The Mission Of the Mission
A legacy of devas from the entire paramparā accompanies our monastic order, providing silent, unseen inner guidance and protection for old and young alike. As long as at least one person within the entire group of maṭhavāsis is going into and coming out of Paraśiva once a day, the doorway to the Third World remains open to the hereditary entourage of devonic forces that has been building up for over two thousand years. This is because the brahmarandhra, the door of Brahm at the top of the head, remains open when Paraśiva is daily experienced within a maṭhavāsi community. It could be within the oldest monk or within the youngest. This great realization occurring time and time again within someone day after day keeps the door of Brahm open for the entire prāṇa chakravāla of monastics, keeping vibrantly strong the inner, actinic connection with all gurus of our paramparā, as well as with other sādhus, ṛishis and saints who have reached these same attainments, and with the sapta ṛishis themselves who guide our order from deep within the inner lokas.
My Śaiva swāmīs, or Nātha swāmīs, are distinguished by their orange robes, gold Nātha earrings and three strands of rudrāksha beads. They are the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order, known as the Saiva Swami Sangam when they gather in ecclesiastical conclave. The saṅgam does not follow the protocol of unanimous decision. Rather, it works in intuitive one-mindedness to carry out instructions from the Kailāsa Pīṭham, our spiritual seat of authority, to better the Śaivite mission and the individuals dedicated to its success.
These sannyāsins are not looked upon as individuals so much as an integrated council, assembled and working in unison to perform a holy work as Sivanadiyars, servants of God Śiva. Guided by the satguru, the Saiva Swami Sangam forms the ecclesiastical body of our Hindu Church which works in a humble way to protect the purity of the faith among all Hindu sects, through inspiring publications and other means of encouragement. Specifically, our order’s mission is to protect, preserve and promote the Śaivite Hindu religion as embodied in the Tamil culture, traditions and scriptures of South India and Sri Lanka.
Our monastic order follows the cenobitic pattern in which monastics live in community and work together toward common objectives. Sannyāsins of this order are not wandering sādhus or silent contemplatives, known as anchorites, rather they are members of a brotherhood working closely and industriously with their satguru and with their brother monastics. At the time of sannyāsa dīkshā, each has accepted the mission of the Kailāsa Paramparā as his own: to protect and perpetuate Śaivism; to serve Hindus the world over; to provide, teach and disseminate scripture, religious literature and practical instruction; to promote temple construction and to exemplify the dignity and enlightenment of our Nandinātha Sampradāya. Living under lifetime vows of renunciation, humility, purity, confidence and obedience, these sannyāsins are bound to fulfill their unique role in the Śaiva culture of religious exemplars and staunch defenders of the faith. Their ideal is to balance outward service (Sivathondu) and inward contemplation-realization (Śivajñāna) for a rich, fulfilling and useful life.
There are two other groups of monks within our monasteries: the yellow-robed yogī tapasvins and the white-robed sādhakas, living under renewable two-year vows of humility, purity, confidence and obedience.
NANDINATHA SŪTRA 331: ENCOURAGING OTHER QUALIFIED MONASTICS
Śiva’s monastics support sādhus, yogīs, swāmīs and gurus of other orders, male or female, even if their beliefs differ, as long as they promote the Vedas, the Hindu religion and the renunciate ideals of monasticism. Aum.