Dasnami:
The Ten Names
Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE) organized monks into into ten
orders (dasa=ten, nami=names). Many, possibly most, although not all swamis are
related to one of these. Each related to common characteristics of the monks of
each of the orders, as it was at that time. In the past 1200 years, however,
there is not such a close relationship to the underlying meaning of the name.
For example, it may have been true at one time that the monks of the Puri order
"lived in the cities", although that is not a requirement, and swamis
today of Puri dasnami live any a diversity of locations, some in cities, and
some not. The relation to the name is nominal, at best.
Swami Rama writes in Living with the Himalayan Masters: "Our
tradition is Bharati. Bha means 'knowledge'; rati means 'lover.' Bharati means
'he who is the lover of knowledge.' From this comes the word Bharata, the land
of spiritual knowledge, one of the Sanskrit names used for India." Swami
Rama's linkage to Bharati comes from his initiation as Dandi (staff carrying)
swami, which was given to him by a leader of swamis who was of the Bharati
order. At that time Swami Rama became known as Dandi Swami Sadashiva Bharati.
It was much later that he took the name Swami Rama.
Bharati: full of light
Giri: live in the mountains
Puri: live in the cities
Saraswati: scholars
Van: live in forests
Aranya: live in groves
Tirtha: live in pilgrimage places
Parvat: live in the high mountains
Sagar: live at the ocean
Nath: defenders of the faith
The last name Nath is a wrong inclusion in the above list of ten names of the Dashnami Sannyasin order founded by Swami Shankaracharya.
ReplyDeleteThe name that is missing in the above list is Aashram.
The Nath sampradaaya is the order founded by the Vaama Maarga ascetic Guru Gorakhshanath who was not a sannyasi but a Mahant and of the Shaivait Vairava sect of taantriks. He is popularly known as Guru Gorakhnath Ji and his math was Gorakhshapur and it is the present day district city of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. His famous disciples were Yogi Matsyendra Nath (Guru Machhandar Nath) and kaapalik Yogi Aghor Nath Ji whose disciples call themself Aghoris. Present day BJP activist from Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Aditya Nath is also of this Nath parampara.
The last name Nath is a wrong inclusion in the above list of ten names of the Dashnami Sannyasin order founded by Swami Shankaracharya.
ReplyDeleteThe name that is missing in the above list is Aashram.
The Nath sampradaaya is the order founded by the Vaama Maarga ascetic Guru Gorakhshanath who was not a sannyasi but a Mahant and of the Shaivait Vairava sect of taantriks. He is popularly known as Guru Gorakhnath Ji and his math was Gorakhshapur and it is the present day district city of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. His famous disciples were Yogi Matsyendra Nath (Guru Machhandar Nath) and kaapalik Yogi Aghor Nath Ji whose disciples call themself Aghoris. Present day BJP activist from Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Aditya Nath is also of this Nath parampara.
Very enlightening comment Sri Mitra. Thank you so much. Due to my hathayoga practice I was aware of Yogi Matsyendra Nath (Matsyendrasana). But did not know he was a tantrik. Or have I unknowingly veered to a wrong conclusion? Please enlighten!
ReplyDelete