History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c46.3

v3.c46.3

In the Bṛ. Up. (II. 4. 1) we see that Yājñavalkya²¹⁴⁶ when about to become a *parivrājaka* (a wandering ascetic) tells his wife Maitreyī that he was going to leave home and that he wanted to divide whatever wealth he had between her and her co-wife Kātyāyanī. This shows that a *parivrājaka* had even then to leave home and wife and to give up all belongings. The same Upaniṣad in another place (III. 5. 1) states 'those who realize *Ātman* give up the hankering after progeny, possessions and heavenly worlds and practise the beggar's mode of life; therefore the brāhmaṇa, having completely mastered (and so risen beyond) mere learning, should seek to be like a child (i. e. should not make a parade of his latent capacities or knowledge) and having completed (gone beyond) knowledge and *bālya* (child-like behaviour) he should attain to the position of a *muni*, and having risen beyond the stage of a *muni* or *non-muni*, should become a real brāhmaṇa (one who has realized *brahman*). Vide also Bṛ. Up. IV. 4. 22 for similar words and sentiments. The Jābālopaniṣad (5)²¹⁴⁷ declares that the ascetic (*parivrāṭ*) wears discoloured (not white) garments, has a tonsured head, has no possessions, is pure, hates (or injures) no one, begs for alms and thereby tends to attain non-difference from *brahman*. In the Paramahaṁsa, the Brahma, the Nārada-parivrājaka, and the Sannyāsa Upaniṣads numerous rules are laid down about sannyāsa. But the antiquity and the authenticity of these Upaniṣads is extremely doubtful and therefore passing them over attention will be confined to the dharmasūtras and other ancient smṛtis.