Sat-Nyāsa – The Ecstatic Life of Pure Devotion (The Authorised Tridaṇḍi-Sannyāsa)

On the occasion of the 50th sannyāsa anniversary of Śrīla B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja, we are pleased to present an excerpt from an unpublished manuscript he began in 1998. Mahārāja had intended to compose a comprehensive work on tridaṇḍi-sannyāsa, including summaries of the seventeen Sannyāsa Upaniṣads, a history of sannyāsa in various sampradāyas, the Bhikṣu-gītā, Mahāprabhu’s sannyāsa-līlā, and Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s teachings on sannyāsa. Due to other service commitments, the complete work did not come to fruition. Nevertheless, Mahārāja left us the first section – unfinished, yet rich with numerous insightful points concerning the sannyāsa-āśrama.

Ekadaṇḍa & Tridaṇḍa in the Upaniṣads

In the Mukti Upaniṣad, verses 30-39, there is a description of 108 Upaniṣads. Of these 108 Upaniṣads, previous ācāryas have referred to the following seventeen as the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads:

Avadhūta Upaniṣad Āruṇya Upaniṣad Kathārudra Upaniṣad Kuṇḍikā Upaniṣad Jābāla Upaniṣad Turīyatīta Upaniṣad Nārada-parivrājaka Upaniṣad Nirvāṇa Upaniṣad Parabrahma Upaniṣad Paramahaṁsa-parivrājaka Upaniṣad Paramahaṁsa Upaniṣad Brahma Upaniṣad Bhikṣu Upaniṣad Maitreyā Upaniṣad Yājñavalkya Upaniṣad Satyāyanī Upaniṣad Sannyāsa Upaniṣad

In each of the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads, various characteristics, qualifications, rituals, and other particulars concerning the ultimate goal of self-realisation, attainable through acceptance of the renounced order of life, sannyāsa, are described.

It has long been the practice of commentators from the Advaita Vedānta school to give an impersonal interpretation of the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads. This is primarily an attempt to justify the sannyāsa of Śaṅkarācārya, commonly known as ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa. In fact, however, the word ekadaṇḍa (single staff) is not found anywhere in the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads. The word tridaṇḍa (triple staff), by contrast, does appear numerous times in the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads, as well as in other Vedic scriptures such as the Manu Saṁhitā.

kapālaṁ vṛkṣa-mūlāni kucelāny-asahāyatā samatā caiva sarvasmin naitan muktasya lakṣaṇam sarva-bhūta-hitaḥ śāntas tridaṇḍī sa kamaṇḍaluḥ ekārāmaḥ parivrajya bhikṣārthaṁ grāma māviśet

Carrying a bowl (skull) for collecting alms, residing under the shade of a tree, wearing old and torn cloth, maintaining solitude and equanimity in all things, such is the characteristic of the liberated. Compassionate to all beings, calm, carrying a tridaṇḍa and a water pot, delighting in the Supreme – thus having become a sannyāsī, he may enter the village for alms. (Nārada-parivrājaka Upaniṣad 55)

vāg daṇḍo’tha mano daṇḍaḥ kāya daṇḍaḥ tathaiva ca yasyaite nihatā buddhau tridaṇḍīti sa ucyate

Philosophically, the restraints symbolised by the three daṇḍas are vāg-daṇḍa [restraint of speech], kāya-daṇḍa [restraint of the bodily senses], and mano-daṇḍa [restraint of the mind]. (Manu Saṁhitā 12.10)

There are six stages of sannyāsa mentioned in the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads, namely, kuṭicaka, bahudaka, parivrajaka, paramahaṁsa, turīya, and avadhūta.The kuṭicaka is a renunciate who lives at home in a modest hut, practicing austerity and simple devotion. Bahudaka is a mendicant who leaves home and begs for alms, going door to door. The parivrājaka is a monk who roams continuously, living entirely by alms and renunciation. The paramahaṁsa is a highly advanced sannyāsī whose mind is completely absorbed in the Supreme. Turīya is a renunciate in the fourth state of consciousness, who has transcends waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. The final stage is the avadhūta – a liberated soul who has discarded all social norms, conventions, and personal identity. All these stages of sannyāsa do indeed belong to the noble order of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa.

sa sannyāsaḥ ṣaḍ-vidho bhavati kuṭīcakaḥ bahūdakaḥ haṁsa-paramahaṁsa-turīyātetāvadhūtāś ceti

Renunciation is of six kinds –* kuṭicaka, bahudaka, haṁsa, paramahaṁsa, turīya, and avadhūta. *(Sannyāsa Upaniṣad 13)

The significance of the use of the word tridaṇḍa is that the stage of renunciation achieved through the sacrifice and dedication of one’s body, mind, and words (kāya, mana, vākya) is the process by which one becomes established in transcendence, thus entering into an ecstatic life of pure devotional service to the Supreme Absolute Truth.

