Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Sanyasi सन्यासी - what is the meaning of this word?

सन्यासी Sanyasi ?  If you are in India you don't need any dictionary to get the meaning of this word.
This word Sanyasi is so ingrained in this soil of India that nothing can separate this word from, what is called as India. I some times feel why we call it India? why not we call it  भारत Bharat or  भारतवर्ष Baharat varsh or simply हिन्दोस्तान or हिंदुस्तान Hindustan? Why we are blamed always that we are following a certain path of faith? why not secular? For once and for all time we should decide what name we want to give to our great nation? so that people do not start debating or questioning the greatness of this land: Bharat.
Take for example the word Sanyasi. What is the true meaning of sanyasi?
Now days people have lot of advantages, due to advancements in IT tools, such as an online Dictionary and google or Wikipedia. They don't need to trouble their brain or memory cells.
Search this on google or in Wikipedia you will get lot of information about this word.

When I typed the word "Sanyasi" in google, it gave many links, including a link for a Hindi film named "Sanyasi"? but later in the list there was a link for the word "Sanyasa". as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sannyasa

Recently i saw reports on TV channels about the global investor's summit in Madhya Pradesh. There image of Swami Ramdev was shown. I was surprised to see a link at Wikipedia for this summit...  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Investors_Summit,_Indore




http://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/industry-pledges-big-investment-lauds-development-in-mp/story-Hj8zNvUJWJpvDviJ1GfXLK.html

When I read this report not much was written about Baba Ramdev except citation in the caption of above picture. 
But when this picture was prominently shown or posted with Baba Ramdev in the clear view then why something was not written about his attempts, what he said during that function? what plan he disclosed at that summit.This summit was an important summit indeed. Thus i mean that there is some kind of a biased-ness.  Media has been very selective in reporting anything about Baba Ramdev. Why? He is also a citizen of India and has got right of freedom of speech as the reporter and media has.
Often i think why this is so? the answer lies in the dilemma or the difficulty in understanding the meaning of the word Sanyasi.

British left India but many things they left behind. One thing was a certain level of mentality, thinking of elite and hatred towards whatever belonged to Sanskrit, ancient Bhartiya heritage. Whatever we have is not Indian heritage, it is Heritage of Bharat, it is heritage of Hindustan. But British left a virus which creeps in those who learnt "English" and thus they themselves became "English". They started thinking about Shakespeare and not about कालीदास Kalidas. They forgot Kalidas, Bhasa, Aryabhatt, Katyayan. This is an irony of our newly independent India. Now it is over 70 years but still lot to be done on front of language, literature, philosophy, national thinking etc. Why we write Rama? why not just Ram?

Image result for Baba Ramdev
Sometime i feel bad when in a section of media or people make cheap comments on Swami Ramdev ji. I feel bad when people post some morphed pictures of Swami Ramdev.
What Swami Ramdev has done to our Nation? What harm has he inflicted on the media or so called secular persons? when i compare his actions with so called other few secular ideologues, I find Swami Ramdev ji is much above and beyond comparison to those mortals, crying for JNU, Human rights in Kashmir, etc etc.

I am not a blind follower of Baba Ramdev, but i am a sensible citizen and thus i find actions of some people intriguing.
Why they do this to Ramdev ji.
Why they mock at him?

Following is taken from the page link at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sannyasa

Saṃnyāsa in Sanskrit means "renunciation of the world" and "abandonment".[7] It is a composite word of saṃ- which means "together, all", ni- which means "down" and āsa from the root as, meaning "to throw" or "to put".[8] A literal translation of Sannyāsa is thus "to put down everything, all of it". Sannyasa is sometimes spelled as Sanyasa.[8]

