Chapter 13 - The Code of Conduct for Saṃnyāsins

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada continued:

1. If a person is thus capable and fit (physically and mentally), he should take to the life of a vagrant recluse. Owning nothing else except his body, he should observe the rule of staying one night in a village, and thus wander over the earth, being totally desireless.

2. If at all he is to wear a piece of cloth, it should be a strip of cloth just sufficient to cover his private parts. Unless there is some serious danger, he should not take anything which has been renounced except the staff and other emblems (e.g. kamaṇḍalu-water-pot) characteristic of a saṃnyāsin.

3. Delighted in his own Self and seeking no shelter, he should wander all alone as a mendicant subsisting on alms. He should be friendly to all beings, serene and devoted exclusively to Nārāyaṇa.

4.^[1] He should visualize this universe in the immutable ātman (Self) who is beyond (and distinct from) cause and effect and should perceive the Self as the Supreme Brahman present everywhere in the universe, (a product) of causes and consequences.

5. During the mediate state between sleep and wakefulness, one should concentrate on the soul within, and should try to perceive the true nature of the Self. He should look upon bondage and emancipation as merely illusory and not real.

6. He should welcome neither death, which is inevitable, nor life that is transitory. But he should simply wait for the Time which brings about the birth and death of beings (and that of one’s body as well.

7. He should not be attached to Śāstras dealing with topics other than ātman. Nor should he try to maintain himself by following any profession (like astrology, medicine practised by him as a gṛhastha). He should avoid all form of disputation. He should not persistently adhere to any party.

8. He should not attract students. Nor should he study numerous books^[2] (lest they should cause confusion or distraction). He should not undertake the exposition of some sacred text^[3]. Nor should he take up the establishment of any institution or monastery.

9. The duties etc. prescribed for the order of recluses (saṃnyāsins) are not meant for securing religious merit in the case of the noble-souled ones (Paramahaṃsas) who are of serene and equable minds (The rules are to be observed till the recluse realizes the highest wisdom). Thereafter he may continue to practise the rules (for setting up an ideal life before the public) or discard them.

10. One whose external signs of being a recluse are not evident but continues his purpose (i.e. concentration with the Self), may, though learned, show himself (i.e. behave externally like) a mad person or an ignorant child; though highly intelligent and wise, he should appear to be dumb in the eyes of the public.

11. On this point an old historical (-cum-legendary) account has been traditionally handed down as an illustration. It is the conversation between Prahlāda and a sage Dattātreya^[4] observing the Ajagara^[5] mode of life.

12-13. While Prahlāda, the beloved (devotee) of the Lord, accompanied by a few ministers, was touring through various worlds with a view to acquaint himself with the true nature of the people, he happened to see on the top of the Sahyādri (Western ghats) on the bank of the Kāverī, some person lying on bare ground, his pure effulgence being concealed under a coat of dust covering all the part of his body.

14. By his actions, appearances, words of external emblems indicative of his caste (varṇa) and stage in life (āśrama), people could not recognize him who or what he was and what he was not.

15. Having bowed the sage by touching his feet with his head and having worshipped him with due formalities, the Asura, (himself) a prominent votary of the Lord, who was curious to know (the truth about) him, (the sage) asked him the following question.

16. “You have a robust body like an industrious person who enjoys a luxurious life. Wealth accrues to persons who are industrious and comforts and luxuries can be afforded by moneyed people. Indeed only the bodies of those who are given to luxurious life become corpulent and not otherwise.

17. Lying supine without doing any work as you do, Oh Brahman, you obviously possess no wealth which is the source of enjoyment of a luxurious life). If you think proper (to disclose), please tell us how your body is corpulent despite your non-indulgence in luxuries and lack of comforts.

18. Learned, capable, clever, possessing wonderfully sweet power of speech and of equable temper as you are, how is it that you lie down (doing nothing) simply looking on that other people are exerting themselves.”

Nārada said:

19. Being thus questioned by Prahlāda, the king of Daityas, the great sage, being magnetized by his nectarlike speech, smilingly spoke to him.

The Brāhmaṇa said:

20. Oh foremost of Asuras! Your honour is esteemed by all great and learned people. By your spiritual insight you certainly know this, viz. the consequences of activity for (obtaining) worldly objects and of renouncing them.

21. Due to your absolute and pure devotion, the glorious Lord Nārāyaṇa always abides in your heart. He dispels your ignorance like unto the Sun dispersing darkness.

22. We (I) however, shall (try to) answer your questions according to what I have traditionally learnt (about them). For you deserve respect from those who desire to purify their hearts.

23. Being (induced) to do various actions by powerful desire which is never satiated by enjoyment of suitable objects, and thus becomes the source of the stream of births (and deaths), I was forced to take birth in various species.

24. While wandering (through various types of existence) by force of karmas, and through sheer providence, I was brought to the human form of existence which is a gate-way to heaven or final emancipation or to sub-human life or to human life again.

25. Having observed the frustrations and failures of married couples while performing actions for securing happiness and avoiding pain in this life as well, I retired from worldly-activities.