Each of the three staffs of the tridaṇḍa corresponds to devotional service performed by the use of one’s body, mind, and words. The use of the word ekadaṇḍa (single staff) by the followers of Śaṅkarācārya signifies that the jīvātmā (soul) is one in all respects with Brahman. There is certainly a gulf of difference between the end result of the *tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa *and that of the ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsa. One, the tridaṇḍa-sannyāsī, enters into eternal blissful life with the Supreme Lord, while the other, the ekadaṇḍa-sannyāsī, attempts the total annihilation of his individuality by merging into Brahman.

In the case of the Vaiṣṇava mendicants known as Mādhva* sannyāsīs* who carry the single staff (ekadaṇḍa), it is unanimously agreed among them that their single staff actually represents the tridaṇḍa, or devotional service to the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu by body, mind, and words. According to Mādhvācārya, there are three daṇḍas in one. Śaṅkarācārya adopted the single staff from the already existing order.

It is a fact that the Upaniṣads frequently mention the stage of Brahman realisation, but it is only through faulty interpretations that Brahman is established as the ultimate achievement in self-realisation. Brahman realisation is the preliminary stage of self-realisation, wherein one realises one’s self as a particle of Brahman, indestructible and eternal.

The ekadaṇḍa of Śaṅkarācārya represents the faulty or speculative conclusion that the living entity is one with and non-different from Brahman in all respects. The followers of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa, however, such as Śrīpāda Viṣṇusvāmī, Śrīpāda Rāmānujācārya, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are quite clear on the point that realisation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead via the path of service, sacrifice, and self-surrender is indeed the last or highest stage of self-realisation, not merging with Brahman.

Śaṅkarācārya’s False Doctrine

The opinions of Śaṅkarācārya are not supported by the direct statements of the Vedas and therefore he has adopted the method of indirect interpretation, or word jugglery, to support his theory of Advaita Vedānta.

sarva-veda-sūtre kare kṛṣṇera abhidhāna mukhya-vṛtti chāḍi’ kaila lakṣaṇā-vyākhyāna

In all the Vedic sūtras and literatures, it is Lord Kṛṣṇa who is to be understood, but the followers of Śaṅkarācārya have covered the real meaning of the Vedas with indirect explanations. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.131)

According to the Vedic version, the jīvātmā is an eternal, distinct, and conscious part of the Supreme. Thus, the jīvātmā cannot be equal to the Supreme, for the living entity’s constitutional position is that of a servitor. The jīvātmā is inherently meant to serve and enjoy in relationship with the Absolute Truth, not to claim identity as the Absolute Himself. Śaṅkarācārya has described the meaning of all Vedic literatures in his own novel way; however, one who hears those explanations is spiritually endangered.

jīvera nistāra lāgi’ sūtra kaila vyāsa māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa

Vyāsa created the Vedānta-sūtra to deliver the jīvas, yet if one hears the māyāvāda commentary on it, one is ruined. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 6.169)

The māyāvāda philosophy is so degraded that it has taken the insignificant living entities to be the Supreme Absolute Truth, thus covering the glory and supremacy of the Absolute Truth with impersonalism (monism). If one considers himself equal to the Supreme, he immediately becomes an offender and misses the opportunity to approach the ultimate destination. Mukti, or liberation, refers to freedom from material existence – the negative existence in which birth, old age, disease, and death prevail. Yet, mukti is only the beginning of the solution to the problems confronting the jīvātmā in material life.

The jīvātmā, by nature of his intrinsic relationship with the Absolute Truth as a part and parcel, seeks a positive connection with the Supreme, wherein he can attain the stage of ānanda – supreme bliss or inner fulfillment:

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke* jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ manaḥ-śaśthānindriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati*

The living entities in this material existence are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they struggle very hard with the six senses, which include the mind. *(*Bhagavad-gītā 15.7)

Unless the jīvātmā approaches the Absolute Truth with the meditation that he is indeed a part and parcel of the Supreme – a unit of serving consciousness, cit-kāṇa, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā – there is no chance of attaining the stage of ānanda or supreme bliss. Ānanda is the potency of the Absolute Truth by which He experiences pleasure, and by which He allows all His parts and parcels, the jīvātmās, to experience the same.

