‘Sankarayanam’ Traces ‘Akhara’ Naga Sadhus in Battlefields
Sankarayanam: The Journey of Sankara (Image credit BluOne Ink)
Mahakumbh: Book Traces Astradhari Monks Marching in Battlefields
By Amit Kumar
New Delhi, February 23: Amid the ongoing Mahakumbh, a new book has traced traditions of ‘Akharas’ while spotlighting ‘Astradhari Sanyasis (fighting monks)’. The book states that the fighting monks fought against Mughal armies while also marching to battlefield against the Britishers in the 1857 War of Independence.
“The Dasanami order of Sanyasis (monks) was primarily started by Sankara for the protection and propagation of Sanatana Dharma,” Subramanian Chidambaram writes in ‘Sankarayanam: The Journey of Sankara’. He wrote that while in times of Sankara intellectual debates and logical arguments were norms of the day, the order established by India’s foremost spiritual teacher required defence from invaders and attackers.
Chidambaram writes that “the Dasanami Sanyasis of the north played a significant role” in defending ‘Dharma’ by taking part in physical combats. “The Dasanami Sanyasis were primarily classified as Sastradhari (bearers of spiritual and religious knowledge) and Astradhari (bearer of weapons). This was not a mutually exclusive classification and most Astradhari Sanyasis were also trained in Sastras,” added Chidambaram in the book.
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He further writes that “Astradhari Sanyasis were also called fighting monks who faught many battles, such as the one against the Mughals to protect the Kashi Viswanath temple and Gyanvapi”. “They also rendered support to Peshwa Nanasaheb and Rani of Jhansi in the 1857 War of Independence,” added Chidambaram in the book, published by BluOne Ink.
Chidambaram, however, states that while ‘Astradhari Sanyasis’ were trained in spiritual texts their ‘Sastradhari’ counterparts were not necessarily trained in the use of weapons. “Sastradhari Sanyasis are commonly called Dandi Sanyasis as they carry a staff, while the Astradhari Sanyasis are called Naga Sadhus, who are naked and carry a tri-danda (three-pronged staff) and smear their naked body with ashes,” added Chidambaram in the book.
Further differentiation comes through the “Dandi Sanyasis carrying eka-danda (single staff) while applying the tri-pundra (three horizontal lines of bhasma) on various parts of the body”. “There are seven Akharas that belong to the Dasanami Sanyasis – Avahan, Atal, Agni, (Maha) Nirvani, Niranjani, Juna and Anand,” added Chidambaram in the book.
He also states that the hierarchy within an Akhara from bottom to top follows the order of Mahant, Sri Mahant, Mahamandalesvara and then Sankaracharya as the nominal head at the apex. “While every Akhara has at least one Mahamandalesvara associated with it, it is not essential that every Mahamandalesvara needs to be associated with an Akhara. In fact, less than a third of Mahamandalesvara are associated with an Akhara,” added Chidambaram in the book.
Astradhari Sanyasis are recruited through 52 ‘Mathas (recruitment centres)’ based on their fulfilling the eligibility criteria to become a Dasanami Sanyasi. “These Mathas are associated with Akharas, which imparted education on martial arts as well as knowledge of scriptures,” added Chidambaram in the book, published by BluOne Ink.
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The author also states that “like the Mathas, the Akhara also have their tutelar deities such as Kapila muni for Maha) Nirvani, Kartikeya for Niranjanai, etc.” “Beyond the Sastradhari and Astradhari Sanyasis are the Pramahansas who are initiated by Mahamandalesvara of any of the Akhara and have their own ‘Mathas’.
He further states that “Sastradhari Sanyasis’ are initiated by other ‘Dandi-Mathas’ that are trypically associated with one of the ‘Amanya-Mathas’. “Every Dandi-Matha has a head called Mahant. All the Dandi-Mathas in a district constitute a Mandala, which a head called Mahamandalesvara,” added Chidambaram.
The author also stated that many of the Mahants and Mahamandalesvara have set up their own ‘Mathas’ and colleges of learning. “Currently, while the Astradhari Sanyasis are still trained in physical training, wrestling, etc., they no more wield weapons as they did in the past,” added Chidambaram.
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