Renunciation

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48 pages.

Renunciation

A Life of Surrender and Trust

by Swami Chidananda

 

Table of Contents

Compilers’ Note
1. Worshipful Homage
2. The Fruit of Renunciation
3. The Call to Renunciation
4. Living a Life of Renunciation
5. The Real Renunciation
6. Gurudev–An Exemplar of Renunciation

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COMPILERS’ NOTE

H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj returned to Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, in January 2002, after attending the 2nd Global International Divine Life Society Conference held in Cuttack, Orissa. As usual he resumed his early morning meditation talks in the sacred Samadhi Hall of Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj.

However, instead of following his normal practice of speaking on a different topic each morning, Swamiji gave a series of talks on the lives and teachings of some of the great medieval Maharashtrian saints. He then took up a verse by verse discussion of the pocket size Manache Shlok (Verses Addressed to the Mind) by the great renunciate, Samartha Swami Ramdas, the guru of the Maharashtrian emperor, Shivaji.

These teachings were so inspiring that we began to transcribe excerpts and share them with friends. One day a fellow seeker was discussing renunciation and confessed, “I really don’t know what renunciation means.” After some thought we suggested, “But that’s all Swamiji is talking about these mornings. It ultimately means a life of surrender and trust. We’ll give you a collection of excerpts to read.” They were so much appreciated that the thought came, “Why not bring out a more complete selection in time for Sivaratri.”

Some of the excerpts are Swamiji’s paraphrases of the texts, some his introductions to them, and some are his own teachings. We have also included some illuminating passages from the “Worshipful homage to the Supreme,” that Swamiji begins each morning talk with as well as his daily “Loving adorations to Gurudev.” We hope that you will find the passages in this booklet as inspiring and helpful as we have.

March 1, 2002

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