Shankaracharya of Puri has refused to attend the Pran Pratishtha program.

He has also said such a thing about Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there has been an uproar. Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jagannathpuri Mutt said that there is a limit to his post. If Modi ji inaugurates Ram Mandir and touches the statue of Ram Lallah, will I clap there and cheer? “I care about the dignity of my post, so I will not go for the occasion of Ram mandir.

Ram Mandir: Received conditional invitation for Pran Pratisha

Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati of Puri will not attend the consecration of Ram Mandir. They have received an invitation but a maximum of one people to come together. He further says that if he was allowed to take  100 people with him, he would not have gone. He was neither consulted nor asked for guidance regarding this ceremony.

Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth in Odisha’s Jagannath Puri, one of the country’s most revered saints, has announced that he will not go to Ayodhya on January 22 on the occasion of installing the idol of Lord Ram in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a religious program of the Sanatan Dharma Sabha in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam town on Wednesday,  the Shankaracharya (who heads one of the four mutts established by Adi Shankaracharya) clarified that he is not going to Ayodhya on January 22.

I Will go to Ram Mandir later: Shankaracharya

“Our mutt has received an invitation for  Ram mandir Inauguration in Ayodhya on 22nd Jan. It says that if I want to come there, So I can come there with a maximum of one person. Even if I had permission to stay there with 100  people, I wouldn’t have gone there that day,” said Shankaracharya

“I have been visiting Ayodhya earlier and will visit the same holy town in the future to have darshan of Lord Ram,” he said. Especially when the work that has been blocked for centuries is finally happening, But the idol of Ram Lalla in the temple should be established according to the scriptural method i.e. the principle of our scriptures.

Shall I go to Ram Mandir to clap Only? Shankaracharya

The jurisdiction of the Govardhan Peeth/Math extends up to Prayag, but neither our advice nor our guidance was sought for the entire  January 22 religious practice that happens at Ram mandir.

“I am not disturbed at all, but happy like any other Sanatani Hindu, especially because the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not believe in portraying himself as secular. He is brave and takes pride in the concept of Hindutva and idol worship. He is not a coward who portrays himself as secular. But what will I do there as Shankaracharya, when Modiji touches the statue and installs it there, will I clap and cheer him?

PM Modi committed to Hinduism: Shankaracharya

He also recounted how Narendra Modi had met him before taking oath as Prime Minister, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had met him at least two or three times in the year before the Covid-19 pandemic and former VHP president late Ashok Singhal had met me at least 70  times.

The Shankaracharya of Puri praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his commitment to Hindutva, he also said that pilgrimages are now being turned into centers of tourism in the name of development,  which means pilgrimage sites are being turned into places of Bhog,  perhaps this is the reason why pilgrimage sites are losing their culture and dignity.

“Maybe no one cares about me.” Puri Shankaracharya’s pain spilled in a program.

Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati of Puri Gobardhan Peeth speaks at a religious event. He said that the Odisha government, Shree Mandir Management Committee, and servants hardly care about them because no one considers it necessary to take my advice and advice in matters of temple administration and religion. He said that he goes to Shree Mandir Or Shree Jagannath Mandir only during Rath Yatra.   

Nobody cares about my advice: Shankaracharya

Speaking at a religious event, the Shankaracharya of Puri expressed his anguish and regretted that no one cared about his advice. The administration, Srimandir management committee, and servants all keep a distance from me. There is a Supreme Court there, which directs me to seek my suggestions and advice in matters of temple administration and religion, but no one considers it necessary.

I only visit Shree Mandir during Rath Yatra: Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya also said that I go to the chariots and Shree Mandir only during the Rath Yatra. Other than that I don’t have any links. They hardly care about me. Regarding opening the four gates of Shree Mandir, Shankaracharya said that there is a rule to open the southern gate of Shree Mandir, in which the door can open only for him and not for everyone.

Emphasizing on Sanatan Dharma, Puri Shankaracharya said that those who speak against Sanatan Dharma and condemn it will become victims of their own words. No comments have been received from the concerned officials and servants on the subject.

Puri Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati is not angry with Narendra Modi For Ram Mandir’s Inauguration.

PM Modi has been invited by the Shri Ram Janmabhuti Teerth Kshetra Trust as the chief guest in the Pran Pratishtha program of Ram Mandir. In such a situation, there is a possibility that the Prime Minister will get the idol of Ramlala seated on the throne in the sanctorum with his own hands. Shankaracharya Nischalananda protested against this decision of the trust

Shankaracharya Nischalananda said,  “It is against the dignity of PM Modi to touch the idol of Ramlala. In such a situation, he cannot witness the violation of the dignity of Maryada Purushottam. A priest is needed for any puja and yajna. And who can be a greater host than a king? And in a democracy, the Prime Minister is like a king. Then where is the fault? After all, what is Swami Nischalananda angry about?

The Govardhan Peeth of Puri Shankaracharya also has a website – https://govardhanpeeth.org/. On its homepage, Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati’s statement is written in one line- It is the responsibility of the Shankaracharyas to rule over the rulers.  

