Significance of long hair and beard

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

Is there any significance of having long hair and beard in the

spiritual sadhana? we typically see lot of sadhus having long beard and

hair, also some households who does some spiritual sadhana emulate

that. I understand these as the external signs, but this has been an

age old practise to have long hair for the spiritual sadhakas, please

throw some light on this topic.

 

Thank and warm regards

Krishna Kanth

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

As one does spiritual sadhana, some shakti (can be translated as energy or

purity) may be accumulated. However, certain egoistic actions make one lose

some or all of the accumulated shakti.

 

Long hair and beard trap some shakti and help avoid situations where one

commits an action that results in a loss of all of one's shakti. They

improve the control over senses in tricky situations.

 

It is like a small railing atop a mountain. If one wanders off at night,

those railings can stop one from falling. A small barrier can make a big

difference at critical times. Beard and long hair are like that small

barrier.

 

Of course, a small railing cannot save a car driving at 70 mph from plunging

down. But it can stop a person wandering at night. Similarly, beard and long

hair are not sufficient for control over senses, but one who made a lot of

progress and still struggling at some critical times can benefit

significantly from long hair and beard.

 

BTW, the tradition of growing long hair or beard is not limited to Hinduism.

It is there in many religions.

 

Best regards,

Narasimha

 

Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homam

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-

" kritels " <kritels

 

Sunday, March 01, 2009 3:49 PM

Significance of long hair and beard

 

 

> Hi,

>

> Is there any significance of having long hair and beard in the

> spiritual sadhana? we typically see lot of sadhus having long beard and

> hair, also some households who does some spiritual sadhana emulate

> that. I understand these as the external signs, but this has been an

> age old practise to have long hair for the spiritual sadhakas, please

> throw some light on this topic.

>

> Thank and warm regards

> Krishna Kanth

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

Very interesting question !

 

There are many ways to look at it. I have some perspective on this too.

 

When a person does more spiritual sadhana, they loose interest in

their looks and start growing hairs and beard. This in general make

them less attractive, offcourse in the west people get attracted to

long hairs and beard.

 

Now who is able to grow long beard and a long hair by nature. You will

find many few, what I mean here is, by liking and not by force or any

religoius restrictions.

 

Only those who have better control on their senses naturally grow their

hair or beards or those in the past have done some sadhana which led

them to grow the hair and beard. Those sanskars are still present with

them in their future lives.

 

The Hippys are those folks,they may have done some sadhanas in their

previous life and hence in this life like long hairs, beard etc.

 

Not everybody like to grow both hair and beard or even if they like it

they donot suceed all the time, also in a similar way only a few can

seat in one place for a long period of time i.e. 6 or 8 hours.

 

These are some side effects of making progress in spirituality.

Offcourse there are many fakes too these days, but in general all these

things like long hairs, long beard, or sitting for a long period of

time in a place etc. are somethings that accompany a sadhak after some

progress. One need not get entangled in these types of things as they

also can be very instrumental in blocking one's progress

 

 

Other way of looking at this is both long hairs and beard provide

protection from rough cold weather and also protect in other ways.

 

Best Regards

Mitesh

, " kritels " <kritels wrote:

>

> Hi,

>

> Is there any significance of having long hair and beard in the

> spiritual sadhana? we typically see lot of sadhus having long beard

and

> hair, also some households who does some spiritual sadhana emulate

> that. I understand these as the external signs, but this has been an

> age old practise to have long hair for the spiritual sadhakas, please

> throw some light on this topic.

>

> Thank and warm regards

> Krishna Kanth

>

[Guest guest]

One of the things that I recently observed in this regard is also fascinating.

 

I work for an IT based company - where you would expect people to be very well dressed and particular about their

appearance. But on joining this company - I noticed that some employees were sporting unkempt and long hair,

untrimmed beards, wearing less than perfect dress. On enquiring further - I learnt that each and every one of these

were Subject Matter Experts in fields of Mathematics, Computers, Financial industry etc.,. All of them carried Ph.Ds

and were involved in their fields for decades. And Yes - on talking to them I have never seen more humble beings

Always willing to stoop down to your level and explain.

 

Then I reconciled that Sadhana does not always have to be Spiritual. Being fully involved in a field is also Sadhana.

