THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With political leaders in the state locking horns over Sanatana Dharma and its relevance in Sree Narayana Guru’s philosophy, Sivagiri Mutt head Swami Satchidananda said the Guru himself has enunciated his doctrine in the matter.
“In 1927, Sree Narayana Guru, in his last speech at Pallathuruthy in Alappuzha, before his samadhi, said the proclamation ‘One caste, One religion, One god’ itself is Sanatana Dharma,” Swami Satchidananda told TNIE.
“Sanatana Dharma is however not the monopoly of the Hindu religion. It is universal,” he added.
Referring to the debate that erupted after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s speech at the Sivagiri maha sammelan on Tuesday, Swami Satchidananda said Sree Narayana Guru had urged individuals who sought religious conversion to convert to Sanatana Dharma.
“Sanatana Dharma has no links to the Chaturvarnya system. It was only because of the existence of Sanatana Dharma that religions like Christianity and Islamism could enter Bharatham,” he stressed.
“In the ensuing period, however, Sanatana Dharma underwent a qualitative decline,” the mutt head said, “which was marked by the entry of evil practices such as Chaturvarnya and casteism. These helped spread untouchability. Great souls like Sree Narayana Guru, Swami Vivekananda and Dayananda Saraswati tried to eradicate these evil practices from society.”
Sree Narayana Guru went further, said Swami Satchidananda. “Guru declared that human beings are greater than religion. He also said that whatever the faith it is enough that a man be good. Sanatana Dharma, as it exists today, has been devalued. We can feel the strong presence of casteism and the Chaturvarnya system even today. Many misinterpret it as Sanatana Dharma. We have to clear this conceptual problem,” he added.
Referring to the claims of political leaders on the link between Sanatana Dharma and Hinduism, Swami Satchidananda said Sanatana Dharma evolved much before the emergence of religions.
“It is the culture of Bharatham. Hinduism did not emerge at the time. Guru also accepted it. It is not something that Hinduism can place a sole claim to,” he pointed out.