Suktas
Śrī Saṁnyāsa Sūktam
श्री संन्यास सूक्तम्
The Saṁnyāsa Sūktam constitutes a vital section of the Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad (Taittirīya Āraṇyaka, Prapāṭhaka 10) of the Krishna Yajurveda. Embedded in the knowledge-portion (Jñāna-kāṇḍa) of the Vedas, it represents the philosophical summit of Vedic renunciation. It establishes that while ritual sacrifices (karma), progeny (prajā), and worldly riches (dhana) yield temporary celestial or earthly fruits, imperishable immortality (amṛtatvam) is unlocked only when the mind renounces identification with the finite body and ego. Centered on the inner sanctuary of the heart lotus (Daharākāśa), the hymn describes the supreme state of enlightened ascetics (Yatis) who merge into Brahman.
- Deity
- Parabrahman / Nirguna-Nirakara Paramatman (The Unconditioned Supreme Self, beyond attributes and desires)
- Tradition
- Krishna Yajurveda (Taittiriya Shakha, Mahanarayana Upanishad) / Advaita Vedanta / Dashanami Sannyasa Tradition
- Purpose
- The primary scriptural chant during formal monastic ordination (Sannyasa Diksha) and the sacred Viraja Homa. Cultivating dispassion (Vairagya), inner purity, and the dissolution of false ego and possessiveness (Aham-Mama-bhava). Meditating on the subtle cave of the heart (Dahara Vidya) to stabilize the mind in non-dual awareness. Attaining supreme spiritual liberation (Moksha / Kaivalya) and breaking the cycle of transmigratory rebirth.
- Source
- Krishna Yajurveda / Taittiriya Aranyaka / Mahanarayana Upanishad
मूल पाठ
Sanskrit textशान्तिपाठः ॐ स॒ह ना॑ववतु । स॒ह नौ॑ भुनक्तु । स॒ह वी॒र्यं॑ करवावहै । ते॒ज॒स्वि ना॒वधी॑तमस्तु॒ मा वि॑द्विषा॒वहै᳚ ॥ ॐ शान्ति॒: शान्ति॒: शान्ति॑: ॥ सूक्त-पाठः ॐ न कर्म॑णा न प्र॒जया॒ धने॑न॒ त्यागे॑नैके अमृत॒त्वमा॑न॒शुः । परे॑ण॒ नाकं॒ निहि॑तं॒ गुहा॑यां वि॒भ्राज॑ते॒ यद्यत॑यो वि॒शन्ति॑
Śāntipāṭhaḥ Oṁ saha nāvavatu | saha nau bhunaktu | saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai | tejasvi nāvadhītamastu mā vidviṣāvahai || Oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ || Sūkta-Pāṭhaḥ Oṁ na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānaśuḥ | pareṇa nākaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ vibhrājate yadyatayo viśanti
॥ १ ॥
वे॒दा॒न्त॒वि॒ज्ञान॒-सुनि॑श्चितार्थाः सं॒न्या॒सयो॑गाद्यत॑यः शुद्धसत्त्वाः । ते ब्रह्म॑लोकेषु॒ परा᳚न्तकाले परामृ॑ताः परि॑मुच्यन्ति॒ सर्वे᳚
vedāntavijñāna-suniścitārthāḥ saṁnyāsayogādyatayaḥ śuddhasattvāḥ | te brahmalokeṣu parāntakāle parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve
॥ २ ॥
द॒ह्रं॒ वि॒पा॒पं प॒रमे᳚श्मभूतं यत्पु॑ण्डरी॒कं पु॒रमध्य॑संस्थम् । तत्रा॑पि द॒ह्रे गग॑नं विशो॒कस् तस्मि॒न्यद॒न्तस्तदु॑पासि॒तव्य॑म्
dahraṁ vipāpaṁ parameśmabhūtaṁ yatpuṇḍarīkaṁ puramadhyasaṁstham | tatrāpi dahre gaganaṁ viśokas tasminyadantastadupāsitavyam
॥ ३ ॥
यो वेदादौ स्वरः प्रोक्तो वेदान्ते च प्रतिष्ठितः । तस्य प्रकृतिलीनस्य यः परः स महेश्वरः
yo vedādau svaraḥ prokto vedānte ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ | tasya prakṛtilīnasya yaḥ paraḥ sa maheśvaraḥ
॥ ४ ॥
ॐ शान्ति॒: शान्ति॒: शान्ति॑:
Oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
Śrī Saṁnyāsa Sūktam — recitation
अर्थ
MeaningMay the Supreme protect us both (teacher and student) together. May He nourish us both together. May we work together with great energy and vigor. May our study be brilliant and fruitful. May we never harbor ill-will or dispute among ourselves.
