Dashanami Sampradaya

Dashanami Sampradaya
Dashanami Sampradaya (IAST Daanmi Sapradya "Tradition of Ten Names") is a Hindu monastic tradition of Ekadandi sannyasins (wandering renunciates carrying a single staff)[1] [5] [7] generally associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition. They are distinct in their practices from the Saiva Tridandi sannysins or "trident renunciates" and from Vaisnava sannysins.[6] The Tridandi sannysins continue to wear the sacred thread after renunciation, while Ekadandi sannysins do not. The Ekadandi Vedntins aim for moksha as the existence of the self in its natural condition indicated by the destruction of all its specific qualities [2]. Any Hindu, irrespective of class, caste, age or gender can seek sannysa as an Ekadandi monk under the Dasanmi tradition. The Ekadandis or Dasanmis had established monasteries in India and Nepal in ancient times.[3] After the decline of Buddhism, a section of the Ekadandis were organized by Adi Shankara in the 8th century in India to be associated with four mahas to provide a base for the growth of Hinduism. However, the association of the Dasanmis with the Sankara mahas remained nominal.[11]

Early period
The Encyclopaedia of aivism by Swmi Parmeshwarnand (pg 82) states: "Farquhar informs us that both these expressions, 'Ekadandi' and 'Tridandi' occur in the Mahbhrata. We have not been able to trace the former of these". However, the Ekadandis existed in the Tamil country in the Pandya and Pallava period but being wandering monks, they were not settled in the brahmadeyas or settlement areas for Brahmins. The book Heritage of the Tamils: temple arts (pg 154) by Shanmuga Velayutham Subramanian informs us of the existence of tax free bhiksha-bogams for feeding the Ekadandi ascetics in the ancient Tamil country. Another book The Pandyan Townships : The Pandyan townships, their organisation and functioning by R. Tirumalai, informs us that "there appears to have been no sectarian segregation of the Saivite (Ekadandi) and Srivaishnava (Tridandi Sannysins)". According to the book Socio-religious, Economic, Literary condition of Bihar by Bhagwati Charan Verma, Ekadandis and Tridandis were active in Eastern India, and appear to have existed there during the Gupta Empire.

Later Organization
Widespread Buddhism saw a decline in the number of Hindu monks in India. With the decline of Buddhism, there was no organised structure that could provide an impetus for the resurgence of the Vedic dharma. One of the major achievements of Sri Adi Shankara was to organize a section of the Ekadandi monks under an umbrella grouping of ten names [9], to provide an organized base for the growth of Hinduism. Several other Hindu monastic and Ekadandi traditions remained outside the organization of the Dasanmis [13] [14] [15]. Sri Adi Sankara organized the Hindu monks of these ten sects or names under four maths with the headquarters at Dvrak in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrikashrama in the North [10]. These also became the four sacred dhms or holy places of the Hindus. Sri Adi Sankarcrya also enumerated some details of the ten orders of Hindu monks, grouped under these heads, for their external identity. For example, monks of the Giri branch wear yellow robes while those of the Saraswati branch wear orange robes. However, monks of these ten orders differ in part in their beliefs and practices, and a section of them is not considered to be restricted to specific changes made by Sri Adi Sankara. While the dasanmis associated with the Sankara maths follow the procedures enumerated by Sri Adi Sankara, some of these orders remained partly or fully independent in their belief and practices; and outside the official control of the Sankara maths. The association of the dasanmis with the Smartha tradition or Advaitha Vednta is also doubtful. One example is the Kriy Yoga tradition that considers itself eclectic (see: Eclecticism), with ancient [18] unchangeable beliefs, and

