My mandate from the Shankaracharya of Kanchi

I have been given a mandate to counter the falsehood and myth being propagated against Sanatana Dharma in a peaceful, brave and inclusive manner.

I had a long interaction with His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shankara Vijeyendra Saraswathi ji on 14.11.2018. I was called by His Holiness on the same day three times and given a mandate. The mandate is a long one. I earnestly pray to God to endow me with adequate strength to accomplish the same. The previous occasion I met his Holiness was on 30.11.2013. On that occasion too, he had ordained me an endeavour which I could accomplish. Incidentally, that was my first meeting with him. It was sheer coincidence that the meeting took place. There is a relevance of this column, Suraksha Mani, here too. 

In 2011-12, I was undergoing a lot of stress because of the stand I had taken in my tenure in the Ministry of Home Affairs. Incidentally, my family is devotee of His Holiness Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharda Peeth Shankaracharya. In the said context, it is brought out that in the south, each family has a kula guru, meaning Teacher of the Clan, from either of the two mutts, and our kula guru was His Holiness Jagadguru Sringeri Sankaracharya. But obeisance is paid to both the gurus.

When I was going through a bad phase Mr R (who asked me not to name him), a person closely associated with Kanchipuram Mutt, counselled me to face it. In that context, he recalled the travails of our Jagadguru His Holiness Jayendra Saraswathi.

I asked him whether he could get the details of the case in the sense that the narrative of the case, especially the scientific evidence. This I knew was the clincher as I had monitored several cases besides being trained in law and with my experience in the administration, I felt I would be able to see through.

After minutely perusing the scientific evidence and other relevant reports, I found a small gap which could open the entire narrative of manufacturing and foisting of a false case on His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Ji.

I confided my findings with Mr R. He suggested I put it in a white paper, which I did and handed over to him and forgot about it. With such experienced and erudite lawyers representing His Holiness, I do not know the worth, value or contribution of my observation to the honourable acquittal of His Holiness Jagadguru Jayendra Saraswathi ji. I also do not want to take any undue credit for this. But this is captured because of how some political forces sought to malign the towering Jagadguru and the travails he had to go through on this account. 

It is a matter of record that His Holiness Jagadguru Jayendra Saraswathi was acquitted honourably in November 2013. I received a call to join and meet him at Tirupati on 27-28.11.2013, where he would be visiting directly from the place of his incarceration.

Accordingly, I went to Tirupati and called on him. He suggested that I accompany him during the darshan of Lord Srinivasa. During that time, even amongst the milling crowd of followers he found a few magic moments and suggested that I should go to Kanchipuram, the headquarters of the mutt on 30.11.2013, as he would be arriving there on that day.

He also indicated that I should not flinch from standing up for truth. Incidentally, no friend or colleague during 2013 had given me this type of warm words which His Holiness gave me. In those days, I was ostracised in the entire Central Secretariat, and no friend or colleague had said these warm words to me. My resolve to stand for the truth multiplied on that day and I got strength from these words to face up to what all I faced in the next six months which are all well documented in my book. Hence, after returning to Chennai I proceeded to Kanchipuram, about 70 km away on the day HH was returning and sought his blessings. 

That is the connection of Suraksha Mani and the Kanchipuram Mutt.

The current His Holiness has also ordained me to carry out the mission in the same direction. The falsehood and myth being propagated against Sanatana Dharma is to be countered in a peaceful, brave and inclusive manner. Violence and vitiation that is happening in the name of terror, religion, militancy, left-wing extremism is to be countered in a steadfast manner.

At the growing stage, children should be explained the virtues of Sanatana Dharma so that they do not go astray. The scientific basis of Sandhyavandanam and other procedures should be reinvented and reinforced. Our rich traditions and heritage should not be lost. 

The politicisation of religion should be resisted. Emancipated and involved Sanatana Dharma, meaning Universal Order, should be disseminated and promoted with sound reasoning.

Small steps have been taken by Kanchipuram Mutt through Vedal, a youth hostel near Chennai, and Grihini a girls' hostel in Tirupati, where modern, formal education in the field of their interest can be pursued along with practising virtues of peaceful living. They are also attached with 10 schools for different co-curricular activities like Vedas, Nadaswara, Agama, Sampradaya, etc.

He also suggested that mutual exposure to youth from North India to South Indian culture and South India to North Indian culture, including temple, arts, tradition, etc, be taken up as an endeavour.

I know to meet the expectations to His Holiness is a task. My friends who accompanied me in this meeting have already pledged their full support. I also appeal to my readers to support me in this.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)