The pleasure of ānanda is categorically different from the so-called pleasure of material existence, which is derived from the exploitation of material senses. Ānanda is the bliss experienced by the jīvātmā engaged in satisfying the transcendental senses of the Supreme by service and surrender.

tāra madhye mokṣa-vāñchā kaitava-pradhāna yāhā haite kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya antardhāna

The foremost process of cheating is to desire to achieve liberation by merging into the Supreme, for this causes the permanent disappearance of loving service to Kṛṣṇa. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 1.92)

As long as one contemplates his identity as non-different from the Absolute Truth, service and surrender are factually impossible. Therefore, Śaṅkarācārya has unintentionally misled many in this age regarding self-realisation.

By considering the jīvātmā to be the Supreme Absolute Truth, the school of Śaṅkarācārya has deviated from the authorised Vedic literatures to such an extent that the actual glory and dignity of the jīvātmā as an eternal servitor of the Absolute Truth has been completely obscured. Due to this faulty conception, followers remain intellectually adorned but spiritually ignorant – they remain in the darkness of avidyā, which they initially sought to overcome.

Śaṅkarācārya, however, is not directly at fault, for he acted under the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One may ask why, since Śaṅkarācārya is accepted as an incarnation of Lord Śiva – the greatest of all Vaiṣṇavas – he would lead people astray. The answer is that he acted on the order of his spiritual master. This is confirmed in the Padma Purāṇa, wherein Lord Viṣṇu instructs Lord Śiva:

dvāparadau yuge bhūtvā* kālaya manuṣādiṣu svāgamaīḥ kalpitaiḥ tvam ca janan mad-vimukhan kuru*

In Kali-yuga, mislead the people in general by propounding imaginary meanings for the Vedas in order to bewilder them. (Padma Purana, Uttara-khaṇḍa, 88.106)

Also in the Padma Purāṇa, Lord Śiva informs His consort ,Pārvatī:

māyāvādaṁ asac-śāstram pracchannam bauddham ucyate mayāiva kalpitam devī kalau brahmana-rūpiṇā

O goddess, in the age of Kali, I will appear in the form of a brāhmaṇa to preach the false doctrine of māyāvāda which is simply covered Buddhism. (Padma Purāṇa 6.236.7)

brahmaṇas cāparam rūpam nirguṇam vakṣyate mayā sarvasvaṁ jagato ’py asya mohanārtham kalau yuge

I will talk about the Brahman who is without qualities in order to bewilder the whole world in Kali-yuga. (Padma Purāṇa 6.235.10)

vedārthan maha-śāstram māyāvādam avaidikam* mayaiva kathitam devi jagatam naśa-karanat*

This powerful doctrine of māyāvāda resembles the Vedas, but is by nature non-Vedic. O goddess, I propagate this philosophy in order to destroy the world. (Padma Purāṇa 6.236.11)

Thus, the misrepresentation of the jīvātmā*’s* position is not due to Śaṅkarācārya’s ignorance, but a divine arrangement intended to protect the principle of the Absolute in a challenging age, while still providing the opportunity for sincere seekers to engage in devotional service, the true means to supreme bliss.

The foregone conclusion is that the philosophical basis of ekādaṇḍa-sannyāsa as propounded by Śaṅkarācārya is unauthorised. Only tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa is sanctioned in the Vedas*, Purāṇas, Upaniṣads*, and Manu Saṁhitā. Indeed, a careful study of these literatures reveals that, except for the order of tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa, no other system of mendicant life is recommended to attain life’s ultimate goal.

The Avadhūta Upaniṣad

The first Sannyāsa Upaniṣad is the Avadhūta Upaniṣad, which forms part of the Kṛṣṇa-Yajur Veda. This Upaniṣad is ranked as the leading Sannyāsa Upaniṣad because it was spoken by Dattātreya, the famous avadhūta saṅnyāsi, and also because it describes the stage of complete equilibrium, the avadhūta stage, by which one is freed from the saṁsāra of birth and death, thus attaining supreme immortality.

In the avadhūta stage, one realises the state of supreme bliss, ānanda, derived by full absorption of the body, mind, and words in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The instructions given in the Upaniṣads by great ṛṣis (sages), although ultimately bringing one to the realisation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nonetheless frequently address either Brahman or Paramātmā, the two lesser stages of self-realisation. Such is the case with the teaching of Dattātreya, who seems (at least overtly) to have stressed Brahman realisation.

