SĀDHUS AND SĀDHVĪS. The term sādhu (feminine, sādhvī) derives from the Sanskrit root sādh (meaning "accomplish") and also has the general sense of "a good or virtuous person." More specifically, within the Hindu religious tradition a sādhu or sādhvī (a sādhvī is also referred to as mai and "Mātājī") is someone who, under a guru, has undergone a ritual of renunciation known as saṃnyāsa and formally abandoned family life and conventional worldly means for making a livelihood. The saṃnyāsa rite, which is preceded by a preliminary initiation rite, is usually performed at a Kumbha Melā, the preeminent festival for sādhus. The rite is assisted by a guru and several Brahmin paṇḍits...