History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c46.49

v3.c46.49

One important question on which opinion was sharply divided is whether sannyāsa was allowed to all the three varṇas or only to brāhmaṇas. Those who held that it was allowed only to brāhmaṇas argued as follows: In the Bṛ.²¹⁵⁸ Up. IV. 4. 22 we find the words 'this Self brāhmaṇas seek to know by the study of the Veda'; similarly Bṛ. Up. III. 5. 1 states 'after knowing this Self, brāhmaṇas give up the hankering after progeny, wealth and heavenly worlds and practise begging' and Muṇḍaka I. 2. 12 'closely examining the worlds that are the rewards of actions, a brāhmaṇa should come to be disgusted &c.'. Here, the word 'brāhmaṇa' being used, *śruti* indicates that brāhmaṇas alone can be sannyāsins. Manu (VI. 38)