The (other ) side of Shankaracharya

[Guest guest]

Dear all Namste

 

Those who feel that there is a darker side of HH please read this

article which was written in 2002. It can be a pointer to his

present state as well.

 

Thanksa lot for your Time and Sapce.

 

Prabodh Vekhande

Jai Jai Shankar

Har Har Shankar

 

Dalits: Kanchi leads the way

 

By Sandhya Jain

 

The Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Swami Jayendra

Saraswati, broke a critical stalemate in the current

controversy over the merits of the Tamil Nadu ban on

conversions by force, fraud or inducement, by offering

worship at a Dalit-run temple in Madurai (The Hindu,

12 Nov. 2002). The Veerakali Amman temple, which

serves the religious needs of eighteen villages and

has a Dalit priest, lies in the Melur region where 250

Hindus were converted en masse by a Canadian priest of

the Seventh Day Adventists on 25 August 2002.

Previously, about fifteen hundred Hindus were

converted in the neighbouring areas in January 2001.

By giving the villagers an unexpected darshan, the

Shankaracharya gracefully shattered several myths and

assumptions about inequality and divisiveness in Hindu

society.

 

Speaking with his legendary forthrightness, the seer

told the gathering what many of us have always known,

namely, that Hindu dharma does not promote or envision

discrimination and regards people of all sections of

society as equals. He rightly stressed that Hindus

have an age-long tradition of living amicably as a

"family", as brothers and sisters. Candidly accepting

that there are always differences in society, he

advised the people not to foster discrimination on

this count, as unity has ever been the hallmark of the

dharma.

 

The Shankaracharya has truly led by example, with a

view to blunting the criticism of evangelizing faiths

that social discrimination compels Dalits to embrace

other faiths. Hitherto, Hindus have been rebutting

the argument by pointing out that the condition of

former Dalits does not improve upon leaving the mother

faith, and that persisting discrimination in the new

faiths has led Christian and Muslim groups to demand

the extension of reservation benefits to ex-Dalits in

their fold.

 

Swami Jayendra Saraswati, however, has risen above

this cacophony to remind us that we cannot seek refuge

in such specious arguments, and that it is our duty to

uphold the principle of the brotherhood of man in our

own lives. It is now enjoined upon each one of us to

be worthy followers of a worthy leader. Tamil society

in particular must rise to the occasion and accord the

Dalits the personal dignity they crave for; a

beginning must be made by doing away with the

degrading two-glass system at village dhabas. In this

regard, it may be worth noting that the Swamiji's

choice of temple was singularly apt. The Veerakali

Amman temple attracts devotees from all castes and is

also a locally renowned symbol of communal harmony as

Muslims regularly join the celebrations of its annual

festival in January.

 

What is most exciting about this new call from the

bastions of the mainstream tradition is that it cannot

be set aside lightly as a maverick or fringe movement.

Swami Jayendra Saraswati followed up the Madurai

initiative at Tirunelveli by categorically asserting

that Dalits have the right to enter any temple across

the State, individually, and offer prayers. This may

not make sense to many urban citizens. But what it

means is that at many important temples, Dalits from

outside the region do enter anonymously along with

other pilgrims, but local Dalits who might be

recognized would be barred or beaten for entering the

precincts.

 

Now an orthodox Hindu leader with unparalleled

knowledge of the shastras has ruled that "appropriate

action" would be taken against those trying to prevent

a Harijan from entering a temple. And as the cosmic

vision of the Hindus does not envisage the shallow

separation of religion and the public sphere, as

Mahatma Gandhi had intuitively understood, the

Shankaracharya has rightly asserted that religious

leaders must increasingly participate in public life

to foster a social renaissance.

 

Given the encouraging signs emanating from different

parts of the country, it would appear that a major

paradigm shift is in the making. Later this month,

Hindu religious leaders are slated to meet at

Kottakkal in Malappuram district, Kerala, to discuss

whether temples should open their doors to all

visitors, irrespective of religion (The Hindustan

Times, 12 Nov. 2002). Historically, there are

legitimate reasons for both the imposition of the ban,

and socially, there are valid reasons for its

revocation. A mature look at both sides of the coin

would go a long way to ensure community amity and

national harmony.

 

Those who contend that conversions are not an assault

upon the country's native faith and living

civilization would do well to recollect that Hindu

dharma has suffered grievously for several centuries,

and its temples have been the special foci of

sustained assault and injury. Simply put, this is the

reason for the self-protective ban on the entry of

non-believers into temple precincts. Left historian

Sanjay Subramaniam has recorded the fortuitous escape

of the famed Tirupathi shrine from annihilation at the

hands of the Portuguese. Can one imagine south India

without Tirupathi? North India was home to several

such Tirupathis; today it has only the Ganga. Yet, the

priests of Tirupathi have welcomed all devotees

provided only that they declare faith in Sri

Venkatesvara; that is why it rankles to this day that

Signora Sonia Gandhi should so arrogantly refuse this

courtesy at such a holy shrine.

 

Nonetheless, much water has flown under the bridge,

and communities have grown to the point that many

individuals wish to stake claim to a larger Indic

heritage. Hindu tradition is by definition inclusivist

rather than exclusionary, hence deference to the

sentiments of non-Hindu devotees would be highly

appropriate. The present move is the result of the

hurt felt by many at a perceived injustice to

celebrated singer K.J. Yesudas, a great bhakta of

Guruvayurappan, who has been denied temple entry on

account of being born in a Christian family. The poet

Yusufali Kecherry, who has written some of the best

songs in honour of Lord Krishna, has also been

excluded from Guruvayur because of his Muslim origins.

 

This seemingly innocuous issue came to the forefront a

couple of years ago when the Guruvayur Temple

performed a purificatory rite after the wedding of the

son of Congress leader Vyalar Ravi. The explanation

offered was that Mr. Ravi's wife was not a Hindu. But

the incident proved unacceptable to the Hindu

conscience and sparked off the present reformation

drive. Much can be expected from the conclave as the

chief of the Namboodiri sect has taken the lead in the

matter and major temples and social organizations are

expected to attend the meet. It seems reasonable to

extend freedom of entry to all devotees (or for that

matter even heritage tourists from other faiths)

provided that they show proper respect to temple

traditions and do not defile their sanctity. And it

goes without saying that this generosity must extend

to less privileged groups within the Hindu fold.

 

Change is already in the air. In strife-torn Bihar,

birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the apostle of

non-violence, authorities of Patna's famous Mahavira

temple have decided to increase the number of Dalit

priests after a successful experiment launched nine

years ago. A former untouchable, Suryavanshi Das, was

recruited as a priest and has been successfully

performing the traditional rituals along with the

Brahmin priests. His public acceptance is absolute.

The temple administration actively promotes equality

among human beings and maintains links with the

Ramanandi community which practiced non-discrimination

seven centuries ago.

 

End of matter