Today
even Sanyasa has become like an
office work, one wears a dress, goes to a place and behaves in a particular
way. What is the meaning of this word Sanyasa? Krishna has used a word Nitya
Sanyasi नित्यसंन्यासी in the following Shloka.
ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न
द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ॥ गीता ५- ३॥
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते ॥ गीता ५- ३॥
One
meaning of this word Sanyasa is "to handle oneself
in a proper way in any given situation". The word Nyasa means to deposit,
to place, to keep. Shankara has given a special meaning to the word Sanyasa. सं + न्यास = संन्यास; Saṁ + Nyāsa
= Saṁnyāsa, the prefix सं Saṁ here signifies
wellbeing.
It means to keep the things in its best form and leaving it. One
cannot leave just like that, he/she has to ensure everything is kept properly,
every responsibility is duly taken care of and then handing over all of it to a
right person who can continue to maintain it in the same way.
In Abhijna
Shakuntala of Kalidasa, Shakuntala asks
Kanwa rushi, I have grown up in this beautiful ashrama, now I am going to
palace to stay with my husband, when is that I will come back here? For that
Kanwa rushi answers, you are wife of a noble King of Chandra vamsha, you have to
lead an ideal queen's life appropriate for Chandra vamsha, then give birth to a
capable prince who can carry on the legacy, give good education to him and when
he becomes mature enough, handover all your responsibilities to him, after
which you can come back here to lead a peaceful life. This is what Sanyasa is;
leaving it after having maintained it in the best possible way and then handing
it over to a deserving person.
