Hindu sanyasis/monks wear saffron colored robes. Is there any scriptural reasons for saffron? Or is it just cultural since Buddhist monks also wear saffron ?
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sannyāsis wear ochre-coloured robes, not saffron!– ShreevatsaRJun 21, 2014 at 1:47
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Only sanyasi who has renounced. everything including family , not married can wear saffron dress. A man who is married but after sometime engaged in divine service even maintain. family like. a dew on leaf will wear saffron on top but white on down portion of body. There are some religious persons who wear only white because they are house holders Some men follow the traditional dress according to custom. Last but not least dress is not important but the values that count– user4602Jan 11, 2016 at 17:01
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7 Answers
Quoting from About.com
If there is any color that can symbolize all aspects of Hinduism, it's saffron - the color of Agni or fire, which reflects the Supreme Being. As such, the fire altar is regarded as a distinct symbol of ancient Vedic rites. The saffron color, also auspicious to the Sikhs, the Buddhists and the Jains, seems to have obtained religious significance much before these religions came into being.
Fire worship had its origin in the Vedic age. The foremost hymn in the Rig Veda glorifies fire: "Agnimile purohitam yagnasya devam rtvijam, hotaram ratna dhatamam." When sages moved from one ashram to another, it was customary to carry fire along. The inconvenience to carry a burning substance over long distances may have given rise to the symbol of a saffron flag. Triangular and often forked saffron flags are seen fluttering atop most Sikh and Hindu temples. While Sikhs regard it as a militant color, Buddhist monks and Hindu saints wear robes of this color as a mark of renunciation of material life.
Apart from that wearing the color symbolizes the quest for light. It is the battle color of the Rajputs, the warrior caste.
answered Jun 20, 2014 at 7:24
When Buddha gave up his mortal body, he was covered with a special robe dyed in saffron. Ever since then, Buddhist monks have adopted saffron as the colour that can help them achieve their goal of 'moksha' or deliverance.
Saffron is omnipresent in all the religions that have branched out from Hinduism. You see saffron in the garb of monks living on alms. It is the colour of the religious standard that flutters over Sikh gurudwaras and Hindu temples. For the Sikhs it represents fight against injustice, and for Hindus a religious fundamentalism.
answered Jun 20, 2014 at 8:32
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I don't quite agree saffron is a symbol of religious fundamentalism for Hindus. It's the opposite rather. It's a color used by monks who have renounced. Association of saffron with Hindu fundamentalism is a modern Islamic and marxist interpretation.– BharatJun 20, 2014 at 14:54
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While RBK's claims of Islamic and Marxist boogeymen are nonsensical, I do think you should clarify what you mean by "...for Hindus a religious fundamentalism". In what sense is that the case?– senshinJun 20, 2014 at 22:08
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This is the only answer with any half-reference (to some Gandharva Tantra). However "hindu religious fundamentalism" is a controversial term and prevents upvoting. How is fundamentalism of an ill-defined term possible? It is a self-delusion.– MKaamaJun 30, 2014 at 22:31
Saffron color is color of "Tyag".
As hinduism believes nothing is yours, everything is given by supreme lord , the emotion of "Tyag" plays important role in hinduism.
Also , when first ray of Sun arises , which brigs you in light from dark , the color of that first ray of sun is Safron.
So , Safron is the first color which brings you from dark to light every day. Thats why Saint Dhnyaneshwar Maharaj ( Popular saint from maharashtra, Pune) took Safron flag while going to "Sanjivan Samadhi".
Whoever has become popular in Hinduism , had the emotion of "Tyag" towards material life.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Founder of maratha empire) has took Safron flag as the flag of Maratha Empire. So , while describing how Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was , to his son Sambhaji Maharaj (of course after death of shivaji maharaj), Saint Ramadas Swami ( popular saint from Maharashtra , Satara) says :
"Sakal Sukhancha Kela Tyag"
i.e. By taking Safron flag in hand Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj renunced all the material aspects in the life.
Interesting information. I have read about the Significance of Saffron in Hinduism in an interesting blog and that was the first time i read about it. It is amazing to know that all of the symbols and colors associated with Hinduism has a deep meaning and significance with our daily life. http://www.ishtadevata.com/blog/significance-saffron-hinduism.html
The significance is that saffron or ochre are the colors of fire. A sannyasin has renounced the world and his sradda ceremony is performed on the day he takes his vows, and it is done in front of him. In many places in India a corpse is covered in ochre or saffron. As a sannyasin is now dead to the world, he wears the colors of a corpse.
Buddhist monks wear the same as they were actually started as a sect of Hinduism. Remember that the Buddha was a Hindu sannyasin and a reformer of Hinduism.
answered Jan 12, 2016 at 10:22
The purest element in this creation is fire. The colour of fire is saffron. Because a sannyasi is also required to be pure, he adopts the colour of the purest element.
Hope this clarifies.
Quoting from quora.com
Hindu saints have always been amazed by nature. One of the biggest components of Vedas is the "Aranyakas" - experiments with nature. Two of the most impressive things that Hindu saints found were - Sandhya (time of sunset/sunrise) and Agni (fire). Big chunk of Vedas are about extolling the virtues of the Sun and Fire.
Hindus thought that the fire symbolized everything about us. The fire destroys everything it comes across into a lump of ash - whether it is your precious rug or an inexpensive cloth, just as a king eventually meets the same end as the poorest pauper. The rich burns as well as the poor.
Fire is a symbol of sacrifice and renouncing ego. During Yajna (fire worship), we offer plenty of dear things to the fire as an act of renunciation.
The three predominant colors of sunset and agni are yellow, orange/saffron and red. These three thus became the holiest colors of Hinduism. The bottom of the fire is usually red (where the coal is red hot), the middle is yellow and at the top it is orange.
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