संन्यास
Sannyasa
saṃnyāsa
In simple words
Sannyasa means renunciation. It can mean becoming a monk who leaves home, or it can mean an inner letting go that anyone can practise while still living and working.
What is it?
Sannyasa (literally 'laying down completely') refers both to the fourth ashrama, the formal life of a renunciate who gives up household ritual and property, and to an inner renunciation of desire and agency. The Gita repeatedly asks whether renouncing action or performing it is better, and redefines the true renunciate as one who neither hates nor desires. Different traditions weigh outward and inner renunciation differently.
Scholar’s note
Classical Dharmashastra treats sannyasa as the last ashrama; debates concern whether it may be taken directly from studenthood. Shankara defended a strong link between sannyasa and the pursuit of knowledge, and the Dashanami orders trace themselves to him. In the Gita, sannyasa sometimes names the path of knowledge (sankhya-yoga), as in 5.2 and 18.49. Vaishnava orders also have sannyasa lineages; Sikh and many bhakti poets criticise withdrawal from family life.How its meaning differs
Shankara holds that knowledge of the Self is incompatible with the sense of being a doer, and regards formal renunciation as the natural setting for sustained inquiry, while accepting that knowledge itself is what liberates.
Ramanuja reads the Gita as favouring karma yoga for most people, with renunciation understood mainly as giving up agency, ownership and fruit to the Lord.
Jain monastic life is a rigorous form of renunciation, with the great vows (mahavratas) including non-harm and non-possession; Digambara and Shvetambara traditions differ on matters such as clothing.
Buddhist traditions centre on the monastic sangha, 'going forth' from home into homelessness, while also recognising the practice of lay followers.
The Sikh Gurus generally criticised ascetic withdrawal and taught detachment within householder life, work and service.
Vivekananda's Ramakrishna Mission joined monastic renunciation with active service, a modern reinterpretation of the renunciate ideal.
In the Bhagavad Gita — as Sadhak Sanjivani explains it
Summary based on Sadhak Sanjivaniसाधक-संजीवनीपर आधारित सारSwamiji explains that 'sannyasa' in 5.2 means Sankhya Yoga, not physically giving up actions; both it and Karma Yoga lead to the highest good, but Karma Yoga is superior (5.2). One who neither hates nor desires should be known as a constant sannyasi, even while working (5.3). One who does his duty without depending on its fruit is both a sannyasi and a yogi — not the one who merely gives up the sacred fire or activity (6.1). Swamiji adds that the one who gives up dependence on things, people and actions while doing the duty at hand is the true sannyasi and yogi (6.1). Without Karma Yoga, Sankhya Yoga is hard to attain, because attachment must first be removed by working for others (5.6). One whose intellect is unattached everywhere attains the highest perfection of actionlessness through sannyasa (18.49).
स्वामीजी बताते हैं कि ५।२ में 'संन्यास'का अर्थ सांख्ययोग है, कर्मोंका स्वरूपसे त्याग नहीं; सांख्ययोग और कर्मयोग दोनों कल्याण करनेवाले हैं, पर कर्मयोग श्रेष्ठ है (५।२)। जो न द्वेष करता है, न आकांक्षा — वह कर्म करते हुए भी सदा संन्यासी समझनेयोग्य है (५।३)। कर्मफलका आश्रय न लेकर कर्तव्य करनेवाला ही संन्यासी और योगी है, केवल अग्नि या क्रियाओंका त्याग करनेवाला नहीं (६।१)। वस्तु, व्यक्ति और क्रिया — तीनोंके आश्रयका त्याग करके प्राप्त कर्तव्यका पालन करनेवाला ही सच्चा संन्यासी और योगी है (६।१)। कर्मयोगके बिना सांख्ययोग सिद्ध होना कठिन है, क्योंकि पहले दूसरोंके हितके लिये कर्म करके राग मिटाना आवश्यक है (५।६)। जिसकी बुद्धि सर्वत्र आसक्तिरहित है, वह सांख्ययोगसे नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिको प्राप्त होता है (१८।४९)।
जो वस्तु, व्यक्ति और क्रिया—तीनोंके आश्रयका त्याग करके प्राप्त कर्तव्यका पालन करता है, वही सच्चा संन्यासी तथा योगी है।Where it appears in the Gita
Both paths lead to the good — karma-yoga is better
दोनों कल्याणकारक हैं, पर कर्मयोग श्रेष्ठ है
सन्न्यास: कर्मयोगश्च नि:श्रेयसकरावुभौ।
Sankhya-yoga and karma-yoga both surely lead to one's highest good; but of the two, karma-yoga is superior to renunciation of action.
