Holy Orders of Sannyas

THE FOLLOWING IS A RELIGIOUS COVENANT BETWEEN A SANNYASIN—ONE WHO HAS RENOUNCED THE WORLD IN SERVICE TO GOD SIVA—AND THE DIVINE BEINGS OF ALL THREE WORLDS. IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THESE HOLY ORDERS OF SANNYAS, THE SANNYASIN, OF HIS OWN VOLITION, IRREVOCABLY AND ETERNALLY BINDS HIMSELF TO HIS RELIGION—THE SAIVA SAMAYAM—TO THE TIMELESS TRADITIONS OF THE SANATANA DHARMA, TO HIS FELLOW HINDUS, TO HIS BROTHER RENUNCIATES AND, MOST ESPECIALLY, TO THE SIVA YOGASWAMI GURU PARAMPARA.§

ANNYAS MAY BE SIMPLY defined as Saivite Hindu monasticism, and a sannyasin is one who has renounced the world in search of God Realization and has been formally initiated by a guru who is himself a sannyasin. In Sanskrit the word sannyas literally means “to throw down” or “to abandon.” Thus, sannyas is the giving up or abandonment of the world, and the sannyasin is one who has so renounced. True sannyas is not a denial of life but life’s highest fulfillment. It is unmitigated selflessness. It is the relinquishment of the transient and illusory in favor of a permanent Reality, the eschewing of a worldly life that one may, by gradual stages of purification, draw inward toward Parasiva, Truth Absolute. It is a break with the mundane and a binding unto the Divine. It is the repudiation of the dharma, including the obligations and duties, of the householder and the acceptance of the even more demanding dharma of the renunciate. The seasoned sannyasin is truly the liberated man, the spiritual exemplar, the disciplined yogi and ultimately the knower of Truth, freed to commune with the Divine and bound to uplift humanity through the sharing of his wisdom, his peace, his devotion and his illumination, however great or small. The sannyasin is the guardian of his religion, immersed in it constantly, freed from worldliness, freed from distraction, able to offer his work and his worship in unbroken continuity and one-pointed effectiveness. He undertakes certain disciplines including the purification of body, mind and emotions. He restrains and controls the mind through his sadhana, tapas and meditative regimen. He unfolds from within himself a profound love of God and the Gods. His practice of upasana or worship is predominantly internal, seeking God Siva within. ¶In the Saiva tradition there have always existed among men a few, rare in numbers but mighty in their dedication to Lord Siva, for whom the world held no attraction and karmas were on the wane. Such men are by nature inclined toward knowledge of God and disinclined toward desires of family, wealth and property, also spoken of by our spiritual forefathers as women, gold and land. Some among them are sadhus, anchorites living in the seclusion of distant caves and remote forests or wandering as homeless mendicants, itinerant pilgrims to the holy sanctuaries of Saivism. Others dwell as cenobites assembled with their brothers often in the ashram, aadheenam or math of their satguru but always under the guru’s aegis, serving together in fulfillment of a common mission. These devotees, when initiated into the Order of sannyas, don the saffron robes and thereby bind themselves to a universal body of Hindu renunciates whose existence has never ceased, an assembly of men inwardly linked in Sivasambandam, their mutual dedication to Siva, though not necessarily outwardly associated. It is this venerable convocation which the sannyasin joins and to which he is bound for life in brotherhood and in service. ¶Traditionally, there are several levels of initiation for the Saivite monastic. Requirements and qualifications vary according to the circumstances, the preceptor and the disciple. These initiations may be given early in the monastic’s life or may await the completion of years or even decades of sadhana and purification before they are bestowed. It is not a matter of temporal experience or timing. The first formal initiation for the aspirant is known as brahmacharya diksha and enters the devotee into a chaste life of study, worship and service. The next initiation is that of sannyas diksha. This diksha is a formal Hindu rite, or less often an informal blessing, entering the devotee into renunciate monasticism, binding him for life to certain vows which include chastity, poverty and obedience, and directing him on the path to God-Realization. It must be realized that the ceremonies described in the Rites of Initiation section herein form the customary rites of passage into sannyas, but that it is not merely the observance of these ordinances which makes one a sannyasin. Indeed, if not a single formality was followed, not a single vow solemnized, a true satguru may confer sannyas on a true disciple in a most informal manner. There are other forms of diksha, not relating to monasticism, by which a spiritual teacher bestows blessings and awakening upon the devotee through the simple agency of a touch, word, look or thought. One such initiation is known as mantra diksha, which in the Saiva tradition is the teaching of the Panchakshara Mantra, “Namasivaya.” ¶According to the venerable laws of Manu, one enters into sannyas after training with the guru, but only if the candidate received brahmacharya diksha and commenced such training prior to his twenty-fifth birthday. Otherwise, all are expected to enter the life of the householder, embracing the life of renunciation, if they elect, after having concluded family and societal obligations around age seventy-two. Thus, there are two distinct types of sannyas. The first is initiation of unmarried youth into the ancient world Order of sannyas. A second sannyas, described in the Vedas, though not commonly observed in contemporary Hindu society, may be defined as the last of the four ashrams or stages of life. After observing the stages of the student (brahmacharya), the householder (grihastha) and retired counselor (vanaprastha), the devout man seeks initiation by a satguru under whose grace he enters into life’s final stage, withdrawing unto himself and ideally living the life of a forest hermit while dedicating himself to Godly pursuits. Both forms of sannyas are delineated in these Holy Orders and both require initiation from one who himself has the blessings of a legitimate preceptorial line to wear the renunciate’s kavi robes. Strictest tradition requires that lifetime renunciates be single men and that they enter their Order before age twenty-five. However, there are certain Orders which accept men into sannyas after age twenty-five provided they have been in college and not in the world after that time. Others will accept widowers; and a few initiate women. Such rules and qualifications apply primarily to cenobites, that is to those who will live and serve together in an ashram or monastery. The rules pertaining to homeless anchorites are, for obvious reasons, more lenient. ¶The ancient shastras recognize four justifiable motivations or reasons for entering into sannyas: vidvat, vividisha, markata and atura. Briefly, vidvat sannyas is the spontaneous withdrawal from the world in search for God Realization which results from karma and tendencies developed in a previous life. Vividisha sannyas is embracing of monastic life in order to satisfy a yearning, developed through scriptural study and practice, for knowledge of the Absolute. Markata sannyas is taking refuge in monasticism as a result of great sorrow, disappointment or misfortune in worldly pursuits. Atura sannyas is entering into sannyas upon one’s deathbed, realizing that there is no longer hope in life. §

