Madhusudana Saraswati

(16th c.) A renowned member of the
Sanyasi community, a group of renunciant ascetics who were devotees (bhakta)
of the god Shiva. His last name reveals
that he was a member of the Saraswati
sect, one of the most prestigious of the
ten Dashanami divisions; he is said to
have lived most of his life in Benares,
the greatest religious center of his
time. According to ascetic legend,
Madhusudana was responsible for the
creation of a class of fighting ascetics,
the Naga Sanyasis. According to tradition, Madhusudana created these fighters because he was distressed at the
depredations the Sanyasis suffered at
the hands of hostile Muslim faqirs. After
consulting with Birbal, adviser to
Moghul emperor Akbar, Madhusudana
decided to form a fighting ascetic
order dedicated to protecting other
ascetics. Recruits came from the ranks
of the shudras.