- RAKESH KUMAR SINGH
A
vagrant, as I am, once I started, there was no stopping. me. From Allahabad to
Varanasi, moving from one akhara (militant ascetic order) to another I got acquainted with all the seven akharas of
Naga Sadhus. But most of the time was
spent with the sadhus of Juna, Niranjani and Mahanirmani akharas. The casual
acquaintance soon changed into longish sittings. Then, there was a time when I
began spending my nights in the akharas. At Varanasi, I spent three days in an
Akhara: with a Naga sadhu.
Different
kinds of hermits. Different thoughts. Diverse ideas but a common objective in
life: “worshipping humanity” “serving the religion”. But a wide
chasm between words and deeds. Living
amidst them, I am getting acquainted with their beliefs. For instance,
"Dalits and OBCs have destroyed the structural
composition of the akharas. Religious affairs were best dealt with only
by Brahmins. The Kshatriyas were always considered protectors of the religion.
So, they are also allowed into the world
of the hermits. But where was the need for the Shudras? They should do what
they are ordained for. Out of their greed for power and money, some akharas had
started admitting Shudras into the community of Sanyasis. That is harming the
cause of the religion". And many other similar things. The literature of
an akhara states that earlier only Brahmins and Kshatriyas were
permitted to take sanyas but now Vaishyas have also been granted this
permission. But the publication says nothing about Shudras taking sanyas. A
distinct hostility against non-Hindus, especially Muslims and Christians, is
very palpable. Most of
the Akharas believe that Muslims and Christians were enemies of the Sanatan
Dharma. Their only objective was to harm our religion. Some sanyasis level the same allegation against the Buddhists
also.
A
sizeable number of sanyasis in the akharas call
foreigners by saying “hello,come here”. Once the invitation is accepted, they play
magnanimous hosts, welcoming their guests with “chillums” and chai. The love
and attraction of some sanyasis for foreigner women was rather surprising. In
the first meeting itself, they applied bhabhoot (sacred ash) on the forehead of
the fair goddesses. In the second meeting, a rudraksh (sacred beads) necklace was
put around their necks and some were even given new names like Shivahari or
Shaktigiri. Then, they boasted about it to the other sanyasis – their “Guru
Bhais”. “That ‘Angrezen’ (foreigner) has an amazing reverence for religion. She
learned reciting ‘Om Namo Narayan’ so quickly! She is ready to become my
disciple. Very soon, she will take Sanyas.” Something was invariably added to
indicate that their potential
disciple was
a vegetarian. I was witness to more than a dozen such episodes but could never
be sure of the sentiment of the other
party None admitted that she was ready to become a disciple. The Babas could
not stop showering lavish praises on them but I never saw any desperation or
great attraction towards the sadhus among foreigner women.
It
is very clear that a major chunk of the Sanyasis lacks clarity of perception.
They have quit the world to serve humanity and religion. They even perform
their last rites when they take sanyas to indicate that they have died to the
world – or so they claim. Then, why do they get involved in petty caste
considerations? Why do they look down upon other religions? Why this fascination with white skin? When I
sought to seek the answer to these questions from some sanyasis, they lost
their temper; some even threatened to hit me with their chimta (tongs). They
are not ready to tolerate anything that even remotely challenges the caste system.
A sanyasi, who had seen some episodes of Aamir Khan’s Satyamev Jayate
abused the film actor to his heart’s content. “How can carrying night soil on the
head be described as a monstrosity? If a human being serves another human
being, how does it become an atrocity? The scriptures clearly stipulate the
duties of every caste. If anyone serves his brother human being or the society,
what is wrong in it?” went the argument. The number of babas (hermits) who prefer
to give up belief in the caste system and adherence to its rules to the
personal choice of every person can be counted on the fingertips. But as far as
the question of ‘allowing’ Shudras to take sanyas is concerned, they are
unanimous in their view – it cannot be allowed under any circumstances. Some sanyasis
charged the Juna Akhara with adopting any and every one as disciple. If this
continues, they said, within a few years, Dharma would be destroyed.
One
is reminded of Kabir: “Chaturai Hari Na Mile, Ae Batan kee baat, Ek nispehi
nirdhaar ka, gahak gopinath” ( You may adopt any tricks, but you will not be
able to meet God/God belongs to the one who is unsullied and without any
support)
Forward Press.
(Published in Forward Press, May, 2013 Issue)
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