renunciation is not escapism..

My reaction to the query of a young friend that he desires to give up and withdraw to a sort of sannyas or renunciation because he is finding the life situations so frustrating and difficult to face

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"Abandoning everything and going away is prescribed normally only for those who have seen, enjoyed or suffered all the pleasures and not so pleasant duties and chores ordained by traditions and scriptures and practices.

Before giving up the sources of pleasures and pains you should have finally realized with unwavering determination that such things do not mean anything to you and that you really want emancipation from such worldly life.

Such break cannot be taken as a temporary measure..retaining the desire to come back to ordinary life after some time.

Sannyas is not a holiday trip of picnic.

Rare persons like Shankara would have gone for renunciation right from childhood.

But rarities are not to be treated as rules.

In fact one can train himself to be detached in whatever state he is.

Lifestyle is just a choice.

And a sane person is always the master of his feelings and propensities.

For this he need not go into exile or sannyas."