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SAIVITE AND VAISHNAVITE MONASTICISM.§

ENUNCIATION AND ASCETICISM have been an integral component of Saivite culture from the earliest days, the most highly honored facet of the Hindu dharma. Until around the ninth century, renunciation as a way of life was a uniquely Saivite phenomenon, and even today the word sannyasin denotes particularly a Saivite ascetic, though etymologically it may be applied to all Hindu monks. Historically, sannyas has not been a part of Vaishnavism until fairly recently. There are certain distinctions to be observed between Saivite and Vaishnavite sannyasins. Firstly, Saiva sannyasins generally share a common philosophical ground, often described as Monistic Vedanta or Suddha Saiva Siddhanta, while their Vaishnavite counterparts embrace at least four distinct philosophies. Secondly, Saiva sannyasins throughout the Hindu world worship the same Deity and wear the tilaka or sect mark on their foreheads, consisting of holy ash in three horizontal lines called tripundra, with little variation. Vaishnavite sannyasins, on the other hand, never make their tilaka with holy ash, but use various forms, often consisting of sandalpaste in three vertical lines, called urdhvapundra. Worshipping Vishnu’s divine incarnations, Vaishnavite renunciates are often termed “vairagis,” and may further distinguish themselves from the Saiva sannyasins by using a rosary of tulsa instead of the Saivite’s rudraksha and by wearing white robes instead of the traditional saffron or ochre robes. This has brought about the terms Lal Padris or “red-devotees” to describe the Saivites and Sita Padris or “white-devotees” to describe the Vaishnavites. Finally, while sannyasins place great emphasis on asceticism and the disciplines of meditation or raja yoga, vairagis for the most part follow the path of devotion or bhakti yoga. Despite these historical differences, modern Hinduism accepts all devout Hindus into sannyas, and devotees of any of the sects of the Sanatana Dharma—whether Saiva, Vaishnava, Sakta or Smarta—may enter into sannyas. ¶The ideal of the life-long celibate monastic, living within the social order and yet freed from worldly obligation that he might find and shed his spiritual light, started for Saivites before the Mohenjodaro and Harappa civilizations of five thousand years ago and traces its development in the references in the Rig Veda, around 1000 CE, to the munis and the yatis, men who wore long hair and the yellow robes, such men as Sanatkumara, Dattatreya and others, all naishtika brahmacharis. Later in the Vedas the sannyas ashram or last stage of the four-fold division of life became formalized and many references made to those who after age seventy-two relinquished all in search of the Absolute. Renunciation of the world found a high expression in the monastic principles of Jainism and Buddhism, both religions founded by illustrious sons of India. Essentially, Gautama Buddha perfected the Saivite ascetic ideal within the compass of Hinduism, and his followers made of it a separate religion after his death. It is only in Hinduism, and more particularly in Saivism and the Hindu-inspired religions of Jainism and Buddhism, that asceticism is a vibrant and valued mode of life, a part of the natural dharma. Though the homeless sadhu and the wandering mendicant existed before, it was Gautama Buddha who around six hundred years ce organized what had been an individual sadhana into a monastic order, which he termed the sangam. Around the eighth or ninth century Adi Sankara, the great exemplar of the ideals of sannyas who revitalized and restored the ancient ways during his short life of thirty-two years, organized the Hindu monastics of his day. In his travels throughout India, he assessed the existing traditions and finally validated ten orders of ascetics, at the same time establishing four religious centers or maths in North, East, South and West of India, known respectively as Jyoti, Govardhana, Sringeri and Sarada. Thus, the ancient Order of sannyas extends back to time immemorial, structurally influenced by Gautama Buddha about twenty-five centuries ago and reorganized in its present form by Adi Sankaracharya about eleven hundred years ago. ¶Our own spiritual lineage is traced through a Rishi from the Himalayas, to Kadaitswami, to Chellappaswami, to Siva Yogaswami and finally to our beloved Gurudeva, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. Ours is a line of siddhars, or perfected ones. The most renowned siddhar is Tirumular who lived over two thousand years ago in the South of India, for a time at Chidambaram with Patanjali and Vyaghrapada. Following the siddhar tradition, our Order holds that Lord Siva is God and that He exists as both the transcendent Absolute, Parasiva, and the Personal Lord and Primal Soul. We worship the latter and meditate upon the former.§

