a smabhiprcche ’dya patim prajanam

 tvayavatirnarna utapta-kamah

parivrajat-padavim asthito ’ham

 carisye tvam hrdi yuñjan visokah

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

Today I have something to ask from You, who are the Lord of all living entities. Since I have now been liberated by You from my debts to my father, and since all my desires are fulfilled, I wish to accept the order of an itinerant mendicant. Renouncing this family life, I wish to wander about, free from lamentation, thinking always of You in my heart.

 

Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

Actually, sannyasa, or renunciation of material household life, necessitates complete absorption in Krsna consciousness and immersion in the self. One does not take sannyasa, freedom from family responsibility in the renounced order of life, to make another family or to create an embarrassing transcendental fraud in the name of sannyasa. The sannyasi’s business is not to become proprietor of so many things and amass money from the innocent public. A sannyasi is proud that he is always thinking of Krsna within himself. Of course, there are two kinds of devotees of the Lord. One is called gosthyanandi, which means those who are preachers and have many followers for preaching the glories of the Lord and who live among those many, many followers just to organize missionary activities. Other devotees are atmanandi, or self-satisfied, and do not take the risk of preaching work. They therefore remain alone with God. In this classification was Kardama Muni. He wanted to be free from all anxieties and remain alone within his heart with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Parivraja means “an itinerant mendicant.” A mendicant sannyasi should not live anywhere for more than three days. He must be always moving because his duty is to move from door to door and enlighten people about Krsna consciousness.