Dashanami Sampradaya outside the ambit of differences in the understanding of Vedanta. Other examples are the tantric avadhuta sampradyas and ekadandi sannysa traditions outside the control of the Sankara maths [16]. The dasanmis / ekadandis also founded, and continue to found or affiliate themselves with maths, srams and temples outside the control of the Sankara maths [17] [21]. In North India, the Ekadandi monks have been organizing themselves into yoga akhadas, generally known as Akhas. In the 16th century, Madhusudana Saraswati organised a section of the Naga tradition of armed sannyasis in order to protect Hindus from the tyranny of the Mughal rulers. These are also called Gusain, Gussain, Gosain, Gossain, Gosine, Gosavi, Sannysi, Dasnmi or Goswami in popular parlance. Some examples of akhadas currently are the Shri Panchadashanam Juna Akhada of the Dashanami nagas, Shri Panchayati Mahanirwani Akhada, Shri Taponidhi Niranjani Akhada, Shri Taponidhi Anand Akhada, Shri Panchayati Atal Akhada, Shri Panchadashnam Awahan Akhada, Shri Pancha Agni Akhada and Shri Panchayati Akhada at Allahabad [22]. Each akhada is divided into sub-branches and traditions. An example is the Datt Akhada of the naked sadhus of Juna Naga establishment[23]. The Naga sadhus generally remain in the ambit of non-violence presently, though some sections are also known to practice the sport of wrestling. The Dasanmi sannysins practice the Vedic and yogic Yama principles of Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha (non-covetousness) and Brahmacarya (celibacy / moderation). The Dasanmis are generally believed to be celibate, and grihastas or householder sannyasis such as Lahiri Mahasaya and Bhupendranath Sanyal (Sanyal Mahasaya)were a rarity.

Ten Names
Hindus who take up sannyasa in the Eka-Dandi tradition take up one of the ten names associated with this sampradaya. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Saraswat Trtha Aranya Bhrat Asrama Giri - Swamis of the Bbji Kriya Yoga tradition generally belong to the Giri sub-order, not as a rule, but because they descended from Srijuktesvara. 7. Parvata 8. Sagara 9. Vana 10. Puri - Swamis of the Ramakrishna Mission belong to the Puri sub-order, having descended from Swami Tota Puri. Saraswat, Puri and Bhrat are associated with the Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Trtha and Asrama are associated with the Dvaraka Pitha. Giri, Parvata and Sagara are associated with Jyotirmath. Vana and Aranya are associated with the Govardhana matha at Puri [19] [20].

Dashanami Sampradaya

Standardised List of Notable Dasanms

This section lists names of prominent sannyasins, using the standard form, i.e.: TITLE [Swami] + PERSONAL NAME + SUB-ORDER NAME. A few entries have the additional title of "Jagadguru ankarcrya."

A
Name Swm Abhaynanda Puri Swm Abhaynanda Sarasvat Swm Abhednanda Puri Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Abhinava Vidy Trtha Swm Adbhutnanda Puri Swm Adidevnanda Puri Swm Advaitnanda Puri Swm Agehnanda Bhrat Notability American self-appointed Vednta teacher. American disciple of Muktnanda. disciple of Rmakrsna. ankarcrya of rngeri. Reference

disciple of Rmakrsna. Ramakrishna monk. disciple of Rmakrsna. Austrian American intellectual and expert on Indian languages and phonology. activist; reformer; interfaith dialog advocate. disciple of Rmakrsna. preacher of Bhagavata Purana. Ramakrishna monk. American Ramakrishna monk. Scholar; nun; disciple of Daynanda. President of the Ramakrishna Mission.

Swm Agnivesha Sarasvat Swm Akhandnanda Puri Swm Akhandnanda Sarasvat Swm Ashoknanda Puri Swm tmajnnanda Puri Swmin tmaprajnnanda Sarasvat Swm tmasthnanda Puri

B
Name Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Bhrat Trtha Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Bhratkrsna Trtha Swm Bhaskarnanda Sarasvat Swm Bhmnanda Trtha Swm Bhuteshnanda Puri Swm Brahmnanda Puri ankarcrya of rngeri. respected scholar; mathematician; first ankarcrya to visit the West. Notability Reference

scholar and anchorite of Benres. social reformer. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. senior disciple of Rmakrsna; President of Ramakrishna Mission; one of the six ivarakoti. highly-respected ankarcrya of Jyotirmy Ptha, Badrinth.

Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Brahmnanda Sarasvat

Swm Brahmnanda Sarasvat (Rmmrti Mishra) surgeon; Sanskrit scholar; yoga teacher in the USA. Swm Brahmnanda Sarasvat Disciple of ivnanda.

