SriSri Jayendra Saraswati Swamiji
https://ramamohanraocheruku.blogspot.com/2018/03/jagadguru-jayendra-saraswati-swamiji.html
The
importance given to the cinema star Sridevi’s demise on 24th
February and the canards accompanied there to was given too much importance all
throughout the week shading the demise of great seer SriSri Jayendra Saraswati
Swamiji.
An
era has just ended in the history of the Kanchi Kamakoti Math, with the Maha
Samadhi of SriSri Jayendra Saraswathi on 28th February 2018, the 69th Peethadhipathi of the Kamakoti
Peetham. There is an overwhelming sense of loss and despair amongst the
devotees of the Math and the Acharya. It is even more significant if one
dispassionately considers the deep impact that Sri Sri Jayendra Saraswathi
Swamiji left on every aspect of the Math's functioning.
He
was chosen as the successor to the Paramacharya SriSri Chandrasekara Saraswathi
at the young age of 20
and for almost four decades lived under the shadow of the towering Paramacharya.
Swami Chandrasekhara Saraswati is an iconic figure and was considered as the
God on earth. It is really a very
difficult task in any human activity to be the second in command, while the
number one is a larger than life kind of personality, very deservingly of
course.
However
he never showed his despondency, despair or dejection by sole word or deed and
proved as a much disciplined deputy with total devotion to the Paramacharya.
This is an undisputed fact that goes on record.
While
the dogmas or tenets of the Sanathana Dharma and the Mutt were meticulously
followed during the tenure of Periyava (SriSri Chandrasekhara Saraswati
Swamiji) Jayendra Saraswati Swamiji could realize the need of the hour as the
pragmatic approach to Dharma to avoid the impending threat to it by the foreign
religions introduced to this Vedic land by slaughter, seduction or stimulants.
Added
to this the Tamilnadu state had often elected governments, where the ruling
party was inimical to the faith in general and to the Math and its followers in
particular. Caste-based politics and the resultant bitterness was far too
obvious to escape the notice of even a casual traveler to the state. These ineluctable
or inexorable events made Jayendra Swamiji to uphold the Sanatana Dharma and the
dignity of the Mutt, had to break out of its traditional moorings and reach out
to the people at large to pay the missionaries of the Abrahamic faiths creating
havoc in the coastal and southern districts of the state of TN, causing great
level of anxiety to the people, in the same coin. Unfortunately, the successive
state governments did precious little to stem the rot and were almost mute
spectators to the gross misuse of religious freedom enshrined in the
constitution.
These
thumping circumstances made SriSri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamiji to break the
perceived shackles of Sanyas and enter the social world to put a brake on the
large scale conversions of heinous resorts being adopted resulting in social
unrest, hitherto unseen and unheard of. This decision necessitated even his
ignoring instructions to the contrary perhaps even from the Paramacharya
himself.
He
realized at the very beginning that the only way we can stop this was to shed
the caste based discriminations and erase the dividing line between the math
and the Hindus of so-called lower castes. This strategy, expectedly, met with
stiff resistance and derisive comments not only from within the Mutt but also
from the upper castes. Though it is natural from the orthodox point of view,
Swamiji could understand the need of the hour and plunged into action,
considering it to be Gods’ will.
What
was not observed correctly and appreciated by most commentators was that in
braking the caste based discrimination and uniting the Hindus under one identity,
he had inevitably invited the wrath of the minority missionaries and the so
called secular brigade as they know the move to be detriment to their selfish
motives.
Unmindful
of all this, Sri Sri Jayendra went about his tasks of uniting the Hindus
through service, through such organizations like Jan Kalyan, Jan Jagran etc. He
was given unconditional support by the RSS, Hindu Montana and Viswa Hindu
Parishad etc., making it even more uncomfortable for the minority outfits.
Given the source of limitless funds and other resources, the minority
institutions could play havoc with the hapless Mutt and the Acharya, which they
did with utmost disgrace. However when we see the aftermath series of
consequences that took place for the first time, we cannot just like that
ignore them to be natural disasters to Tamilnadu. Even the main leaders party
to that are paying for it or did not
reach the heavenly abode peacefully.
Meanwhile,
SriSri Jayendra initiated multifarious activities like revival of old dilapidated
temples, revision of wages for Pujaris / Archakas of small village temples,
educational institutions for the economically weaker sections, health care
through numerous hospitals etc. The last
two were going to earn him bigger enemies who were raking in crores through
their own private institutions in these fields. He touched those areas that
were invariably linked to the minority-politician nexus which has an
unimaginably huge muscle power in our country, especially in states like TN,
where anti-Hindu parties have been in power for long.
Here
again, the minority community question was inevitably linked, especially the
Christian lobby. That’s what finally landed him in the mess that was Sankara
Raman murder case. The one thing that is to be observed by Jayendra Swamiji is
that despite all the afflictions and tribulations he never lost his cool and
surrendered himself to God and his destiny.
A
Hindu seer dared to stand up to this nexus and refused to budge and paid with
his reputation, dignity, health and the overall image of the Mutt and himself.
