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.2) has defined such showbottle religion as kaitava-dharma, "cheating religion." Those who are attracted to such cheating religious groups are themselves deceitful. Their show of spirituality is abominable; they have no desire for either liberation or devotion and surrender. They are addicted to speculation and can never understand Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The world is not false, but the so-called renunciation is false.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975: Because these Māyāvādīs, they are after mumukṣā, so mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgaḥ, if they are giving up, then phalgu-vairāgya. It is called phalgu-vairāgya, false renunciation. The world is not false, but the so-called renunciation is false. But the real fact is... Rūpa Gosvāmī says that,

anāsaktasya viṣayān

yathārham upayuñjataḥ

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe

yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate

Anāsaktasya viṣayān. We are after sense enjoyment. That is called viṣaya. Viṣaya means the object of sense gratification. So we should not be very much eager to enjoy. God's creation should be engaged for God's enjoyment, not for my enjoyment. If we are trained up in this way, anāsaktasya viṣayān, we can take prasādam. We have to eat also. But if we think that "These things are made for me. I have to eat," then that is mithyā. "This is given by God, given by Kṛṣṇa, so let me offer it to Kṛṣṇa: 'Kṛṣṇa, it is Your thing. You first of all taste. Then I'll take it.' "