Hinduism has no formal demands nor requirements on the lifestyle or spiritual discipline, method or deity a Sanyasin or Sanyasini must pursue – it is left to the choice and preferences of the individual.[18] This freedom has led to diversity and significant differences in the lifestyle and goals of those who adopt Sannyasa. There are, however, some common themes. A person in Sannyasa lives a simple life, typically detached, itinerant, drifting from place to place, with no material possessions or emotional attachments. They may have a walking stick, a book, a container or vessel for food and drink, often wearing yellow, saffron, orange, ochre or soil colored clothes. They may have long hair and appear disheveled, and are usually vegetarians.[18] Some minor Upanishads as well as monastic orders consider women, child, students, fallen men (criminal record) and others as not qualified for Sannyasa; while other texts place no restrictions.[19] The dress, the equipage and lifestyle varies between groups. For example, Sannyasa Upanishad in verses 2.23 to 2.29, identifies six lifestyles for six types of renunciates.[20] One of them is described as living with the following possessions,[21]

Pot, drinking cup and flask – the three supports, a pair of shoes,
a patched robe giving protection – in heat and cold, a loin cloth,
bathing drawers and straining cloth, triple staff and coverlet.
— Sannyasa Upanishad, 1.4[21]

when i saw the dictionary it lists follwing as the meanings of the word Sanyasi.

  1. a Hindu religious mendicant
  2. Based on Sanskrit saṃnyāsin laying aside, ascetic, from saṃ together + ni down + as throw.

then i was struck with another word - Mendicant? what that word means? again i referred to a dictionary, it gave me following:

Of or denoting one of the religious orders who originally relied solely on alms.
‘a mendicant friar’

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/thesaurus/mendicant

NOUN


1
SYNONYMS
beggar, beggarman, beggarwoman, tramp, vagrant, vagabond, cadger
informal scrounger, sponger
North American hobo
North American informal schnorrer, mooch, moocher, bum
rare clochard

1

SYNONYMS
begging, cadging
informal scrounging, sponging
North American informal mooching
then i wondered what shall i understand from English. But then there is no synonyms for the word "Sanyasi" in English language. the meaning and synonyms they described are all absurd, and meaningless for me. 

then what the word Sanyasi means? There are various versions. But as far as I am concerned the word Sanyasi means Sa + Nyasi   स + न्यासी  in Hindi, what that means?

For the last almost twenty years we have been hearing about Swami Ramdev ji. Yoga has been part of Bharat heritage. Few elite didn't have knowledge about Yoga and Ayurveda. After so many years of independence these English knowing people popularized the aerobic exercises, awkward type of dances, either with a ball or a piece of wood. How foolish they looked. Suddenly Baba Ramdev appeared on scene from nowhere. 
We had seen few babas on black and white doordarshan demonstrating योगासन  yoga asanas, but all that was confined to elite and members of the kitchen cabinet or so to say members of corridors of power in Delhi. Later they disappeared from the screen. Iyengar ji also came on TV. In 1982-83 Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi ji got to fame. I remember his disciples, mostly foreigners, came to our school and taught Meditation & told about yoga etc.

Later TV channel boom happened in India. Every channel opened up the livelihood option for those who learnt yoga. Yoga classes were started in our Kendriya Vidyalaya also.


Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalYears back we heard that some yogi is organising yoga camps and also giving Ayurveda medicines in camps which are called “shivir”.  In Haridwar (Hardwar) an ashram was established. From there the yoga revolution started and reached all over the globe. Swami Ramdev established Patanjali in January 1995.
It is the credit of Baba Ramdev that yoga became popular among the common people or masses. It is only Baba Ramdev ji who made Pranayam a word of our day to day vocabulary.
No other person has done so in last 70 years after independence of India. 
Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopal

In few years boom happened in India, which helped in popularizing benefits of Ayurveda and other ancient traditions of India. 

