War cry in holy cities A storm is gathering along the banks of river Ganges.

[prasad1]

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Emergency calls of 'dharma yuddha' are ringing across the akharas of naga sadhus who have been asked to stand up now to protect the 'sanatan dharma'- Hindu religion. The militant naga sadhus have been tasked with restoring the lost glory of the religion" that can be allegedly harmed by followers of certain deified figures, like Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Entangled with the war cry is the 'honour' of a Shankaracharya who feels Sai Baba is certainly not an incarnation of God.
To buttress this view of the Shankaracharya across the Hindu matrix, the akhara leaders have asked all the naga sadhus to assemble in Prayag Allahabad) and Haridwar.

Their target would be formulate a strategy on "demolishing the belief that Sai Baba was a God." The naga sadhus are believed to be in a state of meditation (tapasya ) round the year, except during the Shahi Snan in Kumbh.
But now they have been asked to take a break from asceticism and get ready for a war to save the religion. There are about two lakh naga sadhus in the country.

Observers say in case the naga sadhus take to the streets, it could be a major law and order problem.
It all began recently when Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth, Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, objected to the worship of 19th-century religious figure Sai Baba by the Hindus.

Swami Swaroopanand had said Sai Baba of Shirdi was a Muslim and Hindus should not worship him. He had also claimed that Sai Baba was declared a Hindu avatar by those who have been trying to weaken the Hindu religion.
All of it irked hundreds and thousands of Sai Baba's followers who are now gunning for the Shankaracharya. Swami Swaroopanand's effigies were burnt and there have been allegations that his stance will promote enmity between the communities.

CAUGHT in the middle of it is BJP leader and Union minister Uma Bharti who had supported worshipping Sai Baba. Bharti had even said in Haridwar that she sees a "bhagwat satta" (presence God) in Sai Baba, much to the chagrin of the Shankaracharya and his supporters.

https://in.news.yahoo.com/war-cry-in-holy-cities-080210721.html

 

[renuka]

I wonder why No War cry for :

1)Corruption

2)Discrimination

3)Rape

4)Physical abuse of women/men

5)Oppression of the lower castes.



Surprisingly only harmless Shridi Sai Baba is seen as the reason for a Dharma Yuddh!

Totally disgraceful behaviour on the part of the Sadhus and also the Shanakarcharya.

There is no basis for any accusation here about Shridi Baba cos none of His devotees become Muslims..everyone still remains a Hindu.

BTW all these seems politically motivated..all these years why was the Shankaracharya quiet?
I guess he must be a congress supporter and wants to cause trouble to see how Modi handles a conflict that involves Shridi Baba who they assume was a Muslim and dealing with a Hindu Shankaracharya and Naga Sadhus..so its a make belief Hindu Vs Muslim situation.

Cheap tactics!

 

[tks]

I generally do not trust the accuracy or motivations of news outlets.
Not sure if Sanaracharya said what is attributed to him in the story.
We also do not have two million Naga Sadhus who are in a state of meditation most of the year and with all their meditative power are being enrolled on a Jihad like actions.

Since burning effigies is a modern cultural tradition of India - there are even shops in Hyderabad that has standard effigies of various personalities, & even take custom orders - that by itself is not news

This smells like some organization (well funded) wants to incite religion based violence using ignorant people and uninformed reporters

 

[prasad1]

The controversy over Dwarakapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati's statement on Sai Baba of Shirdi resulted in angry protests in some parts of the country on Tuesday.


The Maharashtra Police booked Swaroopanand after a Sai Baba devotee filed a complaint against him for saying "Sai Baba should not be worshipped as he was a human being and not a god".


While protesters burnt Swaroopanand's effigies in Haridwar, Shirdi and Varanasi, a section of saints came out in his support and sat on a hunger strike at Mumukshu Bhawan in Varanasi.


Issuing a statement from Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Swaroopanand had said on Monday, "Worshipping Sai Baba was a conspiracy to divide the Hindus. Sai Baba should not be worshipped as he was a human being and not a God, and his temples should not be built."


The police in Shirdi (Maharashtra), which is the home to Sai Baba, filed a case against Swaroopanand under sections 295A (outraging religious sentiments) and 298 (hurting religious sentiments) of IPC following a complaint by one Nitin Kote.


"We have filed a complaint against Shankaracharya Swaroopanand. We will probe the matter and act accordingly," said an official at Shirdi police station.


