A light on Sannyasa...

Taken from: Sanyassa, an inner pilgrimage, by swami bhoomananda tirtha.

What is sannyasa, does it imply necessarily leaving household and putting on the ascetic robe? In taking such a step, no doubt, there is the pious intention of making one’s seeking wholesome and intense. But what verily matters is the constant attention to purify the mind and sharpen the intelligence. The rarity of ascetic renunciation makes it a very valuable and honorable one, but it should not give rise to any feeling of superiority.

The sastras define many different approaches towards sannyas, for example, bahudaka, kuticaka, purna, vidvat, etc, some live by alms, some are wanderers, some hermits… But those who somehow are given to lokasangraha, (mission of social welfare) cannot be like this, their constant and main focus will be on the development of the society and the ashram itself, not only the phenomenal plane but also in the noumenal. These are those who make outreach possible.

Sannyasins live and move with atma-trupti (inner contentment), atmotsaha (inner fervour) and atma-nirbandha (inner compulsion). Though are fully contented inwardly, they nevertheless have a loving concern for the society around. Their societal efforts are solely to ensure the welfare and cohesion of the society and never for their own delight. This often generates some timely inner compulsions, which result in their taking up loka sangraha programmes. Spiritual contentment and irresistible societal concern go together!

Therefore a sannyasin is, in reality not to be judged at all, especially on the basis of external factors, like how he lives, what is his ashram like, etc. A sannyasin who is given to the pursuit of brahmavidya will naturally be immersed in contemplative and introspectional levels of discipline and refinement. External, seemingly rigorous standards do not apply to such a one. To evaluate him/her on the basis of external insignia would be wrong, a disrespect to spirituality itself. Rather than being given to poverty or riches he will be given to the refinement and insight of being unaffected by and equal towards both.

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Philippians 4:12 (st. Paul)

Shankaracarya in his Bhaja Govindam has spoken critically about those who are given only to the external garb and some allied practice and not know where to lay emphasis, they mostly remain rigid and biased, missing the transcendental dimension and the resultant blissfulness.

“The self cannot be realized by carelessness or by improper austeriries” Mundakopanisad 3.2.4

Whatever austere steps the sannyasin feels like adopting in the light of what he had cultivated earlier, he should adopt now. This will also depend upon how he looks at austerity and which level of austerity is helpful to fulfill his purpose. Even the most austere sannyasin may not attain spiritual fulfillment. On the other hand, one who is not outwardly austere may derive fulfillment easily. Therefore, to seek the Truth and attain fulfillment in the pursuit must be the sole aim of sannyasa. If such pursuit will be helped when he has some facilities where he lives, I will say, let those facilities be there. As long as he remains attentive, everything will be alright.

Once his commitment is wholesome, I think, he should be left to himself. Let him stay in a place or wander for a while, let him live with another or with none, if he wants to live on biksha (alms-donations) may it be so!. Actually biksha for a sannyasin is prescribed in our sastras. 

To embrace sannyasa is to live in constant dispossession; therefore the biksha attitude is fundamental as well as wholesome for a sannyasin. When a sannyasin has thus renounced everything, whatever apparently he seems to posess, including “his” Ashram is the outcome of biksha.

“For such a renunciate, the entire world is but a bounteous biksha form his Creator”

                                                              Swami Bhoomananda tirtha