Top spiritual leaders of Sanatan Hindu Dharma, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Dwarka SharadaPeetham and Sringeri Math have issued statements addressed to Lord Ram devotees regarding the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the idol of Lord Ram in Ayodhya on 22nd January. The denounced the fallacies disseminated in the social media by vested interests and extended their firm support and belief in the temple. They were reacting to claims by Congress leaders and others that four Shankaracharyas in India including the Shankaracharyas of Dwarka and Sringeri math have opposed the pran pratishtha ceremony and that they are not attending the event.
It was being claimed that Shankaracharya Swami Shri Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati of Badrikashram Jyotirmath in Uttarakhand, Shankaracharya Swami Shri Nischalananda Saraswati of Purvaamnaya Govardhanmath in Puri, Shankaracharya Swami Shri Bharati Teerth Ji of Sringeri Mutt and Shankaracharya Shri Swami Sadanand Saraswati of Paschimannaya Dwarka Shardapeeth are opposed the way the pran pratishtha ceremony is being held, and they will not attend the ceremony.
#WATCH | On his party rejecting Ram Temple invite, Karnataka Congress leader Priyank Kharge says, "The four Shankaracharyas & saints are saying that the Ram temple is incomplete. Why is BJP seeking answers from Congress, but not listening to what the Shankaracharyas are saying?" pic.twitter.com/OqDwnV5FII
— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2024
While the Shankaracharyas of Jyotirmath and Puri have indeed said that they will not attend the event, no such announcements were made by Dwarka and Sringeri , but their names were also added in the claims. They have not said that they are opposed to the ceremony, and have not said that the Ram Mandir is incomplete, as claimed by several opposition leaders. Therefore the Dwarka and Sringeri Maths have issued statements refuting such claims, and they urged the devotees to celebrate the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Dwarka SharadaPeetham shared a letter on social media which read, “There has been no official announcement on Ramjanmbhoomi Ayodhya from Gujarat’s Shankaracharya Math Dwarkashardapeeth. The news published in news outlets is misleading and has been carried without the permission of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Ji Maharaj.”
It highlighted, “Our Gurudev Bhgawan worked hard through Ram Janmbhoomi Punarudhar Samiti and Ramalaya Trust to obtain the Ramjanmbhoomi. The resolution of the disagreement that lasted for almost 500 years brings delight to the adherents of Sanatan Dharma. We wish all of the events leading up to the inauguration program to be executed correctly in accordance with the Vedas and within the bounds of religious texts. Prayers to Lord Dwarkadhish for the same.”
The statement was signed by Subodhanand Maharaj, the personal secretary of the Dwarka Shankaracharya.
🙏जय द्वारकाधीश 🙏
— Jagadguru Shankaracharya Dwarka SharadaPeetham (@DandiSwami) January 10, 2024
🚩रामभक्तों को संदेश। 🚩 pic.twitter.com/kSKwaxoRzS
A similar official statement was released by Sringeri Math which stated, “It is a matter of joy for all Astikas (believers in Sanatan Dharma) that after a struggle of about five centuries, the Prana-pratishtha (consecration ceremony) is to take place in the beautiful temple constructed for Bhagavan Sri Rama in the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Kshetra of sacred Ayodhya on Pushya Shukla Dvadashi (22-1-2024).”
The statement slammed the vicious elements who tried to pollute the auspicious occasion with their misinformation and fictitious claims. “It has been noted that during such an occasion, certain ill-wishers of our Dharma have used the name of ‘www.dainikjagran.com’ in social media to spread a post, which carries a photo of Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharada Peethadheeshwara, His Holiness Paramapujya Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji and conveys that the Sringeri Shankaracharya in a message has expressed displeasure over the Prana-pratishtha.”
It further refuted the unfounded assertions and highlighted, “However, the Sringeri Shankaracharya has not given any such message. This is merely a false propaganda by ill-wishers of our Dharma. All Astikas are hence requested to disregard such false propaganda and take note of what has only been published by the official website (www.sringeri.net) and official social media platforms of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham.”
Important Announcement for all Astikas. pic.twitter.com/jVRF5RYb5Z
— Sringeri Math (@sringerimath) January 8, 2024
The official letter mentioned, “It has to be noted here that on the occasion of Deepavali (12-11-2023), the ‘sharadapeetham’ YouTube channel of the Peetham had published the message of the Sringeri Jagadguru conveying that all Astikas engage in the chanting of the Rama Taraka Mahamantra keeping in mind the upcoming Prana-Pratishtha at Ayodhya. Accordingly, Astikas have been chanting the Mahamantra in large numbers.”
It concluded with, “His Holiness Sringeri Shankaracharya has conveyed blessings that every Astika must suitably take part in this most sacred and rare Prana-pratishtha and be a recipient of the unbounded grace of Bhagavan Sri Rama.” The letter signed by the CEO and Administration of Sringeri Math was put up in English, Hindi and Kannada.
The four main ashrams (monasteries or maths) including Jyotir Math (Joshimath, Uttarakhand), Govardhan Math (Puri, Odisha), Sringeri Sharada Peetham (Sringeri, Karnataka) and Dwarka Sharada Peetham (Dwarka, Gujarat) that the eighth-century Hindu saint Adi Shankara, a proponent of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism founded are headed by the Shankaracharyas. The ashrams are located in the four cardinal directions and are among the most visited pilgrimage sites in India.
Against the claims that four Shankaracharyas have made opposed the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, only one, the Jyotirpeeth Shankaracharya has made such comments, saying that the Ram Mandir is incomplete and it is being inaugurated for political reasons. He also alleged that the ceremony is being held in violation of shashtras. While Puri Shankaracharya has said that he will not attend the event on 22 January, he has not opposed it. He only said that he is unwilling to attend the event as a spectator, adding that he would visit the Mandir for darshan at an opportune time.
