In many religious traditions, renunciation of the world (Tyaaga) is seen as a path to spiritual attainment. People leave their homes, families, and responsibilities, and retreat into forests or mountains to practise austerities. Sikhi does not accept this path. In Kalyug, physical withdrawal from society does not lead to inner peace. When one runs away from the world, the body may be in solitude, but the mind continues to wander toward the very things that were left behind.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji clearly rejected this idea when speaking to the ascetics of the Himalayas. He questioned how the world could be uplifted if spiritually inclined people abandoned society and refused to share responsibility for solving human suffering. Gurmat does not promote escape from life; it teaches engagement with life in a transformed way.
Sikhi teaches renunciation while living in the world, known as Grahast mai udaas. This means remaining inwardly detached while outwardly active. True renunciation is not the abandonment of work, family, or social duty, but the renunciation of ego, desire, and attachment. Guru Sahib emphasized changing the inner state, not the outer appearance.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji explains this beautifully:
ਆਸਾ ਮਨਸਾ ਸਗਲ ਤਿਆਗੈ ਜਗ ਤੇ ਰਹੈ ਨਿਰਾਸਾ ॥
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਜਿਹ ਪਰਸੈ ਨਾਹਨਿ ਤਿਹ ਘਟਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਨਿਵਾਸਾ ॥੨॥
(Ang 633)
One who renounces hope and desire, lives without craving in the world, and is not disturbed by lust or anger, within such a heart, Waheguru dwells.
According to Gurmat, the true Sikh is the real Sanyasi. He lives amidst possessions, relationships, and responsibilities, yet remains unattached. He performs his duties honestly, without being enslaved by gain or crushed by loss. Like the lotus flower that remains untouched by the water it grows in, the Gurmukh lives in the world but is not stained by it.
True renunciation brings inner detachment. Kabeer Ji expresses this principle simply:
ਹਾਥ ਪਾਉ ਕਰਿ ਕਾਮੁ ਸਭੁ ਚੀਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੨੧੩॥
(Ang 1376)
Do all your work with your hands and feet, but keep your consciousness connected to the Pure Lord.
A familiar example helps clarify this. A mother may be busy with household tasks, yet her mind remains on her child resting in the cradle. In the same way, a Sikh may be working in an office or field, but inwardly remains absorbed in Naam.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji also describes this inner renunciation in powerful words, teaching that one should treat the household as a forest, live as an ascetic within it, let self-discipline be the matted hair, and communion with Waheguru be the daily cleansing.
True renunciation in Sikhi is therefore not withdrawal, but transformation. It arises from living a balanced life of Naam Abhyaas and selfless service. This path does not weaken society; it strengthens it. Through such lived renunciation, the Sikh remains active in the world while staying inwardly free.