* Prohibition for a renunciate.
Prohibition for a renunciate.
Shri Narayan Muni said:-
For four months of yearly Chaturmas (beginning form Ashadh) ascetics should live together in a village or a city. In calamity at least for two months they are supposed to live together and thereafter can move elsewhere. 1.
An ascetic should perform as many Kruchhra fasts, as many number of towns he goes through, in the rainy season; then only he will get purified. 2.
He should not stay in a village or a city where ill-behaved people live and also a place where any of his relative live even if it is inhabited by good people. 3.
A village that is tormented by thieves, defiled by killing of a Brahmin etc; where there is famine, or national calamity (anarchy) or even in rainy season an ascetic should leave that place immediately. 4.
An ascetic should cut his hair only on full moon day with interval of two months. In rainy season he should not cut hair nor should cross rivers. 5.
Asana (living), Patra lopa (vessel), Sanchay (storing things), Shishya Sangraha (gathering disciples) and Diva Svapa (sleeping during day time), Vruthalapa (gossip or idle talk), these six things cause bondage to an ascetic (as these are against the prescribed code for him). 6.
Asana:-
If an ascetic lives more than a day in a village and five days in a city, except during rainy season, it is called Asana. 7.
Patra lop:-
On the part of an ascetic who lives on alms, violation of the rule about the alms collecting vessel made of pumpkin, etc. as said before, is Patra lop. 8.
Sanchaya:-
If an ascetic having a set of staff, clothing, etc. stores more for the future use, it is said as Sanchay. 9.
Shishya sangraha:-
To gather disciples for enjoying services, adoration from them and to proliferate himself, but not out of compassion. 10.
Diva svapa:-
Knowledge i.e. enlightenment is a day itself and in relation to it, ignorance is called night; so negligence in learning is said to be Diva swapa i.e. sleep during the day. 11.
Vruthalapa:-
Talking about worldly matters like politics, warfare between kings, complimenting the food got in alms, etc. and not talking about spiritual subjects, is called Vruthalapa. 12.
The ancient scriptures declare that if an ascetic keeps with himself even a penny, he incurs sin of killing one thousand cows, every day. 13.
If he gives a lustful look at a lady even once, he surely goes to the crores of damned hell named kumbhipaka for two Kalpas (innumerable years). 14.
If an ascetic hears about the death of his son, then he is not required to take a bath. However, if he hears about the death of his father or mother he should get purified by taking a bath with clothes on. 15.
If a person fails to perform his duties after taking to renunciate’s life, the king should stamp him with (hot iron) a dog’s paw-shaped stamp and expel him from the kingdom. 16.
If an ascetic sees another hermit busy in cutting grains or tree, cooking, loosing semen, immediately he should take a bath with clothes on. 17.
If an ascetic stores sesame, grains, and gold; and maintains cow, female servant, house and land, he should be expelled from the class of ascetics and if one (as ascetic) happens to look at such a man by any chance, should take a bath. 18.
One who has accepted an ascetic order of life, returns and adopts the householder’s way of life is vilified by all beings, he also incurs sin of killing his father. Such ascetics or hermits should be considered to be of lowest caste, the Chandalas. The king should habituate them and their issues in the Chandala colony. 19-20.
If an ascetic gives his food to others which he has got (in alms), then he is considered to be the killer of the religion by four ways. He consigns that sin to his bestower - giver, to whom he gives, the food itself and to himself. 21.
An ascetic violates the code of conduct, if he eats the food at night, betel nuts and leaf; consumes liquor and meat; uses vehicle, white cloth, a cotton bed (Gaddi) and cotton quilt for sleeping; lives with women and enjoys the sensual pleasures; his family and the donor’s family, surely goes to the deadly hell called Rowrava, forever. 22-23.
If an ascetic asks for alms in two villages by mistake, or wears an upper garment, then he should observe the Chandrayan vow. 24.
An ascetic who damages harvest, tree, creeper, roots, fruits, flowers and leaves, goes to hell called ‘Avichi’. 25.
If he kills small creatures or germs, then he should practise ten Pranayanas. If he sees the sexual union even in a dream, then he should take bath and chant (Om Namo Narayanay) mantra for three thousand times. 26.
If an ascetic, looking at the woman loses his control over sex organ and emits semen, he should fast for three days (nights) and do hundred Pranayanas. 27.
If he emits semen in his dream, then he should take a bath and do ten Pranayanas. Observance of fast is a general rule in case of such seminal discharge for an ascetic. 28.
If he speaks with a lady even innocently, except asking for alms; he should then take a bath, observe a fast and chant the name of Shri Hari. 29.
