A glimpse into the politics of Hindu monasteries

Some monasteries and Shankaracharyas have created confusion by supporting or opposing the Congress or the BJP.

New Delhi: This time Maha Kumbh in Prayag started with great pomp and without any dispute between the Akharas. But some political parties and leaders made statements against the ruling BJP and the state government even in the name of Kumbh. There is no doubt that there used to be big disputes and conflicts on the issue of “me first” for the first Shahi Snan (this time it was called Amrit Snan). In 1968-69, there was such a serious dispute between the Akharas regarding the Simhastha Kumbh of Ujjain that one Akhara group organized Kumbh in 1968 and the other group organized it in 1969. I feel that Sadhus and Saints abandon their family and worldly attachments and adopt renunciation, then why do they fight? Starting from the biggest organization of Sadhus and Saints, Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, to the Sadhus and Saints of different Akharas, there is always a war going on. Some fight for position and chair, while others keep opening fronts for dominance in the arena. In the past years, there have been public controversies over the position and dominance of the Shankaracharyas. Not only this, some monasteries and Shankaracharyas have created a strange confusion in society by supporting or opposing the Congress or Bharatiya Janata Party. There is detailed mention of politics and power in the Vedas, but the role of sages, saints and Shankaracharyas is only to advise the ruling system.

Akharas can be called the monasteries of Hinduism. Initially, there were only four major Akharas, but due to ideological differences, they got divided and today there are 13 major Akharas. Kumbh is held only by Akharas. The main reason for organizing Kumbh was spiritual and religious discussions.

Akharas initiate disciples in their own traditions and give them titles. While common people come to Kumbh to earn punya, the sadhus claim that they come to purify the Ganga. It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya had established Akharas centuries ago to stop the growing spread of Buddhism. Later, some Mahants, in order to gain supremacy, tried to make those who did not believe in the scriptures agree with them by using weapons. The biggest incident of bloody conflict between saints was in the year 1760 in Haridwar Kumbh in which Naga ascetics killed 1,800 Vaishnav ascetics. To end the disputes between Akharas, Akhara Parishad was formed, whose arrangements are now recognized by all Akharas. Historians also believe that in the nineteenth century, when the religious leaders who used to meet every twelve years felt that they should also gather once in between, the foundation of the tradition of Ardh Kumbh every six years was laid. After the stampede in the 1954 Kumbh, the Akhara Parishad was established to avoid conflict and chaos. It has two representatives from each of the 13 recognized Akharas. The coordination among the events is done through this.

Two factions have been formed in the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. Some saints associated with Juna Akhara have formed their new Akhara Panch Dashnam Shri Sant Guru Dutt Akhara. Similarly, despite the existence of Kinnar Akhara, another Akhara of kinnars has also been formed. Some saints of Shri Panchayati Udasin Bada Akhara have also been accusing each other. Juna Akhara is the largest Akhara among the 13 Akharas. It has the highest number of saints and sadhus. As the number of sadhus is in lakhs, the importance of Juna Akhara increases on the basis of numbers. Due to the large number, disputes take place between Mahamandaleshwar and saints in Juna Akhara as well. Similarly, when some saints were expelled by Juna Akhara, they formed a new Akhara.

