--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at…" description: "\"Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly inadequate conceptions of renunciation.\"A beggar cannot renounce wealth,\" Master would say. \"If a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg" --- # Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly… ![“Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly inadequate conceptions of renunciation."A beggar cannot renounce wealth," Master would say. "If a man laments: 'My business has failed; my wife has left me; I will renounce all and enter a monastery,' to what worldly sacrifice is he referring?…” quote by Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg) > “Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly inadequate conceptions of renunciation."A beggar cannot renounce wealth," Master would say. "If a man laments: 'My business has failed; my wife has left me; I will renounce all and enter a monastery,' to what worldly sacrifice is he referring? He did not renounce wealth and love; they renounced him!"Saints like Gandhi, on the other hand, have made not only tangible material sacrifices, but also the more difficult renunciation of selfish motive and private goal, merging their inmost being in the stream of humanity as a whole.” [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Renunciation is often misunderstood; true sacrifice involves letting go of ego and selfish motives, not merely material possessions. **In simple terms:** True renunciation is about giving up selfishness, not wealth. Key Takeaway Focus on inner transformation, not external loss. Themes spirituality selflessness ego sacrifice Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal crisis - career change - relationship loss - spiritual practice Key Concepts Renunciation inner growth self‑transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish inner sacrifice from external loss? - What motives drive your desire to renounce? A Different Perspective Renunciation can be misinterpreted as abandoning all, leading to confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Lament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lament/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Monasteries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monasteries/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Renunciation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renunciation/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Selfish motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-motives/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [“There is no merit in the renunciation of a beggar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-no-merit-in-the-renunciation-of-a-beggar/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [If you want to become a professional football player at any level, when you're growing up, you have to make sacrifices, and it's very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coleman/if-you-want-to-become-a-professional-football-player-at-any-level/) [Chris Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coleman/) > [“So many worthless people relying on French protection are enabled to sin against me with impunity, and nobody now feels that he has any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-cowles/so-many-worthless-people-relying-on-french-protection-are-enabled-to/) Virginia Cowles > [I talk to groups studying the most advanced spiritual teachings and sometimes these people wonder why nothing is happening in their lives. Their motive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/i-talk-to-groups-studying-the-most-advanced-spiritual-teachings-and/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [“War seems to be ingrained in human nature, and even to be regarded as something noble to which man is inspired by his love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/war-seems-to-be-ingrained-in-human-nature-and-even-to-be-regarded-as/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-you-are-kind-people-may-accuse-you-of-selfish-ulterior-motives-be/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Meditation without selfless giving is not enough. You may go into very high states of consciousness but the rough edges will still be there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/meditation-without-selfless-giving-is-not-enough-you-may-go-into-very/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“value of life is based on greed and selfish motives. It is time for African Christians to know and teach that the SAVIOR has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alemayehu-mekonnen/value-of-life-is-based-on-greed-and-selfish-motives-it-is-time-for/) [Alemayehu Mekonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alemayehu-mekonnen/) > [People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/people-who-really-want-help-may-attack-you-if-you-help-them-help-them/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-you-are-honest-and-frank-people-may-cheat-you-be-honest-and-frank/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [The first steps toward stewardship are awareness, appreciation, and the selfish desire to have the things around for our kids to see. Presumably the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-first-steps-toward-stewardship-are-awareness-appreciation-and-the/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I am convinced that the majority of people would be generous from selfish motives, if they had the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/i-am-convinced-that-the-majority-of-people-would-be-generous-from/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [“How is power of speech (vacchanbud) attained? It is when, not a single word is uttered to make fun of others; when not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/how-is-power-of-speech-vacchanbud-attained-it-is-when-not-a-single/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Capitalism justified itself and was adopted as an economic principle on the express ground that it provides selfish motives for doing good, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/capitalism-justified-itself-and-was-adopted-as-an-economic-principle/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [If efforts to do social work are couched in selfish motives, then they will die a premature death. Why would my efforts get politicised?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachin-tendulkar/if-efforts-to-do-social-work-are-couched-in-selfish-motives-then-they/) [Sachin Tendulkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachin-tendulkar/) ## More by Paramahansa Yogananda > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Love cannot be had for the asking; it comes only as a gift from the heart of another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/love-cannot-be-had-for-the-asking-it-comes-only-as-a-gift-from-the/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [He who is persistent will realize God. So try your best to make meditation a regular experience in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/he-who-is-persistent-will-realize-god-so-try-your-best-to-make/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Truth is exact correspondence with reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/truth-is-exact-correspondence-with-reality/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [We should bathe our spirits in the deep, pure feeling that stirs within us when we gaze on the glories of His creation. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-should-bathe-our-spirits-in-the-deep-pure-feeling-that-stirs/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Since you alone are responsible for your thoughts, only you can change them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/since-you-alone-are-responsible-for-your-thoughts-only-you-can-change/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Mankind is engaged in an eternal quest for that ‘something else' he hopes will bring him happiness, complete and unending.For those individual souls who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/mankind-is-engaged-in-an-eternal-quest-for-that-something-else-he/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Just as oil is present in every part of the olive, so love permeates every part of creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/just-as-oil-is-present-in-every-part-of-the-olive-so-love-permeates/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [The mother's love is not given to us to spoil us with indulgence, but to soften our hearts, that we may in turn soften…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-mother-s-love-is-not-given-to-us-to-spoil-us-with-indulgence-but/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“If one busies himself with an outer display of scriptural wealth, what time is left for silent inward diving after the priceless pearls?” Sri”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-one-busies-himself-with-an-outer-display-of-scriptural-wealth-what/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [When you meditate the glory of the Divine shines forth. You realize then that all along there was something tremendous within you and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/when-you-meditate-the-glory-of-the-divine-shines-forth-you-realize/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [He who knows his soul knows this truth: " I am beyond everything finite; I I now see that the Spirit, alone in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/he-who-knows-his-soul-knows-this-truth-i-am-beyond-everything-finite/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst while bathing in a lake. If material poverty is to be avoided,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/possession-of-material-riches-without-inner-peace-is-like-dying-of/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“Physicians must carry on their work of healing through God’s laws as applied to matter.” But he extolled the superiority of mental therapy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/physicians-must-carry-on-their-work-of-healing-through-god-s-laws-as/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [If you have a strong mind and plant in it a firm resolve, you can change your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-you-have-a-strong-mind-and-plant-in-it-a-firm-resolve-you-can/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) [Explore all 466 Paramahansa Yogananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) ## More And love quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [There are few husbands whom the wife cannot win in the long run, by patience and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-of-valois/there-are-few-husbands-whom-the-wife-cannot-win-in-the-long-run-by/) [Margaret of Valois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-of-valois/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [We'll walk together holding hands, and kiss in broad daylight, and love each other as much as we want to, and no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-ll-walk-together-holding-hands-and-kiss-in-broad-daylight-and-love/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Anyone who knows me knows that I am really into hair. I'm a real girly girl and love doing my hair and experimenting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/anyone-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-am-really-into-hair-i-m-a-real-girly/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Only when man succeeds in developing his reason and love further than he has done so far, only when he can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/only-when-man-succeeds-in-developing-his-reason-and-love-further-than/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I shall pray God to send charity into this hideous world, and sympathy for the weak, and love for the unhappy and unfortunate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/i-shall-pray-god-to-send-charity-into-this-hideous-world-and-sympathy/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [And I read the moral--A brave endeavour To do thy duty, whate'er its worth, Is better than life with love forever, And love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeffrey-roche/and-i-read-the-moral-a-brave-endeavour-to-do-thy-duty-whate-er-its/) James Jeffrey Roche > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [If you abide in the love of Christ, rooted in the faith, you will encounter, even amid setbacks and suffering, the source of true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-you-abide-in-the-love-of-christ-rooted-in-the-faith-you-will/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) Browse all 2,635 And love quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly inadequate conceptions of renunciation.\"A beggar cannot renounce wealth,\" Master would say. \"If a man laments: 'My business has failed; my wife has left me; I will renounce all and enter a monastery,' to what worldly sacrifice is he referring? He did not renounce wealth and love; they renounced him!\"Saints like Gandhi, on the other hand, have made not only tangible material sacrifices, but also the more difficult renunciation of selfish motive and private goal, merging their inmost being in the stream of humanity as a whole.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paramahansa Yogananda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at-the-commonly-inadequate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "And love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at-the-commonly-inadequate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/paramahansa-yogananda-556_and-love_sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at_396525.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly inadequate conceptions of renunciation.\"A beggar…” — Paramahansa Yogananda", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paramahansa Yogananda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sri Yukteswar used to poke gentle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at-the-commonly-inadequate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/sri-yukteswar-used-to-poke-gentle-fun-at-the-commonly-inadequate/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```