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Mahamandaleshwara Vishwananda
''Mahamandaleshwar'' (or ''Maha Mandaleshwar'') is a title used by some Hindu monks of the Dashanami order of swamis, founded by Shankaracharya. The world Mahamandaleshwar means "superior of great and/or numerous monasteries" or "superior of a religious district or province"; the title implies a great spiritual leader. In 2019, nine foreigners were given the title mahamandaleshwar for the first time at the Kumbh Mela. See also * Mahant Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of an ... References {{reflist Titles and occupations in Hinduism ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent. The term ''"Hindu"'' traces back to Old Persian which derived these names from the Sanskrit name ''Sindhu'' (सिन्धु ), referring to the river Indus. The Greek cognates of the same terms are "''Indus''" (for the river) and "''India''" (for the land of the river). The term "''Hindu''" also implied a geographic, ethnic or cultural identifier for people living in the Indian subcontinent around or beyond the Sindhu (Indus) River. By the 16th century CE, the term began to refer to residents of the subcontinent who were not Turkic or Muslims. Hindoo is an archaic spelling variant, whose use today is considered derogatory. The historical development of Hindu self-identity within the local In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicate their life to serving other people and serving God, or to be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live their life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many religions and in philosophy. In the Greek language, the term can apply to women, but in modern English it is mainly in use for men. The word ''nun'' is typically used for female monastics. Although the term ''monachos'' is of Christian origin, in the English language ''monk'' tends to be used loosely also for both male and female ascetics from other religious or philosophical backgrounds. However, being generic, it is not interchangeable with terms that denote particular kinds of monk, such as cenobite, hermit, anchor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daśanāmi Sampradaya
Dasanami (IAST ' "Tradition of Ten Names"), also known as the Order of Swamis, is a Hindu monastic tradition of "single-staff renunciation" (''ēka daṇḍi saṃnyāsī'') generally associated with the four cardinal mathas of the Advaita Vedanta tradition and, according to tradition, organized in its present form by 8th-century CE Vedic scholar and teacher Adi Shankaracharya. A swami, as the monk is called, is a renunciate who seeks to achieve spiritual union with the ''swa'' (Self). In formally renouncing the world, he or she generally wears ochre, saffron or orange-colored robes as a symbol of non-attachment to worldly desires, and may choose to roam independently or join an ashram or other spiritual organizations, typically in an ideal of selfless service. Upon initiation, which can only be done by another existing Swami, the renunciate receives a new name (usually ending in ''ananda,'' meaning 'supreme bliss') and takes a title which formalizes his connection with one o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swami
Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used either before or after the subject's name (usually an adopted religious name). The meaning of the Sanskrit root of the word ''swami'' is "e who isone with his self" ( stands for "self"), and can roughly be translated as "he/she who knows and is master of himself/herself". The term is often attributed to someone who has achieved mastery of a particular yogic system or demonstrated profound devotion (''bhakti'') to one or more Hindu gods. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' gives the etymology as: As a direct form of address, or as a stand-in for a swami's name, it is often rendered ''Swamiji'' (also ''Swami-ji'' or ''Swami Ji''). In modern Gaudiya Vaishnavism, ''Swami'' is also one of the 108 names for a sannyasi given in Bhaktisiddhanta Sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , "Adi Shankara, Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi Shankara; teachers from the successive line of teachers retrospectively dated back to him are known as Shankaracharyas. Establishment of the tradition According to a tradition developed in the 16th century, Adi Shankara set up four monasteries known as Mathas or Peethams, in the North, South, East and West of India, to be held by realised men who would be known as Shankaracharyas. They would take on the role of teacher and could be consulted by anyone with sincere queries of a spiritual nature. Another monastery Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Kanchi Kamkoti Peeth in south India also derives its establishment and tradition to Adi Shankara, however its heads are called "Acharya" or "Jagadguru" instead of "Shankaracharya". The table below gives ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kumbh Mela
Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela () is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism. It is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, to celebrate every revolution Brihaspati (Jupiter) completes, at four river-bank pilgrimage sites: Allahabad (Ganges-Yamuna-Sarasvati rivers confluence), Haridwar (Ganges), Nashik (Godavari), and Ujjain (Shipra). The festival is marked by a ritual dip in the waters, but it is also a celebration of community commerce with numerous fairs, education, religious discourses by saints, mass gatherings of monks, and entertainment., Quote: "The special power of the Kumbha Mela is often said to be due in part to the presence of large numbers of Hindu monks, and many pilgrims seek the darsan (Skt., darsana; auspicious mutual sight) of these holy men. Others listen to religious discourses, participate in devotional singing, engage brahman priests for personal rituals, organise mass feedings of monks or the poor, or merely enjoy the spectacle. Amid this diversi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahant
Mahant () is a religious superior, in particular the chief of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions. James Mallinson, one of the few westerners to be named as a mahant, describes the position of a mahant as a combination of an abbot and a brigadier. Etymology The Hindi word comes from Prakrit , Sanskrit (accusative case: ) meaning "great". Hinduism Other titles for the word ''Mahant'', serving in the context of a well known religious place, include priest or pundit—generally always being a gyani or pastor. Brahmins with Mahant surname are also found in Himachal Pradesh region. They speak local dialects of Pahari and Hindi and read and write in Devanagari. They are vegetarians. The Mahant are monogamous and marriage is by discussion. They make their living from the temples. Their children however prefer other work such as for the government or private work. In other branches of Hinduism, the mahant is an ascetic who is the head and leader of the temple ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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