संन्यास is not Escapism

Nisarg Joshi

Dharma

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There is a awareness among youth about culture, rituals and gau. It is welcome sign. But, I observed spiritual institutions and gurus pursuing youth and asking them to join their organization and devote entire life.

This is worrisome.

If we are really believers of the culture of the land, we must not divert youth from their sva-dharma. Making them अपत्नीक and wasting productive and re-productive energy. Side effect of this forceful Sanyas is unethical practices we often hear in news.

Instead, we must inspire them for successful grihasthi. Teach them that, working for society is just one aspect of grihasth and self-interest is important; it is pertinent to distinguish between legitimate self-interest and pure selfishness. One must not live selfish life but remain alert for self-interest.

Remember this from Rigveda before you get carried away by these so called spiritual gurus working hard for selfish motives.

परि चिन्मर्तो द्रविणं ममन्यादृतस्य पथा नमसा विवासेत् ।
उत स्वेन क्रतुना सं वदेत श्रेयांसं दक्षं मनसा जगृभ्यात् ॥२॥ ऋग्वेद: सूक्तं १०.३१

Let a man (or woman) ponder well on wealth and earn it by the path of moral law (or truth) and with humility. Let him (or her) take counsel with his (or her) own conscience and heartily gain justifiable (or upright) prosperity.

Prosperity is important. Do not waste youth behind hollow and delusive spirituality.

The verse makes it quite clear that earning wealth is certainly allowed, but one has to ponder well (pari chin) over how it has to be earned, by the path of moral law or truth (ritasya pathaa), and not by dishonest means. It has to be earned with humility (namasaa) and not arrogance, since success depends on the grace of God and one owes it to the society of which one is a member for making it possible. Consulting one’s own conscience (kratu) also is important in deciding the ways in which it is earned. Once these qualifications are kept in mind, one can earn wealth heartily (manasaa) and gain justifiable or upright (daksham) prosperity (shreyaamsam). This is not all. The Rigveda goes further and adds one more condition to earning wealth, that of sharing. In the same Mandala as the above, we have the following verse:

मोघमन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेताः सत्यं ब्रवीमि वध इत्स तस्य ।
नार्यमणं पुष्यति नो सखायं केवलाघो भवति केवलादी ॥६॥ ऋग्वेद: सूक्तं १०.११७

The one who is not conscientious earns food in vain. I tell you the truth, it is like his (moral) death. One who supports neither the learned and the good nor his friends and consumes all by himself, earns only sin.

Even, The Gita teaches the same thing; by taking care of each other,reach the highest welfare.

देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥३- ११॥

The idea is that there is a certain overlap between approach to spiritual progress as well as material progress.

The ethical qualities necessary for a respectable success in this world are also the same as required for spiritual progress.

Earning purusharth (dharm, arth, kam, moksh) is dharma of young age (grihastha aashram). Do not run away from responsibilities. Earn prosperity by ethics – use it for spiritual progress.

Sanyasin are born, never designed here by human efforts. And if some guru is brainwashing, alert 🙂.

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