For this credit goes to few western scholars, who learnt Sanskrit and done lot of research. That’s why we have now lot of materials on our own heritage. Then there was wave of Ayurveda in India. In everything the word Ayurveda started creeping in, toothpaste, facial cream, skin cream, packaged food items. Parallel to this wave the Yoga also got popularity. But Swami Ramdev has taken all steps to make yoga more popular among the masses.
Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalHe is the only one swami who has travelled to all nook and corner of India. गौतम बुद्ध Gautam Buddha travelled a lot, first in search of truth and after that preaching the “truth” of life. आदि संकराचार्य Adi Shankara was said to travel across India and established four Matt, which are now famous as चार धाम “char dham”. गुरुनानक Guru Nanak also travelled far.  I have not heard of any person who has taken such enormous task as baba Ramdev taken up. Swami Ramdev while travelling from village to village held yoga camps, along with the Yoga he also preached about other things which are important for a better life. That’s the duty of a swami or a sanyasi.  He taught people about ill effects of Tobacco, narcotic-drug abuse, other immoral actions. He used the image of a Swami to impress upon people to pledge or to do away with these addictions. He sometimes used harsh words and communicated in the local languages or the language of masses. Thus he is a perfect communicator.
Image result for Baba RamdevOnce I heard him speaking about the figures of GDP. I was surprised to hear Swami Ramdev telling the figures of GDP in long numbers, Export/Import figures, Black money, money laundering and budget and plan outlays in different sectors.
Has anyone heard any swami earlier in India talking about GDP? Has anyone heard a swami ji telling the GDP of America and India without referring or looking at paper? That too such long numbers in chaste Hindi. Even, I cannot remember such long number of GDP.

Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalThen he also started telling the medicines from Ayurveda for various ailments, such as BP, obesity, cold, sclerosis, even paralysis.  

I heard and saw various camps he held, where people were taught how to exercise, how to eat? What to eat? How to change their lifestyle? But I am most unfortunate person that I could not attend any such camps.  I liked the way Swami Ramdev ji popularised our great heritage of India/Bharat: that is knowledge of Yoga, Ayurveda and a way of life.
Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalIt is upto public/people to take up or to follow or to understand whatever they can? Nobody is forcing anything. Swami Ramdev is just a medium hence it is upto people what to accept and what is correct for themselves. 
He told people to use Tulsi, Radish, Methi, Karela, Lauki, Giloy, Ambla etc etc. But he also told people to grow these herbs in their homes. He never said use only my brand. 
Later he started campaign on Swadeshi, where by he stressed on need to improve habit of using things made in India. Later he started providing various kind of consumables made in their own factory. I am amazed that how Baba Ramdev, a swami or sanyasi might have registered an enterprise for churning out products, such as medicine, herbal items, even grocery items.

How he studied all that? Or how he has come to know all this? He established many trusts, or society but all were registered under various laws/acts.
I think many people are unable to digest that a swami or a sanyasi is progressing in the present times and he is keeping pace with present times. He is most progressive Baba, or Sanyasi. That is the most essential quality of a Sanyasi.   l + U;klh
It is actually war of perception, mentality, elite (English) vs desi (Bhartiya). 

He is most knowledgeable than most of present day TV debaters. He knows our own Traditional knowledge but he also knows the present system (acts, rules, medical terminology, GDP, Fiscal information) I am sure most of the TV debaters will fail in front of Swami Ramdev ji.
Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalIf any debate is held just like we saw on TV for election of President of America, I am sure no one can stand even near to feet of Swami Ramdev ji.  He has memorized Sanskrit shlokas or our ancient shastras. don’t laugh, he has not just mugged up all that knowledge he has applied that knowledge for betterment of people and country. 
He has already gone through the education system or knowledge learning system of ancient India, about which these nou-veau-riche people are totally blank. They don’t know even an iota about this education system prevalent in Ashrams, where disciples become sanyasi and learn from gurus while residing with gurus. From which university Swami Ramdev ji has studied? Did you know? 
How come he knows lots of medical terminology? Even TV debaters will be amazed on hearing those terms used in anatomy or medicine. What is there in Swami Ramdev ji? he has memorised all this and he teaches others. Strange thing is that he is not a product of education system of Independent India. As far as I guess. I have heard him telling that in childhood he became a disabled child and then later in life he left his home to become a sanyasi. Then who taught him all Sanskrit, Yoga, Ayurveda and all that? 

