Living with Śiva

Monastic Holy Orders

SŪTRA 316: MONASTIC LIFE'S FOURFOLD PURPOSE

Śiva’s monastics lead a joyous, contented, steadfast, humble life. Their purpose is contemplation upon and love of Śiva, to maintain Śiva consciousness, realize the Self and uplift others while serving their satguru. Aum.§

SŪTRA 317: VOWS FOR CONTEMPLATIVE LIVING

Śiva’s monastics who are sādhakas and yogīs uphold, and renew every two years, the four vows of humility, purity, confidence and obedience. Swāmīs uphold for life these four and a fifth vow of renunciation. Aum.§

SŪTRA 318: HOLDING FAST TO THE TRUEST TREASURES

Śiva’s monastics never fail to take refuge in their God, their guru and their Great Oath. This is the highest path they have chosen, the culmination of numberless lives, perhaps the last in the cycle of reincarnation. Aum.§

SŪTRA 319: THEIR PAST IS SMALL, THEIR FUTURE IS LARGE

Śiva’s monastics walk bravely into the future, letting go of the past and letting what is be. Through yoga their kuṇḍaliṇī rises, expanding consciousness, changing values and creating magical happenings around them. Aum.§

SŪTRA 320: LIVING IN THE SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS

My Śaiva monastics embrace a selfless life in which all work their minds together to keep the monastery strong. They never follow an individual path, remaining remote or aloof from brother maṭhavāsis. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastic Mission

SŪTRA 321: PRESERVING THE THREE PILLARS OF ŚAIVISM

Śiva’s monastics valiantly bring Śaivism into the future of futures. The fullness of their mission lies in our faith’s three pillars—temples, scriptures and satgurus—which they are vowed to protect, preserve and promote. Aum.§

SŪTRA 322: REMAINING ABOVE CORRUPTION AND CONTROL

Śiva’s monastics never compromise their ideals or rules for material or political gain, nor come under the control of the rich or influential. Vows prohibit them from being told what to think, say or do except by their order. Aum.§

SŪTRA 323: FEARLESS DEFENDERS OF HINDUISM

Śiva’s monastics are unfettered and fearless, wholeheartedly and boldly supporting the ancient Sanātana Dharma against all who would infiltrate, dilute and destroy it. Yea, they are defenders of all Hindu sects. Aum.§

SŪTRA 324: SELFLESS SERVICE LEADS TO SELF-MASTERY

Śiva’s monastic disciples regard themselves as the full-time slaves of Śiva, servants of the servants of the Lord. They are masters of mind, body and emotion, divine rulers of their instinctive and intellectual forces. Aum.§

SŪTRA 325: PURE VESSELS FOR THE DIVINE

My monastics strive to keep Lord Śiva foremost in their mind and heart, seeking pure emptiness, kāīf. Having mastered the Shūm-Tyēīf language of meditation, they are vessels for God’s gracious will. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastic Spirit

SŪTRA 326: RAJA YOGA IN ACTION

Śiva’s monastics—āchāryas, swāmīs, yogīs and sādhakas—are precise, concentrated, serenely centered, eager to serve and tireless in every task, held back to rest only by others. Jai, they carry their yoga into action. Aum.§

SŪTRA 327: SERVING DYNAMICALLY SINCE TIME BEGAN

Śiva’s monastics are strong-willed, gentle in intellect, rushing forward in youthful, happy ways. Every desire they have is for the welfare of others. Yea, this group is the religion’s core and has been for eons of time. Aum.§

SŪTRA 328: THE WHOLE WORLD IS THEIR FAMILY

Śiva’s monastics who have separated themselves from family to pursue a divine life do so in a spirit of love. They look upon this not as losing their dear family of a few but as gaining all of humanity as their kin. Aum.§

SŪTRA 329: FIRST THINGS FIRST

Śiva’s monastics tread the path of experiential yoga. They never allow intellectual studies or interests to overshadow their inner life. They are men of God and the Gods first, teachers, scholars or artisans second. Aum.§

SŪTRA 330: FACING KARMA IN WISDOM

Śiva’s monastics, knowing the law of karma, accept as their own karma all that comes. They forgive others of all offenses inwardly at once, but outwardly only after transgressors sincerely reconcile. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastic Attitudes

SŪTRA 331: ENCOURAGING OTHER QUALIFIED MONASTICS

Śiva’s monastics support sādhus, yogīs, swāmīs and gurus of other orders, male or female, even if their beliefs differ, as long as they promote the Vedas, the Hindu religion and the renunciate ideals of monasticism. Aum.§

