Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Antya 8.65
Dry Renunciation Is Not the Goal
“I have heard that You have cut Your eating in half. Indeed, I see that You are skinny. Such dry renunciation is also not the religion of a sannyāsī.
What the purport teaches
- Rāmacandra Purī said he had heard that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had cut His eating in half.
- He also said that he could see the Lord had become skinny.
- He described this as dry renunciation and said it was not the religion of a sannyāsī. Together with his preceding words, his advice rejected both sense gratification and excessive restriction.
Try this today
At your next meal, take enough to meet your needs rather than deliberately eating too little as an austerity.
Ask yourself
Do I ever mistake neglecting bodily needs for meaningful renunciation?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.