Due to having preached the Brahman conception (impersonal conception of God consciousness) to persons like Alarka, the sage Dattātreya has been considered by great Vaiṣṇava ācāryas such as Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī to be an incarnation of Buddha. Although preaching jñāna (knowledge transcendental to material existence), the philosophy of Dattātreya has been compared to a ‘dangerous creature’ in the ocean of aneśa-vidyā (nescience). This is because the teachings of Dattātreya, while putting forth allurements in the form of mystic power, have neglected to directly glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus, even after receiving the teachings of Dattātreya, the living entities (jīvātmās) remain in a bewildered state of material existence. The same was said of Śrīla Vyāsadeva by Nārada Muni, when Vyāsa compiled the Vedānta-sūtra but failed to directly glorify the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa.

Yet, from the authoritative scripture Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, we learn that Dattātreya was actually an empowered incarnation of Godhead, a śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Dattātreya was born of highly spiritual parents, namely the sage Atri and his wife Anasūyā:

ṣaṣṭhaṁ ātrer āpatyatvaṁ* vṛtaḥ prāpto ’nasūyāyā anvīkṣikiṁ ālarkāya prahlādādibhya ucvān*

The sixth incarnation of the puruṣa was the son of the sage Atri. He was born from the womb of Anasūyā, who prayed for an incarnation. He spoke on the subject of transcendence to Alarka, Prahlāda, and others (Yadu, Haihaya, etc.).* (**Śrīmad Bhāgavatam *1.3.11)

The story of the birth of Dattātreya is also mentioned in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa. Therein it is stated that Anasūyā prayed to the guṇāvatāras, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, “My Lords, if you are pleased with me, and if you desire me to ask from you some sort of blessings, then I pray that you combine together to become my son.”

This was accepted by the Lords, and thus Anasūyā gave birth to three sons – Soma, Dattātreya, and Durvāsa. Soma was a partial representation of Lord Brahmā, Dattātreya was a partial representation of Lord Viṣṇu (śaktyāveśa), and Durvāsa was a partial representation of Lord Śiva. Anasūyā, as it were, was impregnated by the tears of Atri, which also indicates the exceptional birth of her sons.

Dattātreya is known as the master of all mystic power, and his system of yoga is commonly known as sāṅkhya-yoga. In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.3, a list of incarnations is given in which we find the name of Dattātreya. In that list, Dattātreya is considered a līlāvatāra, and because he and the others listed all appear on the same day of Brahmā, they are also known as kalpāvatāras. Thus, it is not speculation on our part if we are to ascribe divinity to the personality of Dattātreya.

Although Dattātreya is often counted among the impersonalists – and indeed is most glorified by the followers of Śaṅkarācārya – we must ultimately consider him a Vaiṣṇava, and specifically a tridaṇḍi-sannyāsi.

A careful look at the Avadhūta Upaniṣad reveals that, although seemingly intending to indicate Brahman as the final achievement, the goal is made clear in the closing verses by Dattātreya, wherein he states irrevocably that one should always remember Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa), knowing oneself to be neither the cause nor the doer of anything:

devarcanā-snānā-sauca-bhikṣādau vartetatam vāpuḥ* taram japati vak tadvat patatvam āmnaya mastakam*

Let the body of an avadhūta be engaged fully in the worship of the Supreme Lord. He should bathe, be clean, and eat only the remnants of the Lord’s mercy. He should loudly repeat the sacred mantra (tāraka-mantra) om, along with utterance of the Lord’s holy name. He should always be engaged in reciting the Vedic passages. *(**Avadhūta Upaniṣad *27)

viṣṇum dhyāyatu dhīryadvā, brahmanande vileyuktaṁ* sākṣyāhaṁ kiñcidapyatra na kure na pi karaye*

Knowing one’s self to be the nature of Brahman, to be only a witness to everything, knowing that he is neither the doer nor the cause of any action, the avadhūta should always engage the mind in remembering the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Thus will he experience supreme bliss, ānanda. *(**Avadhūta Upaniṣad *25)

There is a categorical difference between the process of meditation known as dhyānam and the stage of remembrance known as smaraṇam. Dhyānam is the practice of training the mind to remain fixed on the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, whereas smaraṇam is the stage of awakening which occurs when one fully realises his eternal constitutional position, replete with all designated variegatedness in devotional service. Such is the ultimate stage of sannyāsa known as avadhūta.

akṣaratvād-varenyatvād-dhuta-saṁsāra-bandhanāt* tattvamasyādi-lakṣyatvād avadhūta itiryate*

