Grandfathers and sannyaasa

[Charles A. Hillig]

At 10:05 AM 11/20/96 -0800, you wrote:
>On Wed, 20 Nov 1996, Charles A. Hillig wrote:
>
>> Isn't it possible to be 100% involved and  fully participatory in his
>> family's life,
>>              and yet to remain 100% detached from the dramas that unfold in
> it?
>>
>
>Yes, but that is not the point of the story. The key thing to be noted is
>the grandfather's answer, "I am never going to leave you." This indicates
>attachment on the grandfather's part. So long as there is no detachment
>from all ties, including near family, there is no point in taking to the
>sannyasa-asrama as a matter of ritual.
>
>Vidyasankar
>

     I agree with you that the grandfather was attached.

      But (for the sake of discussion)  maybe  the grandfather was showing
this attachment  by saying "no, no" and then by returning to his house than
he was with  his sentence "I am never going to leave you."

     While Maharshi lay on his deathbed and the people in the courtyard were
crying for him to not leave them, I think he said something like  "I'm not
going anywhere.  Where could I go?"

                                          With Blessings,
                                                Chuck Hillig