9. Dik峁Ｄ� (2): Dik峁ta Renunciate鈥檚 Niyamas

Prasthanatrayi Swaminarayan Bhashyam (Study)

by Sadhu Gyanananddas | 2021 | 123,778 words

This page relates 鈥楧iksha (2): Dikshita Renunciate鈥檚 Niyamas鈥� 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.

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9. Dik峁Ｄ� (2): Dik峁ta Renunciate鈥檚 Niyamas

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Mahant 厂惫腻尘颈 explains that those who wish to join the 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉-ashram (ascetic-hermitage or monastery) should receive initiation from the Ak峁rabrahman Guru. All 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 (monks) should always observe eight-fold brahmacharya.^[1] After accepting the advanced level 诲颈办峁Ｄ�, a renunciate has to follow some additional codes and conducts along with the aforementioned niyamas. To affect this, 厂惫腻尘颈n膩r膩ya峁嘺 gave them five vows, the 辫补帽肠补-惫补谤迟尘腻苍. Renunciates are required to follow all these niyamas with profound perfection.

Bhadre艣ad膩sa consolidates:

鈥�utsann膩gniranagniko v膩 yadahareva virajet tadahareva pravajed ityadi艣rutyantare vidhipratyayaprayuktabh膩va艣abda艣ravan膩danu峁ａ弓heyameva-p膩rivrajyamap墨tyartha岣� |鈥� (叠谤补丑尘补蝉奴迟谤补 3/4/22, p.366)

鈥淎 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 艣谤耻迟颈, the term 鈥�惫颈谤腻箩颈迟补鈥� and 鈥�辫谤补惫谤腻箩颈迟补鈥� reflects the action. Therefore, the renunciate has to indulge in the actions.鈥�

These additional 辫补帽肠补-惫补谤迟尘腻苍 (niyamas) are:

辫补帽肠补iv膩va艣yajetavy膩岣� santi do峁峁 te峁api |
jite峁 ye峁 sarve te 箩颈迟腻岣� 蝉测耻谤苍腻迟谤补蝉补峁兣沘测补岣� ||
濒辞产丑补岣� 办腻尘辞谤补蝉腻蝉惫腻诲补岣� sneho m膩na艣ca 辫补帽肠补ma |
anta岣ヅ沘trava岣� ete hi 诲耻谤箩补测腻 vidu峁Ｄ乵api ||^[2]

鈥淭o 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 (蝉腻诲丑耻蝉). In order to fulfill that purpose, the 艣腻蝉迟谤补 prescribes five fundamental precepts (惫补谤迟补尘腻苍补), namely, 苍颈峁腻尘补 (strict continence), nirlobha (non-avarice), nihsneha (non-attachment), 苍颈谤尘腻苍补 (utter humility) and 苍颈岣惫腻诲补 (indifference to food-taste). By following these vows, one can overcome all his internal enemies.鈥�

The 厂惫腻尘颈n膩r膩ya峁嘺 initiated 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 (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 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 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 叠丑补驳补惫补诲-骋墨迟腻 reminds:

prajah膩ti yad膩 k膩m膩nsarv膩np膩rtha manogat膩n |
腻迟尘补苍测别惫腻迟尘补苍腻迟耻峁ａ弓补岣� sthitapraj帽astadocyate ||^[3]

鈥淲hen one is completely free from all vicious and good desires and is satisfied with his 腻迟尘补苍 by the joy of knowing Parabrahman, then one is called an enlightened person.鈥�

In the 厂惫腻尘颈n膩r膩ya峁嘺 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 腻迟尘补苍. He abandons interest in everything except his 腻迟尘补苍, and with 腻迟尘补苍-consciousness he worships Param腻迟尘补苍.^[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-蝉腻诲丑耻 (迟测腻驳颈) ought to have thirty portent virtues of Parabrahman.^[7] The 蝉腻诲丑耻 makes an effort to absorb virtues and develops in him by the right resolute knowledge of the essential nature of Parabrahman. A 迟测腻驳颈-蝉腻诲丑耻 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 蝉腻诲丑耻. Proper restraint and right thinking are the necessary disciplines for a 蝉腻诲丑耻. Abiding himself by the rules and vows prescribed for ascetic-monks, a 蝉腻诲丑耻 should neither crave for nor be allured by the pleasures of the world, as they are valueless.^[9] As far as the 蝉腻诲丑耻 of the 厂惫腻尘颈n膩r膩ya峁嘺 tradition are concerned, they are the brand ambassador of the philosophical knowledge. These 蝉腻诲丑耻蝉 (ascetic monks) have been playing a vital role in enriching and spread this philosophical knowledge around the world.