Ghambhiram Seshayya one of the ardent devotees of Bhagawan as a Municipal Overseer at Tiruvannamali and used to visit Bhagawan to resolve his doubts on spiritual matters. Bhagawan was only 21 years old and was still living in Virupaksha Cave on the Holy Hill of Arunachala.The Question and Answers during their conversations transformed into a book Vichaara-Sangraham.
The question of Sannyasa raised by Seshayya and Bhagawan explained this in his lucid manner.
Devotee:What is the real purpose of sannyasa?
Bhagawan : Sannyasa is only the renunciation of the 'I' thought, and not the rejection of the external objects.He who has renounced the 'I' thought thus remains the same whether he is alone or in the midst of the extensive samsaara.Just as when the mind is concentrated on some object, it does not observe other things even though they may be proximate , so also , although the sage may perform any number of empirical acts , in reality her performs nothing , because he makes the mind rest in the Self without letting the 'I' thought arise.Even as in a dream one appears to fall head downwards, while in reality one is unmoving ,so also the ignorant person ie the person of whom the 'I' thought has not ceased , although he remains alone in constant meditation , is in fact one who performs all empirical actions. Thus the wise ones have said.
(Taken from English Translation of Vichara-Sangraham)
