Anthara Sanyasa

 

(Based on Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

Antara Sanyasa is internal renunciation as contrasted with Asrama Sanyasa, which is external renunciation.  Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (6-1):

Anashritah karma phalam karyam karma karoti yaha I
Sa sanyasi cha yogi na niragnir na chakriyaha II

He who performs his duty, without depending on the fruits of his action, he is a Sanyasi and a Yogi; not he who has merely renounced the sacred fire and has merely given up all actions.

So even for an Asrama Sanyasi, Antara Sanyasa is necessary. Let us discuss in this blog how any person including grihastha can become an Antara Sanyasi.  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 internally the following three things and adhere to them. The three things, we shall first list and see them one by one.  They are:

a)Sarva abhimana parityaga

b) Sarva chinta parityaga

c) Sarva vishesha prarthana parityaga

a) Sarva abhimana parityaga

The word abhimana parityaga means renouncing the sense of ownership and controllership.  From the scriptures, we learn an important lesson that Bhagavan alone is the owner and controller of everything.  Bhagavan has given certain things for one’s temporary use only. These are meant for one’s spiritual growth. This means Bhagavan can give anything to one at any time and Bhagavan can take away anything from one at any time, be it tangible things like people and property or intangible things like name, fame, honours, prestige, health etc.  Both tangible and intangible things belong to Bhagavan only as he is the owner.  Therefore, to claim ownership of anything, is misappropriating Bhagavan’s property.  So one should understand that claiming ownership is a spiritual offence and renounce all the sense of ownership.  And in the heart of hearts, one must always have the thought that he owns nothing and, therefore he has nothing to lose.  And not only should one renounce the sense of ownership, one has to renounce 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.  With one’s free will and choice one can become a contributor only.  Therefore, one does not have ownership and controllership. Ownership and controllership together are called abhimana.  Parityaga is renunciation and therefore first renunciation is Sarva abhimana parityaga i.e. renouncing claims of ownership and controllership. 

b) Sarva chinta parityaga

Chinta means anxiety or worry.  If we analyse our mind, we can find that all our worries are centred around those things and beings where we have abhimana. Where there is no abhimana, with regards to those people and things, we have absolutely no chinta.   Abhimana and worry are interconnected and they reinforce each other. Therefore, if one should become an Antara Sanyasi, not only should one renounce all the abhimana, but also one should renounce one’s support for all forms of worry.  Since one cannot avoid the arrival of worry, one should use all one’s resources to disengage one’s mind from all forms of worry.  Therefore, an Antara Sanyasi should use all the resources and skill in arresting the continuation of any form of worry.  

c) Sarva visesha prarthana parityaga

This is the third form of renunciation. Vishesha prarthana means all forms of special prayers, vows etc. which are meant for special purposes.  One offers special prayers only with regards to things and people where one has abhimana.  One does not offer special prayers to any third person who is outside one’s abhimana circle.  Just as worry is integrally connected to abhimana, all special prayers are also integrally connected to abhimana and they reinforce each other.  Therefore, as even there is a tendency for visesha prarthana, an Anthara Sanyasi has to drop or reject that.

A serious spiritual seeker should one day or the other take Antara Sanyasa by taking a Sankalpa.  The Sankalpa should be, – “from today onwards I renounce Sarva abhimana, chinta and visesha prarthana”.  He should also keep in mind some important facts regarding the Antara Sanyasa.  They are about:

a) Handling guilt

When a grihastha chooses to renounce abhimana and chinta and vishesha prarthana, a guilty feeling may arise that he is faltering in his duties.  But as these three things do not come under the duties of a grihastha, the grihastha can happily, without any feeling of guilt, choose to renounce the above three when he chooses to take up Antara Sanyasa.

b) Promotion of spiritual growth

In the 16th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna includes Abhimana in verse 4 and Chinta in verse 11 as Asuri Sampat.  So they will retard spiritual growth.  This means that Vedantic study will benefit more when this Antara Sanyasa is taken.  As one need not feel guilty, this renunciation will promote spiritual growth as well.

c) Continuation of regular Karma

Even after renouncing these three, a grihastha can continue all the other activities, which will come under the duties of the grihastha, based on the family designation, based on the organisational designation etc.  All the contributions can continue, in the form of Kayika Karmani, Vachika Karmani and Manasa Karmani.  All the Karma can continue renouncing these three factors; abhimana, chinta and vishesha prarthana.  One can continue one's pujas and pilgrimages as before but they all must be undertaken on Nishkama basis only, as a thanks giving for all that one has received in life.  One can continue one's 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 the Vedantic studies.

d) Body and mind renunciation

This is the toughest part of renunciation.  For this would mean renouncing Deha abhimana, Deha chinta, and Deha vishesha prarthana as well as Mind abhimana, Mind chinta, and Mind vishesha prarthana.   But it may be noted that whatever needs to be done to maintain the general health of the body and to keep the mind fit, should not be ignored.

For one in Grahastha asrama, the attitude of Anthara Sanyasa, is ideal for study and assimilation of Vedantic knowledge and is compulsory when Moksha is the goal.  It may not be compulsory immediately and can be postponed but can never be avoided if Moksha is the goal.

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