ISAVASYA UPANISHAD SAYS.. Renounce all desires. Renounce egoism, selfishness and identification of self with the body( Deha-Adhyasa). Then alone will you attain Moksha or Self-Realization.
Easier said than done, right. But it is like one step at a time. I like your way of thinking. Keep going, I learn a lot from you.
PRASNOPANISHAD SAYS.. Knowledge of Brahman can be acquired by human who have observed celibacy, performed Tapas and lived with the preceptor. ( To understand better this Upanishadic sentence , understand the meaning of celibacy ,tapas etc according to Ramana Maharishi)
KATHOPANISHAD SAYS... This Atman is difficult to be known. It is very subtle. It cannot be obtained by arguing.
that is why a guru is needed to understand the meaning (in the context of current norms of the society which applies well for most people, ex. before people used to take sanyas mostly, i never heard current age gurus including sri ramana maharshi (mahashi words from your posts only) , to take sanyas and go to mountains , but telling to practice when you are doing your other dharmas. Now I feel I shouldn't be adding my words to such posts, which can be diluting to main post - which is very content.
@KashmirFlower ... Sanyasa means ultimate dispassion and ultimate love for Divine, yes, these days we do not come across many taking sanyasa as you said but one thing that we need to keep in mind is the word DISPASSION. Dispassion should dawn (externally and internally )in the person who is taking into their hands guru position. No amount of argument can justify any pomp and show around. Ramana Maharishi, Meera bai, Ramakrishna paramahamsa are direct examples. But there is another set of real gurus like ....Vivekananda, Paramahamsa yogananda and on with orange color .
ISAVASYA UPANISHAD... Do constant selfless service to humanity with Atma-Bhava, purification of heart will be achieved . Then alone will Atma- Jnana dawn in the heart.