26. काषायाम्बरसंवृतः Kāṣāyāmbara-saṁvṛtaḥ

One who was clothed in ochre robes

His Holiness was saṁvṛta, clothed, in kāṣāya-ambara, ochre robes, as prescribed for saṁnyāsins.

The scripture states the following procedure in the context of acceptance of the ochre robes at the time of taking saṁnyāsa: “Accepting the kaṭisūtra, kaupīna and robe after having done ācamana while uttering, ‘kaṭisūtra that is the supporter of the loincloth, Om; kaupīna that is the cover for the private parts, Om; the robe that is the single protection against cold, wind, and heat, Om,’ and having been conferred a yoga-paṭṭa (monastic name), he shall be intent on following the rules of his (saṁnyāsa) āśrama, considering himself fortunate.”⁷¹

❧

So firm was His Holiness’s commitment to saṁnyāsa that He observed its norms, including wearing the ochre robes, even in His dreams.

His Holiness told a disciple in 1975, “Two days before taking saṁnyāsa I had thought, ‘Dreams are not under my control. Mistakes committed in them do not result in sin. Nevertheless, my renunciation should be so sincere and firm that after being initiated into saṁnyāsa, I should not see myself in any dream as clad in white as I am now. I love chanting the Gāyatrī-mantra. Yet, as Gāyatrī-japa is disallowed for paramahaṁsa-saṁnyāsins, I should not engage in it even in my dreams from the day after tomorrow.’ By God’s grace, this has come to pass.”

❧