The first step is to cultivate an awareness of one’s own internal thought processes. This can be achieved by taking up meditation practices. A point comes when the ego disappears and the Self or Atman reveals itself, and Gnosis dawns. “Ultimately, it is impossible to renounce oneself and the world because no such ‘self’ or ‘world’ really exists—which, of course, is precisely what must be Realized,” writes B. L. Razdan. In the words of Yogananda, “The deeper the realization of a man, the more he influences the whole universe by his subtle spiritual vibrations, and the less he himself is affected by the phenomenal flux.” (Bhavan’s Journal, January 16-31, 2026)
The term Sannyas or renunciation may mean merely external renunciation or tyaga, in which one renounces worldly objects such as family, marriage, wealth, and pleasure of life, but is not completely detached from worldly interests. True renunciation is internal renunciation or Vairagya, wherein the worldly objects are not necessarily renounced but only the attachment to the worldly objects is renounced. Vairagya is detachment, dispassion or disconnection of mind and heart from the objects of the world.
The discipline of monastic life or life of ashram is useful but it is likely that one only suppresses the desires and attachments by the strong effort of will without trying to eradicate them from the roots. Virtues are developed by remaining away from temptations of sex, food, comforts of life. As a result, at the first contact with the pleasures and temptations of the material world, the person slips. John Milton has said, “I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue [virtue developed within four walls of monastery], unexercised and unbreathed….”
True renunciation does not mean suppression or developing aversion for the material objects. By the application of viveka (spiritual discrimination or discernment) to life experience, the aspirant gradually develops attraction for the inner spiritual life, and attachments fall away naturally. Vivekachudamani says that Vairagya and Bodha (true understanding) are two means, like the two wings of a bird. The one desiring liberation must be fully equipped, not only with dispassion for things mundane, but also with the cultivation of Bodha or constant attunement to real nature. In other words, there must be gradual purification of the desire nature.
The Fifth Chapter of the Gita is entitled Karma-Sannyasa Yoga, or “Devotion by means of Renunciation of Action.” Many have taken this to mean complete renunciation of action outwardly. Mr. Judge remarks that no person will be able to renounce the world until he has learnt the right performance of action. By perfect performance of action through devotion, we are fitted for the next stage of renunciation of action, which is renouncing attachment to the results of action, and acting as a mere instrument of the divine. “The character of the man himself inwardly is the real test. No matter how many times during countless births he has renounced the world, if his inner nature has not renounced, he will be the same man during the entire period, and whenever, in any one of his ascetic lives, the new, the appropriate temptation or circumstance arises, he will fall from his high outward asceticism.” (Notes on the Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 118-19)
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This article also appeared in The Theosophical Movement. For more articles published in this excellent magazine follow this link: https://www.ultindia.org/magazines/tm.html