Sadhu (, IAST: (male), sādhvī or sādhvīne (female), also spelled saddhu) is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life.[
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Sādhu means one who practises a 'sadhana' or keenly follows a path of spiritual discipline.[″Autobiography of an Yogi″, Yogananda, Paramhamsa, Jaico Publishing House, 127, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay Fort Road, Bombay (Mumbai) – 400 0023 (ed.1997) p.16] Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogi, not all yogīs are sādhus. A sādhu's life is solely dedicated to achieving moksha (liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth), the fourth and final aśrama (stage of life), through meditation and contemplation of Brahman. Sādhus often wear simple clothing, such as saffron-coloured clothing in Hinduism and white or nothing in Jainism, symbolising their sannyasa (renunciation of worldly possessions). A female mendicant in Hinduism and Jainism is often called a sadhvi, or in some texts as aryika.[
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In Sikhism, a person who has become Brahmgiani is considered a sadhu. However, asceticism, celibacy and begging are prohibited in Sikhism. A Sikh has to be married and do an honest job for a living.[Winternitz, M., History of Indian Literature. Tr. S. Ketkar. Calcutta, 1927]
Etymology
The term sadhu (Sanskrit: साधु) appears in Rigveda and Atharvaveda where it means "straight, right, leading straight to goal", according to Monier Monier-Williams.[ Sadhu, Monier Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary with Etymology, Oxford University Press, page 1201] In the layer of Vedic literature, the term connotes someone who is "well disposed, kind, willing, effective or efficient, peaceful, secure, good, virtuous, honourable, righteous, noble" depending on the context.[ In the Hindu Epics, the term implies someone who is a "saint, sage, seer, holy man, virtuous, chaste, honest or right".][
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The Sanskrit terms sādhu ("good man") and sādhvī ("good woman") refer to renouncers who have chosen to live lives apart from or on the edges of society to focus on their own spiritual practices.[Flood, Gavin. An introduction to Hinduism. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1996) p. 92. ]
The words come from the root sādh, which means "reach one's goal", "make straight", or "gain power over".[Arthur Anthony Macdonell. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary. p. 346.] The same root is used in the word sādhanā, which means "spiritual practice". It literally means one who practises a ″sadhana″ or a path of spiritual discipline.
Demographics and lifestyle
Sadhus are widely considered holy.[Dolf Hartsuiker. Sadhus and Yogis of India .] It is also thought that the austere practices of the sadhus help to burn off their karma and that of the community at large. Thus seen as benefiting society, sadhus are supported by donations from many people. However, reverence of sadhus is by no means universal in India. For example, nath have been viewed with a certain degree of suspicion particularly amongst the urban populations of India, but they have been revered and are popular in rural India.[David N. Lorenzen and Adrián Muñoz (2012), Yogi Heroes and Poets: Histories and Legends of the Naths, State University of New York Press, , pages x-xi]
There are naked (digambara, or "sky-clad") sadhus who wear their hair in thick dreadlocks called jata. Sadhus engage in a wide variety of religious practices. Some practice asceticism and solitary meditation, while others prefer group praying, chanting or meditating. They typically live a simple lifestyle, and have very few or no possessions. Many sadhus have rules for alms collection, and do not visit the same place twice on different days to avoid bothering the residents. They generally walk or travel over distant places, homeless, visiting temples and pilgrimage centers as a part of their spiritual practice.[M Khandelwal (2003), Women in Ochre Robes: Gendering Hindu Renunciation, State University of New York Press, , pages 24-29][Mariasusai Dhavamony (2002), Hindu-Christian Dialogue: Theological Soundings and Perspectives, , pages 97-98] Celibacy is common, but some sects experiment with consensual tantric sex as a part of their practice. Sex is viewed by them as a transcendence from a personal, intimate act to something impersonal and ascetic.[Gavin Flood (2005), The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory and Tradition, Cambridge University Press, , Chapter 4 with pages 105-107 in particular]
Sadhu sects
Hinduism
Shaivism sadhus are renunciants devoted to Shiva, and Vaishnavism sadhus are renouncers devoted to Vishnu (or his avatars, such as Rama or Krishna). The Vaishnava sadhus are sometimes referred to as vairagis.[ Less numerous are Shaktism sadhus, who are devoted to Shakti. Within these general divisions are numerous sects and sub-sects, reflecting different lineages and philosophical schools and traditions often referred to as "". Each sampradaya has several "orders" called parampara based on the lineage of the founder of the order. Each sampradaya and parampara may have several monastic and martial .
