Does one need to renounce activities, practice restraint, or suppress desires to lead a ‘spiritual’ life?
The common belief is yes—but the truth is, none of that is necessary. What truly matters is a clear understanding of our real nature. This clarity naturally transforms our thoughts and feelings toward everything we see, touch, eat, hear, or experience—benefiting not just ourselves, but the world around us.
You don’t need to renounce anything, suppress desires, or impose restrictions. When your thought process shifts, your actions are automatically sanctified. That alone is enough to live life as it is meant to be lived—a life of purpose. You may call it spiritual, but in essence, it is simply life lived to its fullest potential.
Prajna is a program that nurtures the knowledge and awareness needed for such a life. It doesn’t demand drastic changes. This is the beauty of Visishta Advaita— comprehensive knowledge of Vedas enlightening us about our eternal connection with Nature and God, showing us how to live peacefully and meaningfully through that understanding. It naturally tunes our daily thoughts and emotions.
An example:
You eat every day. With awareness that divinity resides in all beings—including yourself—you no longer eat just for hunger or taste. You begin to see your body as a mobile mandir, a temple, and care for it to perform higher deeds. Food ‘becomes’ prasadam and your approach to eating transforms: you eat with gratitude, respect, and a desire to share. This mindset sanctifies the act of eating, leaving no negative karma behind.
This principle applies to every action. You aren’t expected to renounce activities like bathing or take on additional burdens. Simply align your thoughts with a higher purpose. Our scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita, emphasize this:
pra:na:pa:na sama:yukthaha pacha:mi annam chathurvidham
Spiritual living doesn’t require renunciation or restraint—only a sanctification of actions through a deeper understanding of life, as guided by Vedic wisdom.
– From the discourse of HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– Sri Srinivasa Kalyanam, Prajna students’ felicitation
– 27th June 2025, Manchester, UK
Today, we are blessed with the opportunity to witness Lord Srinivasa in deity form and participate in a kalyanam (divine wedding). It’s a reminder of God’s eternal presence alongside Mother Sridevi (compassion) and Mother Bhudevi (tolerance)—a beautiful reaffirmation of His ever-gracious nature.
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A profound message showing that true wisdom lies not in renouncing life, but in living it with restraint and righteous balance. Jai Sriman Narayana.