26. Happiness is the essential nature of the Soul^[6]. It is manifested after withdrawal and cessation of all activities. Having perceived that enjoyments and experiences are fanciful creations of the mind I lie down (supine enjoying whatever is ordained for me by destiny).

27. Having forgotten that this blissful nature is inherent in one’s self, a man is verily enmeshed into saṃsāra which is terrible (owing to birth, death and other miseries) and strange (as it consists of birth in celestial, subhuman, human and other-species).

28. He who (being ignorant of his innate blissful state) thinks of finding his object (happiness) elsewhere (outside his Self), is like an ignorant fellow who with a desire to get water (to quench his thirst) leaves water (near him but) covered with acquatic weeds and other overgrowth and runs after the mirage.

29. The body and sense-organs are controlled by Destiny. All the actions and efforts repeatedly done through their instrumentality for securing his happiness and removing his miseries by a luckless person, become fruitlesss.

30. (Granting that a man’s efforts are successful) what pleasure can be derived from the hard-earned wealth and desired objects obtained with great difficulty to a mortal (obsessed with the fear of death) and plagued by (lit. not immune from) three types of miseries such as bodily ailments and others.

31. I perceive the agonies and tensions of wealthy covetous persons who have no control over themselves, and who have lost their sleep, out of fear, as they are suspicious of everybody on all sides.

32. I observe that those who are anxious about their life and wealth, entertain fear from kings, robbers, enemies, their kinsmen, birds and beasts, beggers [beggars?], Time and themselves, at every moment.

33. (Therefore) a wise man should give up longings for life and property which are the source of sorrow, infatuation, fear, anger, attachment, despondency, over-exertions and such other (troubles).

34. In this world the bee and the big python are our best teachers, for following their example we have attained renunciation and contentment.

35. I have learnt renunciation of all worldly objects from the bee, the gatherer of honey, for any other person may kill the lord and usurp the hard-earned money like honey after killing the bees.

36. Being free from all desires and with contented mind, I accept what is brought to me by providence. If not, I lie inactive like a big serpent for many days, depending on my power.

37. Sometimes I eat scant food; sometimes I enjoy a heavy meal irrespective of the sweetness or otherwise of the food. Sometime I partake of highly rich and dainty dishes and sometimes worthless food.

38. At some places I eat food, that is offered to me with respect and sometimes with irreverence. Sometimes I do justice to food after eating; sometimes I eat food by day or by night as it is offered to me by chance.

39. Remaining contented in mind, I enjoy what is ordained by fate, and I wear linen garments or silks or deerskin or rags or any other (fabric) that is offered to me.

40. Sometimes I sleep on the bare ground; sometimes on grass or on a heap of leaves or on a slab of stone or in ashes; sometimes I lie inside a mansion on a rich bed over a precious bedstead as desired by God (or other people).

41. Sometimes I take bath with my body anointed with fragrant pigments. I put on rich garments and wear garlands and ornaments. Sometimes I ride in a chariot or on an elephant or on a horse and sometimes I wander stark-naked like an evil spirit, Oh king.

42. I neither revile nor praise people who are of diverse nature. I pray for their welfare and bless them with their union with the Almighty Lord Viṣṇu.

43. One should oblate (merge) one’s notion of diversity in the mental faculty that perceives such differences, that mental faculty into mind which mistakes the unreal for the real, the mind into the sāttvic ahaṃkāra and should absorb that ahaṃkāra through mahat in the Māyā regularly.

44. The sage who perceives the Reality, should merge that Māyā into the realization of his soul. Being devoid of all desires, he should establish himself in self-realization and cease all activities.

45. In this way I have described to you my way of life which is closely guarded as a secret, though it is far different from secular and Śāstric canons of behaviour. (I have thus frankly explained this to you) as you are the beloved of God.

Nārada said:

46. Having heard the code of conduct of the highest order of recluses, the Lord of Asuras (Prahlāda) worshipped him respectfully. Being pleased in mind he bade goodbye, and returned home.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā asserts the Viśiṣṭādvaita position: Paramātman is distinct from the Sentient (Cid) and the Non-Sentient (Acid). By nature he is free from modifications. He (the recluse) should look upon the universe as the inseparable body of Paramātman Who is the Inner Controller.

[2]:

Books not dealing with Vedānta.

[3]:

Texts other than those on Vedānta—Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa

[4]:

Vide Supra 1.3.11. The Lord incarnated as Datta, the son of Atri and Anasūyā, and taught spiritual lore to king Alarka and Prahlāda.

[5]:

Ajagara is a python which is supposed to swallow what comes its way, without making any move on its part. As described in the illustration of Dattātreya below, a person who has adopted the vow of leading Python’s way of life, has just to lie on the bare ground under the sky waiting for his death without making any movement—throwing his body at the mercy of the fate. His object is to enjoy all the fruits of his karmas then and there before falling away of his body.

[6]:

Padaratnāvalī thinks that the grace of the Lord is necessary for the realization of His bliss.