Recently we got a chance to interview Dr. Sataya Narayana. He is a professor in Naya Shastra at Purna Vidhaya Pitha. He is a bonafide Acharya from Madhava Sampradaya.
The video discusses if the women can become a Diksha Guru as per the Guru – Sadhu & Shashtra. Professor Sataya Naryana presents shashtrik views and provides information that there are sentences in the scriptures which prohibits women folks to give Diksha (Initiation) to others. The Sannyasa Diksha is given to a person who wants to sacrifices the worldly pleasures. Such a person is eligible to become Sanyasi.
He further clears that although there are pieces of evidence where Vedas mentions that Sanaysa can be given to women folks but Puranas and Epics (Itihasa) strictly prohibits women from taking the Sanyasa authority. There are examples of Gargi and others but factually they were not Sanyansani they were only Barhmavadanis. They were known as the wives of great Rishis & Acharyas.
A Brahman should speak without a fear and we find that Acharya Sataya Naryan presented this matter as per the authority of scriptures without compromising the message. He also mentioned that Puranas do not provide authority and independence to women. They are not eligible for independence as it is very difficult for them to sustain independently in the world for two reasons. First is protection and the second is that their physical condition is such that their body has to bear a lot of differences every month and hence they cannot follow the rules and regulations.
Considering all these concerns our scriptures prohibit women from taking Sanayasa or becoming a Sanaysani. He also cleared that in Madhava Sampradaye it is not recommended for women folk to give sanaysa . It is based upon Individuality. So if they are becoming Individual sanaysani that can be given. But she cannot become the Matha-Adhipathi or a person going to be the head of the institution.
Professor Sataya Naryana concludes the message by providing the fact that scriptures do not agree but when we see that men are crossing the line of scriptures and not eligible for the Pursha Sanayasa. In such circumstances where there are no eligible men available to run the institution/organizations, a Sanayasani may takeover the institution to bring good citizens in the society. The objective of Sanaysa is the collective agreement within the society and organization. But if there are only chaos and mere fighting that what is the use of all that.