Overview
Sannyasa (Sanskrit: संन्यास, saṃnyāsa) is the fourth stage in the Hindu system of four life stages, or ashramas. It follows brahmacharya (the celibate student), grihastha (the householder) and vanaprastha (the retired forest dweller). The stage is traditionally associated with the later years of a person's life, although young brahmacharis have the option to skip the householder and retirement stages and proceed directly to renunciation, dedicating themselves to spiritual pursuits.
As a form of asceticism, Sannyasa is marked by the renunciation of material desires and prejudices, and by detachment from worldly life. The aim is to spend one's days in peaceful, contemplative and spiritual practice. A person in this stage is referred to as a sannyasi (male) or sannyasini (female). The tradition shares features with the Sadhu and Sadhvi traditions of Jain monasticism, and bears similarities to the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis of Buddhism.
Historically, Sannyasa has been characterised by renunciation, ahimsa (non-violence), simplicity and spiritual pursuit within Indian traditions. However, this orientation was not uniform across all periods. From around the 12th century, through the era of Muslim rule in parts of India and into the period of the British Raj, sections of the Shaiva (Gossain) and Vaishnava (Bairagi) ascetic orders evolved into military formations. These groups developed martial arts, formulated military strategies and at times engaged in guerrilla warfare. Such warrior ascetics also played a role during the period in which European colonial powers were establishing themselves in the Indian subcontinent.
The institution of Sannyasa thus encompasses a broad spectrum of practice within Hindu tradition, ranging from solitary contemplative renunciation to organised monastic and, in certain historical contexts, militant ascetic orders. In its classical and most