Reacting to the controversy, Swaroopanand reiterated his stand and showed no sign of relenting.


"Sai Baba used to say sabka malik ek hai (god is one for all). If so, why do Buddhists and Jains worship separate gods?" Swaroopanand asked, but acknowledged Sai Baba as a "great man".


"By building temples, Sai Baba's disciples are making mockery of the great man, who was a human being and not a god."


Shankaracharya added that Sai Baba devotees were free to worship the latter, but then they should not go to Hindu temples.


Manish Srivastava, a Sai Baba devotee in Varanasi, said, "Sai Baba never asked his devotees to worship him. Devotees of Sai Baba express their love for him by worshipping him."


"A saint (Shankaracharya) must not issue such remarks against another saint."


Sai Baba devotees also asked the Shankaracharya to withdraw his controversial statement.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...-over-sai-baba-comments/article1-1233197.aspx

There may be exaggerations, but Mr. swaroopanad did not back away from the statement.

 

[prasad1]

[video=youtube;LFLpLv4zfDI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFLpLv4zfDI[/video]

 

[vgane]

Worshipping Saibaba should be least of the problem for the Swami..Don't we give divine status to the Nayanmars, Azhwars who are considered as embodiment of Lord Vishnu & Lord Shiva respectively in Tamil Nadu.

 

[tks]

Modern Sankaracharyars are better off not getting themselves entangled in political areas.
When they do they pull down both the traditions and the politics.
Sai Baba is just a form - the fact that such a person lived is irrelevant to the devotees who see the image of today as an avatara.

Hindu tradition can accommodate such a form.
Sankaracharya need to focus his energy in teaching rather than find issues with some section of the population may be doing.

By doing what he is doing, he enables outside people to create fracture and violence within India

 

[prasad1]

The conflict is now threatening to grow with Swami Narendra Giri, mahant, Baghambari Mutt and member of Akhara Parishad, telling TOI that Sai Baba devotees have two days to withdraw their protests, failing which the parishad would press the fearsome Naga sadhus to settle the dispute. With their state of undress, matted hair, ash-smeared bodies and swords, the Nagas inspire fear and fascination in equal measure, and the subtext of the Akhara Parishad's warning is the defenders of faith would be let loose on those protesting against the Shankaracharya.


Narendra Giri said. "Sai followers have left only one alternative (for us), and that is damaging and defacing their temples just as they did with the Shankaracharya's images and photographs," Giri tadded. Mahant Hari Giri, secretary of Juna (ancient) Akhara that controls the Nagas, said, "Naga sanyasi are protectors of (the institution) of Shankarachrya, and if there's an attempt to malign him, the sadhus are free to take to the streets and attack them."


But an unperturbed trustee of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan in Shirdi, Shailesh Kute, said the temple wants the controversy to rest. "The four Shankaracharyas hold an exalted position in Hinduism. The institution of Shankaracharya is a university that awards religious degrees like the 1008 Mahamandaleshwar," Kute said.


"On the other hand, Sai Baba is a faqir without degree. Baba's followers are growing not just in India but across the world. The Shirdi temple is the third largest in the country in terms of financial turnover and devotees. It's possible certain segments feel threatened because Sai temples are visible on street corners. Nearly every temple to Lord Ganesh, Shri Ram and Hanuman also has an idol of Sai. People place pictures of Sai in their household shrines. Offerings to him are increasing as well," Kute added.


On the Shankaracharya's claim that Sai Baba is not representative of Hindu-Muslim unity, Kute said, "It's true we don't receive as many Muslim worshippers on a daily basis, but the community participates in the 10am aarti and offers floral chadar regularly. Shirdi is the only place where Ram Navami and Urs are celebrated every year."

 

[prasad1]

What The Seer Said:


"Hinduism is governed by Shastra and Vedas and there is no mention of Sai Baba. He should not be worshipped with Hindu gods... Muslims don't revere Sai Baba as much as Hindus do, who seem unaware of the 'adharma' they commit by worshipping him."


"They may burn my effigy or even send me to jail, but my campaign to protect the sanctity of the Hindu religion will continue.... Sai Baba was a Muslim faqir who cannot be compared to Hindu deities or worshipped like them."


