sannyAsa (fwd)

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 13:51:34 GMT
> <address removed>
> To: msr at tamu.edu
> Subject: sanyAsa
>
>
> I would like to have a proper translation of the Sanskrit term
> 'sanyAsa' (as in 'karma-sanyAsa-yogah' in the text of gitA).
>
> I would appreciate any help in this regard.
>
> <signature removed>

By itself, saMnyAsa is derived by adding the prefix saM to the word nyAsa.
saMnyAsa means renunciation, and implies something more than the word
tyAga. It involves the ultimate "letting go," the giving up of all karma.

The term karma-saMnyAsa-yoga is found in the colophons of the chapters of
the gItA. Each chapter (adhyAya) is titled a yoga. Thus, we have the
standard sentence, "iti SrImad-bhagavad-gItAsu upanishatsu brahmavidyAyAM
yogaSAstre SrIkRshNArjuna samvAde ...... yogo nAma .... adhyAyaH."

Chapter 2 is called sAMkhya-yoga, chapter 3 is called karma-yoga or
karma-praSaMsA-yoga, chapter 4 is called karma-saMnyAsa-yoga or jnAna yoga
and so on. The gist of what is taught as karma-saMnyAsa is found in verses
38-42, the concluding portion of chapter 4. Also note the recurring phrase
in SankarAcArya's commentary, "sarva-karma-saMnyAsa-pUrvaka," used along
with jnAna. In one sense, karma-saMnyAsa-yoga is the art of nishkAmya
karma, and in another sense, it refers to the complete renunciation of all
karma, including giving up the desire to perform any karma.

Vidyasankar

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