Prashnottara Vahini
Original in Telugu
Q. One has to do certain things (i.e., Kartavyas) and one should not do certain other things (i.e., Akartavyas). How are we to know which is which? What is the Pramana (absolute means of knowledge) for the Do’s (what to do) and Don’ts (what not to do)?
A. The Shastras (Scriptures) are the Pramana. The Manu Smriti itself declares, for example, that Varnas and Ashramas are only Deha Dharmas (prescribed course of conduct pertaining to the body) and that they do not affect the goal of the Paramapadam (the Highest state or position).
Q. If that is so (i.e., Paramapadam transcends Varnas and Ashramas), why all this bother of Varnas like Brahmana, Kshatriya, etc. and Ashramas like Brahmacharya, Grihastha, etc., and the rules and regulations binding them?
A. Ah, they are required until you become free from Raga (Attachments). Until then and for the sake of that, the regulations, limits and rules have to be obeyed to the very letter. The medicine has to be taken, so long as the illness persists. Each type of illness has a special medicine for its cure and a different course of dietary and a special regimen. Isn’t it? After one has got rid of the illness, one can partake of a feast with the rest. Without accepting this, if the healthy and the one with ill-health both demand the same feast, it will lead to calamitous consequences for the ill. The Varnas and the Ashramas are as medicine prescribed for those who suffer from this Bhava-rogam, the ills of worldliness and worldly attachments. Raga (attachment) is the Rogam (illness), and Rogam cannot disappear if the prescribed medicine is not taken and the regimen is not observed, strictly. Unless you get well from the illness, you cannot be liberated. This is the true meaning of Vedanta. Brahmavetta, i.e., he who knows Vedanta, to whatever Ashrama (stages of life) he belongs, attains Mukti (Liberation).
Q. Swami! Have any great souls achieved Moksha (Liberation) while in Grihastha Ashrama (the householder stage)?
A. Why? Janaka, Ashwapati, Dileepa—these are examples of great souls who gained Moksha as Grihasthas.
Q. Swami, is it not necessary to follow strictly the injunction of the Shruti, which enjoins on man the duty of completing the Brahmacharya stage and then, after passing through the next stage of the Grihastha, to enter Vanaprastha and observe all the limitations and regulations of that stage, before ultimately taking on Sannyasa, the life of full renunciation? Or, can one take Sannyasa even without going through the other steps?
A. Yes, whenever Vairagya (detachment) on Vastu (worldly stuff or possessions) shine forth, one can take Sannyasa. Unless such a chance is seized, man is bound to fall. Whatever may be the stage or Ashrama you are in, when you get full renunciation, you can enter upon the Sannyasa stage from that very moment. There is no iron rule that you must live through the three earlier Ashramas (stages of life). This too is the injunction of the Shruti. The reason is: such a pure soul is properly refined in previous births. His impure tendencies have been rooted out and the pure ones, the uplifting ones, have been developed in his past births.
Q. How are we to know that such refinement or purification has already been earned in the past births? Are there any signs by which we can discover that such and such an Ashrama or stage can be skipped? If there are, please tell me.
A. The fact that a person has no Iccha (inclination) for the three Ashramas, that he has reached a state of being devoid of Vasanas (tendencies and impulses) is a clear sign. If one has taken to Brahmacharya and other Ashramas in the past birth and had already developed Virakti (detachment or lack of affection) towards the Vishayas (worldly objects and desires), the inclination towards the Vishayas will not arise in this birth. Since he has already gained Atmashuddhi (Absolute Purity of the Self) and developed Vairagya (detachment) towards the other three Ashramas (in the past birth), interest towards those Ashramas will not arise again. Therefore, when one gets Virakti, he can give up worldly life and enter upon Sannyasa stage even without going through the other steps. This is approved by Shruti. But the person who confers Sannyasa must examine fully and convince himself that the person on whom he is conferring it (Sannyasa) is devoid of Vasanas (sensual impulses and attachments). Sannyasa should be given only to one who has no agitations in the mind, or Vrittis as they are called. Only such can be said to be detached. The candidate too should examine himself and see whether his Antahkarana sthiti (Inner state) is free from the Vasanas and Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) or not. If it is not so free, he will not only break the vows of Sannyasa and be outcast, but he may even break down under the burden and meet a calamitous end.
Q. Is Sannyasa of one kind or are there different kinds? Please tell me.
A. There are three types of Sannyasa. They are Deha Sannyasa, Mano Sannyasa and Atma Sannyasa.
Q. What does Deha Sannyasa mean?
A. Sannyasa in appearance, so far as the outer body is concerned. He wears the ochre robe, assumes the name, appears in the form, but he has no awareness of the Atma. He wanders amidst all the objective desires clinging to external things. He is like ordinary men, for all intents and purposes.
