Latest revision as of 16:52, 2 October 2021

[edit] What is sanyâs(a)?

Rajiv Kumar, July 9, 2019: The Times of India

There is widespread misperception that sanyasa is a state of physical existence characterised by a spurning of all worldly and material associations and surviving with bare minimum. This practice has resulted in a social category of professional sanyasins, wearing ochre robes, with kamandal and with no fixed abode.

In Hindu tradition, sanyas is understood as a state of a person’s consciousness, irrespective of his social status or lifestyle. A person pursuing grahastha dharma or raj dharma could also be a sanyasin, as long he can remain detached from the humdrum of material existence and focus his attention on spiritual attainment.

The best example is Mithila’s king, Raja Janaka, Sita’s father. He was a true rajrishi, completely detached from all things material and worldly, thereby earning the title of Vaidehi. A visiting sanyasin, it is said, was berating him for surrounding himself with palace comforts, while calling himself a sanyasin. Raja Janaka offered to give up all possessions at once and proceeded to order the burning down of his most opulent palace, which was also used as guests’ lodgings. Suddenly, on remembering that he had left behind his kamandal in the palace, the sanyasin asked Janaka to rescind his orders. The latter simply smiled.

Not only Janaka, both Rama and Krishna followed the innate dharma of the householder. Were they not true sanyasins? Krishna is known as Yogeshwar, master of Yoga, despite being much married. Moses was married to Zipporah. Issac’s mother was Sarah, married to Abraham who also had his son Ishmael from Hagar. Confucius was married to Qiguan and had a son named Kong Li and two daughters. Jesus boldly challenged the crowd, that was ready to stone Mary Magdalene. Prophet Muhammad’s first wife was Khadijah, 15 years his senior; Guru Nanak’s wife Mata Sulkkhani is recognised for her own spiritual status. According to the Shewtambar tradition, Vardhman Mahavir Jain was married to Yashoda. Even Siddartha Gautam Buddha remained a householder from the age of 16 to 29 and was married to Yashodhara before he set out on his search for enlightenment.

Therefore it is evident that practising one’s duties as a householder, and a responsible citizen has no bearing on spiritual evolution, which should be the principle goal of a sanyasin. This practice of abdicating one’s worldly responsibilities, perhaps started with the Buddha’s abdication of both his householder’s dhar ma and raj dhar ma. The call for Sangam Sharanam Gachhami, exhorting seekers to renounce their grahastha status created an unsustainable and unnatural divide between those seeking spiritual evolution and others who wished to discharge their responsibilities as a householder and citizen and still stay on the path. It is really not necessary to abdicate one’s role as householder and administrator in order to evolve on the spiritual path.

The true sanyasin is one who is detached from his material possessions and trappings, even while being surrounded by them. As Krishna advised, we have to try and attain sakshi bhav, be a witness, an essential attribute of a true sanyasin, achieved through regular practice of meditation and Ashtanga Yoga. Following one’s destined dharma while striving to achieve sakshi bhav, through regular dhyana dharna, leading hopefully to attainment of nirvichaar samadhi, has the amazing potential to transform the very nature of our social fabric, making it more nurturing and supportive. The writer is vice-chairman, Niti Aayog

[edit] The legal position

[edit]  HC: No bar on minors getting ‘sanyas(a) deeksha’

Vasantha Kumar, Sep 30, 2021: The Times of India

There is no legal or constitutional bar on giving sanyasa deeksha to persons below the age of 18 years, the Karnataka high court observed, dismissing a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the anointing of a 16-year-old boy as pontiff of Shiroor Mutt, one of the eight mutts in Udupi.

A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma said children of tender age are made monks in other religions like Buddhism, and there is no statutory bar— much less a constitutional bar — on persons below the age of 18 years being initiated into sanyasa.

PL Acharya and others, who claimed to be mutt devotees, had sought for action under the provisions of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act against the anointment of 16-year-old Aniruddha Saralathaya, now christened Vedavardhana Teertha, as peetadhipathi or pontiff of the Shiroor Mutt.

The bench said the religious texts quoted by amicus curiae, senior advocate SS Naganand, make it clear that religion permits a person to become a sanyasi before he attains the age of 18 years and added that Sode Mutt, which, as Dwandwa mutt (pairing mutt of Shiroor Mutt), had chosen and anointed Aniruddha, was well within its right as it was a practice being followed for the past 800 years and was indicative of the philosophy of Sri Madhwacharya.

Citing the judgement of MP HC in Adarsh Seva Marg Trust case pertaining to rituals of Jainism, the bench noted that in the said case it has been clearly held that high courts are not theological wizards and they, as constitutional courts, cannot transgress by interfering with essential religious practices, which are certainly not opposed to public order, morality, public health or any fundamental right.

Observing that courts cannot be expected to overwrite religious texts and so long as no violation has been shown and interfere with religious practices, the bench said the petitioners had failed to point out any violation of statutory or constitutional provisions.

Sode Mutt said Acharya is a blood brother of the erstwhile peetadhipathi of Shiroor Mutt and other petitioners are his kin and they had a vested interest in the matter.