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C
Name Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Candrasekhara Bhrat ankarcrya of rngeri. Swm Chandrasekharendra Sarasvat Swm Chetannanda Puri Swm Chetannanda Sarasvat Swm Chidnanda Sarasvat Swm Chidnanda Sarasvat Swm Chidbhavnanda Puri Swm Chidvilasnanda Sarasvat Swm Chinmynanda Sarasvat sage of Kc; featured in Paul Brunton's A Search in Secret India. Ramakrishna monk and Vednta teacher in the USA. American disciple of Rudrnanda; sannys initiate of Muktnanda. disciple of ivnanda; President of Divine Life Society; interfaith advocate. founder of temples in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the USA. Ramakrishna monk; prolific author. disciple and designated successor of Muktnanda; sister of Nitynanda. Hindu missionary; founder of Chinmaya Mission. Notability Reference

D
Name Notability Reference

Swm Daynanda Sarasvat reformer; founder of the Arya Samaj. Swm Daynanda Sarasvat Vednt crya; founder of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.

G
Name Swm Gahannanda Puri Swm Gambhirnanda Puri Swm Ganapati Sarasvat Notability President of the Ramakrishna Mission. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. long-lived yog of Benres. Reference

Swm Ganeshnanda Sarasvat yoga teacher; sannys initiate of Sivnanda. Swm Ghannanda Puri Swm Ghannanda Sarasvat Swm Gtnanda Giri Swm Gnnanda Giri Swm Govindnanda Bhrat Ramakrishna monk who was active in Europe. Ghanaian disciple of Krishnnanda; possibly first Black African convert to Hinduism. Indian Canadian physician; yoga teacher; "Lion of Pondicherry". long-lived yog; guru of French Catholic monk Abhishiktnanda. long-lived yog; traveled around the world; met Queen Victoria.

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Name Swm Hariharnanda ranya Swm Hariharnanda Giri noted Samkhya Yog. Kriy Yoga teacher.

Notability

Reference [1]

Swm Hariharnanda Sarasvat respected Vednt crya; disciple of Brahmnanda; met Yognanda at Kumbh Mela.

I
Name Notability Reference

Swm Indravesh Sarasvat sociopolitical activist.

J
Name Swm Janaknanda Sarasvat Notability Danish disciple of Satynanda; founder of Skandinavisk Yoga och Meditationsskola. Reference

Swm Jyotirmynanda Sarasvat disciple of ivnanda; founder of Yoga Research Foundation, Miami, Florida.

K
Name Swm Keshavnanda Trtha Swm Kirtidnanda Puri Swm Krishnnanda Sarasvat Swm Kriynanda Giri Notability disciple of ymacaran Lahir; featured in Yognanda's Autobiography. Ramakrishna monk. disciple of ivnanda; General Secretary of Divine Life Society. American disciple of Yognanda; founder of Ananda World Brotherhood Colonies. ankarcrya of Jyotirmy Ptha, ankara Matha, Badrinth. Reference

Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Krsnabodha rama Swm Krsnacaitanya Bhrat

Vaisnava teacher of Bengal; regarded as an avatr in Bangla Vaisnavism.

L
Name Notability Reference

Swm Laksmannanda Sarasvat humanitarian social relief worker of Orissa; assassinated by suspected Christian Maoists.

Dashanami Sampradaya

Name Swm Madhavnanda Puri Swm Madhusdana Sarasvat

Notability President of the Ramakrishna Mission. Advaita Vednt crya.

Reference

Swmin Mytitnanda Sarasvat Ayurveda teacher. Swm Muktnanda Sarasvat famous meditation teacher in the USA; authored many books.

N
Name Swm Nryannanda Puri Swm Nigamnanda Sarasvat Swm Nikhilnanda Puri Swm Nirajannanda Puri Notability Ramakrishna monk; rja yoga teacher in Denmark. bhakta, gyn, yog, tantrika of Eastern India. Ramakrishna monk; Vednta teacher in the USA. disciple of Rmakrsna; one of the six ivarakoti. Reference

Swm Nirajannanda Sarasvat disciple of Satynanda; head of Bihar School of Yoga. Swm Nirmalnanda Puri Swm Nitynanda Sarasvat disciple of Rmakrsna. disciple and designated successor of Muktnanda; ousted from SYDA by his sister Chidvilasnanda.

