01-04-2007, 02:49 AM
Acharya Hazari Prasad Dwivedi mentions a very interesting thing in the preface of one of his books published around 1930. Translation mine.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Hindus naturally respect Brahmins. Even more than them, Sannyasins and Yogis (Even if non-Brahmin) are objects of reverance. However Hindu soceity treats very harshly ASram-BhraSTa (befallen from chosen Ashram) Sannyasins and Yogis. If a Sannyasin re-enters Grihastha Ashram, then his heir and children are treated as outcastes. In every corner of Bharatvarsha, there are jatis that constitute such be-fallen Sannyasins and their offshoots. In Northern India while you can find Gosain, Vairagi, Atit, Sadhu, Jogi, Fakir jatis; South India has Aandi, Dasari, Panivasan jatis.Â
A Sannyasin is poojya for a Hindu, only as long as he is in Sannyasashram. But if he abandons it to set an abode in Grihasthashram, he is befallen in the eyes of Hindus. So such jatis, that are made by befallen Yogis and Sannyasis, are treted in the lowest respect. Therefore, there is great difference between a Yogi of Sadhana, and a yogi of grihastha ashram just because of his jati. Once upon a time, these Jatis were pushed out of varNa-ASram vyavasthA, but later on they were assimilated back into Hindu fold, as it appears.Â
Many of these jatis still follow the customs more in tune with Sannyasis than Grihasthas. In jogis of Bengal, a deadbody is not given cremation but 'Samadhi' (buried in a certain yogasan posture). A friend of mine from Tripra, informs me that Tripura jogi jatis first cremate and then bury the remains.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Hindus naturally respect Brahmins. Even more than them, Sannyasins and Yogis (Even if non-Brahmin) are objects of reverance. However Hindu soceity treats very harshly ASram-BhraSTa (befallen from chosen Ashram) Sannyasins and Yogis. If a Sannyasin re-enters Grihastha Ashram, then his heir and children are treated as outcastes. In every corner of Bharatvarsha, there are jatis that constitute such be-fallen Sannyasins and their offshoots. In Northern India while you can find Gosain, Vairagi, Atit, Sadhu, Jogi, Fakir jatis; South India has Aandi, Dasari, Panivasan jatis.Â
A Sannyasin is poojya for a Hindu, only as long as he is in Sannyasashram. But if he abandons it to set an abode in Grihasthashram, he is befallen in the eyes of Hindus. So such jatis, that are made by befallen Yogis and Sannyasis, are treted in the lowest respect. Therefore, there is great difference between a Yogi of Sadhana, and a yogi of grihastha ashram just because of his jati. Once upon a time, these Jatis were pushed out of varNa-ASram vyavasthA, but later on they were assimilated back into Hindu fold, as it appears.Â
Many of these jatis still follow the customs more in tune with Sannyasis than Grihasthas. In jogis of Bengal, a deadbody is not given cremation but 'Samadhi' (buried in a certain yogasan posture). A friend of mine from Tripra, informs me that Tripura jogi jatis first cremate and then bury the remains.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->