Bhakti & Jnanam & a discussion on Sanyasa

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Sri Subramaniyam-ji !

 

Thank you so much for another exemplary post .

 

May i also add a few comments ?

 

Most people think 'sanyasa' or 'renunciation' in a negative way. It

is said many people take to 'sanyasa ' after being disgusted with

Worldly life .

 

Here i would like to recall verse 14 of Adi Shankara's shata sloki .

..

nairvedyaM jnAna-garbhaM dvividham-abhihitaM tatra

vairAgyam-AdyaM

prAyo dukhA-valokAd-bhavati

gRha-suhRt-putra-vittai-shhaNAdeH /

anya-jnAno-padeshAd-yad-udita-vishhaye vAntavat heyatA

syAt

pravrajyA'pi dvidhA syAn-niyamita-manasAM dehato gehatashca

 

 

In this sloka, adi shankara Bhagvadapada is describing two types of

Non-attachment (vairagyam) - One is inspired by disgust of worldly

life because of sorrowful ending of desire for home, sons, friends,

or wealth etc. But the second type of Non-attachment (vairagyam) is

born out of wisdom (jnana garbham) which is of more lasting kind as

such a renunciation will also lead to the renunciation of body, mind

and intellect. ( My translation - little flaky- i apologize)

 

(our beloved professorji also posted these verses from Shata Sloki

in this group and we should all benefit from his infinite wisdom and

great insights.)

 

The question may be asked do we have to give up Wife, children, home

and retire to a hermitage to cultivate vairagyam or nonattachment?

Not necessarily . Here, many saints have introduced another concept

namely that of 'tyaga'- Relinquishment or Tyaga, on the other hand,

involves giving up the fruits of action. We have no control

whatsoever on the results of such action; only the Supreme Soul has

control. One is to perform his/her duty devotionally and relinquish

the results.

 

The second verse of Isavasya upanishad states

 

kurvann eva iha karmANi jijIvishhet shata.g.m samAh

Evam tvayi nAnyatheto'sti na karmA lipyate nare

 

There is no other way by which you can live a full life, performing

all karmas on this earth, and yet - na karma lipyate narey - not be

affected these karmas. Having understood what is your essential

nature "Isha" that Supreme Being, will not be affected by karmas.

The realized person finds that his true identity, the soul (atman),

is not affected by the pain and turmoil.

He lives immersed in his inner consciousness, joyfully knowing that,

'that Supreme Being pervades everything.

 

( the sloka says such a person lives for 100 years - which means he

is eternally living in bliss )

 

This was the frame of mind of great Mahtamas like Sri Vinoba Bhave,

Bal Gangadhar Tilak and our beloved Father of the Nation, Mahatma

Gandhiji .

 

Swami VIvekananda was called a 'parivrajaka' because he was a

wandering monk who moved from one place to another . He was

travelling from Kashmir to Kanyakumari -

 

In his 'Song Of The Sanyasin' our brave young Avadhoota sings

 

Few only know the truth. The rest will hate

And laugh at thee, great one; but pay no heed.

Go thou, the free, from place to place, and help

Them out of darkness, Maya's veil. Without

The fear of pain or search for pleasure, go

Beyond them both, Sannyasin bold! Say --

"Om Tat Sat, Om!"

 

Swamiji's sanyasa was born out of 'jnana garbam' ! Having seen the

face of the Goddess, he wanted to spread the message of divinity

among the masses.

 

 

Thus there are two types of Renunciation mentioned in scriptures 1),

Vividisa Sanyasa and 2)Vidwat Sanyasa.

 

Sage Yagnavalkya was a vidwat sanyasa. He took up Sanyasa for the

welfare of the world - As a householder ,Yagnavalkya taught in

crowded sabhas and king's courts, as a sanyasin he taught the worlds.

 

Shri Ramakrishna even after experiencing nirvikalpa samadhi came down

on the material plane for the sake of 'lokasangraham' - to share in

satsangha the divine message of atma-jnanam.

 

Sri Sri adi shankara bhagvadapada left Kalady and went on to become

the jagadguru - his divine mission was to spread the eternal message

of Sanatana dharma .

 

adi shankara bhagvadapada says in his beautiful composition

Jivanmuktananda lahari that once a sage becomes a jivanmukta he

attains such an equanimity of mind that he can live in a palace or

sleep under a tree; he can be in the company of saivites or

vaishnavites; in the company of men or women; he can bathe in the

holy ganges or even use water drawn from a well .... etc etc in other

words, he is not 'deluded' at all !

 

Sri Gurave namaha!

 

 

 

 

 

-- In advaitin, V Subrahmanian <subrahmanian_v>

wrote:

>

> Bhakti and Jnanam & a discussion on sanyasa

>

> Alpabala-Kaitabhaadiin hatvaa garvam vrthaa kurushe |

> Mohaabhidaanam-asuram jahi shiighram shaktirasti yadi Krshna ||

>

> O Krishna! You vainly boast, killing Kaitabha and others of

meagre strength; if