THE UNRIVALED GREATNESS OF THE SAIVA SANNYASA DHARMA. §

HE SAIVA SIDDHANTA Yoga Order holds that all souls without exception will attain the ultimate realization and eventually merge in non-dual union with God, and that there are souls on every plateau of evolution at all times, some in the midst of life’s experience and others who, having experienced, are naturally withdrawing from the world. This Order supports the scriptural doctrine that the two paths—householder and renunciate—are distinct in their dharmas and attainments, affirming that true renunciation may not be achieved by those in the world even by virtue of a genuine attitude of detachment. The householder may attain great and profound spiritual depths during his life, unfolding the mysteries of existence in his or her states of contemplation and, according to our ancient mystics, perhaps experiencing total God Realization at the hour of death, though this attainment is reserved for the ardent, sincere and devout grihasthin. Such a soul will find the Sanatana Dharma at an early age in his next birth, renounce and attain quickly to Self Realization. Alternately, the householder may attain to the highest realization after all family dharma and societal obligations are fulfilled, provided he enters the sannyas ashram after age seventy-two through the customary initiatory rites given by a satguru and then diligently pursues his spiritual sadhana in a state of genuine renunciation and not in the midst of his family. Our Gurudeva spoke of this in June of 1968: “The path of the family is a path of magnetic attachments. It is their duty to own property, to succeed in business and to raise their family until age seventy-two. This natural and necessary attachment to the world, coupled with the male and female principle in the family, prevents nirvakalpa samadhi in this way. He represents the active, aggressive, masculine energies of the pingala current, while she naturally expresses the passive, feminine energies of the ida current. The husband and wife are together a one being, but individually they are psychically incomplete and dependent one upon the other. Through their harmonious and disciplined life they attain to the profound illuminations of savikalpa samadhi. Now, the sannyasin balances within himself both the male and female energies. Complete unto himself, he is whole and independent. There arises within him a pure energy, neither positive nor negative. This is the sushumna current coming into power through which he gains control of the kundalini force and eventually, after years of careful guidance, attains nirvakalpa samadhi. It is for these and other reasons that bhakti and karma yoga are the royal road for the householder, while raja yoga is the path for renunciates.” ¶Eventually, in one life or another, all will turn to the renunciate path. However, it would be equally improper for a renunciate-minded soul to enter family life as for a grihasthin to seek to be a sannyasin. Only the sannyasin can truly repudiate the world of illusion and proclaim the Truth which others may seek but which will always elude them. The Kularnava Tantra states: “Austerities, restraints, the observance of vows, pilgrimages to holy places, bodily disciplines and other acts are ineffectual if performed by one who is uninitiated. One should, therefore, by all means be initiated by a guru.” Again, the Rudra Yamala proclaims: “He who has not been initiated cannot acquire Divine Knowledge. Those who perform japa and puja without being initiated derive no benefit, even as seeds sown on stone do not germinate.” The Kaivalya Upanishad proclaims, “Not by work, not by birth, nor by wealth, but by renunciation alone do the rare ones attain Immortality” (Verse 3). We find the virtues of the sannyasin’s abdication of the world boldly expressed by Swami Vivekananda of the Puri Order: “Never forget and teach to your children that as is the difference between a firefly and the blazing sun, between the infinite ocean and a little pond, between a mustard seed and the mountain Meru, such is the difference between the householder and the sannyasin!” A disciple asked Swami Vivekananda if it were true that without sannyas there could be no knowledge of Brahman. Swami replied, “That is true. A thousand times true.” This lofty view of renunciation is echoed by His Holiness Adi Sankara, in his introduction to the Aitareya Upanishad: “The life of the householder is controlled by desire. Non-action or renunciation means the cessation of all relations with family, wealth and other objects of desire. Therefore, it is not possible for a knower of the Self to renounce action and at the same time lead a householder’s life.” The Mundaka Upanishad says: “The Self is not gained by the weak, nor by the insincere, nor by those who merely practice austerities, nor by those devoid of the necessary insignia; but wise men who strive with vigor, attention and propriety attain union with Brahman” (III, ii, 4). Sankara in explaining this passage comments that by practicing sadhana without the external signs of the sannyasin, the saffron robes, danda and kamandalu, Brahman, which is difficult to attain, is not realized. In Tirumantiram, Saint Tirumular describes the insignia of the Siva yogin: §

