[Advaita-l] ***UNCHECKED*** Re: Sanyasin and his duties toward his ancestors

[K Kathirasan]

Namaste Sri ji,

When attempting to interpret statements from shastra-s, it is important that we are familiar with the two lifestyle-s promoted by the Vedas. To provide clarity, Shankara, in his preface to the Bhagavad Gita Bhashya, states "For, the dharma revealed in the Vedas is of two kinds—one characterized by action, and the other by renunciation” and also states that the Rishi parampara is also different for both lifestyles (one by the Prajapati-s and the other by Sanaka, Sanandana etc.). These two lifestyles are essential as they sustain the world by appealing to people of two human dispositions, namely that which hankers Abhyudaya (Artha, Kama & Dharma) and the other Nihshreyasa (Liberation).

So the conflict that you see is only apparent because the Agastya story is meant for those who value Abhyudaya and the other one is meant for those who are called Sankhya-s (the contemplatives or the renunciates) by the Bhagavad Gita (3.3). 

Warmest Regards,
Kathirasan K

> On 12 Jul 2023, at 9:52 AM, Srimugunthan Dhandapani <srimugunthan.d at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Trying to understand the consequence to ancestors,
> In the agastya story
> https://www.hindu-blog.com/2021/07/upside-down-ancestors-of-sage-agastya.html
> the ancestors suffer.
> But it is also mentioned that due to one's renunciation, the seven
> previous generations are blessed when one takes up sanyasa.
> I am confused by this apparent contradiction.
> 
> On Tue, Jul 11, 2023 at 2:24 PM K Kathirasan via Advaita-l
> <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Namaste Sri ji,
>> 
>> The answer you are seeking is provided by a number of Upanishads that are called the Sannyasa Upanishad-s. Here is a good book, without the original Sanskrit verses though, that you can consult: https://archive.org/details/SamnyasaUpanishads
>> 
>> Warmest Regards,
>> Kathirasan K
>> 
>>> On 11 Jul 2023, at 1:01 PM, Srimugunthan Dhandapani via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hi all,
>>> I am trying to understand sanyasa dharma and a householder's dharma.
>>> For a householder , not doing pinda darpan alone results in pithru dosha.
>>> 
>>> On the other hand, If one takes up sanyasa, then he renounces his family
>>> relations and his relationship with his parents. So he cant
>>> 
>>> 1. Take care of his parents when they are old.
>>> 2. Will not have a child . So he doesnt help in the Propagation of his
>>> family clan or growing the family lineage.
>>> 3. Will not offer pinda darpana or shradda ceremony to their ancestors
>>> 
>>> But sanyasa is hailed as supreme. In common perception, all of the
>>> above causes pain to his parents and indirectly to his ancestors too.
>>> 
>>> Shouldn't there be a consequence of a renunciate not-doing of
>>> pinda-darpana to his ancestors, not taking care of parents doing old
>>> age, not having a
>>> offspring for the propagation of the clan?  Is it considered during
>>> the sanyasa rituals ?
>>> 
>>> what does the scriptures say about the consequence for sanyasin as well as
>>> the consequence to his parents and ancestors?
>>> 
>>> Thanks for answering.
>>> -Sri
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