samnyasi | संन्यासी

Sannyasi (Devanagari: संन्यासी; ISO 15919: saṁnyāsī) refers to a renunciant monk who abandons material life to pursue God-realization. Eligibility is determined solely by the development of Yukta Vairagya (true detachment); scriptures warn that external renunciation without internal purity leads to spiritual degradation. Sannyasis are classified into ascending levels of advancement, ranging from the Kutichaka to the fully enlightened Avadhuta.

Further Reading and Reference

• Alternate Spelling: sanyasi, sannyasi
• Related Concepts: karma, jnana, bhakti, Sanyasi—Renunciate
• Reference: Who am I? Who is Mine? Vol. 1, Ch. 1