Year 4, Issue 4, Amāvasyā Special Edition
Posted: 30 April 2022
Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda
Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Inspired by and under the guidance of
Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Appropriate Renunciation
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Māhārāja
Appearing in English for the first time
Śrī Śrī Guru-Gauraṅgau Jayataḥ
Śrī Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha
P.O. Mathurā (U.P.)
21 April, 1976
Mā Umā,
When I was about to return [to Mathurā], I saw you were not well. Inform me how you are at present.
It is indeed recommended to practise yukta-vairāgya (renunciation that develops a mood of devotion) that is appropriate for oneself (yatha-yogya). The renunciation by which the body becomes completely useless and which awakens impediments to hari-bhajana is not favourable for bhakti. You must accept bhagavat-prasāda appropriately. It is indeed proper to accept all the objects of the senses that are essential for one’s well-being, in a manner that is favourable for one’s kṛṣṇa-bhajana. This consequently results in a natural vairāgya and causes no obstruction to hari-sevā and hari-bhajana.
I hope that along with performing harināma you are also studying some bhakti-granthas (devotional scriptures). The bhakti-granthas are śikṣā-gurus. By their mercy one’s bhakti gradually excels.
How is your mother and Sāvitrī dīdī? Send news of the well-being of the others there. I am well in one way. Here, the weather has started to become hot.
Reply by letter. Thus I conclude.
Vaiṣṇava-dāsanuadāsa
Śrī Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa
Adapted from The Gaudiya Volume 23, Issue 10
by the Rays of The Harmonist team
