("The Region's
Great Lord") When one of a Mandaleshvar's followers is selected as a
Mandaleshvar while the preceptor is still alive, it is referred to as a term of
respect.
Mandaleshvars are knowledgeable ascetics who oversee the
Dashanami Sanyasis' Naga akharas, a tradition that dates back to the eighteenth
century.
The Dashanami Nagas are renounced ascetics who are Shiva
worshippers (bhakta) who formerly worked as merchants and mercenary soldiers.
Their toughness made them good fighters, but it left them
unprepared for a formal debate with Christian missionaries.
Mandaleshvars were picked from among the most knowledgeable
Paramahamsa ascetics in order for the latter to present a more cohesive and
telling opposition; he is also the Nagas' teacher and spiritual advisor.
The enshrinement of a Mandaleshvar's student is therefore
considered as elevating his teacher's status even higher.
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