Sanyasa, a study

   

        (adapted from the lectures of Swami Paramarthananda)   

In Vedic way of life one goes through four asramas in life, namely Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa, the last one being solely devoted to working for one’s liberation, Moksha.   The primary means of liberation is spiritual knowledge. Next to spiritual knowledge, Sanyasa or renunciation is almost as important as spiritual knowledge.  One enters the Brahmacharya asram early in life, mostly before seven, and takes to Grihastha asram after the studies are over, thus enabling one to take to Sanyasa asram with faculties in good condition.  Those who take to sanyasa asrama are classified in four groups as below:-

1)    Kuteechaka

2)    Bahudhaka

3)    Hamsa

4)    Paramahamsa

Kuteechaka – Kuteechaka sanyasi is a Grihastha who takes to sanyasa but lives with the family.  He lives in a separate Kutiya or place apart from the house, but within the compound.  He takes his food from the house but does not involve or interfere in family matters.  He wears Yagnopaveedham and has stick and carries three thandas put together as one, each danda representing discipline at Kayika, Vachika and Manasa level.  He wears ochre robe.  He does not travel.  He does Puja and Vedanta study and parayanam

Bahudhaka – Bahudhaka sanyasi is like Kuteechaka sanyasi but lives outside the family fold.  He does not travel much.  He takes food from the village on Biksha basis.  He is also Trithandi.  He also does Puja and Vedanta study and parayanam.

Hamsa -  He does not have Yajnopaveedam as well as shikha.  All his pujas are manasam,.  He spends his time in Sravanam, Mananam and Nitidyasanam.  He also does not travel much.  More committed to Jnanam and less and less to ritual

Paramahamsa – Paramahamsa sanyasi is a more advanced Hamsa Sanyasi and there are two types of Paramahamsa sanyasis.  

1     Amukya Paramahamsa – Vividisha Sanyasi. 

He carries one Danda,  Ekadanda.  He does not travel much .  He does parayanam of Veda Bashyam, Upanishads and does japa on Mahavakhya.

2     Mukya Paramahamsa - Vidwat Sanyasi. 

Even the minimum discipline prescribed for Vividisha Sanyasi is not for him.  No puja , no rituals.  Only Nitidyasanam.  He gives up Danda and Kamandala as well and he wears minimum clothes if he chooses to.  He travels freely and is also known as Paramahamsa Parivrajaka Sanyasi.  Vidwat Sanyasa is the highest form of Sanyasa and the word Sanyasi generally refers to Vidwat Sanyasi only. For Vidwat Sanyasi owning up Brahmanhood comes naturally. He is the ideal model for Bramhan as he is asanghaha, relationship free; karma mukthaha, free of performance of duties; belongs to everyone and does not depend on external source for security.

Even though it is said Sanyasa is ideal for study and assimilation of Vedanta knowledge, one in Grahastha asrama,  with an attitude that all belong to Lord and Lord only and has mentally freed himself from all attachments and relationships and has an attitude of inner surrender, called Saranaagathi, is also an ideal student for Vedanta.   Such a person is called internal sanyasi, Aantara Sanyasi.  As per the Sastras it is said that to become an Aantara Sanyasi, one should renounce three things as follows:

1     Sarva Abhimana Parityagaha

2     Sarva Chinta Parityagaha

3     Sarva Vishesha Prarthana Parityagaha

Sarva Abhimana Parityagaha - The word Abhimana means the sense of ownership and controllership.  From the study of Vishwarupa Darshana in the Bhagavad Gita, one learns that Bhagawan is everything and the owner of everything. Bhagawan has temporarily given certain things for one’s spiritual growth and use.  Bhagawan can give anyone anything at any time and Bhagawan can also take away anything from anyone at any time, whether it is tangible things like people and property or intangible things like name, fame, honour, prestige, health etc.  So when one claims ownership of anything, he is only misappropriating Bhagawan’s property which is a serious spiritual offence, for which he suffers the punishment of imprisonment in Samsara jail.  And not only one renounces the sense of ownership, one also renounces the sense of controllership as well.  Everything and every event is controlled by Bhagavan according to the Laws of Karma.  One is only a contributor. One’s freewill is limited to the extent of making a choice to become a contributor only.  This mental renunciation of ownership and controllership of everything with the understanding that only Bhagwan is the owner and controller is Athma Nivedana Bhakthi, also called surrender.

Sarva Chinta Parityagaha - The word Chinta means anxiety or worry. If one analyzes, all the anxieties and worries are only centred on those things and beings where one has got Abhimana. Abhimana and worry are interconnected.  Greater the Abhimana, greater is the worry and vice-versa.  Therefore as Aantara Sanyasi, not only should one renounce all the Abhimana,, but  also should renounce one’s support for all forms of worry. One cannot avoid the arrival of worry, but as Aantara Sanyasi, one uses all one’s resources to disengage the mind from all forms of worry.

Sarva Vishesha Prarthana Parityaga -  Vishesha Prarthana means all forms of special prayers, vows etc, which are meant for special purposes. If one studies the psychology of special prayer, one will note that one offers special prayers only with regard to the things and the people where one has Abhimana.  Just as worry is integrally connected to Abhimana, all special prayers are also integrally connected to Abhimana. Therefore, they reinforce each other. More the Abhimana, more will be the special prayers.  More the Abhimana, greater is the spiritual offence.  Greater the spiritual offence, Samsara is more perpetuated.

Further as Abhimana is the seed of raga and dwesha one free from Abhimana is free of raga and dwesha as well.  Lord Krishna calls such a person ‘nithya sanyasi’ in Gita 5-3

gneyah sa nitya sanyasi yona dweshti na kankshati

nirdwandwohi mahabaho sukham bandhat pramuchyate    (5 – 3)

He should be known as a perpetual Sanyasi who neither hates nor desires; for, free from the pairs of opposites, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he is easily set free from bondage!

But one taking to internal sanyasa should bear in mind a few points.  Since there is no formal Sanyasa and so no initiation, one adopting internal sanyasa should choose a day and take a formal Sankalpa on that day before his Ishta devata to renounce the three; Abhimana, Chinta and Visesha prarthana thereafter. He should remember this renunciation includes the three in respect of his own body mind complex also i.e, Deha Abhimana Parityagaha,  Deha Chinta Parityagaha,  Deha Vishesha Prārthana Parityāgaha.  He can continue his pujas and pilgrimages as before but they all must be undertaken on Nishkama basis, only as a thanks giving for all that he has received in life.  He can continue his Nithya karmas on a Nishkama basis with no guilty feeling as his Sankalpa is not in conflict with them. Further adherence to the Sankalpa will purify the mind and make it fit to absorb Vedantic studies.

So to conclude Sanyasa can be either internal or external.  Of these external Sanyasa with its emphasis on seclusion and spiritual studies is ideal for the pursuit of spiritual goal of Athma jnanam and liberation, while internal Sanyasa also provides a conducive infrastructure for spiritual pursuit, with its emphasis on Abimana Thyaga and forsaking of raga and dwesha. 

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