The word avadhūta indicates the highest stage of self-realisation. The syllable ‘a’ stands for akṣara, which means unconditioned, or one who has realised pure spiritual existence, that which can never be annihilated. The syllable ‘va’ stands for varenyam, which means the greatest of all, the most venerated, the supremely worshipable object, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The syllable ‘dhu’ stands for dhutākhilasuṣṭha, meaning completely purified of all material desires and contaminations, or dhuta-saṁsāra-bandhana, meaning the stage of being freed from the bondage of material existence. The syllable ‘*tat’ *means knowledge, as in tat-tvam-asi, which indicates the nature of the living entity as Brahman. *(**Avadhūta Upaniṣad *2)

In a famous work known as the Avadhūta-gītā, often attributed to the sage Dattātreya, there is a description of the meaning of avadhūta as follows:

āśā-pāśa-vinirmuktaḥ ādi-madhyānta-nirmalaḥ* ānande vartate nityam-akāraṁ tasya lakṣaṇam vāsanā-varjitā yena vaktavyaṁ ca nirāmayaṁ vartamāneṣu varteta vakāraṁ tasya lakṣaṇam dhuli-dhusara-gātrāṇi dhuta-citto nirāmayaḥ dhāraṇādhyāna-nirmukto dhukāras-tasya lakṣaṇam tattva-cintā dhṛtā yena cintā-ceṣṭā-vivarjitaḥ tamo’haṁkāra-nirmuktas takāraḥ tasya lakṣaṇam*

The significance of the letter ‘a’ is that the avadhūta is free from the bondage of desires, is pure in the beginning, middle, and end, and is eternally experiencing the joy of the self. The syllable ‘va’ is indicative of him by whom all desires for worldliness have been renounced, whose speech is wholesome because he does not speak about topics which do not concern the ultimate goal of life, and who dwells always in the present, not caring for the past or the future. The syllable ‘dhu’ is a sign of him whose limbs are grey with dust (not caring where he sits or sleeps), whose mind is purified, who is freed from diseases resulting from the reactions of past sinful activities, and who does not depend upon rules, regulations, or even meditation (dhyānam), because he has already achieved perfection. The syllable ‘ta’ signifies him by whom the thought of Truth has been made steady, who is devoid of all mundane thoughts and efforts, and who is free from ignorance and egoism. Such a person is known as an avadhūta. *(**Avadhūta-gītā *8. 6-9)

We find in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa that Dattareya himself gives instructions to King Akarka in how one should become a tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī:

tyakta-saṅgo jita-krodho laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ* *pidhāya buddhyā dvārāṇi mano dhyāne niveśayet

*śūnyeṣvevāvakāśeṣu guhāsu ca vaneṣu ca *nitya-yuktaḥ sadā yogī dhyānaṃ samyag upakramet

*vāg-daṇḍo karma-daṇḍaśca mano-daṇḍaś ca te trayaḥ *yasyaite niyatā daṇḍāḥ sa tridaṇḍī mahā-yatiḥ

One who has renounced attachment, has conquered anger, takes minimal food, and has controlled the senses, should, by restraining the doors of the mind with intelligence, firmly establish the mind in meditation. Whether in empty spaces, in caves, or in forests, a yogī, always engaged in the proper practice of meditation, should continuously undertake dhyāna (meditation) with steadiness. The three staffs — the staff of speech, the staff of action, and the staff of mind – when properly observed and regulated, mark one as a great tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī. (Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa 41.20-22)

In the sampradāya of Rāmānujācārya, it is also accepted that Dattātreya was a tridaṇḍī. In Melukote in Karnataka, it is said that Dattātreya taught his disciples the Vedas on the banks of the Veda Puṣkariṇī. Later, when Rāmānuja was persecuted by the Śaivite king of Tamil Nadu, he escaped in disguise by dressing in white cloth and came to Melukote. When he arrived, he immediately went to Veda Puṣkariṇī, took bath, and again took up his saffron cloth and tridaṇḍa in front of the shrine of the ancient tridaṇḍī-sannyāsī, Dattātreya.

Throughout the writings of the followers of Śaṅkarācārya on the Upaniṣads, we find that greater importance is given to the mantra tat-tvam–asi, rather than to oṁ. According to Śaṅkarācārya’s interpretation, tat-tvam-asi means ‘thou art that’ or ‘the living entity is itself the Supreme Brahman.’ However, such conclusions are never the statements of the Vedas. It is actually the purpose of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to present om as the reservoir of all Vedic knowledge.

