Jyotirmath. Jyotishpeethadhishwar Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati today expressed strong displeasure over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statements regarding Manusmriti and warned him to stop anti-Hindu theology mentality, false propaganda and insulting the cultural heritage of India due to political differences.
Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati issued a strong statement on Tuesday, saying, “The statement given by Shri Rahul Gandhi during a program in Pune on Manusmriti, the main theology of Hindus and Sanatan cultural ideas, exposes his gross ignorance, superficial understanding and malicious mentality towards Sanatan tradition. Presenting the verses of ancient theology out of context for political gains is not only an insult to our cultural heritage, but also to the society. It’s a malicious attempt to mislead.”
Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati said, the comments made by Rahul Gandhi regarding Manusmriti and Sanatana cultural ideas reflect a superficial understanding of the scriptures. He said that from Parliament to public forums, false and misleading propaganda is being done again and again regarding Manusmriti and religious scriptures. He said that political differences have their place, but facts, context and study should be given priority when commenting on religion and scriptures.
He said that various opinions and interpretations are prevalent in the society regarding Hindu theology including Manusmriti. In such a situation, instead of presenting a one-sided notion about a text, it is necessary to understand its original form, context, purpose and classical tradition. He said that comments made on religious scriptures from political platforms have an impact on various sections of the society.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand, while referring to the verse of Manu Smriti, ‘Pita Rakshati Kumare, Bharta Rakshati Yaovne…’, said that it does not talk about the subordination of the woman, but mentions her protection and responsibility on behalf of the family and society. He said, “The law of protection and responsibility: The verse ‘Pita Rakshati Kumarare, Bharta Rakshati Yauvane’ which was inappropriately quoted by Rahul Gandhi, is not a law of subordination of the woman, but the responsibility of the family and society to protect, respect and maintain her. From the point of view of Sanskrit grammar, ‘Rakshati’ (to protect) here in the basic sense provides law for protection, and not for any kind of control ‘Niyantrayati’.”
Shankaracharya said that the place of women in the Sanatan tradition, in Indian literature, women are not considered merely dependent, but are considered ‘power’ and great creators. From the sages Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra to the mantra-seeers of the Rigveda and proclaiming ‘Yatra Naryastu Pujyante Ramante Tatra Devtaah’, this culture is based on mutual complementarity and supreme respect instead of rights-centric conflict.
He also rejected Rahul Gandhi’s alleged argument that the Bharatiya Janata Party is a supporter of Manusmriti. He said, “Rahul Gandhi also has this political misconception that Bharatiya Janata Party is a party supporting Manusmriti, whereas this is completely baseless and beyond the truth. The governance of independent India and any political system is governed only by the Constitution of India. Forcibly linking any party with Manusmriti to create his political narrative is another fabricated lie of Rahul Gandhi.”
Shankaracharya said, “It has been completely proved by Rahul Gandhi’s continuous anti-Manusmriti statements that his mentality is basically against Hindu theology and Sanatan philosophy of life. Due to his repeated false and misleading propaganda about Manusmriti and theology from Parliament to public forums, we had earlier declared him ‘excommunicated from Hindu religion’.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand said, “We warn them to desist from their anti-religious and anti-scriptural statements. If they and their Congress party continue to make such misleading and derogatory comments on the Sanatan scriptures without complete scriptural study and understanding, then the enlightened and Sanatan-loving society of the country will continue to strongly and vocally oppose their ideological immaturity.” For the first time, Jyotishapeetheshwar Shankaracharya has given such a harsh statement against a top Congress leader.
