[Advaita-l] Shankara's opinion about Sannyasa for a Kshatriya

[V Subrahmanian]

One topic of discussion often is whether Shankara admitted / approved
Sannyasa for anyone other than a Brahmana. In the BGB 2.10 we have a very
clear statement from Shankara that shows that he did not approve of
Sannyasa for a Kshatriya:

स्वत एव क्षत्रधर्मे युद्धे प्रवृत्तोऽपि तस्माद्युद्धादुपरराम ;
*परधर्मं च भिक्षाजीवनादिकं *कर्तुं प्रववृते ।
 [Arjuna himself having entered the battle field to fight, which is his
svadharma, being a Kshatriya, is now thinking of bhiksaa jivana which is
'para dharma', something that is not prescribed for him.]

From this clear specification that bhikshaa jivanaadi as 'para dharma' for
a Kshatriya, Shankara's opinion about a Kshatriya taking sannyasa is
unambiguous.

While even a brahmachari is admitted to seek bhiksha, the case of Arjuna is
different as he is already a grihastha. So he cannot be said to be thinking
of brahmacharya ashrama. So, by default it is sannyasa related bhiksha
jivanam.

warm regards
subbu