Indian Sociologists

Question
CBSEENSO11023191

Write an essay on Govind Sadashiv Ghurye’s work “The Sadhus in Indian Tradition’.

Solution

The Sadhus in Indian Tradition :

1. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye made a notable departure from his co-professional in making a study of the ascetics and sadhus of India. His Indian Sadhus (1953 and 1964) is an excellent sociography of the various sects and religious centres established by the great Vedantic philosopher Sankarcharya and other notably religious figures.

2. In this work G.S. Ghurye highlighted the paradoxical nature of renunciation in India.A Sadhu or Sannyasin is supposed to be detached from all castes, norms and social conventions, etc. He is outside the pale of society. Yet, strikingly enought since the time of Sankaraharya the Hindu society has more or less been guided by the Sadhus. These Sadhus are not the lonely hermits. Most of them belong to monastic orders, which have distinctive traditions.

3. The monastic organisation in India was a product of Hinduism and Buddhism. The rise of Buddhism and Jainism (in 6th century B.C. and afterward) marked the decline the individual ascetics like Viswamitra.

4. Indian Sadhus have acted as the arbiters of religious disputes, patronized learning of scriptures and the sacred lose and even defended religion against external attacks.

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