Sages, Sanyasis and the Forest

If you have seen Mahabharat or Ramayan on television, you must know that most of the sages and sanyasis in ancient times lived in the forest.

But why forest?

Before getting on this answer, let’s understand who are sages and sanyasis. The sages or popularly called the rishi munis, in ancient times were Brahmins and people who had renunciate any kind of material desire, and would roam in forest or isolated places in search of knowledge and wisdom, seeking truth and the path of god. Sanyas—the word itself means renunciation.

If you read Bhagavad Gita, you will know that sanyas and yoga are not of one type. There are many types of sanyas or yoga. Sanyas may not always mean abandoning your social life. Sometimes people can stay in the social life or the grihasta ashram, and yet follow the path of sanyas, if they are not attached to any kind of desires, and are just doing their work because they are meant to do it.

But there are people who are seeking not just self restraint, but also the truth and knowledge. These people read scriptures, meet other knowledgeable people, seek gurus, and room around from one place to another in search of answers. Something very similar to what we see in research institutes in the country. The difference being that the students doing research are looking forward to better job opportunities and a comfortable life, while the sages don’t want any part in the material world.

To be fair, the life of the sages in ancient India was really interesting. Even today in modern world, we can find some sadhus or yogis, or rishis, who are still living in the forest and isolated areas, trying to follow the same path led by our ancestors.

Coming back to our question—why forest is so important, and why most of the time spirituality and renunciation is connected with the forest?

We must understand forest is an ecosystem which is completely opposite to what we see in the cities or nagars as we used to see in the ancient times.

Forest is not a habitable land for the people who are part of the society. The social system works in a certain way. People are attached to jobs and their happiness depends on their family and society. They are bound by a complex system that is important to run these towns and cities.

But forest is different. It is directly connected to nature. All animals and humans live in harmony at the same place. Life is not easy, so you need to embrace the struggles of nature. You don’t work with planned resources you don’t cultivate and store stuffs like food, grains or even water. The sanyasi life is unpredictable and unbound.

You basically don’t attach yourself to anything in this world. You don’t stick to one place, don’t build permanent houses, you don’t rely on stable reserves, and instead you live each day of life as it is your last.

This makes the journey of the sages easy because they can travel from one place to another without a sense of loss. They live on alms, so they don’t crave for even collecting and saving money.

Any kind of desire or attachment must be abandoned if someone has to enter the ascetic life.

Why did the ascetics given alms by common people and the rich?

Today, if you ask someone to give something for no reason, they would hesitate. People place too much value on money and material possessions, and most seek some form of benefit in any exchange. Yet in ancient India, yogis and ascetics lived their entire lives on alms given freely by people. How was it that the same people who guard their wealth so tightly today once offered food and shelter without hesitation?

To understand this, we must recognize that the ascetics were not ordinary beggars. When a beggar asks for something, it is not out of wisdom or detachment, but usually because they lack resources or the will to work for them. Begging becomes an easy means of survival. The sages, on the other hand, were not lazy people seeking an easy life. They chose the path of renunciation with great discipline and purpose.

Their lives were devoted to seeking knowledge, truth, and spiritual growth rather than material gain. People respected and supported them because these sages were seen as sources of wisdom and divine guidance. Even kings, with all their wealth and power, often turned to sages for help when faced with challenges beyond human control. They would seek their blessings to perform yajnas and other sacred rituals to please the gods. The spiritual strength and purity of these ascetics often helped entire kingdoms overcome crisis.

That is why people in ancient times willingly provided them with food and basic needs. They saw it not as charity, but as a sacred offering, a way to contribute to the spiritual well-being of the world.

Even today, there are sages and ascetics who wander through forests and remote parts of the country, dedicated to spiritual practice and inner growth. They live on whatever food they receive by the mercy of others, but we must never confuse them with ordinary beggars on the streets.

Beggars, if given the chance to become wealthy, would likely choose a life of comfort and luxury, because they lack resources, opportunities, or sometimes the willingness to work. Their condition may be unfortunate, and often they deserve compassion and help, but their path is very different.

The true ascetics, however, seek neither wealth nor comfort. Their goal is self-realization, to attain oneness with God, and to guide others away from suffering and illusion. Their detachment from material life is not born of helplessness, but of higher understanding and inner strength.

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