‘tat-tvam-asi’ jīva-hetu pradeśika vākyā praṇava nā mani tāre kahe mahā-vākya

The subsidiary vibration tat-tvam-asi (‘you are the same’) is meant for the understanding of the living entity, but the principal vibration is oṁkāra. Not caring for oṁkāra, Śaṅkarācārya has stressed the vibration tat-tvam-asi. *(**Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā *6.175)

praṇava se mahā-vākya vedera nidāna* īśvara-svarūpa praṇava sarva-viśva-dhāma*

The Vedic sound vibration oṁkāra, the principal word in the Vedic literatures, is the basis of all Vedic vibrations. Therefore one should accept oṁkāra as the sound representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the reservoir of the cosmic manifestation. *(**Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā *7.128)

Oṁ is the principal Vedic mantra. All Vedic mantras begin with oṁ, because oṁ is the supreme sound. Oṁ is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

vedyam pavitraṁ oṁkāra

I am the object of knowledge, the purifier, and the syllable oṁ. (Bhagavad-gītā 9.17)

Stressing the identity of the living entity (jīvātmā) as being nondifferent from the Supreme Brahman, Śaṅkarācārya has neglected the importance of oṁ and given all importance to tat–tvam-asi, ‘thou art that’ or so’ham, ‘I am that.’ Such conclusions on the part of Śaṅkarācārya are certainly imperfect and have indeed created great havoc in society.

sarvāśraya īśvarera praṇava uddesa* ‘tat tvam asi’ vākya haya vedera ekadeśa*

It is the purpose of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to present praṇava (oṁkāra) as the reservoir of all Vedic knowledge. The words tat tvam asi are only a partial explanation of the Vedic knowledge. *(**Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā *7.129)

‘praṇava, mahā-vākya tāhā kari’ acchadana* mahā-vākya kari ‘tat tvam asi’ rā sthāpana*

Praṇava (oṁkāra) is the mahā-vākya (mahā-mantra) in the Vedas. Śaṅkarācārya’s followers cover this to stress without authority the mantra tat tvam asi. *(**Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā *7.130)

sarva-veda-sūtre kare kṛṣṇera abhidhāna* mukhya-vṛtti chāḍi kāilā lakṣaṇa-vyākhyāna*

In all the Vedic sūtras and literatures, it is Lord Kṛṣṇa who is to be understood, but the followers of Śaṅkarācārya have covered the real meaning of the Vedas with indirect explanations. *(**Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā *7.131)

The best way of understanding the meaning of the Vedic scriptures is to accept the verses as they are without interpretation.

upaniṣat-sahita sūtra kahe yei tattva* mukhya-vṛttye sei artha paramā mahattva*

The Absolute Truth is described by the Upaniṣads and Brahma-sūtra, but one must understand the verses as they are. That is the supreme glory in understanding. *(**Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā *7.108)

Oṁ is declared throughout the Vedas as the reservoir of all energies of the Supreme Lord, and therefore it is given the most importance in the Vedic version. The words om ity etad brahmaṇo nediṣṭam nāma (Ṛg Veda) indicate the first goal. One should begin all devotional mantras by uttering oṁ, as in oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramam padam sadā, “the lotus feet of Viṣṇu are supreme and above all” (Ṛg Veda). The mantra tat-tvam-asi (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.8.7) indicates the second goal. One should perform all sacrifice, penance, and charity with the word tat. This is the opinion of Bhagavad-gītā.

oṁ tat sat iti nirdeśo* brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ brahmaṇas tena vedas ca yajñas ca vihitaḥ purā*

tasmād om iti udāhṛtya* yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ pravartante vidhāno’ktaḥ satatam brahma-vādinaṁ*

tad iti anabhisaṁdhyaḥ* phalaṁ yajña-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ dāna-kriyās ca vividhāḥ kriyante mokṣa-kāṅkṣibhiḥ*

From the beginning of creation, the three words om tat sat were used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth. These three symbolic representations were used by brāhmaṇas while chanting the hymns of the Vedas and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme. Therefore, transcendentalists undertaking performance of sacrifice, charity, and penance in accordance with scriptural regulations begin always with oṁ, to attain the Supreme. Without desiring fruitive results, one should perform various kinds of sacrifice, penance, and charity with the word tat. The purpose of such transcendental activities is to get free from material entanglement. *(**Bhagavad-gītā *17.23–25)

According to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, in the commentary on both the Gāyatrī-mantra and the Vedānta-sūtra, the Absolute Truth has three phases of realisation: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān.

vadanti tat tattva-vidāḥ* tattvam yajjñānam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate*

Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā, or Bhagavān. *(**Śrīmad Bhāgavatam *1.2.11)

The conclusion is that nowhere in the Vedic literatures is it said that the living entity is itself the Supreme Brahman. Brahman is indeed the constitutional position of the living entity – distinct from matter, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā. But it is the Absolute Truth, Supreme Lord Himself, who is the basis of Brahman.

