Should an Ascetic Join Politics?

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 6 June 2024 Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht alias Yogi Adityanath and his party's shellacking in UP has again engendered the debate: Whether Yogis, Sannyasis, monks and ascetics should join politics in the first place? When Laotse, the great sage, was surreptitiously leaving the kingdom, as he got disillusioned with his life in the court of the king, he was caught by the king's guards. They brought him back to the court. The king was extremely fond of Laotse and he venerated him. The learned king said, " I won't stop you from leaving my court and kingdom as I understand that you feel suffocated here. You can leave but I've a request. Please jot down a few pieces of advice for me and the people of this kingdom and then go happily." Laotse gave 20 tips for a blissful and hassle-free existence and left the kingdom. His first advice was: "Never force a monk to be involved in kingly and worldly duties. A monk should also refrain from participating in public affairs. " First of all, it was BJP's serious mistake to engage monks, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Babas, Gurus, godmen and god-women in political affairs. These Babas, Yogis and Sadhus should also have declined the requests to join politics. But who doesn't like power? Yogi Adityanath may not have been openly interested in the pelf but he was power-hungry and was ruthless to the bone, an attribute which is unbecoming of an ascetic or a 'saintly' person. He was also rabidly vindictive, whereas an ascetic is always forgiving by nature. Ascetics and monks hardly talk. But our Yogi was inherently motormouth and foul-mouthed. For seven years since 2017, he ruled like a mafia don and ironically declared that he was there to eliminate the mafia! He himself got eliminated! Since BJP refers to Sanatan and its scriptures at the drop of a hat, let's see what the scriptures of Hinduism advise on this count: First of all, one who has renounced should not live in his native place. After he has renounced, he has to start living in another place. How is that possible for a king and in today's political context, a leader or a politician? A sage should leave his native land right after he has renounced. He should live far away from his own, like a thief just released from jail (Maitreni Upanishad 115) Secondly, he has to be on the move always, he is not allowed to stay in a particular place for around 8 months of a year. Only during the rainy season is he allowed to stay in a particular place. Obviously, such a lifestyle can't be followed by a king or a politician. An ascetic shall wander alone for eight months;" says the Aruni (8), "he shall keep a fixed residence during the entire rainy season or during just two months of it." Thirdly, Sannyasi has renounced everything. He can't own anything. Even for securing food he has to beg. But on the other hand, a king or a politician will own so many things. He also can't go begging for food. The things that a Sannyasi is allowed to carry/own are very few: A pot, a drinking cup, a sling, a tripod, a pair of shoes, a patched garment against the cold, a loincloth, a water strainer, a bathing cloth, and an outer garment: an ascetic should avoid anything else other than these Laghu Sannyasa (21) Let him sleep on a river bank or in a temple. Let him not afflict his body with extremes of pleasure or of pain. Let him bathe, drink, and cleanse himself with water that is purified. When he is praised let him not rejoice, nor curse others when he is reviled. (But criticise Yogi. You'll face the music very next moment) Moreover, a Sannyasi cannot indulge in several matters which are unavoidable for a king, for e.g law enforcement etc etc: "An ascetic's mind is inevitably perturbed if he behaves with women foolishly in these four ways. When his mind is perturbed he will perish. "Craving, anger, falsehood, deceit, greed, delusion, likes and dislikes, fine arts, the work of interpretation, desire, passion, possessions, egotism, selfishness, the practice of medicine, law enforcement, atonement, travel abroad, and the use of mantras, medicines, poisons, and blessings: all these are forbidden to him. Practising them will cause his downfall. Narada Parivrajaka. Upanishad. You cannot eat the cake and have it too. If you're a monk, live like a monk. Nowadays, too many 'holy' people are into politics. One hopes that Yogi's downfall will make other overambitious monks chary of joining politics lest the same deplorable fate should befall them. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. 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