The six Goswamis gave up their ministerial post, opulent post, and became mendicant. How they lived? They were merged in the ocean of the love affairs of the gopis with Krsna. Therefore this mendicantism was external. They were enjoying better things. So unless you enjoy better thing, you cannot give up inferior thing. So Krsna consciousness is the best. Anyone, individually or collectively, you take it, you’ll enjoy real life.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on The Nectar of Devotion — Vrndavana, October 17, 1972