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham* amṛtasyavyasya ca sasvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca*

I am the basis of Brahman, which is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness, and which is immortal, imperishable, and eternal. *(**Bhagavad-gītā *14.27)

Thus, Brahman is the stage of realisation, specifically regarding the quality of the living entity (jīvātmā) as different from matter. It cannot be properly concluded, then, that the living entity (jīvātmā) is itself the Supreme Brahman (Absolute Truth). This is a major defect in the philosophy of Śaṅkarācārya. Both Paramātmā and Bhagavān are stages of transcendental realisation above Brahman, and the living entity’s inner fulfillment is only achieved when coming in contact with the complete conception of the Absolute Truth.

In the stage of Paramātmā realisation, one realises the localised aspect of the Absolute Truth as the Supersoul situated in the heart of the living entity, and in the stage of Bhagavān realisation, one realises the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the living entity’s eternal relationship with the Absolute Truth as an eternal servant, daśo’ham – “I am servant, daśo’ham!”

Thus, tat-tvam-asi actually means “I am of the same nature as Brahman,” tat-tvam-asi, ayam ātmā brahma. Both the Supreme Lord and the living entities are of the same quality, Brahman or non-material substance. That knowledge, when properly cultivated, ultimately takes one to the realisation of Bhagavān Viṣṇu or Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante* jñānavān mām prapadyate**** ***vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me (Kṛṣṇa), knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. *(**Bhagavad-gītā *7.19)

One need not reject the mantra tat-tvam-asi, rather one simply has to accept its proper conclusion and then chant it accordingly. If one utters the mantra tat-tvam-asi according to the direct Vedic meaning, “You are the same nature of Brahman,” thus acknowledging that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then immediately one attains the supreme liberation.

tam eva viditvā mṛtyuṁ eti* nānyaḥ panthaḥ vidyate ‘yanaya’*

One can attain the perfect stage of liberation from birth and death simply by knowing the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and there is no other way to achieve this perfection. (*Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad *3.8)

Thus, the word avadhūta, as found in Avadhūta Upaniṣad, ultimately means that stage of self-realisation wherein one has realised the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa).

The Avadhūta Upaniṣad begins with the questions by Saṁkṛti: “Most venerable Sir, who is an avadhūta? What is his condition? What are his characteristics, and what is his worldly existence?” To him Dattātreya replied that the avadhūta sannyāsī is not required to follow any social custom, such as those followed by the members of the varṇāśrama system, because he is always absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme.

There are four conditions applicable to an avadhūta, namely priya*, mōda, pramōda*, and ānanda. By the use of the word priya, it is meant that the avadhūta is always joyful. He is always joyful because he does not identify with the material world, other than to acknowledge that everything in the universe is owned and controlled by the Supreme Lord.

Mōda means delight, and pramōda means great delight. The avadhūta does not pursue the temporary pleasures sought by the conditioned souls who are in ignorance about their eternal relationship with the Supreme. The avadhūta delights in thoughts and activities which are governed by great attachment for the Absolute Truth. Ānanda (bliss) indicates the internal pleasure potency of Godhead. The avadhūta, being absorbed twenty-four hours a day in devotional thoughts and activities, experiences the greatest transcendental bliss, ānanda.

The avadhūta roams about God’s kingdom freely, with or without clothing. He never contemplates the objects of the senses because he is extremely satisfied within. He generally does not study the śāstra because he has śraddhā (complete faith) and thus he has direct revelation of the Absolute Truth. And he derives great satisfaction and bliss by chanting the tāraka-mantra, oṁ and by remembering the lotus feet of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa).

Regarding the attainment of spiritual realisation, it is always beneficial for one to follow the teachings and instructions of a self-realised soul, but it is extremely detrimental to imitate the higher personalities. Imitation of the higher personalities will always bring about the opposite effect. It is said that the avadhūta-sannyāsī does not study the scriptures (śāstra). Therefore one may mistakenly take it that to achieve the highest stage of self-realisation, the study of the śāstra is not required. This, however, is a great folly, for without the scriptures the jīvātmā cannot find his way out of the darkness of material existence.

One at the stage of avadhūta-sannyāsa may not be found to study the śāstra because he has already crossed all doubts, he is fully surrendered, and he has complete faith (śraddhā) in the Supreme. Ordinarily, the śāstra is for those who have not come to the higher position, who have remaining doubts, who still maintain a separatist mentality, and whose śraddhā (faith) is not complete. Given this situation, it is absolutely necessary to study the śāstra, for by study of the śāstra, one’s doubts are cleared, one feels the urgency to surrender to the Supreme (śaraṇāgati), and one gradually develops complete faith in God. The scriptures of all description are ultimately for this purpose.

