Importance of the Saffron robes - by Dr P V Sesha Sai

March 11, 2010

Good Day Brothers and Sisters,Its Thursday, 11th March

2010In the light of the various scandals about Fake Gurus and Swamis that is inadvertenetly giving a bad reputatuon to the saffron robe,Here's an article that

sheds some light on the importance of the saffron robe and the respeonsibilities and duties it enjoins upon the wearer, why it was/is respected and given importance to as well as why it gained in

prominence The given website in the article (ashwamedhayaagam.org) doesn't

work Here's where the article can be accessed online http://aswamedhayaaji.blogspot.com/2007/07/dr-sesha-sais-believe-it-or-not-18.htmlImportance of the Saffron robes

by Dr P V Sesha Sai

Collierville, TN 38017 Phone 901 592 9130

e mail shodasisai (AT) gmail (DOT)

com,

web site www.ashwamedhayaaga m.org

Dr Sesha Sai's believe it or not - series 18 (Factual Renunciation)

In the recent past I could not write this particular series due to many reasons.

I am totally afraid that

I will not be able to complete this in one page

as per my principle and readers may not mistake me for taking this

onto two pages.These

days, may be on account of some psychological gap in our minds,

most of us started accepting a saffron wearing person as a saint and started

searching for some unknown peace.

You

all know that our weakness is somebody's strength.

Probably that is the reason many persons have come to limelight wearing

saffron clothes. These days I also noticed a kind of allergy in some people,

perhaps on seeing the ongoing trend, to accept this saffron cloth, which is

considered as most sacred in ancient India.

The

saffron cloth and renunciation are interlinked.

Saffron cloths are respected by most of the Hindus for the simple reason,

it is considered as a symbol of total and factual renunciation.

Furthermore it is also a fact that most of the saffron wearers of ancient India

were able to provide their branches of descendent. Every family in India

is in a position to tell

about their father, grandfather and great father

and it is an inbuilt system. Similarly, most of the saffron wearers were

in a position to tell us

their Guru, Parama Guru and Parameshti Guru

thus giving us a scope for analyzing the degree of their detachment and

their history. The peetadhipatis never used to move out of their places

excepting in exceptional

conditions and their religious knowledge

and guidance was given to public during a four month time called as

"Chaturmaasa Deeksha", in a year.

In other words, they were asked to stay at a certain place of their choice

every year that too during rainy season, perhaps this restriction was imposed

with a view that their mobility to different places would be difficult in those

periods of time during rainy season.

They were going for Biksha - asking for food - everyday to a particular family

and they never used to apply soap, never take hot water bath, never use

comfortable beds for their rest, never wear any ornaments, in other words,

they used remain detached from worldly affairs.

It is factually they, who brought laurels to the saffron clothing

due to their total and factual renunciation.

My Guruji HH Shri Shri Shri Ganesananda Bharathi Mahaswamy was served

with food (Biksha) and in one of the prime food items made up of bitter gourd,

salt and other material was not put and it was served like that.

As per the prevailing custom, one cannot taste the food before serving to

a Yeti invited for biksha in the house and as such the housewife served it

without tasting it in advance.

The housewife casually asked Guruji about the preparation of the items

and Guruji said "Brahmandam" in other words it is known as "excellent".

Later when she started serving food to others, people almost cried

and said the preparation

was quite bitter.

She asked Guruji as to how he could take the food without any expression

or whatsoever; Guruji smilingly said that he was not aware of all that

and he further said that

the food was excellent.

What I desire to mention here that an actual Yeti - a Sanyasi - a Bikshu

- a Sage, considers all as the Holy creation of the Lord and in such a condition

he shall remain as real sage, who crosses the "taste" barriers.

It

is actual and true renunciation.

I met a number of sages in Himalayan ranges and particularly in

Naimisharanya on specific days and if any one believes this,

anyone can pay a visit to Holy Naimisharanya on Phalguna Sukla Navami

- the ninth bright day of Phalguna Month which normally falls during

February every year, where hundreds and thousands of sadhus/sages

from all over India gather to pay respects to the holy land of Bhagavan

Veda Vyas. They walk all

the way to this Holy place from different parts

of India. One can see, Rudravart, Swayambuva Manu final appearance place,

Chakranemi (a pond, the depth of which could not be ascertained by

some

British research scholars).

They do not bother about

the roof, shelter, food, weather, clothing or

any such basic needs. They do not ask for anything and they gladly accept

anything given to them. I

am really afraid as a small human being as to

how they prefer living like that and every visitor has to salute their greatness.

Naimisharanya - an ancient forest of India, well known for the knowledge

treasures is situated in

Sitapur District of UP.

One can also visit Raman Reti near Mathura in UP where hundreds

of Sadhus stay to quench

their thirstiness of Divine experiences.

They live away from all worldly comforts of this material world.

One can also visit Brindavan at Mantralayam in Kurnool District of Andhra

Pradesh, where we find the Samadhi (Brindavan)- (the body buried place)

of HH Shri Raghavendra Swamiji somewhere near 400 years plus ago.

The Government Gazette publication of erstwhile British Government

narrates that HH Shri Swamiji talked to Mr. Thomas Manro, the then Collector

of the District representing the British Government, in English coming out

of the Samadhi in his human form.

If we do not believe in our "greatness" and at least let us,

believe the British Gazette.

HH Jagadguru Shri Paramacharya of Kanchi Mutt toured almost all places

in India by "foot" without taking any assistance and he spoke to the visitors

in different foreign languages and record speaks that he never moved out

of India, nor undergone any language courses.

Don't

believe? - Please visit Kanchi in Tamilnadu for further details.

It is quite difficult for us to judge the greatness of them or identify them truly,

and for this material world they are visible like some common ordinary

ignorable sadhus or persons. It is for us to judge them to realize the true

renounced spirits in them;

I repeat that we have to

judge them.

We are almost caught

in an atmosphere where we find the peethadhipatis,

baabas, and swamis in a totally sophisticated set up where we judge the

greatness basing on their following and the time taken for taking their darshan;

the amount needed for paada pooja and so on.

On the pretext of establishing dharmic world, I have seen many of them

touring the entire world

in a class manner which a true renounced

are not expected.

But the fact remains

a true sage in a renounced stage can never be found

in such a great atmosphere, neither they undertake pleasure travel abroad,

and unfortunately we try

to live in an illusion state ignoring the state of

factual renunciation.

Are

we sailing in proper direction in locating the cream of

spiritual

excellencies and Factual masters who can lead us

to

expected destinations or are we contributing to the rich kingdoms

of

a few individuals in the name of Swamijis and committing a great sin?

Can

only a

saffron cloth be our true guide?

------- it is for us all

to physically verify this and judge ourselves.

Believe it, there are excellent masters with traditional background

and backed by History.

Yours affly HARA HARA MAHADEVA

DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEHDYAAJI

Collierville, TN 38017 Phone

901 592 9130

e mail shodasisai (AT) gmail (DOT)

com,

web site www.ashwamedhayaagam.org ------------ ------- --------- --------- --------- --------Your comments and feedbacks always welcome .. Rahul, at Cybugle as well as at bruntno1 ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

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