Verse 1: Neither by ritual action (karma), nor by progeny (prajā), nor by immense wealth (dhana), but solely by renunciation (tyāga) have the few realized seers attained immortality. That Supreme Reality, which transcends the highest heavens, shines resplendently established within the cave of the heart; the striving, self-controlled ascetics enter into That alone.
Verse 2: Those who have clearly ascertained the ultimate truth through the wisdom of Vedanta, and whose minds have become completely purified through the practice of renunciation (sannyāsa-yoga)—those striving ascetics, at the time of final bodily departure, become one with the supreme immortal Brahman and are fully liberated from all worldly bondage.
Verse 3: Within the center of this city (the human body) rests the subtle, sinless heart-lotus, which is the supreme sanctuary of the Divine. Within that subtle lotus lies an inner space (daharākāśa), completely free from sorrow. That which resides within that inner space—that alone is the supreme reality to be contemplated and realized!
Verse 4: That sound (Om) which is uttered at the commencement of the Vedas, and which is firmly established throughout the Upanishads; when that sound dissolves into primal silence, that transcendent Reality which remains beyond is verily Maheshvara—the Supreme Lord!
Closing Chant: May there be absolute peace, peace, and divine peace.
संदर्भ
ContextThe Saṁnyāsa Sūktam marks a transformative turning point within the Vedic canon—the transition from the path of action (Pravṛtti-mārga) to the path of renunciation (Nivṛtti-mārga).
The opening verse—"Na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānaśuḥ"—is one of the most frequently cited lines in Indian philosophical literature, directly repeated in the Kaivalya Upaniṣad and foundational across Adi Shankara's commentaries. The verse delivers a decisive critique of ritualistic mechanics:
Karma (Rituals): Actions are finite and bound to time; therefore, the results produced by actions (including heavenly realms like Svarga) are inevitably temporary.
Praja (Lineage): Children can perpetuate family lineage and societal roles, but cannot liberate the soul of the parent.
Dhana (Wealth): Material wealth provides sensory comfort and sustains physical life, but cannot eliminate death or ignorance.
Therefore, immortality (Amṛtatva) is achieved only through Tyāga—the intentional renunciation of desire, agency, and identification with the transient ego.
Verse 4 unifies this metaphysics with sonic contemplation: Omkara is proclaimed as the bridge between manifest creation and transcendent silence. When the sacred sound dissolves into the silence beyond sound (Amātra / Turīya), the seeker realizes the non-dual Maheshvara—the unconditioned Consciousness dwelling right within the heart.
प्रयोग
How it is traditionally usedMonastic Ordination (Sannyasa Diksha): Chanted by the preceptor (Acharya) during the initiation rites of asceticism, specifically during the Viraja Homa, where the aspirant formally renounces sacrificial fires, social status, and worldly possessions.
Atura Sannyasa: Recited when an individual, facing terminal illness or the threshold of physical passing, takes vows of spiritual detachment to depart this world with mind anchored in Brahman.
Daily Monastic Parayana: Chanted daily by monastics (Sannyasins) and serious Vedantic meditators at dawn and dusk before commencing deep silent meditation (Nididhyasana).
Dahara Upasana Practice: Utilized as a contemplative guide to withdraw attention from outer sensory perception into the center of the chest (Anahata / Dahara space), stabilizing consciousness on the formless witness
Sources & References
Dharmartha presents traditional knowledge with respect for its sources. Practices vary by lineage and region; this material does not assert exclusive or universal authority.
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