To smear holy ashes is the first step to tapas.
Rings of copper in the ears,
And garland of rudraksha around the neck—
These too are other emblems for Siva to reach.
Thus doth the blemishless Siva yogin
For tapas prepare.
Kundala for ears to adorn,
Kamandalu for water to hold,
Kandika for neck to fill,
A conch to blow, a bowl to beg,
And a kappara to hold the ashes,
The correct sandals and yogic seat,
The yoga sash and yoga staff—
These ten are the yogi’s appurtenances. §

Tirumantiram Verses 1662 & 1664§

¶Thus, our emphasis on the necessity for initiation into sannyas in both the perpetuation of Saivism and the attainment of Sivajnana finds its authority in scripture, in the declaration of our beloved Gurudeva and in the halls of wisdom within. Let none append to this lesser postulations. Rather let all rise to the summit of understanding from which the imperious saints and sages of Saivism spoke forth these canons. We refute and oppose contemporary notions of sannyas which assert that it is for the masses, and which claim that it requires neither qualification nor discipline, neither celibacy nor commitment. Such approaches are neither scriptural nor wise, but relegate this most noble way of life to ordinariness and make popular and common that which has always been exceptional and rare. We refute as well the conception of sannyas as an existential surpassing of religion or an ecumenical embracing of all religions as sometimes practiced by non-Hindus. It is not a yoga path set apart from the Sanatana Dharma, equally available to Christians, Jews and even those not affiliated with any faith. It is a strictly Hindu path, and all true sannyasins are Hindus, for sannyas is Hindu monasticism. Just as a rabbi is revered among the Jews and a cardinal among the Catholics, so are sannyasins the most dedicated of Hindus, the teachers of their tradition and the guardians of their great scripture. For a Christian or a Jew to wear the saffron vestments and call himself Swami is a wrongful abuse of both sacred traditions and must never be condoned. That is not to say that non-Hindus cannot become renunciates in the truest sense, only that they must do so within the context of their own religion. It must be added that realization is not restricted to Hindu renunciates, but to devout followers of any religion which has non-dual union with the Absolute or nirvakalpa samadhi as its final goal, provided such aspirants renounce the world and come under the graceful guidance of an awakened preceptor. ¶The following verses from Saint Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukural and Saint Tirumular’s Tirumantiram speak of the greatness and the grandeur of the Saiva sannyas dharma. §

The scriptures exalt above every other good
The greatness of virtuous renunciates. §

Tirukural Verse 21§

It is the nature of asceticism
To patiently endure hardship
And to not harm living creatures. §

Tirukural Verse 261§

Whatsoever a man has renounced,
From the sorrow born of that
He has freed himself. §

Tirukural Verse 341§

Beyond birth and death,
Reached by renunciate tapas
Is He, my Lord of resplendent glory!
Sing ye His praise! Pray incessantly!
The Heaven’s Lord shall
Show thee Dharma’s Land. §

Tirumantiram Verse 1614§

The Lord renounced all.
He is the Shining Light above.
He is the friend of all
Who hath surmounted Death’s days.
He is devoid of desires,
The Guiding Light of all those
Who Darkness renounced.
Only to those who this world abandon
Shall His Feet within reach be. §

Tirumantiram Verse 1620§

The heart of the holy trembles not in fear;
All passions stilled, it enjoys calm unruffled.
Neither is there death nor pain,
Nor night nor day,
Nor fruits of karma to experience—
That truly is the state of the desire-renounced. §

Tirumantiram Verse 1624§

The tapasvins many that live by alms
Have no life hereafter.
On them shall be showered
All blessings of spiritual wealth.
They that perform incessant tapas
Attain the power to end
All births to be. §

Tirumantiram Verse 1626§

Without illusions, without ignorance,
Without intelligence,
Without the embraces of fish-eyed damsels
And their attachment,
Themselves as themselves,
In Solitude remaining one in Siva-Sakti,
Thus are they, the Holy Ones in Siva’s Robe. §

Tirumantiram Verse 1678§

My body, wealth and life
He took from me as sacrificial offering
Through ritual appropriate.
He directed his spiritual glance at me and
Dispelled my karma’s
Network to destruction;
And then He laid His Hands on me
And planted His Feet on my head;
In a trice He imparted Spiritual Consciousness
And thus my birth’s cycle He ended—
He, the Nandi,
Through these acts of diksha successive. §