P
Name Swm Paramnanda Puri Swm Paramnanda Sarasvat Swm Prabhavnanda Puri Notability Ramakrishna monk; Vednta teacher in the USA. Disciple of ivnanda. Ramakrishna monk; Vednta teacher in the USA. Reference

Swm Prakshnanda Sarasvat Rdh-Krsna devotee, convict and fugitive in the USA; disciple of Rdh-Krsna bhakta Kripalu. Swm Prakshnanda Sarasvat Hindu teacher in Trinidad. Swm Pranavnanda Giri Swm Pranavnanda Sarasvat Swm Premnanda Bhrat Swm Premnanda Giri Swm Premnanda Puri Kriya Yog; disciple of ymacaran Lahir; featured in Yognanda's Autobiography. disciple of ivnanda; Yoga-Vednta teacher, Divine Life Society, Malaysia. first to preach Krsna devotion in the USA. Freemason; founder of Self-Revelation Church, USA. disciple of Rmakrsna; one of the six ivarakoti.

Swm Purushottamnanda Puri Ramakrishna monk.

Dashanami Sampradaya

Name Swm Raghavendra Trtha Swm Rma Bhrat Swm Rma Trtha Vaisnava missionary of Tamil Nadu.

Notability

Reference

yog; founder of Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, Honesdale, Pennsylvania. teacher of "Practical Vedanta".

Swm Rmakrishnnanda Puri disciple of Rmakrsna. Swm Rmakrsna Puri Swm Rmnanda Trtha Swm Ranganthnanda Puri Swm Rudrnanda Puri Swm Rudrnanda Sarasvat multifaith mystic of Bengal; regarded as an avatr by followers. activist in Hyderbd. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. Ramakrishna monk in Fiji. American spiritual teacher. [2] [3] [4]

S
Name Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Saccidnanda Bhrat Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Saccidnanda Bhrat ankarcrya of rngeri. ankarcrya of rngeri. Notability Reference

Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Saccidnanda ivbhinava ankarcrya of rngeri. Nrsimha Bhrat Swm Sadaivendra Sarasvat scholar, yog-siddha, poet, avadhta; mentioned in Yognanda's Autobiography. Indian nationalist. South African spiritual teacher; disciple of ivnanda. disciple of ivnanda; spiritual guide in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. disciple of Rmakrsna; author of the r r Rmakrsna Llaprasanga. disciple of ivnanda; founder of Satchidananda Ashrams, USA. Vednt crya. yoga teacher. Kriy Yoga teacher; disciple of rjuktevara. disciple of ivnanda; founder of Bihar School of Yoga. Ramakrishna monk. American disciple of Rudrnanda; sannys initiate of Muktnanda. American disciple of Premnanda; Freemason. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. American disciple of Muktnanda. disciple of Rmakrsna. Siddha Yoga teacher. . Hindu social activist; assassinated by a Muslim. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. founded Divine Life Society and Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy, Rishikesh; authored 200 books. [5]

Swm Sahajnanda Sarasvat Swm Sahajnanda Sarasvat Swm antnanda Sarasvat Swm aradnanda Puri Swm Satchidnanda Sarasvat Swm Satcidnandendra Sarasvat Swm Sathynanda Saraswath Swm Satynanda Giri Swm Satynanda Sarasvat Swm Shambhavnanda Puri Swm Shambhavnanda Sarasvat Swm Shankarnanda Giri Swm Shankarnanda Puri Swm Shankarnanda Sarasvat Swm Shivnanda Puri Swm Shivom Trtha Swm Shraddhnanda Sarasvat Swm Shuddhnanda Puri Swm ivnanda Sarasvat

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8
Canadian yoga teacher; disciple of Sivnanda. Kriy Yoga adept; disciple of ymacaran Lahir; guru of Yognanda. disciple of Rmakrsna. Ramakrishna monk. ankarcrya of Jyotirmy Ptha, ankara Matha, Badrinth.

Swm ivnanda Rdh Sarasvat Swm rjuktevara Giri Swm Subodhnanda Puri Swm Swarpnanda Puri Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Swarpnanda Sarasvat

T
Name Swm Tapasynanda Puri Swm Tapovanam Giri Swm Tot Puri Ramakrishna monk. reclusive yog of Uttar Kashi. wandering anchorite; taught advaita and meditation to Rmakrsna. Notability Reference

Swm Trigunatitnanda Puri disciple of Rmakrsna. Swm Turiynanda Puri Swm Tyagnanda Puri disciple of Rmakrsna. Ramakrishna monk; Hindu chaplain of MIT.