(With inputs from Rajiv Mani in Allahabad, Bella Jaisinghani in Mumbai)

Sai vs Shankaracharya: Conflict may turn ugly - The Times of India

 

[renuka]

This Shankaracharya should read Bhajo Govindam again..I think there is a verse which describes him best:

jaTilo muNDii luJNchhitakeshaH
kaashhaayaambarabahukRitaveshhaH .
pashyannapi cana pashyati muuDhaH
udaranimittaM bahukRitaveshhaH .. (14)

​

​

The ascetic with matted locks, the man with the shaven head or one with hair pulled out, or the man parading in the ochre robes -- they all have eyes but yet do not see. All these are but deceptions for cheating the world, for filling their bellies. (Renunciation does not lie in external appearance, but in inward thought, attitude and feeling).

 

[CHANDRU1849]

Worshipping Saibaba should be least of the problem for the Swami..Don't we give divine status to the Nayanmars, Azhwars who are considered as embodiment of Lord Vishnu & Lord Shiva respectively in Tamil Nadu.

Probably, Azhwars may be give that status but definitely no Nayanmars, since Saivism does not accept human worship.

 

[renuka]

I wonder why the Shankaracharya is getting so worked up about Shiridi Baba..

No one can actually define God in the real sense..so on those grounds we should have the freedom to worship Divinity in any form suitable to us humans.

Shankaracharya is trying to sound very Abrahamic in his stance..and Ahimsa does not seem to be his middle name.

I guess the Shankaracharya thinks God is an Indian and a Hindu..if that is true and since God does not reside on Earth but in some other Loka that makes God an NRI(Non Resident Indian)!LOL

So all NRIs and PIO's..be happy yaar..we have something in common with God.

 

[natkaushik]

"Gurubyo Namah"

It seems that in Bharath that is India, while one group is free air its opinion on Hindus and Hinduism, Swamy Swaroopanand does not have the right to advice Hindus not to worship SaiBaba.A bunch of pdeudo Brahmins think that they have the right to call one of our Acharyas, coming from the mutt started by our great Adi Sankara, names with impunity(जटिलो मुंडी etc.).There is nobody to condemn the burning of the Acharya's effigy. No wonder Hindus have been lorded over for 1000 years by foreigners, who had unshakeable belief in their God and and his messengers.

 

[renuka]

"Gurubyo Namah"

It seems that in Bharath that is India, while one group is free air its opinion on Hindus and Hinduism, Swamy Swaroopanand does not have the right to advice Hindus not to worship SaiBaba.A bunch of pdeudo Brahmins think that they have the right to call one of our Acharyas, coming from the mutt started by our great Adi Sankara, names with impunity(जटिलो मुंडी etc.).There is nobody to condemn the burning of the Acharya's effigy. No wonder Hindus have been lorded over for 1000 years by foreigners, who had unshakeable belief in their God and and his messengers.

You have got the whole picture wrong..it was me who quoted the जटिलो मुंडी and I am no Pseudo Brahmin..I am totally Not even a Brahmin.

I dont believe in being a Pseudo or even a Brahmin for that matter.

I believe in being out right point blank and being myself.

If anyone has a problem with that..its their problem and not mine.

Everyone here has the right to voice their opinions without calling each other names like Pseudo Brahmin.


BTW just to add..the Shankaracharya can say what he wants provided he does not condone violence by instigating the Naga Sadhus in some Dharma Yuddha Jihad.

This is totally unbecoming of a Sanyasi to turn Hindus against fellow Hindus.

Whatever happened to Ahimsa Paramo Dharma for a Sanyasi?

 

[natkaushik]

Renukaji
If your Quotation points to swamy Swaroopanand then it is highly despicable, if not then it must refer to SaiBaba which is fine with me.It is meaningless to give accolade to onself. The others should judge whether one is a pseudo or not.The people who don't object to denigration of our Guru are of course the pseudo Brahmins.Look at "Sai Bhaktas" who raised their voice against Swamyji.Look at the Brahmins acting as though they know more than the Acharya, scared out of their wits, trying to justify their inaction.

 

[renuka]

Renukaji
If your Quotation points to swamy Swaroopanand then it is highly despicable, if not then it must refer to SaiBaba which is fine with me..

dear Nats,

Didnt you read my post where I wrote about the quotation where I clearly wrote I meant the Shankaracharya.

