Bhikshuka Upanishad-भिक्षुक उपनिषत्-ఋగ్వేదాంతర్గత,-Rare upanishad -by Vid.Sri.R.Rajagopal sharma Ji

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Bhikshuka Upanishad-भिक्षुक उपनिषत्-ఋగ్వేదాంతర్గత=Rare upanishad -by Vid.Sri.R.Rajagopal sharma Ji
Certainly! The Bhikshuka Upanishad is a minor but insightful Hindu scripture that focuses on the life and conduct of mendicants (Sannyasins) seeking spiritual liberation.Here is a summary of its key points:📜 Bhikshuka Upanishad: A NoteThe word Bhikshuka means "mendicant" or "beggar," and the Upanishad provides a classification and description of different types of Sannyasins (Hindu monks) who have renounced the world to seek Moksha (liberation).1. Classification of MendicantsThe Upanishad states that mendicants are of four kinds, all of whom strive for liberation through the path of Yoga:Type of MendicantKey Characteristics1. Kuṭīcaka"Hut-dweller." Lives near their family or teacher, subsists on eight mouthfuls of food a day, and practices yoga. Sages like Gautama and Vasistha are cited as examples.2. Bahūdaka"One with much water." Carries a triple staff (tridaṇḍa) and a water pot. They wear a sacred thread and ochre-colored clothes and subsist on eight mouthfuls of alms from the houses of learned Brāhmaṇas.3. Haṃsa"Swan." Constantly wandering, staying no more than one night in a village, five nights in a town, and seven nights in a holy place. They observe the Cāndrāyaṇa vow (food reduction based on the moon's phase).4. Paramahaṃsa"Supreme Swan." The highest stage of renunciation and the focus of the Upanishad. They are completely free from all conventional rules and dualities.2. The Ideal of the ParamahaṃsaThe majority of the text describes the Paramahaṃsa (Supreme Swan) state, illustrating the ultimate level of detachment and spiritual realization:Detachment and Indifference: They look upon gold, stone, and a clod of earth with the same eye of indifference. They are free from the sense of dualities (dvaita), such as right/wrong, gain/loss, or purity/impurity.Lifestyle: They may live either clothed, in rags, or completely naked ("as nature made them"). They take shelter in secluded places like under a tree, in a ruined house, or in a burning ground.Sustenance: They subsist on just eight mouthfuls of food, begging from anyone without distinction of caste, simply to sustain the body for the purpose of spiritual practice.Goal: They are engaged in pure contemplation (śukladhyāna) and meditate on the Ātman (Self) alone, having advanced far on the path of Brahman (the Ultimate Reality).3. Philosophical ContextThe Bhikshuka Upanishad is one of the Sannyasa Upanishads and is attached to the Shukla Yajurveda. It is a short text, consisting of only a single chapter with five verses. It provides a highly detailed and idealized portrait of the life of a renunciate, underscoring that the true path to liberation (moksha) is through total renunciation, detachment, and unwavering meditation on the Self.Would you like to know more about the Paramahaṃsa stage or a specific sage mentioned in the text?