Tirumantiram Verse 1778§

THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE SANNYASA DHARMA. §

CRIPTURES PROCLAIM that candidates for sannyas must be of a sattvic nature and possess a natural purity. They must be one-pointed and tranquil. Sankara’s Crest Jewel of Discrimination states: “He alone may be considered qualified to seek the Absolute who has discrimination, whose mind is turned away from all enjoyments, who possesses tranquility and the kindred virtues, and who feels a longing for liberation... Longing for liberation is the will to be free from the fetters forged by ignorance—beginning with the ego-sense and so on, down to the physical body itself—through the realization of one’s true nature... Be devoted to Brahman and you will be able to control your senses. Control your senses and you will gain mastery over your mind. Master your mind and the sense of ego will be dissolved. In this manner, the yogi achieves an unbroken realization of the joy of Brahman. Therefore, let the seeker strive to give his heart to Brahman... The fruit of dispassion is illumination. The fruit of illumination is the stilling of desire. The fruit of stilled desire is experience of the bliss of the Atman, whence flows all peace.” ¶Candidates must have reached their twenty-fourth year and have begun their training for sannyas before age twenty-five, or have entered the sannyas ashram after age seventy-two. An extensive examination, written as well as oral, is conducted by the initiating guru or his appointed senior sannyasins. During this examination, it should be determined that the candidate: 1. is qualified as outlined above to fulfill and is naturally inclined toward a life of renunciation, 2. has attained a measure of moral and spiritual maturity sufficient to make him a respected member of the ancient tradition, 3. has completed six years of brahmacharya, 4. has successfully completed a minimum of one year of personal training under the initiating guru, 5. has completed a two-year retreat from family and friends in conjunction with two years’ preparation as a pre-sannyas Postulant (this qualification may be waived for candidates in the sannyas ashram), 6. has divested himself of all possessions, including lands, trusts and wills to which he may be a beneficiary now or at some future date, 7. has given away those possessions he did own to a Hindu temple or institution of his own choosing, and 8. has shown a measure of philosophical insight and understanding in accord with A Creed for Saivite Hindus and the teachings of the guru parampara. ¶Other qualifications which should be taken into account during the candidate’s examination include: viveka, vairagya, shatsampati (a six-fold virtue encompassing control of body, senses and mind, forbearance, courage and faith) and mumukshatata (desire for liberation), bhakti, and the following from the Gautamiya Tantra: “The sishya should be of good parentage and pure-minded. He should be learned in the scriptures, diligent, devoted to the welfare of others. He should know dharma and practice it. He should be acquainted with the true meaning of the sastras. He should possess a strong body and a strong mind. He should always do good to living beings. He should do only such deeds as are good for the afterlife. He should serve the satguru by his speech, mind, body and resources. He should avoid works of which the result is transitory, and be diligent in working for enduring results. He should be one who has conquered passions, indolence, illusory knowledge and vanity.” ¶The candidate should be carefully appraised of the high standards he will be expected to fulfill and counseled that his Holy Orders raise him above caste, class and all social distinction that he may equally serve all true devotees. In consideration of the probationer’s petition to enter into these Holy Orders, it must be remembered that scholarship and philosophical acumen are not necessary requisites for the spiritual life, and while some sannyasins will be the pandits and scholars, others will be the great karma yogis and bhaktars, serving their religion by virtue of their endless love, devotion and industry. Nor should those charged with conducting this examination be too severe in their recommendation, but give allowance for the training and spiritual growth that will ensue, taking care to assure that the candidate possesses such qualities as will enable him in the years ahead to mature into a worthy sannyasin. Should it be determined that the candidate was not fully prepared, he would be advised to wait before taking these final vows, realizing that once taken they may not be revoked. Those conducting his interview and the initiating guru are advised of the solemn responsibility which devolves upon them to remember that qualification does not depend upon years spent in service or training and to not give these Holy Orders prematurely. In certain circumstances the candidate may serve his faith best and himself be best served by remaining a Sadhaka, perhaps perpetually, but certainly until both he and the senior members of the Order are assured that there will be no return to worldly karmas. ¶Sannyas diksha may be given by any legitimate sannyasin from a recognized parampara, though its highest fulfillment comes when initiation is granted by an illumined satguru. The Guru Gita describes such a preceptor: “A paramaguru is one who is devoid of delusion, peaceful, content within himself, not depending on another... one who is free from feelings of dvaita and advaita, who shines by the light of his Self Realization, who is able to destroy the deep darkness of ignorance... by whose darshan one attains equinimity, cheerfulness, peace of mind and patience... one who sees his own Self as the non-dual Brahman and has killed ruthlessly infatuation for wealth and women—such a person is the paramaguru. Having attained such a guru, the disciple is never again bound to samsara. He becomes absolutely free” (280, 289, 291-294). ¶In speaking of renunciation and the qualifications therefore, Sage Narada in his Bhakti Sutras, Adi Sankara in his hymns and Saint Tirumular in his Tirumantiram have written:§

Who indeed overcomes maya?
He who gives up all attachment,
Who serves the great ones,
And who is freed from the sense of “I and mine.”
He who lives in solitude,
Cuts through the bondages of this world,
Goes beyond the three gunas,
And depends upon the Lord even for his living.
He who gives up the fruits of his actions,
Renounces all selfish activity,
And passes beyond the pairs of opposites.
He who renounces even the rites and ceremonies
Prescribed by the scriptures
And attains unfaltering love for God—
Such a man, indeed, crosses this maya
And helps others to cross it. §

Bhakti Sutras 46-50§

O Fool! Leave off the desire
For accumulated wealth.
Create in the mind thoughts
About Reality, devoid of passion.
The water on the lotus leaf
Is very unsteady.
So also is life extermely unstable.
Know that the entire world is devoured
By disease and conceit,
And smitten with sorrow.
Do not be proud of wealth,
Kindred and youth.
Time takes away all these in a moment.
Leaving aside this entire world,
Which is of the nature of an illusion,
And knowing the state of Brahman,
Enter into it. §

