I am not a full-time politician but a 'sanyasi' who took the

The words of Yogi Adityanath — “I am not a full-time politician but a sanyasi who took the path of politics to serve the masses” — resound with the spirit of one who sees power not as an end, but as a duty. In them he declares that his life is not bound to ambition, but to renunciation, discipline, and service. The sanyasi, who renounces worldly attachments, enters politics not to enrich himself, but to bear the burdens of the people. It is a vision of leadership that blends the austerity of the ascetic with the responsibility of the ruler.

At its heart, this saying transforms the meaning of politics. Too often, politics is seen as a theater of greed, rivalry, and ambition. But Adityanath proclaims it instead as a sacred path, a vehicle through which one may serve the masses. To walk this road as a sanyasi is to see governance not as a throne, but as a yoke — a call to lift others rather than oneself. It is a teaching that echoes the wisdom of saints and philosophers: that true power is service, and true authority is sacrifice.

History offers kindred examples. In ancient India, the philosopher-king Ashoka began his reign with conquest and bloodshed, but after embracing the Dharma, he ruled as a servant of his people, planting trees, building roads, and protecting all faiths. Though not a sanyasi in name, he embodied the same spirit — using power not for self but for the welfare of the many. In later ages, Mahatma Gandhi, though never holding office, treated politics as a spiritual calling, fasting, praying, and striving to serve the poorest of India. Both reveal the power of blending ascetic discipline with public duty.

Adityanath’s words also carry a warning: that the ruler who forgets service and clings only to power becomes a tyrant. By calling himself a sanyasi, he binds himself to a higher standard, reminding his people — and perhaps himself — that the measure of his governance will not be in titles, but in the upliftment of the masses. The austerity of the monk is meant to be the shield against the temptations of politics.

Let future generations remember this wisdom: to lead is not to possess, but to give. The sanyasi who enters politics with pure intent carries a double burden, but also a double honor — for he wields authority not for himself, but as a servant of all. Yogi Adityanath’s words stand as a reminder that when power is wedded to renunciation, the people may find in their leader not only a ruler, but a guardian of their destiny.