संन्यास (सांख्ययोग) और कर्मयोग—दोनों ही कल्याण करनेवाले हैं; परन्तु उनमें भी कर्मसंन्याससे कर्मयोग श्रेष्ठ है।
5.3ज्ञेय: स नित्यसन्न्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति।
हे महाबाहो! जो मनुष्य न (किसीसे) द्वेष करता है (और) न (किसीकी) आकांक्षा करता है; वह (कर्मयोगी) सदा संन्यासी समझनेयोग्य है; क्योंकि द्वन्द्वोंसे रहित (मनुष्य) सुखपूर्वक संसार-बन्धनसे मुक्त हो जाता है।
5.6सन्न्यासस्तु महाबाहो दु:खमाप्तुमयोगत:।
परन्तु हे महाबाहो! कर्मयोगके बिना सांख्ययोग सिद्ध होना कठिन है। मननशील कर्मयोगी शीघ्र ही ब्रह्मको प्राप्त हो जाता है।
6.1अनाश्रित: कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति य:।
कर्मफलका आश्रय न लेकर जो कर्तव्य कर्म करता है, वही संन्यासी तथा योगी है और (केवल) अग्निका त्याग करनेवाला (संन्यासी) नहीं होता तथा (केवल) क्रियाओंका त्याग करनेवाला (योगी) नहीं होता।
18.1सन्न्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्।
हे महाबाहो! हे हृषीकेश! हे केशिनिषूदन! (मैं) संन्यास और त्यागका तत्त्व अलग-अलग जानना चाहता हूँ।
18.2काम्यानां कर्मणां न्यासं सन्न्यासं कवयो विदु:।
(कई) विद्वान् काम्य कर्मोंके त्यागको संन्यास समझते हैं (और) (कई)विद्वान् सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंके फलके त्यागको त्याग कहते हैं। कई विद्वान् ऐसा कहते हैं कि कर्मोंको दोषकी तरह छोड़ देना चाहिये और कई विद्वान् ऐसा (कहते हैं कि) यज्ञ, दान और तपरूप कर्मोंका त्याग नहीं करना चाहिये।
18.49असक्तबुद्धि: सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृह:।
जिसकी बुद्धि सब जगह आसक्तिरहित है, जिसने शरीरको वशमें कर रखा है, जो स्पृहारहित है (वह मनुष्य) सांख्ययोगके द्वारा सर्वश्रेष्ठ नैष्कम्र्यसिद्धिको प्राप्त हो जाता है।
Where else it appears
Follow this idea
Trace the idea from one source to the next.
- 1Gita verseBhagavad Gita 5.2Arjuna asks which is better, renunciation or action; Krishna says both lead to the highest good, and action is the easier of the two.
- 2Gita verseBhagavad Gita 5.3The 'ever-renounced' person is defined by the absence of hatred and desire, not by outer robes.
- 3Gita verseBhagavad Gita 6.1One who does duty without depending on its fruit is both renunciate and yogi.
- 4Thinkerआदि शङ्कराचार्यAdi ShankaracharyaShankara's defence of formal renunciation as the setting for knowledge.
- 5Textभज गोविन्दम्Bhaja GovindamA short hymn traditionally attributed to Shankara, urging dispassion and devotion.
- 6TraditionगुरमतSikh philosophy (Gurmat)Contrast: the Sikh ideal of detachment while living as a householder.
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