This is what I wrote:

This Shankaracharya should read Bhajo Govindam again..I think there is a verse which describes him best:

So have no doubts..I meant the Shankaracharya all the way through and through.

Well you are entitled to call my statement as highly despicable cos I do share something in common with you too since you said if I was referring to Shiridi Baba than you are fine with it and dont find it highly despicable....so I guess you are I are Same Same!LOL

BTW a Guru that too a Sanyasi should know not to cause unrest.

When Hindus build temples for even actresses in Tamil Nadu why Shankaracharya did not object to that?

The Shankaracharya should have known what and how to make a statement..the days are gone where people feared anyone after all the Shankaracharya is also a human being like anyone else...these days one has to learn how to be politically correct.

I don't see any valid reason he needs to stir up the Nagha Sadhus...let them be blissfully happy...he need not disturb their tapas on an unwarranted Jihad.

So the Shankaracharya is doing great disservice to the entire nation causing potential unrest for the new government.

 

[prasad1]

This Sankaracharya does not speak for me, and a lot of other Hindus.

 

[renuka]

This Sankaracharya does not speak for me, and a lot of other Hindus.

I fully agree with this statement.

Even if Shirid Baba was a Muslim..I dont see anything wrong in His teachings.

After all even Kabir was technically not a Hindu and His words carry deep meaning and Advaitic in nature.

Even Adi Shankaracharya demonstrated that a person who knows Atma Jnana is worthy of respect when He fell on the feet of the Chandala with 4 dogs.

That is why I feel the present day Shankarcharya need to read about Adi Shankara and Bhajo Govindam again and stop finding fault with the worship of Shiridi Baba.

 

[natkaushik]

The question is not whether treating Shirdi Baba as God is right or wrong, But denying the right of Swamy Sampoornanand Maharaj to say that he should not be prayed to like Hindu Gods.Swamyji does not speak FOR the Hindus. He speaks to the Hindus who follow him. My daughter-in-law makes frequent visits to Shirdi for fulfiling some "mannath'. I don't offer my opinion on this.It has become a fashion to denigrate Hindu Seers and extol non-hindu godmen, offer Chaddar, in the name of "sarva Dharma SamaBava". No wonder Musharraf called Hindus ""Khojas and Shariff "Dehati Aurat".

 

[tks]

The question is not whether treating Shirdi Baba as God is right or wrong, But denying the right of Swamy Sampoornanand Maharaj to say that he should not be prayed to like Hindu Gods.Swamyji does not speak FOR the Hindus. He speaks to the Hindus who follow him. My daughter-in-law makes frequent visits to Shirdi for fulfiling some "mannath'. I don't offer my opinion on this.It has become a fashion to denigrate Hindu Seers and extol non-hindu godmen, offer Chaddar, in the name of "sarva Dharma SamaBava". No wonder Musharraf called Hindus ""Khojas and Shariff "Dehati Aurat".

Anyone can speak their mind and communicate their followers what they think is right provided there are not real or perceived threat of violence.

I think rather than go after Sai Baba devotees or other such groups Sri Sankaracharya will have far better reception by focusing his teaching using our key scriptures.

 

[கால பைரவன்]

Anyone can speak their mind and communicate their followers what they think is right provided there are not real or perceived threat of violence.

I think rather than go after Sai Baba devotees or other such groups Sri Sankaracharya will have far better reception by focusing his teaching using our key scriptures.

I agree with you. Though I also feel the arguments here have been one-sided. I mean no one here did condemn the burning of Sankaracharya's effigy by the Sai bakthas, which is an act of violence in itself. This in-fighting among Hindus is our bane.

 

[tks]

I agree with you. Though I also feel the arguments here have been one-sided. I mean no one here did condemn the burning of Sankaracharya's effigy by the Sai bakthas, which is an act of violence in itself. This in-fighting among Hindus is our bane.

I was surprised to learn that the so called Sai Bhakthas were burning effigy - somehow my view of the so called Sai devotees have changed hearing that. No one including Sai devotees in this forum even said a word against such acts of their 'fellow devotees' in the name of their devotion!

All Hindu Sannyasis perform symbolically last rites to their body before being initiated. So burning an effigy is about a form they have supposedly given up. Regardless the term Sankaracharya stands for lineage of teachers and it is best for someone in that role to stay above such issues.

Modern India has produced ignorant and violent people. I do not want to associate them with any religion or cult because as far as I know no Hindu religion or cult supports such activities.