Mohamudgara 2, 4 & 11§

A Sattvic is he,
His thoughts centered on Truth,
His vision clear among conflicting faiths,
Abhorrent of recurring cycles of birth,
Walking straight in Dharma’s path—
Indeed he is a disciple good and true.
He scans that which divides
The Real and the unreal.
He melts in the soul of his being,
And with Siva’s Grace to guide
He receives Jnana in true devotion.
He humbles himself before the Lord
And seeks the bliss of His Sakti—
He is the fit one,
The disciple good and true. §

Tirumantiram 1696-97 §

RITES OF INITIATION INTO THE ANCIENT ORDER OF SANNYAS.§

HE CEREMONY FOR SANNYAS DIKSHA is conducted by the satguru and after his mahasamadhi by whomever he would designate from among his sannyasins. These sacred rites are often solemnized during Sivaratri, it being considered auspicious for sannyasins to commence their monastic life on Siva’s most sanctified night, or alternatively during the full moon in the month of May, a time that honors our beloved Gurudeva’s diksha. It includes specific instruction in meditation and other spiritual practices and mantras, all of which is never disclosed. The Siva Puranas enjoin the candidate to fast on fruits and milk for twelve days before the ceremony and to chant the Savitri mantra: “Aum bhur bhuvah svaha. Tat Savitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dhimahi, Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat” (Rig Veda 3.62.10). Prior to the initation rites, the candidate symbolically performs the obsequies for his parents including the customary food offerings, thus releasing himself from that obligation at a future date. ¶Early in the morning on the chosen auspicious day the candidate prostrates before the satguru, divested of all possessions, having given up all things personal. A Ganesha puja is performed and the sacred homa fire is kindled in preparation for the viraja sacrifice. With the candidate optionally knee-deep in water, a blessing is given by the satguru by which all residual worldly impurities are removed, and the candidate’s head is then shaved. Together he and the satguru symbolically conduct his antyesti samskara, the ritual funeral rites, to betoken the death of the personal self and the birth of the spiritual being. He places the remnants of personal identity, hair, clothing, pulnool or sacred thread and all desires for wealth, progeny and fame into the homa fire, beseeching the permission of Lord Ganesha and heeding the path of Lord Muruga, vowing aloud his renunciation thus: “All that I have and all that I am I now give unto my God, my Gods and my guru. I have no family except the Divine Father Siva and Mother Sakti who dwell in Kailas and on Earth the sangam of Saivite devotees. I have no home except the stillness of Being. I have no possessions except my faith and dedication. I have no desires except my desire to serve and to realize God.” The candidate then says aloud three times, “I, wishing for mukti, take refuge in this sacred Order and in God Siva, who created the world, who breathed out the Vedas. The purpose of my life is to cultivate dispassion, to become pure, to attain union with God Siva and be immersed in Divine Love. I do fully and of my own volition accept these Holy Orders of Sannyas, now and for the remainder of my life, and bind myself in the fulfillment thereof to the ancient Order of sannyas, to my satguru, to my Saivite Hindu faith and to the devas, the Mahadevas and Lord Siva Himself. I am the Atman, the non-dual Parasiva, pure and free.” So saying, the renunciate walks unclad seven steps around the homa fire, returning to kneel at the guru’s feet. He is thereafter dead to the world. The satguru then whispers the Panchakshara Mantra in the candidate’s right ear three times, along with personal instructions for meditation. The sannyasin is given his ascetic name, his danda, a mala of 108 rudraksha beads for japa yoga, a deer skin, a kamandalu or water bowl. After bathing in the nearby river where he intones the sannyas mantra, dips three times into the waters and then dons the kavi for the first time, the candidate returns. A puja is performed to invoke the blessings of the Second and Third Worlds. The satguru then takes ashes from the homa fire and marks the tripundra on his forehead and covers the body with the sacred ash. After the puja the following are read aloud to the sannyasin: his Sacred Vow of Renunciation and these excerpts from Natchintanai and from the Bhagavad Gita: §

Hail, O sannyasin, love’s embodiment!
Does any power exist apart from love?
Diffuse thyself throughout the happy world.
Let painful maya cease and ne’er return!
Day and night give praise unto the Lord.
Pour forth a stream of songs
To melt the very stones.
Attain the sight where night is not nor day.
See Siva everywhere, and rest in bliss.
Live without interest in worldly gain.
Here, as thou hast ever been, remain.
Then never will cruel sorrow venture nigh. §

Hail, O sannyasin,
Thou who knowest no guile!
Establish in thy heart and worship there
The Taintless One—
Panchakshara’s inmost core,
Whom neither Vishnu nor Brahma
Had power to comprehend.
Thou that regardest all others as thyself—
Who in this world can be compared with thee?
The powerful karma
Thy past deeds have wrought
Will vanish without trace.
Daily, on the thought
“Is not this jiva Siva?” thou must meditate.
Best of sannyasins, of one-pointed mind!
Morning and evening worship without fail
The Holy Feet of the Almighty Lord,
Who here and hereafter
Preserves and safeguards thee.
Cast aside the fetters of thy sins!
By steadfast concentration of thy mind
Awareness of a separate self
Thou must extirpate.
Conquer with love all those that censure thee.
Thou art eternal! Have no doubt of this!
What is not thou is fancy’s artiface.
Formless thou art!
Then live from all thought free! §

