History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.94

v7.c95.94

In this way the Upaniṣads appear to inculcate that the sannyāsin should completely give up all actions except living till the body lasts. The Jābālopaniṣad²⁴⁷⁰ (4) provides that the very day on which a person becomes disgusted (with worldly life) he should become a wandering ascetic (a sannyāsin). This emphasizes that not mere knowledge but disgust with worldly life is necessary before one becomes a sannyāsin. Vide Kaṭhopaniṣad (II. 24) quoted above in note 2467a. The Praśnopaniṣad emphasizes 'to them alone comes the pure world of *brahman*, in whom there is no crookedness, no untruth and no duplicity' (I. 16). The Upaniṣads sometimes do say that 'one who knows *brahma* becomes *brahma* itself' (Muṇḍaka II. 3. 9), but the same Upaniṣads (e. g. Muṇḍaka I. 2. 12-13 quoted in n. 2467a) require great moral and spiritual attainments besides mere knowlegde of *brahma*.