I know of shops in Hyderabad that sell effigy and they have effigy of all well known politicians of all persuasion. There are many 'made to order' custom versions available too though I heard they cost more .. The effigy makers do not take a stand and they just make them of any person provided there is a willing buyer.

 

[sarang]

Start of this drama has been lost in obfuscation as ever. Shankarachaya's ire was roused when sai devotees claimed said basba was Shiva.
There is an interesting blog by jayashree saranathan.

It was the same with kanchi shankarachaya too, support from hindu organizations was minimal.

 

[tks]

Start of this drama has been lost in obfuscation as ever. Shankarachaya's ire was roused when sai devotees claimed said basba was Shiva.
There is an interesting blog by jayashree saranathan.

It was the same with kanchi shankarachaya too, support from hindu organizations was minimal.

It is a well written blog indeed.

Regardless I think someone bearing the name of lineage of teachers from Sri Sankara is better off not getting themselves dragged down with cult like devotion of some people.

SV followers to my limited understanding therefore limit their deification and worship only to a form called Sriman Narayana.
In a temple building activities some decades ago people wanted to include images of Sathya Sai Baba in exchange of donations. It was decided by the trustees then to politely refuse such donations and plan the deities based on Sanmatam organization of Sri Sankara.

I have great respect for devotees of Sai Baba because in my limited experience they come across as peace loving and wanting to do Bhajans and help each other. The actions of criminals in the name of Sai devotion need to be condemned first and foremost by those professing to be Sai devotees.

 

[prasad1]

Even the mouthpiece of Jan Sangh is coming to support a Matt leader. Just because you are the madathipathy you do not become a reverend. We need to understand that disagreeing with a so called leader is not insulting Hinduism.
Swaroopanadaji is a congress supporter, he lost his sponsors. I understand he wanted to embarrass the Modi government. This way he causes problem for the government by inciting a group of Militants. So before jumping to support this "has Been" as a hindu leader, let us see him is his true color. Not everything that glitters is gold, this is fool's gold.

Fool's gold, also known as iron pyrites, is a brass or gold-colored mineral that is easily mistaken for real gold. The early miners during the gold rush often thought they had made a fortune, only to discover their finds were not real gold. While real gold holds monetary value, fool's gold is virtually worthless.


Read more : How to Spot Fool's Gold | eHow

Noted campaigner for conservation of the Ganga, Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand alias GD Agrawal has accused Sri Vidya Math of Varanasi of subjecting him to slow poisoning. Sri Vidya Math monastery is headed by Swami Abhimukteswarananda, a disciple of Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Sarada Peeth in Dwarka. He is also the Shankaracharya of one of the two monasteries at Jyotir Math (Joshimath) in Uttarakhand. Swaroopananda had lately been in news for opposing Narendra Modi, though deciding not to campaign against him. Interestingly, he is also the guru of GD Agrawal. It was him who initiated GD Agrawal into monkhood (Sanyas) in 2011 at Sri Vidya Math. But the relationship between the master and the disciple has soured since then. Agrawal realised that Swaroopananda’s commitment towards conservation of the Ganga and Himalayan eco-system was duplicitous. Even the indifference of the Congress Governments at New Delhi and in Dehradun towards the tragedy in Uttarakhand last summer has not stirred the Shankaracharya. The Shankaracharya is considered close to the Congress establishment. He would do nothing to displease the grand old party.
Before attacking Modi, Swami Swaroopananda should get his act together | India News Analysis and Op-Ed Commentary | Politics | Governance | Economic Freedom | National Interest
Will the Dwarka Shankaracharya play the Congress game? Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com


The Congress is eyeing the Dwarka Peeth Shankaracharya, Swami Swaroopananda, with hope.


Senior party leaders feel Swami Swaroopananda, known to be anti-BJP, can be persuaded to issue a statement against the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi closer to the voting date in Varanasi.


In the recent past, the Shankaracharya had spoken against BJP workers raising the 'Har Har Modi' chant in Varanasi.


Efforts are also on to ensure a meeting between the Shankaracharya and Priyanka Gandhi.


But the BJP camp is equally confident that Swaroopananda would not risk losing his 'credibility' or 'politicising' his spiritual authority when the outcome of Varanasi polls is set to go against the Congress.
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/ls-election-poll-diary-swami-and-friends/20140509.htm