The irony is that at this hour of despair he didn’t have anyone of substance
backing him unconditionally but he never flinch or falter in his commitment.
Another
unfortunate thing is those avowed devotees of the Mutt were more than ready to
believe the media’s concocted stories. The political class was seeing what was
convenient for them by exploiting the opportunity. But one thing to note wholeheartedly
is BJP and RSS with the other Hindu outfits were the only ones which were
prepared to consider getting to the truth.
The
Hindu community, being the scapegoat of the European crooked mind, could not
resist the media’s preplanned character assassination of the seer and forced
the powers that be to behave. They failed him collectively. It is like Karna in
Mahabharata slain by Arjuna, Krishna, Kunthi, Indra and Parashuram etc.
More
blatant was the Brahmin community’s response. A whole lot of them were ready to
believe the media than see the opposite side’s version. That some of the worst
detractors of the Math and Sri Sri Jayendra, at that time, were people from the
community itself, is the most bitted fact. This attitude comes from their
appointing themselves judges of how the Acharyas should conduct themselves and
how the Math should be administered. This is from a community wherein majority
of the people do not observe their daily chores as stipulated in the Shastras
(nithya karma anushthaanam). As is observed a good percentage of Brahmins take
alcoholic beverages regularly, consume non-vegetarian food, skip offerings to
their ancestors via tarpanam, shraddham, etc. Where is the chance for such
people to realise the magnitude of the concern or commitment of this great
Seer.
The
worse is most of them compare SriSri Jayendra with his predecessor the
Paramacharya and make derisive comments against him. First, the comparison itself
is completely unreasonable and unfair to both and is completely lacking in
common sense as they both were working on different planes and at different
times and very, very different set of circumstances. The efforts of Sri Sri
Jayendra in getting a majority of Hindus to identify with the Mutt as a
representative of the Hindu faith, are incomparable. His contribution in
getting rid of the Math’s Brahmin Tag, was singularly responsible for people of
all communities identifying with the Math.
It
is the result of his efforts that brought a vast cross section of the Hindu
society to oppose the activities of DK, DMK and other Anti-Hindu activists,
whenever the latter crossed the boundaries of decent politics and were
bordering on selective outrage which made their animosity towards him
multiplied.
When political
leaders and religious scholars from across the nation welcomed him on the
Ayodhya issue which he offered to help resolve. Many Muslim organisations from
UP as well as TN welcomed his efforts and offered to accept his
recommendations, the Anti-Hindu political outfits in TN were systematically instigating
an opposition to his effort, with clearly a vote bank mindset.
In
a nutshell, one can see clearly, how the forces opposed to national interest
could use the media and the powers that be to malign an important religious
head of the majority community and thereby weaken the faith’s popular support
thereby aiding in conversion. It is an irony that the so called forward castes
failed to see this and instead put him on the accused stand and made him stand
the trial by media.
It
was very pathetic to note that many had declared him guilty even before the
case was in court, just going by the media outrage. Many disgruntled elements
within this community, who had either disagreement with the Mutt in general or
with the seer in particular, exploited this opportunity and poured venom in the
guise of writing commentary. The detractors did not hesitate to drag Vijayendra
Saraswati Swamiji also into the mud alleging several hypothetical reasons.
However Matha Kamakshi brought them up like a glittering louts coming out of
mud.
Do
we know the kind of positive transformation he had brought about in the way the
Mutt was perceived by the common Hindu outside the so called devotee crowd? How
many of the Brahmins lead the life in the way the Shastras recommend? Have we
ever cared to go to the institutions run by the Mutt and learnt how they are
administered and how the funds are made available? Have we ever gone to any of
those hospitals run by the Mutt and found as to how patient care is offered
there and how the beneficiaries perceive these? Many of us may not have any answers
to these questions, because, we go by what the media vomits as news and sit in
our living room and pass judgements against a man who dared to challenge those
very forces and showed he could succeed.
It
is the quirk of fate or irony of justice in this country that he had to go
through the worst for daring to oppose those forces and his greatest failing
was that he thought he had us behind him. For sure, we were behind him, but not
to support, but to push him down. Like Kalidasa told ‘Himalayanam Nagadhirajah’
he stood like Himalaya with his unflinching commitment and fidelity to what he
perceived to the good of Sanathana Dharma. He will live on in the hearts and minds of lakhs of
devotees due to his exemplary service and noblest thoughts.
Let
us at least now realize the devotion, dedication, commitment and concern of Sri
Sri Jayendra Saraswati and pay obeisance to him with whole heart realizing that
such people do born with a purpose adduced by the God. He must be giving his
famous disarming smile looking down at us from wherever he is now.
At
least from now on, let us carry on the good work started by him and compensate
for all the dishonor and insults that we have heaped on him. Suppose, with all
honesty if we immerse to see in the Sankara lineage we find no one marching
forward so boldly and extensively in critical social areas as had done in the
last three-four decades.
Let
us pray the almighty to give all the strength to Sri Sri Vijayendra Saraswati
Swamiji all the mental strength to uphold the vision of his predecessor and
continue with the same baton to hand over the same to his successor and so on.
Swasti.
