Work Renouncement (Sanyasa) and Karma Yoga – Which Krishna says, is better?
Qn. In detail from a devotee:
“I have a question. According to ‘Gita ‘, Lord said that we should do our own ‘karma ‘ by withdrawing the result of that. Then why someone wants to be ‘sannyasi’ whereas Lord ordered to do our duty properly. Actually I can’t understand that… please clear me that. Thank you.”
REPLY:
This is a genuine doubt only. Understand this reply clearly.
Many like you are thinking that becoming a sanyasi is just to avoid all our duties.
If we remain without working after becoming a sanyasi, that means, we are not properly using the sanyasa ashrama.
Actually, becoming a sanyasi is not to remain idle getting relieved from our assigned duties.
(After coming to devotion, I hate and avoid non-devotee family and others that makes them angry. Why Krishna allows this? READ HERE!)
WHAT IS REAL SANYASA?
Actually, Sanyasa means Mental Sanyasa, ie, getting relieved from the attachments mentally. Not the Physical Sanyasa, ie, just abandoning our duties by our body, living away from the family, but is always thinking of them.
Mental Sanyasa is the Real sanyasa that is better than just Physical Sanyasa. Why?
A Physical Sanyasi may not have Mental Sanyasa. He may just desert the family and wear sanyasa dress, but, may be thinking of his relatives and other material things.
A Mental Sanyasi is the Real Sanyasi who need not be a Physical Sanyasi and he need not desert his family, because, he will be detached though he is in the family.
That is why, I said, Mental sanyasa is better than just Physical sanyasa.
Many people are following the Physical Sanyasa of just abandoning the family and thinking of family and material things claiming to be sanyasis.
The condition for a True Sanyasi is that (i) he should not think of women and material aspects of life, (ii) He should not possess any assets and savings for him, and (iii) he should live for serving the god.
(SANYASA – MEANING, TYPES & TIPS TO FOLLOW IN KALIYUGA! READ HERE!)
This is followed only by a section of sanyasis. Not by all.
If we see the backgrounds of many so called sanyasis, they take sanyasa only because they faced the tortures in his family (particularly, wife). They just go away from their home to escape from the tortures, but, do not properly involve in devotional way of life. He may escape. But, his children will be suffering from the tortures of their mother.
They are not real sanyasis and they usually fall from their sanyasa later.
Therefore, if one learns to remain mentally a sanyasi, he need not desert his family.
(THE WAY OF LIFE RECOMMENDED BY BHAGAVAD GITA – READ HERE!)
Ok, Do the sanyasis have assigned duties?
Yes, of course.
There are assigned duties for every ashrama – Brahmacharya, Grahastha, vanaprastha and sanyasa.
For the sanyasa ashrama, the assigned duty is to serve the Lord full time without any other material duties. If he is practicing sanyasa from his family itself, he should definitely serve the Lord from that family itself.
In this kaliyuga, practicing sanyasa from the family is recommended, because leading a solitary life without offenses will be difficult in kaliyuga.
However, one can renounce his family also, if he likes to travel everywhere and preach the glories of God.
That means, if he just renounces the family and remain idle, it is not the right sanyasa.
(How to follow Sanyasa in Grahastha Ashram? READ HERE!)
Only if he decides to dedicate himself to serve and make changes in the hearts of the whole society, he should renounce his family.
In other words, he should sacrifice his family to serve hundreds of people.
Not to just sit idle thinking of so many things.
The best examples are:
(1) Sri Caitanya Maha Prabhu took both physical and mental sanyasa. He did not remain idle. He was travelling all over India and preached the glories of Lord’s Names to the thousands of people.
(2) A.C.Bhakti Vedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON took both mental and physical sanyasa. He too did not remain idle. He, in his old age, he travelled all over the world and established the temples for Krishna worldwide and preached Lord’s Names to lakhs of people.
(AFTER COMING TO DEVOTION, I HATE MARRIAGE AND LIKE TO SETTLE IN THE TEMPLE. CAN I DO SO? READ HERE!)
Thus, if one takes sanyasa physically, he should not renounce his duties. HE HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF DUTIES OF SERVING AND SPREADING THE GLORIES AND MESSAGES OF GOD.
What Krishna says?
Krishna has clearly given the verdict.
In Bhagavad Gita Chap-5, Verse-1, Arjuna asks Krishna:
“You praise both the work renouncement (sanyasa) and Karma Yoga. Tell me which one is more beneficial for me”
Krishna replies him clearly in the next verse(5-2):
“The work renouncement (sanyasa) and Karma Yoga – both are good for liberation. But, Karma Yoga is better than Sanyasa, the renouncement of work.”
(What is the actual meaning of Karma Yoga? How can we get initiative to work if we don’t expect the fruits? READ HERE!)
Krishna advised us to perform all the assigned duties of the ashrama that we belong to. This means, even sanyasis have to perform their assigned duties.
Of course, sanyasa ashrama is recommended if you like to serve the Lord ALL THE TIME. If you have family burdens, you can not spare all the time for Lord’s service. Hence sanyasa is recommended.
But, taking Renouncement (sanyasa) and remaining idle is ESCAPING FROM HIS DUTIES.
(How to follow Karma Yoga? Is aiming for a good job a materialistic approach? READ HERE!)
In other words, YOU CAN ESCAPE FROM YOUR FAMILY DUTIES ONLY IF YOU ACCEPT NEW DUTIES THE THE LORD AND SOCIETY.
In case, his family will badly suffer if he leaves home for sanyasa ashrama, he can follow sanyasa from his home itself. When he completes all his major duties, he can take physical sanyasa too.
IMPORTANT: In case the wife is very cooperative in your devotional practices and she also involves in devotion seriously, then, you need not take sanyasa physically and you need not leave your cooperating wife.
I have simplified as much as possible so that you can understand which is better whether the work Renouncement (Sanyasa) and Karma Yoga. Hope you have understood that even sanyasis have assigned duties and hence sanyasa is also allowed as per the Varnashrama dharma
(The right process of sanyasa and devotion in kaliyuga in the absence of Varnashrama dharma – READ HERE!)