Sannyasa - The Renunciation

Though, we have done a series of lecture on sannyasa, still though it better to put it in a blog (in writing).

I was in Sringeri, when a boy commented upon the sannyasis those who were there as “they are no sannyasis, but have donned ochre robe”, this comment was uncalled for, but they are not far away from the bull’s eye.

People who now aspire to become a sannyasi after reading some books or hearing some off-shoot lectures do not understand –

1.       Who is eligible for Sannyasa and who is not.

2.       What is sannyasa and what is not.

3.       What should one do before and what after.

4.       How should you take it and how you should not.

5.       From whom should you take it and from whom not.

6.       When..........

We will answer some of here in a lucid and short way.

According to Bhagavan Bhashyakara (Sri Shankaracharya) in his Brihadaranyaka Bhashya, only Brahmins are eligible to give and take Sannyasa. Though Bhagavan Vartikakara (Sri Sureshwaracharya) differs in who should take citing the eligibility for the karmas for all the three varnas (order of life), still accepts that only Brahmin is eligible in initiating. And by this it is made very clear, only men are eligible (take it or leave it, it is shastra, no compromise)

Sannyasa is not an easy lifestyle to earn an easy living, but a difficult one for the difficult pursuit of the human birth.

Before taking sannysa one should perform all the karmas properly, so as to have no residue of desire in performing these karmas later. This residual desire is the cause for the people to takeup the different form of practices like medicine, astrology and even performing puja etc, which are a complete no for them. Puja of any type or mantra of other deities (except Omkara / Pranava) is negated, strictly. Since these fellows without any eligibility criteria enter sannyasa life, they get attracted to these different things, and especially Sri Vidya (there is nothing personal here, this is the teaching of the shastra). Then what should one do, it is said “sannyasya shravanam kuryat” (after sannysa one should study scriptures), therefore we should spend the time in studying the scriptures, and once it is done, should spend the rest of the life in contemplating on its meaning. This practice of Puja is allowed for the pontiffs of Mathas (only shankara Math) as they are guiding the people in dharma (definitely only these paraphernalia attracts the people).

 It is sometimes more than a week for the elaborate karmas to be performed; at the least it will take 3 days to perform the karmas, including the tarpana, viraja homa etc. And definitely not a day, as performed by people, which is less of a sannyasa and more of a shaving / tonsuring act (as the tuft is removed by the Guru, this makes these “Guru’s” look like a barber).

Once should take sannyasa from a learned person, who has invested his life in the study and meditation of the Truth. And not definitely from these “tom....” types, who have nothing to give other than their own ignorance. And, definitely cannot proclaim to be a sannyasa, if one just takes the ochre cloth in front of the photo, image, sacred river or other places, though it can be called at the best “athura sannyasa”, should definitely be followed by a proper initiation.

Doing service to the society, opening schools, old age homes, orphanage etc is very good, and for this you DO NOT NEED to be a sannyasi.

Smart Mauni says “This practice was there even before the Acharya, which prompted him to say “udara nimittam bahu krta vesham” (for the sake of stomach, all these different make-ups, or dramas)”.