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needs reprimanding? It is those who have abandoned their wives and children without understanding anything and have become egotistical about their penance and renunciation. They leave behind three people at home and collect a hundred and eight here; this is why 'we' have to speak so sternly.
The Lord has said renunciation is to live in a palace and yet have no infatuation or attraction for that palace. If a person's pocket is picked and he does not even remember the loss, then he is free from it and hence has renounced it. If renunciation were not defined as 'renunciation of infatuation or obsession for anything, then no one living the worldly life would attain absolute liberation. The Lord has said that it is not possible to renounce things because there are infinite things in the world, so how can anyone succeed at renouncing things? And besides is anything likely to go away simply through rejection? No it will not. But by merely renouncing your infatuation and inner attraction for infinite things that exist, it is the same as renouncing them.
Dadashri : If a person renounces eating garlic and onion, but finds a piece of onion on his plate, he will go berserk and start yelling. Some even feel repulsed merely at the sight of an onion, so what is their status? Do you call that equanimity?
Questioner : No, that is agitation.
Dadashri : Agitation is the result of such renunciation. Instead it would have been better not to renounce anything at all. The Lord says if a piece of potato ends up in a renunciant's plate by mistake, does it cause him any harm? Besides, everything that gets consumed is a 'potato' Lack of awareness is the reason why such divisions have been made by the intellect. If a piece of a potato or an onion falls in the plate by mistake, that situation has to be simply resolved; should one not be capable of doing at least this much? Equanimity should never be departed from. If equanimity is maintained in renunciation, it can take one to moksha. Is renunciation done for the purpose of increasing equanimity or increasing agitation? Renunciation is to increase equanimity and if one is not able to maintain equanimity in renunciation, then that renunciation is useless. So first attain the correct understanding from the Gnani and then renounce, but not otherwise. This is a very large 'hospital'; if you want to remain in the worldly life, you are free to do whatever you want to but if you want liberation, you will have to consult the Gnani. Even the vitarag Lords have never scolded anyone. They were so supremely wise; they were never contrary. Their disciples may deceive them, but they would never reprimand the disciples. That is our goal too, is it not? This has fallen upon 'us' as 'our' lot; the twenty-four Tirthankaras have left their 'goods' and have said, 'Dada' is going to manifest, go to 'Dada', and hence this has become our' task. 'Our' scolding is purely out of compassion, 'Our' nature is vitarag. But the remedy has to fit the disease; as is the disease so has to be the remedy. Whatever the disease that presents before 'us', the speech that comes forth is a befitting cure; this speech
When a person practices renunciation, he does it only through his ego. Absence of inner attraction for renunciation (ryaga) or acquisition (grahan) is true renunciation according to the Lord. Renunciation that occurs naturally is true renunciation
Agitation in renunciation
No matter what the extent of external renunciation one undergoes, if there is any trace of agitation (vishamta) in that renunciation, then one cannot see his own mistakes, but he will be able to see the mistakes where there is equanimity (samata). An ascetic goes asking for food and if he happens to see a small piece of a potato in his bowl, he would become very upset.
Then how can he see his mistake? There must be equanimity in renunciation
Questioner : What is meant by agitation in renunciation?