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Within the Shaiva sadhus are many subgroups. Most Shaiva sadhus wear a Tripundra mark on their forehead, dress in saffron, red or orange-coloured clothes, and live a monastic life. Some sadhus such as the Aghori share the practices of ancient , in which they beg with a skull, smear their body with ashes from the cremation ground, and experiment with substances or practices that are generally abhorred by society.[Gavin Flood (2008). The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 212–213, ][David N. Lorenzen (1972). The Kāpālikas and Kālāmukhas: Two Lost Śaivite Sects. University of California Press, pp. 4-16, ]
Among the Shaiva sadhus, the Dashanami Sampradaya belong to the Smarta Tradition. They are said to have been formed by the philosopher and renunciant Adi Shankara, believed to have lived in the 8th century CE, though the full history of the sect's formation is not clear. Among them are the Naga subgroups, naked sadhu known for carrying weapons like tridents, swords, canes, and spears. Said to have once functioned as an armed order to protect Hindus from the Mughal empire rulers, they were involved in a number of military defence campaigns.[1953: 116; cf. also Farquhar 1925; J. Ghose 1930; Lorenzen 1978]
Female sadhus ( sadhvis) exist in many sects. In many cases, the women that take to the life of renunciation are widows, and these types of sadhvis often live secluded lives in ascetic compounds. Sadhvis are sometimes regarded by some as manifestations or forms of the Goddess, or Devi, and are honoured as such. There have been a number of charismatic sadhvis that have risen to fame as religious teachers in contemporary India, e.g. Anandamayi Ma, Sarada Devi, Mata Amritanandamayi, and Karunamayi.
Jainism
The Jain community is traditionally discussed in its texts with four terms: sadhu (monks), sadhvi or aryika (nuns), sravaka (laymen householders) and sravika (laywomen householders). As in Hinduism, the Jain householders support the monastic community. The sadhus and sadhvis are intertwined with the Jain lay society, perform murtipujaka (Jina idol worship) and lead festive rituals, and they are organized in a strongly hierarchical monastic structure.
There are differences between the Digambara and Śvetāmbara sadhus and sadhvi traditions.
Festive gatherings
Kumbh Mela, a mass-gathering of sadhus from all parts of India, takes place every three years at one of four points along sacred rivers in India, including the holy river Ganges. In 2007, it was held in Nasik, Maharashtra. Peter Owen-Jones filmed one episode of "Extreme Pilgrim" there during this event. It took place again in Haridwar in 2010.
Gallery
File:Sadhu of Orchha.jpg|Sadhu in Orchha
File:Sadou Kathmandu 04 04.jpg|A sadhu in Kathmandu, Nepal
File:Vrai ou faux Sadhu ? (Orchha) (8450517857).jpg|Sadhu in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh
File:Sadhus Kathmandu.jpg|Sadhus walking on Durbar Square, Kathmandu
File:Sadhu Vârânasî .jpg|Sadhu from Varanasi
File:A sadhu by the Ghats on the Ganges, Varanasi.jpg|Sadhu by the Ghats on the Ganges
File:Three saddhus at Kathmandu Durbar Square.jpg|Sadhus at Kathmandu Durbar Square
File:A sadhu playing flute, Benaras.jpg|A sadhu playing flute
File:(A) Sadhu in Varanasi, India.jpg|Sadhu in Varanasi, India.
File:Kathmandu, Nepal, Sadhu.jpg|Sadhu at Kaathe Swyambhu, Kathmandu
File:India-7579 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg|Sadhu in India
File:Sadhvi - Gangasagar Fair Transit Camp - Kolkata 2013-01-12 2517.JPG|Sadhvi or female Sadhu at the Gangasagar Fair transit camp, Kolkata
File:People of Varanasi 006.jpg|Sadhu at a river bank
File:Saddhu04.jpg|Sadhu in Nepal
File:Pushkar, India, Sadhu ascetic.jpg|Shiva sadhu in Pushkar, India
File:Nepali Sadhu.jpg|Sadhu in Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal
File:Chanpatia Dist. Sadhum, India, ca. 1906 (IMP-CSCNWW33-OS14-60).jpg|A female sādhvī in Chanpatia, India, 1906.
File:Hindu Holy Man makes purchases at produce market, Debe, Trinidad and Tobago..JPG|A sadhu at a market in Debe, Trinidad and Tobago
File:People in streets of Bhadrachalam 03.jpg|A sadhu at Bhadrachalam on the eve of Ram Navami
See also
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Types
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Lineage
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Lifestyle
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Personalities
Notes
Further reading
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Indian Sadhus, by Govind Sadashiv Ghurye, L. N. Chapekar. Published by Popular Prakashan, 1964.
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Sadhus of India: The Sociological View, by Bansi Dhar Tripathi. Published by Popular Prakashan, 1978.
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The Sadhu: A Study in Mysticism and Practical Religion, by Burnett Hillman Streeter, Aiyadurai Jesudasen Appasamy. Published by Mittal, 1987. .
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The Way of the Vaishnava Sages: A Medieval Story of South Indian Sadhus : Based on the Sanskrit Notes of Vishnu-Vijay Swami, by N. S. Narasimha, Rāmānanda, Vishnu-Vijay. Published by University Press of America, 1987. .
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Sadhus: The Holy Men of India, by Rajesh Bedi. Published by Entourage Pub, 1993. .
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Sadhus: Holy Men of India, by Dolf Hartsuiker. Published by Thames & Hudson, 1993. .
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The Sadhus and Indian Civilisation, by Vijay Prakash Sharma. Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 1998. .
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Women in Ochre Robes: Gendering Hindu Renunciation, by Meena Khandelwal. Published by State University of New York Press, 2003. .
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Wandering with Sadhus: Ascetics in the Hindu Himalayas, Sondra L. Hausner, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 2007.
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Naked in Ashes, Paradise Filmworks International – Documentary on Naga Sadhus of Northern India.
External links
