I am writing to you after a long time, because during this period I have lost my old habit of writing letters. The other thing is that, if I do not write at least two or three long letters, the first date of the following month does not dawn. Today was Guru Poornima; it occurred to me that I should write something to someone. But how can I write? All the friends and well-wishers have arrived to offer something to Guruji and to prostrate at his feet.
In that case, the reason to write can also be something else? What can it be? I will tell you but only after you take a decision to make every effort to understand this letter in the appropriate manner and accept whatever I write not as something coming from me but as a message from Sri Swamiji. I am merely the writer of this letter, Swamiji is the person who is writing through me and someone else will be the one to bring this letter to you.
The fourth ashrama in Hinduism is sannyasa ashrama and is supported by the rules of sacrifice and dispassion. This ashram is considered to be the highest stage, however its possibilities are limited and if it is encouraged, it causes great upheaval in social life. On the other hand, if it is ignored altogether, all hopes of finding the real joy of life are dashed. This could give rise to a great dilemma...... but that is not the case. Pondering upon this matter yielded a solution and in the Bhagavad Gita, it finds a new form. What is that? It is the Karma Sannyasa Yoga akin to the noble example of King Janaka, ruler of Videha.
Unfortunately, the fundamentalist and orthodox Indian society accepts this ideal only in theory and is reluctant to give it an applied and practical form. Even if social reformers stressed upon it, the narrow eyes of society looked at it with suspicion. The result was that sannyasa ashrama remained only a principle and karma sannyasa was just a philosophical premise. But Swamiji has broadened the scope of sannyasa and given the possibility of karma sannyasa; this has been initiated a long time ago. Now the question arises that what exactly is this karma sannyasa and in what manner does the karma sannyasi differ from paramahamsa sannyasins and other sannyasins?
Swamiji’s karma sannyasi is another form of how a sannyasi is defined. The principles and tenets which apply to sannyasa are also followed by karma sannyasins. Karma sannyasins are also disciplined, thoughtful and use their discrimination; they also refrain from getting married and flee from the opposites of raga-dwesha, attraction and repulsion, however, they do not live in the jungles, do not wander about like the intoxicated, nor do they roam around unclothed or live a life of inactivity. They are not escapists nor do they behave like fundamentalists and expound the ancient rules and regulations which govern the age old sannyasa tradition.
As do soldiers in an army, they can don the uniform as well as wear civilian clothes. Soldiers wear their uniform and regimental gear while on duty and at other times dress in ordinary clothes. Swamiji’s karma sannyasins also wear geru robes but they do conform to socially appropriate and acceptable clothing and conduct. Such sannyasins are being trained under the guidance of Swamiji. Those sannyasins are different to the kind of sannyasin that I am. Whereas my soul is grappling with rules and regulations, the consciousness of karma sannyasins is forging ahead along their path along with the flow of nature. While ashrams have their boundaries, the world is their family. I reject society while they seek the sacred even in society. These are the ideals upon which this new order of karma sannyasa has been developed and consolidated.