Draft:Sanyasi
| Submission declined on 28 July 2025 by DoubleGrazing (talk). This submission is not adequately supported by reliable sources. Reliable sources are required so that information can be verified. If you need help with referencing, please see Referencing for beginners and Citing sources.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Puri shekhar (talk) 07:01, 28 July 2025 (UTC)
Dashnami Surnames (Giri, Puri, Bharati, Ban, etc.)
The Dashnami or Dashanami Sampradaya refers to a Hindu monastic tradition established by Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE), who unified diverse wandering ascetics into an organized system of ten orders (thus “Dasha” = ten, “Nama” = names).
These ten monastic surnames are:
Giri (mountain)
Puri (town)
Bharati (learning)
Ban or Vana (forest)
Aranya (wilderness)
Saraswati (wisdom)
Tirtha (pilgrimage)
Ashram (spiritual abode)
Parvata (hill)
Sagara (ocean)
📖 Historical Background The Dashnami system was created by Adi Shankaracharya to unify Hindu ascetics under a single philosophical school—Advaita Vedanta.
The ten names represent different spiritual domains or symbolic geographies to which ascetics were originally assigned.
Dashnami ascetics are also called Sannyasis and often follow celibate, renunciate lifestyles—though in regions like Nepal and North India, some descendants of Sannyasis adopted the surnames hereditarily without remaining monastics.
🌍 Geographic Distribution Dashnami surnames are common in India and Nepal, especially among:
Brahmins (in non-monastic lineages)
Sannyasis (monastic members of mathas and akharas)
Some Newar and Chhetri communities in Nepal have also adopted Dashnami surnames.
📿 Usage in Nepal In Nepal, Dashnami surnames like Giri, Puri, Bharati, and Ban/Vana are often associated with Hindu priesthood, philosophy, and Ayurveda. They are commonly found in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and regions like Doti, Dang, and Salyan. Notably:
Some Dashnami households practice family traditions of Sanskrit teaching or astrology.
While the original role was spiritual, many Dashnami families now follow secular livelihoods.
⚔️ Cultural Influence Dashnami traditions are linked to Akhara culture, including participation in Kumbh Mela, wrestling (akhada), and religious debates.
The Juna Akhara, Niranjani, and Mahanirvani are prominent Dashnami-based ascetic orders in India.
In Nepal, Dashnami Sanyasi Maths exist in Pashupati area, Dang, and Karnali region.
🔗 Related Concepts Advaita Vedanta
Sannyasa Dharma
Akhara system
Adi Shankaracharya
Panch Dashnam Sanyasis
Juna Akhara
📚 References (for Wikipedia submission) Lorenzen, David N. Who Invented Hinduism? (Yoda Press, 2006)
White, David Gordon. Sinister Yogis (University of Chicago Press, 2009)
Flood, Gavin. The Ascetic Self (Cambridge University Press, 2004)
Official websites of Juna Akhara, Niranjani Akhara, and Sankaracharya Peethas
Nepal Sanskrit University archives and Nepal Pragya Pratishthan publications on Brahmin lineages