On the other hand, Adiguru Shankaracharya, the founder of the Advaita tradition, established four Peethas in the four directions of the country for the protection and propagation of Sanatan Dharma. Adishankar himself established Govardhan Math in Odisha (east), Sringeri Math in Karnataka (south), Sharada Math in Dwarka (west) and Jyotirmath in Badrikashram (north). In the Sanatan tradition, the heads of these Maths are called Shankaracharyas. In this tradition established by Adiguru Shankar, there have been controversies over the post of Shankaracharya. Shankaracharyas were accused of violating the tradition. Apart from this, more than one saint claimed this powerful post. Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, who passed away, was the head of two Peethas, Jyotirmath of Badrikashram and Sringeri Math of Dwarka. Whereas, according to tradition, all the Peethas are looked after by different Shankaracharyas. Swami Swaroopanand was the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Math (Vadarikashram) in 1973. He also became the Shankaracharya of Dwaraka Peeth in the year 1982. Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati remained the Shankaracharya of two Peeths since 1982. He had also announced his successor. Apart from this, the heads of many other Shakti Peeths are also called Shankaracharya. The head of Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth of Tamil Nadu has also got the status of Shankaracharya. However, Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth is not named among the four monasteries established by Adi Shankara. On this basis, there was a lot of controversy about Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth being a Shakti Peeth. The Shankaracharyas of the four major monasteries i.e. Dwaraka, Jyotish, Govardhan and Shringeri Peeth do not consider Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth of Tamil Nadu as Adi Peeth. However, later the head of this Peeth started being called Shankaracharya. The four monasteries of Hindu Advaita tradition of Adi Shankara represent the four Vedas, like the Samveda is kept in the Sharada Math built in Dwarkadham in Gujarat. The monks of this Math add the adjective “Teerth” and “Ashram” after their names. Rig Veda is the origin of Govardhan Math of Odisha (East) and the ascetics of this Math use the adjective “Aranya” with their names. Yajur Veda is associated with Shringeri Math located in Rameswaram in the South and the ascetics of this Math use Saraswati, Bharati, Puri sect names. Atharva Veda is the origin of Jyotirmath of Badarikashram in Uttarakhand. The ascetics of this Peeth use adjectives Giri, Parvat and Sagar in their names.

As per the wish of Swami Swaroopanand, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati was announced as the head of Jyotishpeetha Badrinath and Swami Sadanand Saraswati as the head of Dwarka Sharda Peetha. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, who was handling the responsibilities of Shri Vidya Math and Jyotish Peetha Badrinath in Varanasi, was declared the head of Jyotish Peetha in Badrinath as his successor. While Swami Sadanand was made the head of Dwarka Jyotish Peetha. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, who prepared the outline of big movements in Kashi on the orders of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and took them forward, is considered to be the closest disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, who hailed from Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, was earlier known as Umakant Pandey. Being active in student politics of Banaras Hindu University, he took sanyaas at a young age and reached Shri Vidya Math in Varanasi and took the education of Brahmachari. Here he was named Brahmachari Anand Swaroop, but later he took Dandi education from Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati and was named Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati.

After receiving education from Swami Swaroopanand, he became one of his closest disciples. This is the reason that when Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati announced Ganga Seva Abhiyan in 2008, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati prepared the outline of this movement in Varanasi and continued the fast unto death for 112 days in Kashi. In which Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati also gave up food and water and sat on a fast unto death demanding to declare Ganga as a national river and to clean it. When his condition worsened, he was taken to the hospital, where he ended the fast on the instructions of Swami Swaroopanand. If we look at some of Swami Avimukteshwarananda’s previous statements, he has been quite outspoken in matters beyond religion. But his outspokenness, in other words, political activism, is being seen as opposition to the BJP. Preparations for the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya were in full swing. Avimukteshwarananda received an invitation to attend the consecration ceremony of the temple, but he rejected it. He had objected to the unveiling of the “incomplete Ram temple”, and said that inaugurating an incomplete temple is against religion.

Avimukteshwarananda’s displeasure was visible from the time the trust was formed to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya till the construction of the temple. He was angry that he was not made a member of the trust. He created a controversy by alleging that 228 kg of gold was missing from the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand. Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad and Niranjani Akhara, responded to this matter. He said that if Avimukteshwarananda has proof of gold theft, he should hand it over to the police or the court. He said that if he does not have proof, he should not make baseless statements to remain in the headlines. Avimukteshwarananda also expressed displeasure over the replica of Kedarnath temple being built in Burari, Delhi. Swami Avimukteshwarananda has been playing an active role in both religious and political matters from the beginning. In the last few years, his stance has been anti-establishment, and he has been seen as a supporter of the opposition. It is a game of power and first Swaroopanandji and then Avimukteshwaranand are supporting Congress. It is a different matter that Shankaracharya Swami Sadanand of Dwarka seems to be supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.