Sannyāsa

na sambhāṣet striyaṁ kāñcit pūrva-dṛṣṭāṁ ca na smaret

na sambhāṣet striyaṁ kāñcit pūrva-dṛṣṭāṁ ca na smaret |
kathāṁ ca varjayet tāsāṁ na paśyel likhitām api ||
etac catuṣṭayaṁ mohāt strīṇām ācarato yateḥ |
cittaṁ vikriyate’vaśyaṁ tad-vikārāt praṇaśyati ||
(Nārada Parivrājaka Upaniṣad: 4.3–4)

“One should not converse with a woman, and one should not remember one who was seen previously. One should not speak of them, and one should not even look at a picture of them. The mind of an ascetic who engages in [any of] these four [activities] is certainly disturbed as a result of bewilderment [i.e., the bewilderment that arises as a result of these activities], and as a result of that agitation, he is ruined.”

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prabhu kahe—vairāgī kare prakṛti sambhāṣaṇa

prabhu kahe—vairāgī kare prakṛti sambhāṣaṇa |
dekhite nā pāri āmi tāhāra vadana ||
durvāra indriya kare viṣaya-grahaṇa |
dāravī prakṛti hare muner api mana ||
mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nā viviktāsano bhavet |
balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati ||
kṣudra jīva-saba markaṭa-vairāgya kariyā |
indriya carāñā bule prakṛti sambhāṣiyā ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.2.117–120; 119 is found in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.19.17 and Manu Smṛti: 2.215)

[Śrīman Mahāprabhu explains why he refuses to meet with Choṭa Hari Dāsa:] “Prabhu said, ‘A vairāgī [who] converses with prakṛti [i.e., a woman]—I cannot [even] look at his face. The difficult to subdue senses seize their objects, and [even] a wooden figure of prakṛti captivates the mind of even a sage. “One should not have a seat that is unseparated from [even] one’s mother, sister, or daughter [i.e., let alone other women]. The powerful multitude of senses pulls upon even a knowledgable person.” Base living beings engage in monkey vairāgya and go about grazing the senses [i.e., letting their senses roam and partake of the sense objects without restraint] and conversing with prakṛti.‘”

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etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām

etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām
adhyāsitāṁ pūrvatamair mahadbhiḥ |
ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ
tamo mukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.23.57; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.3.6)

“Taking shelter in fixity in the higher self [alt., Self], as it was practiced by the great souls of the past, I shall cross over the insurmountable darkness [i.e., saṁsāra] by serving the feet of Mukunda.”

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mādhukaram asaṁkḷptaṁ prāk-praṇītam ayācitam

mādhukaram asaṁkḷptaṁ prāk-praṇītam ayācitam |
tāt-kālikopapannaṁ ca bhaikṣyaṁ pañca-vidhaṁ smṛtam ||
(Sannyāsa Upaniṣad: 2.83; cited in Krama Sandarbha to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.18.19)

“Mādhukara alms are known to be of five types: [1] indeterminate, [2] previously arranged, [3] unsolicited, [4] coincidental, and [5] offered.”

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oṁ athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṁ

oṁ athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṁ
parameṣṭhinam upasametyocāva |
adhīhi bhagavan brahma-vidyāṁ variṣṭhāṁ
sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṁ nigūḍhām |
yathācirāt sarva-pāpaṁ vyapohya
parātparaṁ puruṣaṁ yāti vidvān ||1||
tasmai sa hovāca pitāmahaś ca
śraddhā-bhakti-dhyāna-yogād avaihi ||2||
na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena
tyāgenaike amṛtatvam ānaśuḥ |
pareṇa nākaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
vibhrājate yad yatayo viśanti ||3||
vedānta-vijñāna-suniścitārthāḥ
sannyāsa-yogād yatayaḥ śuddha-sattvāḥ |
te brahmalokeṣu parānta-kāle
parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve ||4||
(Kaivalya Upaniṣad: 1–4; Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad: 3.2.6)

“Om. Now, Āśvalāyana approached illustrious Brahmā and said, ‘O illustrious One, please teach me Brahmā-vidyā, which is most excellent [among all types of knowledge], ever-adhered to by the sādhus, and secret, and by which the wise soon become absolved of all sin and attain the Supreme Puruṣa,’ and to him [i.e., to Āśvalāyana], the Grandsire [i.e., Lord Brahmā] verily spoke, ‘You can realize [the Brahma-vidyā you wish to attain] through the practices of śraddhā, bhakti, and meditation. Neither by karma, nor by progeny or wealth, but only by renunciation can you attain immortality, which is beyond heaven and shines hidden in the cave [i.e., heart]. Ascetics [lit., those who strive (for it)] enter it. Completely determined upon the object of realization established by Vedānta and of purified nature by virtue of practice of sannyāsa, the ascetics in the planes of Brahmā [i.e., in the various planes through the material universe] at the time of the final end [i.e., at the time of the dissolution of the material universe] overcome death and become completely liberated [from entanglement in saṁsāra, i.e., they realize Brahman].”

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dambha-nyāsa-miṣeṇa vañcita-janaṁ bhogaika-cintāturaṁ

dambha-nyāsa-miṣeṇa vañcita-janaṁ bhogaika-cintāturaṁ
sammuhyantam ahar-niśaṁ viracitodyoga-klamair ākulam |
ājñā-laṅghinam ajñam ajña-janatā-sammānanāsan-madaṁ
dīnānātha dayā-nidhāna paramānanda prabho pāhi mām ||
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.39)

“This person cheated by the fraud of deceitful renunciation (sannyāsa) [i.e., who has cheated himself and others by making a hypocritical show of renunciation], afflicted by constant thought of enjoyment, completely agitated day and night, overwhelmed by exhaustion from [his own] contrived undertakings, a transgressor of your orders, ignorant, and maddened by honor from the ignorant masses—O Lord of the humble, O Reservoir of grace, O Supreme Bliss, O Prabhu! Please protect me.”

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