Q. And Mano Sannyasa means?
A. In Mano Sannyasa, he gives up all Sankalpas (resolutions, desires). He has the mind under strict control and free of Vasanas. Though he is not Sannyasa in appearance, he attains Mukti (Liberation).
Q. Atma Sannyasa means?
A. He who breaks through all thoughts about things that are unrelated to the Atma and is ever immersed in the contemplation of the source of “Aham Brahmasmi” (I am Brahmam) implication is called Atma Sannyasa. He sees his own self in everything and everywhere. He is steady in the consciousness of himself being Atma. His Ananda is unintermittent, Akhand. This is also called Amrita Sannyasa. The thickest darkness can be destroyed only by the light that emanates from the splendid solar orb; so too, without the splendour of Atma Sannyasa, the darkness of Maya (Ignorance) cannot be dispelled; the vestures that hide the Atma cannot be shattered and the Atma cannot shine in its own glory without the manifesting mediums.
Q. How are these types attained? What are the signs that they have been attained?
A. Deha Sannyasa is attained by discrimination between the eternal and the temporary, the everlasting and the evanescent. Mano Sannyasa is reached by conquering the waywardness of speech, of the other senses and of the mind. Atma Sannyasa is won through the Vedanta Tattva Jnanam, i.e., Self-knowledge taught by Vedanta. When these above influences become strong, then one can eventually get liberated.
Q. Who among these are really fortunate, their lives being spent in a worthwhile way?
A. Well, he, who like the bee sucking in silence and in great bliss the nectar in the flower, is uninterruptedly contemplating on the principle of “Self” and tasting the nectar of Atmic bliss; who ignores this world as but a “scene,” a Drishya, he indeed is the most fortunate; his life is the most worthwhile.
Q. Then, Swami, what is it that is spoken of by the elders as attaining Satya, Nitya, Nirmala and Shanti (Truth, Eternal, Pure and Peace)? What are they all?
A. As I said already, not attaching oneself to the objective world but, being engrossed in one’s own Atmic bliss is what is also called as attaining Satya, Nitya, Nirmala and Shanti. All these states are one and the same.
Index
Preface
The Human Body and the Indriyas
The Fourteen Lokas
The Four Ashramas
Moksham and Karma
Vidya and Bhakti
Obstacles to Moksham
The Pancha Kosas
Yogam and Moksham
Jnanam and Yogam
Brahmavidya and Women
Ashramas and Varnas
The Shastras and Sannyasa
Mantra and Japa
Tapas
Astanga Yoga (The Eightfold Path of Yoga)
The Shastras and Sannyasa
Original in Telugu
Q. One has to do certain things (i.e., Kartavyas) and one should not do certain other things (i.e., Akartavyas). How are we to know which is which? What is the Pramana (absolute means of knowledge) for the Do’s (what to do) and Don’ts (what not to do)?
A. The Shastras (Scriptures) are the Pramana. The Manu Smriti itself declares, for example, that Varnas and Ashramas are only Deha Dharmas (prescribed course of conduct pertaining to the body) and that they do not affect the goal of the Paramapadam (the Highest state or position).
Q. If that is so (i.e., Paramapadam transcends Varnas and Ashramas), why all this bother of Varnas like Brahmana, Kshatriya, etc. and Ashramas like Brahmacharya, Grihastha, etc., and the rules and regulations binding them?
A. Ah, they are required until you become free from Raga (Attachments). Until then and for the sake of that, the regulations, limits and rules have to be obeyed to the very letter. The medicine has to be taken, so long as the illness persists. Each type of illness has a special medicine for its cure and a different course of dietary and a special regimen. Isn’t it? After one has got rid of the illness, one can partake of a feast with the rest. Without accepting this, if the healthy and the one with ill-health both demand the same feast, it will lead to calamitous consequences for the ill. The Varnas and the Ashramas are as medicine prescribed for those who suffer from this Bhava-rogam, the ills of worldliness and worldly attachments. Raga (attachment) is the Rogam (illness), and Rogam cannot disappear if the prescribed medicine is not taken and the regimen is not observed, strictly. Unless you get well from the illness, you cannot be liberated. This is the true meaning of Vedanta. Brahmavetta, i.e., he who knows Vedanta, to whatever Ashrama (stages of life) he belongs, attains Mukti (Liberation).
Q. Swami! Have any great souls achieved Moksha (Liberation) while in Grihastha Ashrama (the householder stage)?
A. Why? Janaka, Ashwapati, Dileepa—these are examples of great souls who gained Moksha as Grihasthas.
Q. Swami, is it not necessary to follow strictly the injunction of the Shruti, which enjoins on man the duty of completing the Brahmacharya stage and then, after passing through the next stage of the Grihastha, to enter Vanaprastha and observe all the limitations and regulations of that stage, before ultimately taking on Sannyasa, the life of full renunciation? Or, can one take Sannyasa even without going through the other steps?