Natchintanai 228§

Learn from me now, Oh son of Kunti,
How man made perfect is one with Brahman,
The goal of wisdom.
When the mind and the heart
Are freed from delusion, united with Brahman,
When steady will has subdued the senses,
When sight and taste and sound are abandoned,
Without regretting, without aversion;
When man seeks solitude, eats but little,
Curbing his speech, his mind and body,
Ever engaged in meditation on Brahman,
The Truth, and full of compassion;
When he casts from him vanity, violence,
Pride, lust, anger and all his possessions,
Totally free from the sense of ego
And tranquil of heart:
That man is ready for oneness with Brahman.
And he who dwells united with Brahman,
Calm in mind, not grieving, not craving,
Regarding all men with equal acceptance:
He loves me most dearly. §

Bhagavad Gita XVII, 49-56§

The sannyasin then prostrates three times before the satguru and the ceremony is concluded. Henceforth he is a sannyasin of the great and ageless Order. He then walks in the direction of the Himalayas, home of Lord Siva, to be invited back by his brothers to join in a monastic community to serve, or to be allowed to continue on pilgrimage and return at a specified later date. That night he is required to beg his meal. The above constitutes the formal rites of initiation, but it must be noted that each satguru’s tradition is unique in its form of initiation and though the ceremony be an informal declaration by the preceptor or the simple giving of saffron robes and a name the validity of sannyas diksha is in no way impaired thereby.§

THE GURU-DISCIPLE RELATIONSHIP IS THE CRUX OF SAIVITE MONASTICISM. §

N ENTERING THE ORDER of sannyas, the sannyasin enters into the mature stages of the guru-disciple relationship. Guru literally means the “remover of darkness.” The satguru has been the candidate’s spiritual guide and preceptor, and now he becomes as mother and father, friend and companion on the Eternal Path, the very embodiment of truth and goodness. The sannyasin should strive through the years ahead to perceive the satguru as his higher self, not different, not external to himself. In many ways he and the guru have become one, and that oneness will blossom forth in later years. Theirs is a one mind, a one energy, a one mission. The sannyasin should not look upon his devotion to the satguru as the whole of his commitment, for he is equally bound in service and obedience to God, the Gods and his religion as he is to his beloved preceptor. It is taught that there are three pillars of Saivism: the satguru, the temple and scripture. These together constitute the fullness of the renunciate’s dedication. Nevertheless, nothing is more central to the sannyasin’s spiritual awakening than the nurturing of the relationship with the preceptor so that it may blossom in its mystical and loving purity. The sannyasin should never perceive this to be an ordinary association, but remember the admonition spoken in the Kularnava Tantra: “He enters perdition who regards the guru as merely human, the mantra as mere letters and the temple image as mere stone.” The sannyasin must foster and protect this relationship, working daily to bring his mind ever deeper into harmony with that of his satguru. He should consider this his first and foremost monastic duty. ¶It is up to the guru to see each one to his final destiny, and it is up to the disciple to serve so perfectly that the guru is freed from external affairs to work within. The disciple’s first responsibility is always to the guru, and his final authority comes always from the guru. Should there ever arise instances wherein other Saivite authorities or scriptures or traditions differ from the directions of the satguru, the sannyasin must take his guru’s direction as the overruling prerogative. If the guru scolds, he must accept it in love and understanding, perceiving it as a blessing. The sannyasin must always be “on the eve of his departure,” ready to respond at a moment’s notice to any change or direction that may come from the guru. The sannyasin must work to understand his guru’s mind and mission, and then bring his own awareness and objectives into harmony with the guru’s. The sannyasin must cultivate devotion to the satguru, guru bhakti. This he does through study of the Guru Gita and the Tirumantiram, and through application of the attitudes and protocol these ancient scriptures contain. He does this through bringing his guru a flower each day, through prostrating daily when he first sees him and through awakening an abiding love for his spiritual master. He does this through attending guru puja. He does this through serving his satguru even better when he is not present, knowing this is the most meritorious service of all. He does this through obeying the instructions and living up to the unspoken expectations of the guru. He does this through nurturing an unfaltering love for his satguru, through worshiping the tiruvadi and taking refuge at his guru’s Holy Feet, yet never allowing his reverence to fall into mere personality worship which would be an externalizing of this deeply internal process. The purpose of the guru-disciple relationship is not to be bound to anyone, but to learn perfect freedom from one who is himself free. Nonetheless, a sannyasin may of his own volition bind himself in service to a monastic order or community, consciously offering his life in such service until sarvatyaga or complete giving up of even religious duties naturally arises with the guru’s blessing, perhaps after age seventy-two. ¶Our Saivite heritage holds that all of existence is Siva, and there are no so-called divine incarnations or avatars. God Siva exists equally in all, though His presence is more apparent in the person of the illumined teacher. In this spirit the awakened sishya is directed to see the satguru as divine, no different from Lord Siva Himself. The Kularnava Tantra says, “Why the pains of long pilgrimages? Why observances that emaciate the body? All the fruits anticipated from such austerities can be easily obtained by motiveless service to the guru. By mind, by speech, by body and by action do what is helpful to the guru... As in the vicinity of fire butter gets melted, so in the proximity of the holy guru all sins dissolve. As darkness is destroyed at the very sight of the lamp, so is ignorance destroyed at the very sight of the holy guru. Moksha is in the palm of his hand.” The true sannyasin will know that knowledge of the Self arises only from the satguru, know further that there is but one satguru in this life and that the three worlds grieve to see a disciple abuse or abandon his teacher and rejoice in the faithful and constant disciple. The ceremony of sannyas diksha binds guru and disciple psychically, much in the manner of the lifetime bonds established between man and wife when vows of matrimony are solemnized; both are very real inner ties, not to be broken without unhappy consequences. The Guru Gita states, “They who understand the significance of the great teachings by service to the guru are real sannyasins. All others are mere wearers of the ochre-colored robes.” There follow Ten Observances of the Guru-Disciple Relationship compiled from the Guru Gita and given unto the sannyasins of this Order to observe as best they can:§

