For the ordinary mass of human beings, the best course to follow to acquire spiritual knowledge and godliness is renunciation, which is termed, in Gujarati, Sanyas, Tyag.

Now this renunciation arises either out of an unpleasant experience; or by getting tired of the world, (Vairag, disillusionment); or it arises out of a longing to see God, (Talab, thirst). Renunciation must come, in any way whatever; it is the first step in the attainment of any spiritual knowledge.

Renunciation means, as Vivekananda says in his poem on the Sanyasi: 'to eat and drink anything by anybody, to sleep anywhere, to wander, and to be quite aloof and free from any karma, more particularly from women and gold.'

By renouncing everything in this way, all the past sanskaras are destroyed, and new ones are not formed. 'Eat what you get till karma's powers are spent,' says Vivekananda.

But such renunciation, too, is difficult. If any sadhu wanders here and there, partaking of food just sufficient to satisfy his hunger and keeps himself from greed and passion, he is said to be far higher than any family man in the world. The following couplet of Kabir splendidly illustrates the state and condition of a Fakir:

        "Only one who desires just barely enough food to satisfy his hunger and clothes to               protect his body can be called a real Fakir."

Otherwise the sadhus and sanyasis today are generally mere idlers, wandering about only to get free food and clothing, without having to work; again, they are always engrossed in talk of 'wine and woman.' Worldly people are far superior to these hypocrites.

But the fact remains that the world and its environs are like chains and bindings in every way, whether one's actions are good or bad.

The one who renounces everything and remains in the company of a Sadguru is superior to the hypocritical sadhus and sanyasis mentioned above. Still higher is he who, renouncing all, and staying in a Sadguru's company, carries out the duties entrusted to him by the Sadguru.

Service to country, service to relatives and friends, and even to the world, acts of charity and so on, all involve bindings. All actions, good and bad, create sanskaras. There is no other remedy but renunciation. Hence it's said, 'Let go thy hold, Sanyasi bold!' Keep your hands open to allow all actions to escape, to avoid actions, to do nothing. In the company of your Sadguru, eat, drink, and be free of cares, and do not mind if the world calls you cowardly. For to renounce the world takes courage, which those cowards attached to it do not have. Besides, in all worldly affairs there is incompleteness, imperfection, in spite of any amount of bold facing of difficulties.

The past sanskaras of those who face the world and all its difficulties are such that they make mistakes, and hence must suffer. In the case of many, they fail in whatever they do, and are severely disappointed. Many such disappointments lead to desperation and disgust with the world, and finally to Vairag (disillusion) and renunciation. Some have a natural fear of any sexual experience, and all these fears (of sins of any sort) are also due to past sanskaras.

He who is a coward in materialism becomes either the greatest sinner or a spiritual master. Those who have been the greatest masters in their time have been the greatest cowards in materialism, they were heroes in the spiritual world.

You all think that renunciation is far easier than materialism, that giving up worldly life is easier than loving it. Not so! It is very difficult; only those who wish to give up their very lives can venture.

To quote a Persian line: "Love at first seemed easy, but as time went on, innumerable difficulties fell on us."