[Advaita-l] Knowledge, renunciation and varNASrama rules - Is sanyasa ashrama sweekaram a must

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Wed, 1 Sep 2010, Varadaraja Sharma wrote:

> And as said by Shriman Jaldhar Vyas :
>
> Had Venkateshamurti restricted his argument to the idea that this is a 
> different type of sannyasa to shrotriya Brahmanas everyone would have 
> agreed with him.
>
> From the above, I deduce that
>
> 1.	All dvija “males” have recourse to “Vaidika” saMnyAsa
> 2.	The non dvija males and sthris are entitled to renounce and the “type” of their sannyasa may be different from that of “shrothriya Brahmanas” and the same  would not of “Vaidika” form although the traditional monasteries recognize them.
>
> The second one is what I deduced and I do not know the actual position.

Yes this is a good summation of the Advaita position.

>
> My real concern is what is the expected code of conduct of brahmanas to 
> sthri shudradi sanysins ( Not vidvat sanyasins)? Should the brahmana 
> males pay their obeisance to these people with a sashtanga namaskara and 
> offer anna bhiksha?
>

No to the first because that is a social situation which dharmashastras 
have complete authority over and they are clear on the prohibition of 
this.  (Nevertheless, I would also add it is best if sannyasis of all 
kinds are not put into the position of accepting such things from 
grhasthas.  Nowadays they are treated as decorations to every trivial 
function or cultural program when their mission is actually to detach 
themselves from society.)

To the second, why not?  Dana especially annadana gives punya whenever it 
is given.  If someone is in need and you can give it then you should in my 
opinion.

> In the sishtachara code as conveyed to me by my elders which I passed on 
> to the next generation, we (brahmanas) are not supposed to pay obeisance 
> to people of other varnas irrespective of their age with a sashtanga 
> namaskara. Does the fact of them embracing sanyasa requires modification 
> in the code being followed?

No as noted above.

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>