Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam (Study)

by Sadhu Gyanananddas | 2021 | 123,778 words

This page relates ‘Diksha (2): Dikshita Renunciate’s Niyamas’ of the study on the Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam in Light of Swaminarayan Vachanamrut (Vacanamrita). His 18th-century teachings belong to Vedanta philosophy and were compiled as the Vacanamrita, revolving around the five ontological entities of Jiva, Ishvara, Maya, Aksharabrahman, and Parabrahman. Roughly 200 years later, Bhadreshdas composed a commentary (Bhasya) correlating the principles of Vachanamrut.

9. Dikṣā (2): Dikṣita Renunciate’s Niyamas

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Mahant Svāmi explains that those who wish to join the sādhus-ashram (ascetic-hermitage or monastery) should receive initiation from the Akṣarabrahman Guru. All sādhus (monks) should always observe eight-fold brahmacharya.^[1] After accepting the advanced level dikṣā, a renunciate has to follow some additional codes and conducts along with the aforementioned niyamas. To affect this, Svāminārāyaṇa gave them five vows, the pañca-vartmān. Renunciates are required to follow all these niyamas with profound perfection.

Bhadreśadāsa consolidates:

“utsannāgniranagniko vā yadahareva virajet tadahareva pravajed ityadiśrutyantare vidhipratyayaprayuktabhāvaśabdaśravanādanuṣṭheyameva-pārivrajyamapītyarthaḥ |” (Brahmasūtra 3/4/22, p.366)

“A person whether he follows the Agnihotra Karma or not, if he feels detachment towards worldly affairs, he should abjure the home and accept the garb of a renunciate. In this śruti, the term ‘virājita’ and ‘pravrājita’ reflects the action. Therefore, the renunciate has to indulge in the actions.”

These additional pañca-vartmān (niyamas) are:

pañcaivāvaśyajetavyāḥ santi doṣeṣu teṣvapi |
jiteṣu yeṣu sarve te jitāḥ syurnātra saṃśayaḥ ||
lobhaḥ kāmo rasāsvādaḥ sneho mānaśca pañcama |
antaḥśatravaḥ ete hi durjayā viduṣāmapi ||^[2]

“To eradicate the internal spiritual enemies like lust, avarice, attachment, craving for the taste of food and ego, a renunciate has to follow the order of ascetic-monks (sādhus). In order to fulfill that purpose, the śāstra prescribes five fundamental precepts (vartamāna), namely, niṣkāma (strict continence), nirlobha (non-avarice), nihsneha (non-attachment), nirmāna (utter humility) and niḥsvāda (indifference to food-taste). By following these vows, one can overcome all his internal enemies.”

The Svāminārāyaṇa initiated sādhus (the ascetics) should live a life of self-refrainment and self-denial, and therefore, they are supposed to give up all sense-fascinations and sense-attachments. They are obliged to live in a society surrounded by people. They have a duty to serve mankind, but with a sense of detachment and constant Parabrahman-consciousness. In the midst of people, they are supposed to enjoy the bliss of Parabrahman with solitude while working for them. 287

The sādhus must be indifferent towards attachment or aversion for anyone. He does not wish ill of anyone in thought, speech, and action. They ought to give back love and goodwill for hatred and attacks hurled on them. They do not hurt any living creature. They should see Parabrahman in all and good in all. Their life of dutifulness ought to consummate in the life dignified.

The Bhagavad-Gītā reminds:

prajahāti yadā kāmānsarvānpārtha manogatān |
ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate ||^[3]

“When one is completely free from all vicious and good desires and is satisfied with his ātman by the joy of knowing Parabrahman, then one is called an enlightened person.”

In the Svāminārāyaṇa tradition, it is the attitude and good will that matter most and not the pomp, nor the details of acts and not even the failure or success. He is truly a renunciate, a hermit, an ascetic who has an intense love for Parabrahman alone. On the other hand, he should not have any love or attachment for anything except Parabrahman. Renunciate ascetics do not attend to anything but one's ātman. He abandons interest in everything except his ātman, and with ātman-consciousness he worships Paramātman.^[4] He is a true recluse-ascetic who once, after renouncing the world, never thinks (desires) anything of it again. The worldly pleasures cannot deviate one whose mind is drowned in Parabrahman-consciousness.^[5]

The sadhu worships Parabrahman and at the same time abides by His commands. For no other motives but to please Parabrahman alone.^[6] A true ascetic-sādhu (tyāgi) ought to have thirty portent virtues of Parabrahman.^[7] The sādhu makes an effort to absorb virtues and develops in him by the right resolute knowledge of the essential nature of Parabrahman. A tyāgi-sādhu sternly practices continence in all genuineness with its eightfold requirements. He practices atonement with great sincerity when the fault occurs. He seldom pays attention to the things of worldly value. He treats them as insignificant objects and is not tempted by them.^[8] He remains the lowly servant of the servants (devotees) of Parabrahman. He remains calm composed, and equipoise. Self-abnegation and self-denial constitute the life-style of a sādhu. Proper restraint and right thinking are the necessary disciplines for a sādhu. Abiding himself by the rules and vows prescribed for ascetic-monks, a sādhu should neither crave for nor be allured by the pleasures of the world, as they are valueless.^[9] As far as the sādhu of the Svāminārāyaṇa tradition are concerned, they are the brand ambassador of the philosophical knowledge. These sādhus (ascetic monks) have been playing a vital role in enriching and spread this philosophical knowledge around the world.