In the Hindu tradition the world is considered an illusion, or at least not representing the true nature of ultimate reality. Desire (kama) is the cause of the creation of the world. The One was bored and divided himself in to the many; the unmanifest became manifest. "In the beginning this world was just a single body (atman) shaped like a man...He found no pleasure at all; so one finds no pleasure when one is alone. He wanted to have a companion...So he split (pat) his body into two, giving rise to husband (pati) and wife (patni)...He copulated with her, and from their union human beings were born (Upanishads, p.13-14)." Perhaps the One was not separated. The entire world is an illusion caused by desire. The world is an unknown, created in order to know the self. You are suppose to learn from this world but you are suppose to identify with Brahman, identification with Parusha rather than Prakti.

Renunciation in the Hindu tradition results from this premise that this world is an illusion. The world is viewed as something that must be given up in order to know the true nature of ultimate reality. Through renunciation one can escape the endl

Another way that this tension is shown in the Hindu tradition is through the love affair of Radha and Krishna. Krishna is known as an illusive lover. He is unattainable and unmasterful. Radha never gets bored with him because she never truly knows him. He is ever changing (nava). Love is a unifying force. It is a force that tries to bring about the reality of Brahman. The separation was necessary for the love affair to occur, but the union ends the love affair. The most intense passion in the world is when two lovers are separated. Their hunger to get back together (vipralambha) is the strongest emotion. This love affair represents the tension of renunciation and living in the world in the Hindu tradition by showing that love must take place in the world. We have to have bodies in order to have love. Krishna is Shiva, and therefore Krishna is Brahman. A love affair with the totality is possible on the particular level between Radha and Krishna.

However, the dual practice of Karma-yoga and Bhakti-yoga represents a third option in the Hindu tension between renunciation and living in the world, the belief in the combination of both. The need to practice both shows this tension being solved as a moderation of the two. You will not achieve the "essential sphere" by only practicing one of them. By practicing both you believe in renunciation, as well as living in the world.

The temple in Hinduism is a representation of the world of forms arising from nothingness. It is representing something that is unrepresentable. The outside of the temple is vast world of forms, while the center of the temple is perfect and formless through the representation of the Shiva lingam. When a person goes to the temple they start by circling around the outside of the temple, observing the representation of forms and learning the mythology of the god and goddess before moving in to the inside of th

Some common words found in the essay are:
Krishna Karma-yoga, Renunciation Hindu, Hinduism Hindu, Brahman Hinduism, Karma-yoga Bhakti-yoga, Krishna Krishna, Hindus Tantric-Yogis, love affair, Krishna Brahman, hindu tradition, living world, true nature, life world, renunciation living, renunciation living world, renunciation life world, renunciation life, tension renunciation, tension renunciation living, ultimate reality, world illusion, Radha Krishna, true nature ultimate, nature ultimate reality,
Approximate Word count = 1286
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)