Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.21.18
Mukti· LiberationReal Renunciation Means Offering Our Duties
“By refraining from a particular sinful or materialistic activity, one becomes freed from its bondage. Such renunciation is the basis of religious and auspicious life for human beings and drives away all suffering, illusion and fear.”
What the purport teaches
- False ego makes us think we are the proprietor and enjoyer of our activities. Real renunciation begins by recognizing that Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is their proprietor and enjoyer.
- Prescribed duties performed as offerings to the Supreme Lord free us from material bondage. Sinful activities cannot be offered to Him and must be given up altogether.
- Piety makes life auspicious and frees one from lamentation, illusion and fear. Its purpose is to make us eligible to surrender to the Lord and serve Him with determination.
Try this today
Before doing one necessary duty today, consciously offer that work to Kṛṣṇa.
Ask yourself
Which duty could I perform as an offering to Kṛṣṇa rather than for my own enjoyment?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.