Image result for Baba RamdevImage result for Baba RamdevTogether with Acharya Balakrishna he has revolutionised pharmacy industry. Patanjali, Divya pharmacy are the names of brands which are trusted by millions of people in India and even around the globe. I had got chance to purchase ONLINE few items from Patanjali Online store, Honey, Cow’s ghee, Spices, Soap etc. 
I had suggested to them to have regional stores/warehouses to meet demand of ONLINE platform. So that once an order is placed online, checking the address of that demand, they can supply items from their regional warehouses, instead of shipping items from Haridwar to the customer’s house. This will save the shipping cost also(as far as I can think). Since if I place order Online and delivery address is in Chennai then if Patanjali has its warehouse in Chennai, then they can ship items as demanded within short span of time and short distance. This will save time and money also.
Swami Ramdev ji is bringing surprises over surprises. He launched the products for benefit of Farmers and Agriculture. I have seen on TV and Astha Channel. The fertilizers, the products, animal feed etc. If Swami ji and his company can rope in good researchers (Scientist- Botanist, plant-pathologist Agriculture scientist) in Agriculture field then he can revolutionize Agriculture and allied activities in India. Grow more from less land should be the motto, But, keeping the agenda of Organic farming. 
Thirty years back I saw on doordarshan what was then called as ashram agriculture.

Image result for Baba RamdevSwami Baba Ramdev ji has started a revolution about SWADESHI idea. by that he tried to instill the idea of make In India. That was way before this #MakeInIndia became a famous hastag? by that he meant to bring economic growth and economic freedom for Indian producers/Farmers.

Thus Swami Ramdev is working to bring back the confidence of Farmers-Kisaan of Bharat. That was lost in present world. I don’t know whether Swami Ramdev ji has contacted Dr Vandana Shiva or her Navdanya? They are also working to conserve Indian seed and biodiversity. They are also working about the independence of Indian farmers, i.e. to depend on their own seed instead of Imported or GM seeds. Once they come to India our rich biodiversity will become extinct and we will become slave of companies.
Many things have been said about swami Ramdev ji. I suppose they ought not to be said in first place there was no need to say those things about a person who has brought a vision of India/Bharat. That vision may benefit many, if not few. That vision should be accepted, as they say on TV debates that we agree to disagree. Recent past there has been some bad things also. Few people cried foul about medicines. But they did not cried when adulteration goes on in the milk, sweets and other food items, which we see daily.
Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalPatanjali launched their version of noodles. Instantly it became the most popular brand and replacement or Maggie noodles. More innovation and research is required so that more dehydrogenated vegetables can be added to these noodles. That will make more nutritious and appealing to elite and other class.

Recently, I heard him saying that a food park will be established in Maharastra? 
Image result for Baba RamdevRecently i heard on social media about his plans to launch Swadeshi jeans.  People started making fun of this again. I ask why? what was the need? Is it wrong to launch a swadeshi brand.  It is time now to eradicate the branding in name of foreign land. NewPort, Oxford, Levis etc we have tried. but why not any Indian name? thus again he tried to work on and establish the worth of #MakeIndIndia.
Image result for Baba Ramdev at investor summit bhopalAnother thing which i found good about swami Ramdev ji as I saw on TV that he has united many factions, sadhu, sanyasi, Akhadas, etc and brought them at one platform on many occasions. That i had never seen before on Doordarshan. 
He is talking about MSME, small scale industries or enterprises. He has thought of making Indian brand of hand woven cloths/Textile.
He also has plans to launch something on alternative livelihood options for farmers. Such as Honey Bee keeping.  Just saw on Astha TV channel that Patanjali trust is foraying into #Digitization of Indian old manuscripts. Trust has invited all those people who have with them any old manuscripts which can be digitized for conservation. This project is going to be helpfull to know our Ancient knowledge.

Being a swami how come he is full of energy and does all these big things. That becomes eyesore to many elites.


Swami Ramdev ji has brought many novel ideas in present times, and he must be given full freedom to work upon those ideas.  Patanjali trust that has started a gurukulam an educational institution. where many children are geting education.
Let us hope that students coming out of this school work for betterment of our country. इतिहास उनको एक युगपुरुष के रूप में सदैव याद करेगा  Millions of people wish that he lives for 1000 years.
                
           Image result for Baba Ramdev   Image result for Baba Ramdev  

Long Live Swami Ramdev ji.   
उनके श्री चरणों में  नमन 


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