 

And further more - Sadhana probably some side effects. The human being has only finite amount of focus -

Each of us split it and use it in different ways - Some place all their focus on the Divine (or their sadhana/work) and there is not much left

for the outwardly appearance.

 

In some cases I have noticed devotees emulating their Guru in terms of dress, appearance or even accent. There is nothing wrong

in emulating - There is a special saying "Fake it till you make it" - As long as we are truthfully on the path - everything is acceptable.

 

My two cents.

 

With Best Regards

Shrikanth

[Guest guest]

Namaskaram,

The growing of long beard and hair by OUR RISHIS is not just happened, but there is "No Time" for RISHIS" to shave or cut their hair, cause they spend their maximum time of their life period in "DHYANA" of LORD or GOD. and They don not care or think anything else expect DHYANA of GOD. Even they forget their hunger, their cloths, and surroundings where they are? Resent example is RAMANAMAHARSI till my knowledge, the time He sat in DHYANA ,for a long time that he don't KNOW that his cloths are destroyed and some insets are biting his thighs, At that time His disciples saw that and decided to change his DHYANA PLACE, and they changed the PLACE, even RAMANAMAHARSI didn't KNOW that, for a long time, when he came out off DHYANA, he was so normal, when his disciples noticed this matter to him, he said that "I DO NOT KNOW

NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING, EVEN I DO NOT KNOW "WHO I AM and WHY I AM". So in other way if we look at LAMAS and BUDDHIEST SAINTS they keep full shaved.

So nothing and no matter " having long hair and beard OR clean shaved" just keeping OUR CONSENTRATION ON LORD is MOST IMORTENT.

 

 

Please Forgive me if I say anything wrong with or without my knowledge.

 

Dhanyavad.--- On Sun, 3/1/09, Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr wrote:

Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr Re: Significance of long hair and beard Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009, 10:38 PM

 

 

Namaste,As one does spiritual sadhana, some shakti (can be translated as energy or purity) may be accumulated. However, certain egoistic actions make one lose some or all of the accumulated shakti.Long hair and beard trap some shakti and help avoid situations where one commits an action that results in a loss of all of one's shakti. They improve the control over senses in tricky situations.It is like a small railing atop a mountain. If one wanders off at night, those railings can stop one from falling. A small barrier can make a big difference at critical times. Beard and long hair are like that small barrier.Of course, a small railing cannot save a car driving at 70 mph from plunging down. But it can stop a person wandering at night. Similarly, beard and long hair are not sufficient for control over senses, but one who made a lot of progress and still struggling at some

critical times can benefit significantly from long hair and beard.BTW, the tradition of growing long hair or beard is not limited to Hinduism. It is there in many religions.Best regards,Narasimha------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ tarpanaSpirituality: http://groups. / group/vedic- wisdomFree Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro. home.comcast. netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAst rologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagan nath.org------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - - "kritels" <kritels (AT) grouply (DOT) com><>Sunday, March 01, 2009 3:49 PM Significance of long hair and beard> Hi,>> Is there any significance of having long hair and beard in the> spiritual sadhana? we typically see lot of

sadhus having long beard and> hair, also some households who does some spiritual sadhana emulate> that. I understand these as the external signs, but this has been an> age old practise to have long hair for the spiritual sadhakas, please> throw some light on this topic.>> Thank and warm regards> Krishna Kanth

[Jay Singh 0]

When you fall in love with someone, you love everything that comes from that person. Likewise, through spiritual knowledge and shadana when you come to know God and fall in love with Him, you like everything that comes from Him. As a true devotee you appreciate everything He has to offer you without altering it a bit. He/she sees God creation as a perfect painting and appreciates it without trying to alter it in anyway. Keeping the hair unshorn is a sign that this person has surrendered to the will of God and loves the way God has chosen to made him/her. Moreover, every time you cut your hair, they grow back. A person with wisdom can see this as a wish of God to not cut their hair. When human lost their hand, leg or any other part of the body, God does not grow it back though He has the power to do that [lizards regrow their lost limbs], but He keep growing you hair even till your last breath. Person with love for God and shadana understands this and comply with how God wants him/her to live and appreciate their hair a precious gift of God. Person with shadana knows that in God's eye hair are far more precious than any other part of my body. Rishis were not lazy or too busy. They loved God and everything He has to offer.