V
Name Swm Venkatenanda Sarasvat Swm Vidypraknanda Giri Jagadguru ankarcrya Swm Vidyranya Trtha Swm Vijnnanda Puri Swm Vipulnanda Puri Swm Virajnanda Puri Swm Vireshwarnanda Puri Swm Vishnu Trtha Swm Vishnudevnanda Sarasvat Swm Vishnudevnanda Sarasvat Notability disciple of ivnanda; founder of Sivananda Ashrams in South Africa and Mauritius. Reference

Telugu Hindu teacher.

ankarcrya of rngeri.

disciple of Rmakrsna. Sr Lankn Ramakrishna monk and Hindu revivalist. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. Siddha Yoga teacher. eminent Advaita Vednt crya in India, unknown in the West.

yog; most famous disciple of ivnanda (the two of them are the most well-known members of the Sarasvati sub-order); founder of worldwide Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres; authored The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga. President of the Ramakrishna Mission. most famous disciple of Rmakrsna (the two of them are the most well-known members of the Puri sub-order); most famous figure at first Parliament of the World's Religions (Chicago, 1893); organizer of the Ramakrishna Mission; one of the six ivarakoti.

Swm Vishuddhnanda Puri Swm Viveknanda Puri

Dashanami Sampradaya

Y
Name Swm Yatwarnanda Puri Paramhansa Swm Yognanda Giri Ramakrishna monk; spiritual teacher. Notability Reference

Kriy Yoga adept; disciple of rjuktevara; founder of Self-Realization Fellowship Church and the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India; authored Autobiography of a Yogi; most well-known member of the Giri sub-order. leading Hindu of Italy. disciple of Rmakrsna; one of the six ivarakoti.

Swm Yognanda Giri Swm Yognanda Puri

References
[1] Journal of the Oriental Institute (pp 301), by Oriental Institute (Vadodara, India). [2] A History of Indian Philosophy by Jadunath Sinha. [3] http://openlibrary.org/b/OL3440680M/mathas-of-the-Dasanami-sanyasis-of-Lalitpur%2C-Kathmandu-valley [5] Indian Sadhus by Govind Sadashiv Ghurye. [6] rmad Bhgavatam by A.C. Bhaktivednta Swmi. [7] Advaitic Concept of Jvanmukti by Lalit Kishore Lal Srivastava. [9] [10] [11] [20] http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Shankara/shankar4.html [12] [21] http://www.prajnanamission.org/AboutUs.shtml [13] Ascetic Culture by Karigoudar Ishwaran [14] Female Ascetics by Wendy Sinclair-Brull [15] [16] Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province (page 857) by H.A. Rose, Ibbetson, Denzil Ibbetson Sir, and Maclagan. [17] [18] http://www.kataragama.org/docs/kalyanagiri.htm [19] http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/ad-today.html The Dashanami Sampradaya- the Monastic Tradition [22] [24] http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jan/25spec1.htm [23] http://www.divinerevelation.org/KumbhMelaUjjain.html [25] http://www.stephen-knapp.com/report_on_the_kumbha_mela.htm [26] http://www.sanyasashram.org/26%20page.html
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] http:/ / www. samkhyayoga-darshana. com/ monks. html#HA Bibliography of Ramakrishna r r Rmakrsna Llaprasanga Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita The official website of Divine Life Society (http:/ / www. sivanandaonline. org/ public_html)

Article Sources and Contributors

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Article Sources and Contributors

Dashanami Sampradaya Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=508561347 Contributors: Appaiah, Babub, ChrisGualtieri, DMS, DRAGON BOOSTER, DaGizza, Dangerous-Boy, Ekabhishek, Ettrig, Fladrif, George Burgess, GregorB, Hmains, IPSOS, Imc, J04n, JaGa, Johnbod, Jossi, Koavf, Leo Lazauskas, Mayasutra, NawlinWiki, Ogress, Oliver Puertogallera, Prosopis1, Rabble Rouser, Raga, Rama's Arrow, Satshanti, Sebras, Smaines, The Transhumanist, TheRingess, Woohookitty, 33 anonymous edits

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