The path of devotion says, don't leave anything; if your association drops on its own, then be it. Why? Because then you won't make any announcement of it. But, If you consider having 'abandoned' something, you'll make the world know.
The objects of sensory indulgence are worth discarding anyways. How? Once death strikes, it doesn't give you a chance to give up. In one go, the world drops- on its own. So, what does a wise person do? He says that something which will be left behind anyways after death, I will abandon its relevance and association with the mind, today itself.
Shrimad Bhagwat says, "Don't worry about leaving the Samsara; If you'll 'leave', you'll still keep the ego and pride intact". So it is better that you focus on only one thing: to keep your mind rooted in the divine remembrance of Shri Krishna.
If you visit Vrindavan, you won't see Krishna holding and playing the flute. And let's suppose that some flute player is made to wear a yellow attire and is decked up with a peacock feathered bejewelled crown, an ornate waist belt, and asked to stand in front of Banke Bihari Ji's temple. On top of that, he plays the flute exceptionally well too. Will you take him as Krishna? Without batting an eyelid and with all conviction, you'll say he's only attired as Krishna- He's not the real one! The real Krishna inside whom the mind dissolves- he's right within you; he's, in fact, the very core of you.
During those times, when the gross form of Krishna was present- He was known to have enticed and bound everyone's heart with His encaptivating flute playing. It was so mesmerizing that whosoever heard it used to forget all about their home, family, and world in a moment. Krishna happened to be such a charismatic and enigmatic personality- incredibly handsome.
It is said that one fine day, He happened to see his face in the mirror. He was wearing a necklace that had a glass pendant. Krishna saw his face in that, kept seeing it for a long time, and then said to his elder brother, "Balram, If I were Radha, I would have married Him only- he's so enchanting. Seeing his own image, He's mesmerized. So, if others got fascinated with Krishna, what's the big deal about it?
In Shrimad Bhagwat, the form of Krishna is detailed. Listening to that form repeatedly, Meera's mind became absolutely unified with Him. See, you too look at the deity's pictures; you look at their idols as well, but you seldom feel this way- the way Meera felt, the way Surdas felt- Why? The reason is that at some point in time or other, while lost in divine remembrance, their eyes would have got shut, and in those shut eyes, the overwhelming Darshan of Shri Krishna must have happened. And after that one vision, their mind dissolved. Meera didn't go crazy in love, merely looking at a photo. In Meera's dreams, there was Krishna. In her thoughts, it was Krishna. When you close your eyes, can you not see your son's face? Yes, you can- Quite vividly, though. The truth is when you sit to chant the Mantra; sometimes you see your parents, sometimes your husband, sometimes your son, and sometimes something else. As for you, this world is real; similarly, for Meera, Krishna's vision became a perceptible reality.
A sage was narrating his experience. Once, he resolved to do the Shiva mantra. So, he started practising day in and out, sixty thousand to one lac mantras a day. Implying that, for 6 to 7 hours, he would sit and do the Japa. And, when he was not chanting, he would sit and read the Shiva Puran. He was in total silence- no meeting with people and living a solitary life in a cottage. Within a span of 15 days, his state was such that when he did Japa, Shiva himself would be sitting right in front. He heard the conch blowing, besides a hissing sound as if a snake had slithered past. He further narrated that when he closed his eyes, He could see Neeleshwar Mahadeva. In his dreams, too, he would continue to see Shiva. While chanting, it felt like someone else was sitting beside him. At times, it used to scare him, but then he thought, I am chanting Shiva's name; only good can happen. With that one thought, all his fears and apprehensions settled. By the 40th day, an overwhelming feeling dawned over that his body didn't belong to him anymore. This body is Shiva's abode. Such is the impact of Bhakti and diligently doing the Sadhana with the right sentiment that a deity's form and essence become one with you.
If Meera was overpowered by her love for Krishna, then it was not just Krishna's photo or idol that made her lose herself. A divine union happened somewhere, maybe in a dream or wakeful state, but there was definitely something because no matter what anyone reasoned with her, tried to teach her, or even threatened to make her leave her devotion towards Krishna, she would say, "I can't !". Your life is so dear to you, was it not to Meera? You feel afraid; did she not feel scared too? The answer is, No. She was not afraid of society or her family. All of them were on one side, and Meera held onto her ground, all by herself. How could she do it? It is because, for her, Krishna had become a reality. And the perceptible world, despite being visible, became a total lie. That is how she could love Krishna, never caring a bit about the world.
Love, yearning, longing in separation, Japa, Sadhana- Through developing these virtues, the quest for the ultimate begins that culminates with the blissful divine union.
With the fire of pure wisdom imparted by Guru and Satshastras, vices of the mind such as greed, fear, & attachment to the objects of indulgence get torched. The One for whom all has ceased to be, every moment is a celebration!
