"Another example: if you put an iron rod into a fire, the rod becomes warm, warmer, warmer, warmer. Then, when it is red-hot, it is no longer an iron rod: it is fire. Similarly, although everything in this material world is separated from Krishna, if you engage the things of this world in the service of Krishna, they are no longer material: they are spiritual. This is the philosophy of the Vaishnavas."
Ninth Canto, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Liberation, The Dynasty of Amsuman, 9.9.47: […] If one engages all material things in relation with the loving service of the Lord, one is situated in yukta-vairagya, proper renunciation. In this material world, nothing should be accepted for one’s sense gratification: everything should be accepted for the service of the Lord. This is the mentality of the spiritual world. […]
prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate
“Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing.”
Yukta-vairagya, or befitting renunciation, is thus explained:
anasaktasya visayan
yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe
yuktam vairagyam ucyate
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Vrindavana, India, in August 1974: […] So, you have to understand that although this material energy is separated from Krishna, it can be used for Krishna. And when it is, it becomes spiritual. It is no longer material. It is material only when it is used in forgetfulness of Krishna. When the karmis [fruitive workers] construct a big, big skyscraper building, their purpose is to enjoy it themselves.
They are using the same things we are using to build the temple–earth, water, fire, and air. They are mixing them together to make bricks and cement. But since the building is not being used for Krishna, it is material. Only if the building is used for the purposes of Krishna is it spiritual. This is proper renunciation, yukta-vairagya.
The philosophy of Krishna consciousness is that although the elements of this material world are separated form Krishna, we can use them for Krishna and thus spiritualize them. Again the same example: A tape recorder is material, but it can be used for Krishna’s purpose. That is how we are writing books–recording them on a tape recorder. This is yukta-vairagya, proper renunciation.
There is no need to give up this earth, water, fire, and air, as the Mayavadi philosophers say. You can utilize them in Krishna’s service. After all, it is all Krishna’s energy.
Then, although this earth, water, fire, and air are Krishna’s separated energies, when we reconnect them by engaging them in the service of the Lord, they become spiritual.
Another example: if you put an iron rod into a fire, the rod becomes warm, warmer, warmer, warmer. Then, when it is red-hot, it is no longer an iron rod: it is fire. Similarly, although everything in this material world is separated from Krishna, if you engage the things of this world in the service of Krishna, they are no longer material: they are spiritual. This is the philosophy of the Vaishnavas. […]
Madhya lila 16.238:
You should not make yourself a showbottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it.
PURPORT BY SRILA PRABHUPADA
The word markata-vairagya, indicating false renunciation, is very important in this verse. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, in commenting on this word, points out that monkeys make an external show of renunciation by not accepting clothing and by living naked in the forest. In this way they consider themselves renunciants, but actually they are very busy enjoying sense gratification with dozens of female monkeys. Such renunciation is called markata-vairagya — the renunciation of a monkey. One cannot be really renounced until one actually becomes disgusted with material activity and sees it as a stumbling block to spiritual advancement. Renunciation should not be phalgu, temporary, but should exist throughout one’s life.
Temporary renunciation, or monkey renunciation, is like the renunciation one feels at a cremation ground. When a man takes a dead body to the crematorium, he sometimes thinks, “This is the final end of the body.
Why am I working so hard day and night?” Such sentiments naturally arise in the mind of any man who goes to a crematorial ghata. However, as soon as he returns from the cremation grounds, he again engages in material activity for sense enjoyment. This is called smasana-vairagya, or markata-vairagya.
In order to render service to the Lord, one may accept necessary things. If one lives in this way, he may actually become renounced. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.108), it is said:
yavata syat sva-nirvahah svi-kuryat tavad artha-vit
adhikye nyunatayam ca cyavate paramarthatah
“The bare necessities of life must be accepted, but one should not superfluously increase his necessities. Nor should they be unnecessarily decreased. One should simply accept what is necessary to help one advance spiritually.”
In his Durgama-sangamani, Sri Jiva Gosvami comments that the word sva-nirvahah actually means sva-sva-bhakti-nirvahah. The experienced devotee will accept only those material things that will help him render service to the Lord. In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.256), markata-vairagya, or phalgu-vairagya, is explained as follows:
prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago vairagyam phalgu kathyate
“When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking them to be material, their renunciation is called incomplete.” Whatever is favorable for the rendering of service to the Lord should be accepted and should not be rejected as a material thing. Yukta-vairagya, or befitting renunciation, is thus explained:
anasaktasya visayan yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate
“Things should be accepted for the Lord’s service and not for one’s personal sense gratification. If one accepts something without attachment and accepts it because it is related to Krishna, one’s renunciation is called yukta-vairagya.” Since Krishna is the Absolute Truth, whatever is accepted for His service is also the Absolute Truth.
The word markata-vairagya is used by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to indicate so-called Vaishnavas who dress themselves in loincloths trying to imitate Srila Rupa Gosvami. Such people carry a bead bag and chant, but at heart they are always thinking about getting women and money.
Unknown to others, these markata-vairagis maintain women but externally present themselves as renunciants. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very much opposed to these markata-vairagis, or pseudo Vaishnavas.”
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