If a dutiful and religious ascetic even innocently happens to hear anything about a women, which is against the seven rules of celibacy; he should therefore observe all the above mentioned expiations, separately for each event. 30.
If an ascetic out of lust, breaks any of the seven rules knowingly, even once, he should undergo punishment named ‘Taptakrucchra’ along with chanting the name of Shri Hari. 31.
If an ascetic violates the eighth rules of sexual intercourse physically (actually), then he should go in the forest and himself chop off his penis. This is the only punishment for it. 32.
He himself should confess his mistake and move on visiting holy places, and should eat roots and fruits only having controlled his senses. He will be purified by the blessings of saintly persons, (it is expiation for the misdeed). 33.
If a person renounces and then enjoys sex, he becomes a germ in excreta for sixty thousand years. 34.
If he becomes passionate and emits out the semen artificially, he should thus, undergo the ‘Santapana’ vow twice, and utter the Pranava chant for three Lakhs of times. 35.
An ascetic who follows his duty sincerely but speaks lies, then he should undergo a fast for day and night and practise Pranayama for hundred times. 36
Having alms everyday from the same house; taking liquor, meat, food prepared for Shraddha and eating salt directly; all these are banned for a enunciate. If unknowingly he breaks any of the above stated rules, he should expiate it by observing ‘Prajapatya - krucchr’ vow along with chanting the names of Vishnu. 37-38.
If by mistake, he fails to observe the above said bans by speech, mind or physique, he should then confess them before worthy saintly persons and observe atonement according to their advice. 39.
If an ascetic who follows all the duties prescribed by the Smritis without fail, he attains Bhrahmaloka, is desired by ascetics. 40.
An ascetic who follows all the duties prescribed for a renunciate along with devotion towards Lord Hari, surely attains the abode of Lord Hari. 41.
Some Munis say that renunciation is of three types - Jnana- Sannyasa, Karma- Sanyasa and Veda-Sanyasa. 42.
One who is free from all worldly bondages, is above dualities, fearless and established in his inner self, he is called a ‘Jnyana- sannyasin’. 43.
Vedasanyasi is one having control over his senses, who is constantly engaged in study of the Vedas, who is above dualities, who has no possessions and who aspires for liberation. 44.
He is said to be a Karmasanyasin who (after performing his duties towards the sacred fire) consigning it to his inner self, who offers everything to the supreme self and who is absorbed in performing the great sacrifice (Japa yajna - chanting Pranava i.e Aumkar), all the time. 45.
The first one is considered to be the greatest of all these three. As learned he is, he does not require any duties to be performed and nor any outward mark (like Danda). 46.
If due to intense detachment an ascetic develops knowledge and devotion in Hari, then he should abandon marks like Danda. 47.
One who knowing that because of past karma (Prarabdha) this body and everything related to it have come and happiness and sorrow are the result of that Karma. He (being no more subject to any rule or duty of his Ashrama) may give up signs and practice of that Ashrama and wander freely on this earth. 48.
Such an ascetic the knower of the truth, devoid of (rules of ) cast and stage may pursue his spiritual practices living in solitary place, unknown to the society being mystery to all beings. 49.
Such a sage may behave like an intoxicated or child or dull and dumb person on this earth. Satisfied by whatever he gets (in alms), having control over his senses, engaged in spiritual practices leading to liberation; Ever absorbed in the supreme joy, desire less and having no possessions; happiness pours on such a sage from every quarter just like the water from all directions runs to the ocean. 50-51.
O Brahmin! such a renunciate who is established in Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and has attained supreme auspicious stage, is said to be the great liberated soul. 52.
O Brahmin! Those renunciates who established in Savikalpa Samadhi (established in self knowledge), and advancing towards the experience of the supreme self, are said to be Jnanimuktah. 53.
Those belong to the three castes, who have abandoned household and duties of their stage, due to intense detachment, and live a good pious life are called Vaishnavs in real sense. 54.
Those renunciates should win over greed, desire for sensual pleasures, lust, attachment and ego all the time serve Lord Hari whole heartedly. 55. The general rules told for renunciates in common are applicable to all renunciates of the four casts and four stages, who are initiated in Vaishnav tradition (Vishnu Diksha) - either common or advanced one. The special rules of Vaishnav initiation are to be known separately. 56-57.
O you best of the Brahmins! I have now told you all the rules regarding all the castes and Ashramas. Whoever will read it or hear it will surely have a steady mind towards religious practices. 58.
Thus ends the forty-first chapter entitled, ‘narration of actions to be discarded by a renunciate and atonement for violation in the code of renunciate,’ in the fifth Prakaran of Satsangi jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra. (the rules of the code of conduct). 41