This is the sum and substance of the Avadhūta Upaniṣad, and the subsequent Sannyāsa Upaniṣads reiterate that sannyāsa means tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa and the ultimate goal of life is to gain the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by complete dedication of one’s body, mind, and words in the service of the Supreme.

The method for accepting the life of asceticism is recommended in the Āruṇīya Upaniṣad, that one simply has to chant the mantra, sannyāso ‘ham three times. Having done this, one should carry the daṇḍa made of bamboo and wear only a kaupīna (loin-cloth) to cover one’s body. In this way, the sannyāsī should then lead a life of fearlessness, knowing that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is maintaining all living entities and protecting His devotees.

The outward dress of a sannyāsī may vary according to time, place, and circumstances, but the instruction for a sannyāsī to be abhaya (fearless) is consistent throughout. The stage of fearlessness is achieved when one realises, without the shadow of a doubt, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is his only protector.

Corresponding to the qualities of a sannyāsī found in the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads, we also find a concise list of qualities necessary for the proper execution of sannyāsa in Bhagavad-gītā as follows:

abhayam sattva-saṁsuddhir, jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ* dānam damas ca yajñas ca, svādhyāyas tapa arjavam*

ahiṁsā satyam akrodhas, tyāgaḥ santiḥ apaiṣuṇam* dayā bhūteṣu aloluptvam, mardavaṁ hṛir acapalam*

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam, adroho natimānita* bhavanti sampadam daivam, abhijatasya bhārata*

Fearlessness, purification of one’s existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity, and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquillity, aversion to fault-finding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty, and steady determination; vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honour – these transcendental qualities belong to godly men endowed with divine nature. (Bhagavad-gītā 16.1-3)

The sannyāsī of the Āruṇīya Upaniṣad vows to take food as if it were medicine. This means that he vows not to engage in the effort to satisfy his tongue and belly. By this method, the sannyāsī brings his senses under control – taking food only when it is obtained by the grace of the Supreme Lord.

Control of the senses is the paramount necessity of every sannyāsī. This is confirmed by our ācārya, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in the opening verse of his Upadeśāmṛta as follows:

vaco vegam manasaḥ krodha-vegam* jihvā-vegam udaropastha-vegam etaṁ vegan yo visāheṭa dhīraḥ sarvaṁ apimāṁ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyat*

A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger, and the urges of the tongue, belly, and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world. (*Upadeśāmṛta *1)

For such a determined sannyāsī, the earth is his sitting place and his bed as well. He does not use metal cups, plates, bowls, etc. When drinking water, he does so with a vessel made of clay, gourd, or wood. Such a sannyāsī vows to give up passion, anger, greed, delusion, hypocrisy, arrogance, desire, envy, possessiveness, and egotism. Knowing these things to be the cause of material bondage, a sannyāsī must give them up without hesitation.

During the four months of the rainy season (catur-māsa), the sannyāsī should remain stationed at one place. For the remaining eight months of the year, he should travel alone or with one assistant. He should not be desirous of gathering many followers, and he should pray to his disciples to protect his principles of brahmacārya, ahiṁsā, aparigraha, and satya (celibacy, non-violence, renunciation of possessiveness, and truthfulness).

To engage ignorant people in beneficial works, the sannyāsī shall enter the village to collect alms. At the threshold of every house, he should utter the mantra oṁ, or the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. While living in this world, he should always remember the Supreme Abode of Viṣṇu. He should only see the arrangement of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) wherever he looks:

oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam sadā

The lotus feet of Viṣṇu are always above our heads. (Ṛg Veda 1.22.20)

Having attained the stage of enlightenment, paramahaṁsa, the sannyāsī should give up carrying the sannyāsa staff. These are some of the rules and regulations mentioned in the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads for sannyāsa.

Although the Upaniṣads at times give direction toward Brahman realisation, and there is thus room for interpretation in certain instances, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam leaves no room for doubt or question regarding the ultimate goal.

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Further Reading

A Vaiṣṇava Householder’s Hospitality to Guests by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Livelihood of Householder Vaiṣṇavas by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Brāhmaṇa and the Vaiṣṇava – Both are Completely Vedic by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Savings of a Vaiṣṇava by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Begging Alms by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Brāhmaṇism and Vaiṣṇavism by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Marriage System of Bengal by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura