Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lamented that some people are now making an organised attempt to establish sage-social reformer Sree Narayana Guru as the advocate and practitioner of Sanatana Dharma.

Contending that Sree Narayana Guru was not a spokesperson or practitioner of Sanatana Dharma at the inauguration of the 92nd Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala on Tuesday, Vijayan cautioned against the efforts to portray him, who advocated ‘one caste’, ‘one religion and one God for people’ as a proponent of Sanatana Dharma.

Advertisement

“He was a sage who dismantled Sanatana Dharma and proclaimed a new-age dharma suited to modern times, ” he added. “During this Sivagiri pilgrimage meeting, we heard such an argument from a speaker. Since the Guru envisioned the Sivagiri pilgrimage as a platform for dialogue, it is essential to correct any misconceptions right here,” he said.

Sanatana Dharma is nothing but ‘varnasrama dharma’ (caste-based social order), which the Guru had challenged and overcome, he said, adding that the new-age “humanistic dharma” advocated by him stands with the time, he said.

Trying to fix the Guru in the framework of Sanatana Dharma is a great insult to the saint, he said. Varnasrama Dharma is synonymous with or an integral part of Sanatana Dharma, he said, adding that Guru’s ascetic life was the one which questioned and defied the entire chaturvarnya system.

“What is meant by Sanatana Dharma in this context? It is none other than the caste-based dharma, which Guru challenged and overcame, advocating instead for a new humanistic dharma that aligns with the times,” he said CM Vijayan said the Sivagiri Madhom has given a socially reformist message by suggesting that devotees abandon the regressive practice of entering temples after removing their shirts.

Sivagiri Madhom president Swamy Sachithananda stated that the practice was anachronistic and not in tune with modern progressive values. His words echoed the reformist thought, life and message of Sree Narayana Guru.

“Revered Swami Satchidananda delivered an important social message today. In line with the progressive legacy of Sree Narayana Guru, he suggested revising the tradition that requires individuals to remove their shirts before entering places of worship. The recommendation holds the potential to become a meaningful social reform, and it is likely that many places of worship will adopt this practice in the future,” CM Vijayan said.

Refuting CM Vijayan’s claim on Sanatana Dharma, BJP state president K Surendran said Sree Narayana Guru is a great soul who defined Sanatana Dharma in a way that the common people can understand. He has written about 60 works praising Hindu gods.

He demanded that the chief minister who insulted Sree Narayana Dharma in Sivagiri should publicly apologise for it.“If Pinarayi Vijayan has criticised Hindus and Hindu traditions, will he has the courage to criticise other religions using the same criteria? We recently saw a picture of Pinarayi Vijayan kneeling in front of Kanthapuram Abubacker Musaliar. Will Pinarayi Vijayan be ready to criticise the Quran like other rationalists do? Will CPI-M and Pinarayi Vijayan be ready to reject other religious beliefs in the same way as they criticize Sanatana Dharma,” he asked.