Householder

[sadananda]

Vidya wrote:

>Sri Giridhar has made a number of remarkable comments here, all of which
>need to be noted quite carefully. I will only comment on a few things now.
>
>On Thu, 14 Aug 1997, Giri wrote:
>
>[..]
>
>>         In some works, Shankara, Vidyaaranya, and the  HH of Sringeri Math
>> have insisted that external sannyas is needed for liberation, but this is
>> clearly meant for majority.
>>
>>         The Sringeri acharya Sri Chandrasekhara Bharathi says so in his
>> brilliant commentary on the Vivekachudamani, as Shri Shyam informs me.
>
>Yes, right at the outset, Sri Candrasekhara Bharati Swami forcefully
>points out the purpose behind the vivekacUDAmaNi's mention on
>vaidika-dharma-mArga-paratA, instead of vaidIka-karma-marga-paratA.

With due respect to all those mentioned, I must point out that these are
commentaries or texts by the Swamies who have taken up the external
sanyaasa and not by house holders who tried to realize.

Let us get these things clear:

Normally the goal should dictate the means to achieve it.

1. The goal if I want to call it, is independent of the path. aham
brahmaasmi - is the realization and that is the goal.

2. It is not something to gain, something to reach - it is something to
realize.

3. Path is only in terms of purification of the mind.  Realization by the
very word can only be by JNaana of who I am.

4. Path generally should depends on where one is with respect to the goal!
   But the final state in this case is such that the means itself has
no-validity.

5. The four qualifications, viveka, vairaagya, shaTsampatti and
mumukshutvam are        the qualifications for the mind to arrive at a
state to free itself from the pressures of the vaasanas.

6. From the Goal point, external sanyaasa is neither necessary nor
sufficient. - Remember Shankara's sloka in Bhajagovindam - JaTilomundi
lunchita keshaH -

7. In the final analysis it is absolutely incorrect from the goal point to
argue that external sanyaasa is required to arrive at the goal.

8. The path that is right for me is that dictated by my inclinations or
vaasanas - essentially my swadharma.

As along as we are holding to the house as a householder we cannot
obviously realize. If the house is holding us but if we are holding to the
supreme then there is no problem. An external sanyaasi can hold on to his
maTha or ashram or orange robes or even koupeenam or better yet to  his own
notions he is as much of a house holder.  It is the detachment to ahankaara
and mamakaara - I-ness and my-ness that has to be (sanyaased!) from the
point of the goal.

After all said and done, I must also add that possibility exists for the
environment to be conducive with external sanyaasa. It can help one to
arrive at the internal sanyaasa.

Internal sanyaasa is the absolute sanyaasa required for the mind to be free.

I like Giri's final advise.

Just surrender to that - that will guide what is right for you.

In the final analysis:

        akartaaham abhoktaaham ahamevaayamavyayaH|

I am neither doer nor enjoyer, I alone am,  indestructible or unlimited I am.
How can I be a house holder or a sanyaasii!

Hari Om!
Sadananda











K. Sadananda
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