[Advaita-l] saMnyAsa and brAhmaNas (was RE: Fw: Re: waking, dreaming, sleeping as mutually supportive)

[Anbu sivam2]

Anandji,

Thanks for posting clear and concise citations.

The pramanas cannot be divorced from the cause and purpose of the four-fold
division in varNa and the respective aasramas that each qualify.

PraNaams,
Anbu

On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 12:34 AM, Anand Hudli <anandhudli at hotmail.com>wrote:

>
> The dharma shAstra texts attempt to reconcile the two positions - saMnyAsa
> is meant for
>
>  brAhmaNas alone and saMnyAsa can be taken up by kShatriyas and vaishyas
> also.
>
>
>
> First there is a jAbAlashruti statement, "brAhmaNAH pravrajanti".
>
>
>
> Next, Manu smR^iti says, "Atmani-agnInsamAropya brAhmaNaH
> pravrajed-gR^ihAd".
>
> VijnAneshvara and other authors too agree with this.
>
>
>
> VR^iddhayAjnavalkya says, "chatvAro brAhmaNasyoktA AshramAH shrutichoditAH
>
> kShatriyasya trayaH proktA dvAveko vaishyashUdrayoH", meaning four ashramas
> are
>
> prescribed by the shruti for brAhmaNas, three for KShatriyas, two for
> vaishyas, and one
>
> for shUdras.
>
>
>
> However, mAdhava quotes the kUrma purANa statement, "brAhmaNaH kShatriyo vA
> atha
>
> vaishyo vA pravrajed-gR^ihAd", whereby those from the three varNas are
> eligible to take
>
> up saMnyAsa.
>
>
>
> The nirNaya sindhu of kamalAkara bhaTTa reconciles these statements as
> follows.
>
> The earlier statements that speak of only brAhmaNas are meant to prohibit
> the wearing
>
> of signs of saMnyAsa such as the kAShAya vastra (ochre robe) and daNDa by
>
> kShatriyas and vaishyas.
>
>
>
> In support of this, the nirNaya sindhu quotes a BaudhAyana statement,
> "mukhajAnAmayaM
>
> dharmo yadviShNorliN^ga-dhAraNam.h rAjanya-vaishyayorneti
> dattAtreyamunervachaH".
>
> The dharma of wearing of signs of ViShNu belongs to brAhmaNas, not to
> kShatriyas and
>
> vaishyas. Thus says dattAtreya muni.
>
>
>
> The nirNaya-sindhu concludes by saying, "tattvaM tu
> kuTichakAdiparametat.h", meaning
>
> kSahtriyas and vaishyas are not to take up kuTichaka, bahudaka, haMsa, and
> parama-
>
> haMsa forms of saMnyAsa.
>
>
>
> The author of dharma sindhu, kAshInAtha upAdhyAya, closely following the
> nirNayasindhu
>
> concludes, "daNDagrahANAdirUpe vividiShAkhye viprasyaivAdhikAraH,
> vidvatsaMnyAse tu
>
> kShatriyavaishyayorapi", meaning the eligibility for vividiShA saMnyasa
> involving the
>
> acceptance of such signs as the staff (as in stick, not support staff !),
> is for
>
>  the brAhmaNa alone. KShatriyas and vaishyas are eligible for
> vidvatsaMnyAsa.
>
>
>
> Anand
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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