A. Yes, whenever Vairagya (detachment) on Vastu (worldly stuff or possessions) shine forth, one can take Sannyasa. Unless such a chance is seized, man is bound to fall. Whatever may be the stage or Ashrama you are in, when you get full renunciation, you can enter upon the Sannyasa stage from that very moment. There is no iron rule that you must live through the three earlier Ashramas (stages of life). This too is the injunction of the Shruti. The reason is: such a pure soul is properly refined in previous births. His impure tendencies have been rooted out and the pure ones, the uplifting ones, have been developed in his past births.
Q. How are we to know that such refinement or purification has already been earned in the past births? Are there any signs by which we can discover that such and such an Ashrama or stage can be skipped? If there are, please tell me.
A. The fact that a person has no Iccha (inclination) for the three Ashramas, that he has reached a state of being devoid of Vasanas (tendencies and impulses) is a clear sign. If one has taken to Brahmacharya and other Ashramas in the past birth and had already developed Virakti (detachment or lack of affection) towards the Vishayas (worldly objects and desires), the inclination towards the Vishayas will not arise in this birth. Since he has already gained Atmashuddhi (Absolute Purity of the Self) and developed Vairagya (detachment) towards the other three Ashramas (in the past birth), interest towards those Ashramas will not arise again. Therefore, when one gets Virakti, he can give up worldly life and enter upon Sannyasa stage even without going through the other steps. This is approved by Shruti. But the person who confers Sannyasa must examine fully and convince himself that the person on whom he is conferring it (Sannyasa) is devoid of Vasanas (sensual impulses and attachments). Sannyasa should be given only to one who has no agitations in the mind, or Vrittis as they are called. Only such can be said to be detached. The candidate too should examine himself and see whether his Antahkarana sthiti (Inner state) is free from the Vasanas and Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) or not. If it is not so free, he will not only break the vows of Sannyasa and be outcast, but he may even break down under the burden and meet a calamitous end.
Q. Is Sannyasa of one kind or are there different kinds? Please tell me.
A. There are three types of Sannyasa. They are Deha Sannyasa, Mano Sannyasa and Atma Sannyasa.
Q. What does Deha Sannyasa mean?
A. Sannyasa in appearance, so far as the outer body is concerned. He wears the ochre robe, assumes the name, appears in the form, but he has no awareness of the Atma. He wanders amidst all the objective desires clinging to external things. He is like ordinary men, for all intents and purposes.
Q. And Mano Sannyasa means?
A. In Mano Sannyasa, he gives up all Sankalpas (resolutions, desires). He has the mind under strict control and free of Vasanas. Though he is not Sannyasa in appearance, he attains Mukti (Liberation).
Q. Atma Sannyasa means?
A. He who breaks through all thoughts about things that are unrelated to the Atma and is ever immersed in the contemplation of the source of “Aham Brahmasmi” (I am Brahmam) implication is called Atma Sannyasa. He sees his own self in everything and everywhere. He is steady in the consciousness of himself being Atma. His Ananda is unintermittent, Akhand. This is also called Amrita Sannyasa. The thickest darkness can be destroyed only by the light that emanates from the splendid solar orb; so too, without the splendour of Atma Sannyasa, the darkness of Maya (Ignorance) cannot be dispelled; the vestures that hide the Atma cannot be shattered and the Atma cannot shine in its own glory without the manifesting mediums.
Q. How are these types attained? What are the signs that they have been attained?
A. Deha Sannyasa is attained by discrimination between the eternal and the temporary, the everlasting and the evanescent. Mano Sannyasa is reached by conquering the waywardness of speech, of the other senses and of the mind. Atma Sannyasa is won through the Vedanta Tattva Jnanam, i.e., Self-knowledge taught by Vedanta. When these above influences become strong, then one can eventually get liberated.
Q. Who among these are really fortunate, their lives being spent in a worthwhile way?
A. Well, he, who like the bee sucking in silence and in great bliss the nectar in the flower, is uninterruptedly contemplating on the principle of “Self” and tasting the nectar of Atmic bliss; who ignores this world as but a “scene,” a Drishya, he indeed is the most fortunate; his life is the most worthwhile.
Q. Then, Swami, what is it that is spoken of by the elders as attaining Satya, Nitya, Nirmala and Shanti (Truth, Eternal, Pure and Peace)? What are they all?
A. As I said already, not attaching oneself to the objective world but, being engrossed in one’s own Atmic bliss is what is also called as attaining Satya, Nitya, Nirmala and Shanti. All these states are one and the same.