SŪTRA 332: REMAINING APART FROM THE UNQUALIFIED

Śiva’s monastics restrain their support for sannyāsins in saffron robes who are married, who have personal income, live with birth family, deny or dilute Hinduism, have left their guru or are known philanderers. Aum.§

SŪTRA 333: SUPPORTING HINDU PRIESTS AND PANDITS

Śiva’s monastics honor and support the good causes of Hindu lay ministers, priests and pandits of all lineages to create a dynamic solidarity in diversity to carry Sanātana Dharma to each succeeding generation. Aum.§

SŪTRA 334: HUMILITY IS THEIR HALLMARK

Śiva’s monastics never boast of their accomplishments, knowledge, position, equipment, money they handle, places they have been or people they know. Self-effacement—yea, self-erasement—is their hallmark. Aum.§

SŪTRA 335: OVERCOMING THE FOUR OBSTACLES

Śiva’s monastics regard sex, money, food and clothes as the prime challenge to their spiritual quest, harboring the potential to reinvolve them in the world. Thus, they restrain themselves accordingly. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastic Restrictions

SŪTRA 336: NEVER INDULGING IN SEXUAL FANTASY

All Śiva’s monastics strictly avoid sexual fantasy, knowing that it opens the door to the progressive stages of glorifying sex, flirting, desirous glances, love talk, pining, deciding to have sex and finally intercourse. Aum.§

SŪTRA 337: RESERVE TOWARD WOMEN

All Śiva’s monastics honor all older women as their mother and younger women as their sisters. Intensely renounced, modest and reserved, they avoid extended conversation and exchange of subtle energies. Aum.§

SŪTRA 338: THEIR LIKES ARE THEIR DISLIKES

All Śiva’s monastics firmly uphold the spirit of nonownership, never adopting the householder attitudes of claiming their own space, timing, tools, friends, ambitions, likes and dislikes. Yea, they are unattached. Aum.§

SŪTRA 339: THE PROBLEMS OF TODAY END TODAY

All Śiva’s monastics treasure harmony as their way of life. They stop work, attend to and resolve before sleep any inharmonious conditions that may arise, knowing that creativity lies dormant while conflict prevails. Aum.§

SŪTRA 340: QUALIFICATION TO PERFORM TEMPLE PŪJĀ

All my Śaiva monastics who qualify may perform the parārtha pūjā in their temples. Should they not renew their vows or be dismissed, they are prohibited to perform or teach this pūjā thenceforth. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastic Personal Care

SŪTRA 341: SIMPLE CLOTHING FOR SIMPLE MAṬHAVĀSIS

Śiva’s monastics wear robes of cotton or wool—hand-spun, hand-woven and unsewn. Other clothing should be made of simple, unadorned cotton, wool or synthetics, in traditional North or South Indian style. Aum.§

SŪTRA 342: LUNAR RETREATS FROM GUESTS AND THE PUBLIC

Śiva’s monastics observe the full, new and half moons and the day after each as retreats for sādhana, study, rest, personal care and āśrama upkeep, plus a fortnight’s retreat at the end of each of the year’s three seasons. Aum.§

SŪTRA 343: DISCIPLINES FOR SLEEP

My monastics sleep six to eight hours a day for rejuvenation and astral duties. They refuse a soft bed and sleep on a firm floor mattress, ideally on a neem plank. This custom may be relaxed when ill or traveling. Aum.§

SŪTRA 344: KEEPING LITTLE, OWNING NOTHING

Śiva’s monastics have no more personal belongings than they can easily carry in two bags, one in each hand. By tradition, they have little, and even these few things they do not own. Yea, they are true mendicants. Aum.§

SŪTRA 345: NURTURING NEW MONASTICS

Śiva’s monastics look upon newcomers to the monasteries as their potential spiritual heirs, to care for, tenderly nurture and train. They know it is their duty to pass on the wisdom of their years. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastic Travel and Retreat

SŪTRA 346: RECEIVING NO PERSONAL GIFTS

My Śaiva monastics do not accept personal gifts of any kind, but they may receive offerings on behalf of the monastery and support during pilgrimage, including fruit, flowers, food, lodging and travel expenses. Aum.§

SŪTRA 347: OVERNIGHT STAYS WHEN TRAVELING

My Śaiva monastics while traveling may reside and take meals in āśramas, temples, hotels or homes of worthy initiated families of our Saiva Siddhanta Church. Their sojourn in homes must never exceed three nights. Aum.§

SŪTRA 348: MALES SERVE MY MAṬHAVĀSIS

My Śaiva monastics are all males, our ancient tradition ordains. When they visit homes, temples or āśramas, all service to them, such as meals, travel assistance, laundry and visitor hosting, shall be carried out by males. Aum.§

