Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, December 31, decried attempts to portray social reformer saint Sree Narayana Guru as a proponent of Sanatana Dharma, which according to him was nothing but the practice of caste-based Varnashrama Dharma.
Speaking at a conference organised by Sivagiri mutt, Pinarayi Vijayan said there is an organised effort to establish Sree Narayana Guru as the spokesman and proponent of Sanatana Dharma. “Such an argument was voiced by a speaker at the Sivagiri pilgrimage conference. Since the Guru conceived of the Sivagiri pilgrimage as a platform for debate, the misconception needs to be corrected here”, said Pinarayi Vijayan.
"Sree Narayana Guru was a monk who broke the concept of Sanatana Dharma and proclaimed a new Dharma for the new era. What is meant by Sanatana Dharma? It is none other than the varnashrama dharma. The guru's new age humanistic dharma is to remain in tune with the times by challenging and transcending varnashrama dharma," he said.
Vijayan said Guru's dharma was not defined by religions. “Has any religion ever said that it is enough for a human being to be good, regardless of religion? No. Has any religion ever said that the essence of all religions is one? No. What is clear then? The Guru upheld a humanistic worldview that encompasses the essence of humanity beyond religion. To try to keep it within the framework of the eternal principle would be a great insult to the Guru,” he said.
Stating that Varnashrama Dharma is synonymous or an integral part of Sanatana Dharma, Pinarayi Vijayan said it is based on the principle of four groups (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras). “What did it uphold? It was caste-based occupations. Sree Narayana Guru gave a call to defy this system. Then how can a Guru be an advocate of Sanatana Dharma? Guru throughout his ascetic life questioned and defied the Chaturvarnya system throughout. How can a Guru who proclaimed one caste, one religion, and one God for man be an advocate of Sanatana Dharma that was formed within the limitations of one religion? The Guru upheld a religion that was against the caste system,” he said.
Pinarayi Vijayan also lauded a suggestion by Satchidananda Swami that asking devotees to remove shirts in places of worship should be ended. “This proposal, presented with profound respect, has the potential to become a landmark social reform. It is almost certain that this approach will influence many other places of worship in the future. While no one should be forced to adopt changes, the fact remains that many customs in our land have evolved over time,” he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan said Pinarayi’s comments at Sivagiri Mutt had insulted Sanatana Dharma and followers of Sree Narayana Guru. He said that attempts to reduce Sanatana Dharma to casteism would not be accepted in Kerala and that the comments were a continuation of Tamil Nadu deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin's call for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma last year. Terming the recent remarks as ‘Communist propaganda’, Muraleedharan said that the Hindu community in Kerala has faced unprecedented challenges during Pinarayi Vijayan’s tenure as CM.
A war-of-words had erupted last year between Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin and Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan over Udhayanidhi’s comments equating Sanatana Dharma with diseases like malaria, dengue and Coronavirus. Without naming him directly, Pawan said that those trying to wipe out Sanatana Dharma will be wiped out from the feet of Lord Balaji. The Janasena Party (JSP) chief also launched a new party wing 'Narasimha Varahi Brigade' in a bid to protect Sanatana Dharma.