Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.15.36
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyRenunciation Requires Maturity and Steadiness
“One who accepts the sannyāsa order gives up the three principles of materialistic activities in which one indulges in the field of household life — namely religion, economic development and sense gratification. One who first accepts sannyāsa but then returns to such materialistic activities is to be called a vāntāśī, or one who eats his own vomit. He is indeed a shameless person.”
What the purport teaches
- Varṇāśrama-dharma regulates materialistic activities. Accepting sannyāsa means leaving behind religion, economic development, and sense gratification pursued as materialistic activities.
- One is fit for sannyāsa when no longer disturbed by lusty desires, especially desires for sexual indulgence. The purport warns against accepting this order prematurely.
- Returning to materialistic enjoyment after accepting sannyāsa is strongly condemned. For this reason, sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are advised to avoid association with women strictly.
Try this today
Review one spiritual commitment today and identify one temptation you need to avoid to keep it.
Ask yourself
Am I honestly assessing my readiness for the commitments I wish to make?
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.