[Advaita-l] yati dharma & daNDa prAshashtya

[Venkata sriram P]

Dear Sriramji,
 
Yati dharma says “kritvOpavAsamEkaM cha prANAyAmashataM charEt”.
 
So, upavAsa dIkSha should be followed by 100 prANAyAmAs.
 
It further says that “pramAdEna daNDa tyAgaH pramAdEna daNDadhAraNaM 
ubhayaM api niShiddhaM”
 
There are regulations for daNDa, kamaNDala & kaupIna (ekavastra) tyAga 
before adopting paramahamsa dharma and the yatIs should never leave 
their staff of their own whims and fancies.  Also, at the loss of daNDa, 
they should not accept new staff with their own will from every tom, dick & harry.  
That is what the above vAkya emphasizes “ubhayaM api niShiddhaM”.  
 
The tyAga of daNDa & kamaNDala should be “shruti vihita” and not “shruti viruddha”.  
 
Unfortunately, what we see today is “shruti viruddha sanyAsa” and the most 
concerned aspect is that they console themselves thinking that it is “vidwat sanyAsa”.   
 
That said, daNDa & kamaNDala is only meant for brAhmaNa sanyAsIs and not for kShatriya & vaiShya yatIs.   ShUdra sanyAsIs are called “shramaNAs” and they don’t fall under the category of the traivarnika sanyAsIs.   
 
Regs,
Sriram