Abhay took this recurrent dream as a message from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta that he should take sannyasa. But he was reluctant and fearful of leaving his family at first. Once he moved out of the house in 1950 and was on his own, in Vrindavana his god brother insisted that he take the renounced order. Abhay knew that this was actually his spiritual master speaking to him through his god brother. So in September 1959, Abhay took sannyasa at a formal ceremony and was then known as Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami.