Grandfathers and sannyaasa

[Ravi Mayavaram]

On Wed, 20 Nov 1996, Anand Hudli wrote:
>     The question is:
>
>      Suppose the above mentioned grandfather stays at home and says he will
>      "mentally" renounce everything but stay with his family. Is he being
>      honest to himself? It may be better to continue to practise karma or
>      bhakti, in his case.
>

        By renunciation one need not deny the love for his family instead
the whole world should be embraced as one's family. This is the idea of
renunciation I got when I was reading the biographies of great saints
like shrii Paramahansa Yogananda. Regarding practising karma and bhakti,
I think Giri's mail ( shrii Ramana's quote) answers it very well.

        I was showing this mail to my friend, he made a wise remark.
According him, one leaves one's house just to learn to renounce. If he
had renounced already he doesn't have a house to leave and a grand child
to deny his love. There is only one renunciation.


        I think the problem is a lack of guru. For it is the guru's
responsibility to take such decisions.

--
Ravi