The Renunciate's Valiant Vow - Ed Sharrow

The Renunciate's Valiant VowBy Paramhansa Yogananda (last published in ‘Whispers from Eternity’ 1944 edition)“He who has resolved to renounce the worldly life, inwardly or outwardly, forthe sake of attaining God, should take this vow.”My body, mind, and soul come from Thee, O God, and unto Thee Idedicate them.Let my love become Thy love. Let my life become Thy life. Let my desiresbecome Thy desires. Let my soul become Thy Spirit. Let my eyes behold asThou beholdest.Let my ears listen to Thy truths alone. Let my mind become Thy mind.Let my intellectuality become Thy wisdom. Let my love seek nothing butThy love.Thou art my only Beloved, who will always love me. Let my aspirationbe to carry out Thy will gladly. I will reason, I will will, I will act, butguide Thou my reason, will, and activity to the right path in everyaction.Be Thou the only love reigning in the bower of my heart.To please Thee, I will act, but not for my own desires. In carrying outThy wishes, I will be ambitious. To receive Thee, I renounce all else.I will never marry for Thou art my only Beloved. My flesh, my mind,my love, my life, my soul, belong to Thee, O Spirit, and no animality shalldesecrate what belongs to Thee.Thou art my Lover; I am Thy beloved. Thou art my Father and myMother; I am Thy child.Thou art my Master; I am Thy servant. Thou art my friend; I am Thyfriend. Thou art my Guru-Preceptor; I am Thy disciple.My hands will work for Thee only; my feet will march unceasinglytoward Thy kingdom. My brain will work Thy problems alone. My heartwill love Thee alone. My soul will become Thy Spirit. Finding Thy perfectLove, I will seek no other love. Finding Thee, I have found everything.

I will not work to please myself, nor anyone else except my Guru andThee, O God.Finding perfect Love in meditation, I will never seek transitory humanlove. Finding Thy complete Love, I will seek no other love.All things which are mine belong to Thee. Therefore, I give myself and allI possess to Thee alone.