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 he Sadhu (also known as yogi and sanyasi) is a Hindu ascetic who has
renounced caste, social position, money, and authority and occupies a special
place in Hindu society. As one who seeks the Universal Soul in order to be
absorbed in it, the Sadhu is set apart from the orthodox priesthood, as
renunciation is considered superior to the rituals of the priests.
According to Vedas, life of every Hindu has been divided into four stages,
namely
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Brahmacharya -
the student life (up to 25 years of age) |
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Grihasta - the
married life (25-50 years of age) |
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Vanprastha - a
spiritual life devoid of material pleasure, mostly engaged in visiting
holy places (50-75 years of age) |
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Sanyas - a
holy life, living alone in a remote place sacrificing even wife (75-100
years of age). |
Hence, a Hindu becomes
Sadhu in his fourth stage of life, Sanyas. However, some
unmarried Hindus who have devoted themselves for the spiritual quest become Sadhus in their young.
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A Sadhu does not have caste and is free to attach himself to any strata of
social structure. The Sadhu is credited with much of the development of
Indian culture, art, music, literature, influencing the very world he
has abandoned with his endless travels from one sacred site to another,
singing devotional songs, and carrying icons and other sanctified
objects.
The Shaivite Sadhus are the followers of Shiva
and are divided into various sects. They usually wear on
their forehead the
three lines of the god's trident
drawn in ash or sandalwood paste, which may be vertical
or horizontal. Endless variations of these sectarian marks,
depending on the
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sect,
are possible. They may decorate their bodies with various lines and
markings, cover the entire torso with ashes, carry a metal trident, and
wear rosaries. The hair and the beard are uncut and matted.
Vaishnavite Sadhus are devoted to Vishnu and are a later
development than the Shaivite. Commonly called Vairagi (detached
ones), they are members of various schools of Bhakti (devotion). They do not
emphasize the ascetic extremes of the Shaivites. Their common identifying
mark is a white U drawn on the forehead, with an added line in either
white or red in |
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centre. They normally wear
white or yellow
and carry
beads of the tulsi (sacred basil). Unlike the common Hindu who is cremated,
the Sadhu is buried, usually in the sitting position. The burial site
normally becomes a place of worship. |
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