1§

The disciple shall daily offer a gift in love, such as a fruit or flower, and prostrate himself at the feet of his satguru, or in his absence before the holy sandals or in the direction where the guru abides.§

2§

The disciple shall in devotion or knowledge look upon the person of the satguru as the very embodiment of Lord Siva, offering every service and reverence equally unto both, making no distinction between the two.§

3§

The disciple shall in faith and trust obey his satguru, setting aside his own needs and preferences that he may carry out the directions and wishes, expressed or implied, of the guru without delay or reservation.§

4§

The disciple shall in his every act and thought seek the blessings, inwardly or in person, of the satguru, always acting in harmony with the preceptor’s will, performing guru japa and surrendering himself unconditionally, trusting in his supreme wisdom and seeking refuge in his grace.§

5§

The disciple shall observe the acceptance of ucchista prasadam and the sanctified waters from the abhishekam of the tiruvadi, and in all service to the spiritual master realize that the whole of existence, sentient and insentient, is served.§

6§

The disciple shall meditate upon the inner form of the satguru, earnestly striving through this guru dhyana to understand his temperament, the contents of his heart and his essential nature as eternal, peaceful, unattached—as guru tattva, the essence that pervades form.§

7§

The disciple shall never criticize nor advise the guru, nor contradict him, nor correct, nor argue with him; nor shall he allow others to do so in his presence, never listening to criticism directed toward his preceptor, defending him in such instances and leaving the presence of those who persist in such denigration. He shall accept correction and criticism openly, and look upon the wrath of the master as a fiery grace capable of consuming unseemly karma and upon his praise as a merciful grace.§

8§

The disciple shall not stand or sit above the satguru, or take a place of authority or instruct others in his presence, or carry on worldly activity or conversation before him, or walk or drive ahead of him, or partake of anything without first offering it to the preceptor.§

9§

The disciple shall never utter falsehood before the satguru, nor words of contempt; neither shall he approach or address him as an equal, stretch his legs in the guru’s direction or touch his body or possessions with the feet; neither shall he imitate him in dress or deportment, nor speak excessively or with pride in his holy presence.§

10§

The disciple shall emulate the awakened qualities he sees in the spiritual teacher as he strives for realization of the Truth which is the gracious gift of the satguru and attainable by no other means. §

When you seek a guru,
Seek one who is holy and pure
And then give him your all—
Your body, life and wealth.
Then in constancy learn clearly,
Not a moment distracting.
Surely shall you thus reach Siva’s State.
Placing His Feet on my head,
The Master blessed me. He is the holy guru.
He my Self Realization works.
He takes the jiva to the state beyond tattvas.
He sunders my bonds. All these he performs—
He that is Truth itself. §

Tirumantiram Verses 1693 & 2049 §

Having entered the path of the senses,
I was wandering in despair.
But he set me on the proper way
By saying, “You are I.”
That I, his slave, might not be caught
And ruinedin the bondage of father, mother,
Children, wife and kin,
He cleared my mind and placed me
In the midst of worthy devotees—
That great Lord, My Father,
I saw at glorious Nallur. §

Natchintanai 124§

Therefore, I tell you:
Be humble, be harmless,
Have no pretension,
Be upright, forbearing,
Serve your teacher in true obedience,
Keeping the mind and the body in cleanliness,
Tranquil, steadfast, master of ego,
Standing apart from the things of the senses,
Free from self,
Aware of the weakness in mortal nature,
Its bondage to birth, age, suffering, dying.
To nothing be a slave,
Nor desire possession of man-child or wife,
Of home or household.
Calmly encounter the painful
And the pleasant.
Adore me only,
With heart undistracted.
Turn all your thought toward solitude,
Spurning the noise of the crowd,
Its fruitless commotion.
Strive without ceasing
To know the Atman,
Seek this knowledge and compehend clearly
Why you should seek it.
Such, it is said, are the roots of true wisdom:
Ignorance, merely, is all that denies them. §

Bhagavad Gita XIII, 7-11§