His opinion about the place of Shankaracharyas in the government system is so clear that it is reflected in the rest of his statements.  His ‘confrontation’ with the RSS and the BJP is not new. In the latest case in Ayodhya, Ram Mandir’s inauguration, the consecration ceremony of the idol of Ram Lalla is about to happen. Nischalananda Saraswati has clearly said that he will not go to the program. This attitude is not just about invitations to the Rm Mandir inauguration.

Confusion on the Opposition Party and Saint Society

Not only the leaders of the opposition parties in the country are confused in the name of inviting and joining the consecration festival of Ram Mandir to be held on 22 January, but there is also confusion in the saint society. Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jagannath Puri, has created a controversy by saying that he will not attend the Ram temple ceremony.

In Ratlam, he spoke his mind to journalists about this. To understand the words of Shankaracharya, who seems very uprooted, it is necessary to see his entire statement separately. First, he says that ‘he has come to know that the invitation that has come to the monastery says that I can come to the program with any one person.

Even if he had asked me to come to the program with all my people, he would not have gone. This statement of Shankaracharya is an attack on both the role of the invitation and the nature of the program. The way he has mentioned the two-person limit to the monastery, he has not liked it.

However,  the greatest seriousness of his objection lies in the next part of his statement. Shankaracharya went to the extent of saying his objections, ‘If the Prime Minister inaugurates Ram Mandir, touches the statue, will I clap?’. The Prime Minister inaugurating the statue of Ram Lalla in Ram Mandir Ayodhya may be a matter of debate, but it is beyond understanding why he is objecting to Modi touching the statue.

Don’t they consider Modi capable of touching the idol of Ram Lalla? Only Shankaracharya can clarify what must have been in his mind. However, in an interview given to another news channel, Shankaracharya clearly said that there is a difference between the law of installing the Ambedkar statue and installing Ram Lalla’s statue. If these laws are not followed, then instead of God resident, ghosts will reside.

Whether there is a smell of untouchability in the statements of Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati can be debated. But being a Hindu religious leader, he will also know that a priest is needed for any worship and yajna. Dr. Haridwar Shukla, principal of Sangved Sanskrit College and a scholar of rituals, says, “Who can be a greater host than a king? And in a democracy, the Prime Minister is like a king.

The true essence of Brahmin-hood

During the conversation, Shankaracharya elaborated on the concept of Brahminhood. He stated that it is not limited to the birth. The true Brahmin is not just being born into a Brahmin family, but the nature and actions define it. He talked about different forms of Brahminhood based on the actions and nature of a person.

For example, if a Brahmin indulges in business activities, he will be called a Vaishya Brahmin. Only a Brahmin who indulges in actions and natures defined for the Brahmins will be called a “Brahmin Brahmin”. His perspective resonates with ancient texts like Shiva Purana, where various Brahmins are recognized based on these criteria.

Also Read. Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra 2.0, The New Form of Bharat Jodo Yatra!

The consecration of Ramlala Virajman and Ram Rajya

The major highlight of the discussion was the upcoming ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) ceremony of Ramlala Virajman at Ram Mandir. Shankaracharya stressed the importance of the ceremony in re-establishing Ram Rajya in the country. Ram Rajya means the ideal state of governance and morality exemplified by Bhagwan Ram.

He emphasised the importance of following the rituals for Pran Pratishta of Ram Lallah at Ram Mandir Ayodhya. He pointed out that the Murti of Bhagwan Ram is not similar to those of statues of leaders and needs ritual-based Pran Pratishta as without it, the essence of Bhagwan will leave the area, which may lead to bad omens. The ceremony has a profound spiritual and cultural significance in Sanatan Dharma.

Religious places are being turned into tourist spots

Swami Nischalananda Saraswati also said ‘Today all major religious places are being made tourist destinations. In this way, they are being linked to things of indulgence, which is not right. He said that the ancestors of all the people of any religion in the world were Hindus. By the grace of God, my message is broadcast even in non-Hindu countries. ‘

“The kind of politics that is happening on Ram Mandir should not happen. Nothing is right in politics at the moment.” said Shankaracharya. and also added ‘If Modi ji (PM Modi)  will inaugurate it, touch the statue, will I cheer there by clapping? There is also dignity of my position.  The consecration of the idol in the Ram temple should be done according to the scriptures, why should I go to such an event?”.

At Last From aAditri Digital

The decision of Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati to abstain from the Pran Pratishtha program at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya reflects a principled stance on the sanctity of his position. Expressing concern about the potential violation of religious protocols, he emphasized the need for adherence to scriptural methods in the consecration ceremony.

The Shankaracharya’s refusal to attend, citing the limited invitation and the perceived lack of consultation, underscores his commitment to upholding the dignity of his role. In a broader context, his comments shed light on the evolving dynamics between religious leaders, political figures, and the preservation of cultural and spiritual traditions.