SŪTRA 349: FOOD GUIDELINES FOR TRAVELING MONASTICS

My Śaiva monastics when traveling may partake of food prepared at home by devout families and delivered to them. They may also cook for themselves, or enjoy meals in restaurants, whether served by men or women. Aum.§

SŪTRA 350: THE TRADITION OF MOVING IN PAIRS

My Śaiva monastics, whether in or outside the monastery, perform ministry only in pairs. They never travel alone. Exceptions are made in dire emergencies and for those on the nirvāṇa sādhaka path. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Monastics and the World

SŪTRA 351: REMAINING ALOOF FROM INTRIGUE

My Śaiva monastics stand apart from intrigue, corruption and cunning. They never act as go-betweens, spies, agents or bearers of false witness and cannot be bought, influenced, or obligated by the rich or powerful. Aum.§

SŪTRA 352: STAYING OUT OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND POLITICS

My Śaiva monastics are assigned to religious work alone and, except to bless, advise and counsel, do not involve themselves with secular events or social service. Nor do they vote in elections or seek to influence politics. Aum.§

SŪTRA 353: CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRING A SECOND MONK

My Śaiva monastics follow the tradition of not holding serious or lengthy private conversations in person or by telephone without another monk present. Gracious, impersonal small talk in public is, of course, allowed. Aum.§

SŪTRA 354: THE TRADITION OF NOT TOUCHING

My Śaiva monastics maintain a strict nontouching policy. They do not shake hands or embrace. However, if someone unaware of their protocol initiates such contact, they do not recoil, but respond appropriately. Aum.§

SŪTRA 355: DEMURENESS IN CONVERSATIONS

My Śaiva monastics, in respect, stand no closer than an arm’s length during conversations. When speaking to men and women together, they direct their attention mostly to the men, as is traditional. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Instructions for Swāmīs

SŪTRA 356: UPHOLDING YOGASWAMI'S AND MY TEACHINGS

My swāmīs know there is strength and guidance in orthodoxy and avoid adopting the new for its own sake or because the old seems an arduous path. They uphold traditions that have survived the trials of time. Aum.§

SŪTRA 357: PRESERVING THE AUTONOMY OF OUR LINEAGE

My swāmīs rigidly maintain the Nandinātha Sampradāya as independent and absolutely separate from the Smārta daśanāmī orders and all other lineages. Yea, this autonomy shall endure until the end of time. Aum.§

SŪTRA 358: MY SWĀMĪS DO NOT SPEAK OF THEIR PAST

My swāmīs never speak of their past or the personal self they have renounced. Those who know tradition do not ask, for one never looks for the source of a ṛishi or a river. These always remain shrouded in mystery. Aum.§

SŪTRA 359: REMAINING APART FROM FAMILY MATTERS

My swāmīs do not participate in births, weddings or other intimate householder events, always remaining aloof from such activities. Nor do they attend funeral rites, except those of brother monks and satgurus. Aum.§

SŪTRA 360: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RENUNCIATES

All those in saffron robes who have braved death to the world are the brethren of my swāmīs, who appropriately honor authentic male swāmīs older than themselves and touch their feet in homage. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§

Instructions for Āchāryas

SŪTRA 361: THE SACRED DUTY OF MY ĀCHĀRYAS

My sannyāsins who are āchāryas are the supreme architects of our sampradāya’s future and the fulfillers of these Nandinātha Sūtras. They carry this responsibility on top of their head. Yea, they are chosen ones. Aum.§

SŪTRA 362: TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHURCH KARMAS

My sannyāsins who are āchāryas realize that they are not beyond the laws of the land, but must work within them, even to the point of apologizing should misconduct occur on the part of Saiva Siddhanta Church. Aum.§

SŪTRA 363: NEVER DEMEANING OTHERS

My sannyāsins who are āchāryas nurture each devotee equally. They never make others their servants, order them about, shout at them, snap their fingers, clap their hands, nor strike or demean them at any time. Aum.§

SŪTRA 364: MY ĀCHĀRYAS SPREAD LOVE AND LIGHT

My sannyāsins who are āchāryas, filled with love and helpfulness, promote joy and harmony among the congregation. They never anger, incite fear or take advantage of a person’s health, wealth or well-being. Aum.§

SŪTRA 365: THE END IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

Numberless successors of the Nandinātha lineage have gone before me. Numberless shall follow. I have woven these 365 threads of wisdom, but there is infinitely more to know of the mysterious Nāthas. Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.§