Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.15.30
Mukti· LiberationRenunciation Helps Conquer the Agitated Mind
“One who desires to conquer the mind must leave the company of his family and live in a solitary place, free from contaminated association. To maintain the body and soul together, he should beg as much as he needs for the bare necessities of life.”
What the purport teaches
- The verse describes leaving family company and living alone, free from contaminated association, as the process for conquering the mind.
- The renounced person should maintain the body by begging only for the bare necessities and eating only as much as needed.
- Sannyāsa means accepting a life of begging, which fosters humility, meekness and freedom from lusty desires. The purport urges renunciation upon clearly recognizing how family life disrupts spiritual life and meditation.
Try this today
Spend a short period alone today, away from distracting company, and reflect on being satisfied with bare necessities.
Ask yourself
Which attachments or associations most disturb my mind when I try to meditate?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.