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E trNit TT TIRTT-WITTf
Sanyasis and Brahmacharis who resided at Chanoda Kanyali.
In consequence of this, I repaired to that place of sanctity on
the Banks of the Nerbuddah, and there at last met for the
first time with real Dikshits, or initiated Yogis, and such
Sanyasis as Chidashrama and several other Brahmacharis.
After some discussion, I was placed under the tuition of one
Parmanand, and for several months studied "Vedantsar,"
"Arya Harimihir Totak "Vedant Paribhasa," and other philo-
sophical treatises. During this time, as a Brahmacl•i I had
to prepare my own meals, which proved a great impediment
to my studies To get rid of it, I therefore concluded to enter
if possible into the 4th Order of the Sanyasis.' Fearing,
I. Sanyas. There are different conditions and orders pres-
cribed in the Shastras, (1) 13rahmachari—one who leads
simply a life of celibacy, maintaining himself by begging
while prosecuting his studies; (2) Grahastha—one who
leads a married but a virtuous life; (3) Vanaprastha-
one who lives the life of a hermit; (4) Sanyas or
Chaturthashrama—this is the highest of the four; into
which members of either of the other three may enter, the
necessary conditions for it being the renunciations of all
worldly consideration. Following are the four different
successive stages of this life : (A) Kuteechara; —living in
a hut, or in a desolate place, and wearing a red-ochre
coloured garment, carrying a three-knotted bambo roal,
and wearing the hair iu the centre of the crown of the
head, having the sacred thread, and devoting oneself to
the contemplation of Parabrahma; (B) Bahudaka—one
who lives quite apart form his family and the world,
maintains himself on alms collected at seven houses, and
wears the same kind of reddish garment; (C) Hansa—
the same as in the preceding case, except the carrying of
only a one-knotted bamboo; (D) Paramhansa—the same
as the others; but the ascetic wears the sacred thread, and
his hair and beard are quite long. This is the highest of
all these orders. A Paramhansa who shows himself
worthy, is on the very threshold of becoming a
Diksheet.