NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

The Rediff Interview/ Swami Adhokshajananda Dev Teerth

'I will take legal action to prove my claim'

The self-styled young shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Adhokshajananda Dev Teerth, dressed in a traditional saffron dress, is an articulate man.

Seated comfortably, he meditates in a house surrounded by a moat on the town's outskirts. He is guarded by armed police personnel. He is not allowed into the town following a magisterial order after his release on bail two days back.

His dramatic arrival in Puri last Saturday gave sleepless nights to disciples of the real shankaracharya of Gobhardhan Peeth Swami Nischalanand Saraswati and the district administration.

The self-styled shankaracharya alleged that Swami Nischalanand had activated his supporters in the Sangh Parivar to force the Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government in Orissa to recognise him as the shankaracharya

This is his third visit to Puri. During his last visit in January he was asked by the Puri authorities to leave town.

He hit the headlines recently when he met Hurriyat leaders in Kashmir, reportedly on behalf of the Centre.

In an exclusive interview to M I Khan, he spoke about the controversy. Excerpts:

This is the third time you are visiting Puri to claim the title of Shankaracharya but each time you have failed. Even during your current visit your movement was restricted and later you were arrested and released on bail and asked to leave town. What is your next move?

Truly speaking, I came here only for a two month longshravan brata. I had no intention of creating an adverse law and order situation. I have never made an attempt to claim the title of shankaracharya. I am the shankaracharya of Puri by legacy. There is little doubt about it.

Look, what happened to me recently is nothing but a Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh ploy to divert the energies of men like me, who believe in praying for the good of all human beings, without discrimination.

If you are the shankaracharya of Puri, who is Swami Nischalanand Saraswati?

Look I have every respect for Sadhu Nischalananda Saraswati, who has done sadhna for a long time. This old man [Nischalananda] cannot be the real shankaracharya because the previous shankaracharya, Swami Niranjan Dev Teerth, had put him only in charge of the math. I have no objection as long as he functions as the byabasthapak (administrator-cum-manager) of the math.

But the Orissa government recognised him as the real shankaracharya on Monday and the Law Minister Biswabhusan Harichandan made it clear in the state assembly that state does not recognise any rival claim. He even called you an imposter.

So what? The truth will ultimately prevail. I have already told you he is only a byabasthapak.

In the 1995 Kumbh Mela at Prayag, the previous shankaracharya, in the presence of the Kashi Vidwan Parishad and several other saints, had chosen me as the shankaracharya. But Nischalananda used the backing of some local influential people and officials to become shankaracharya.

I will continue my vrata here despite these developments. Those who are saints are being tainted.

Why don't you claim the title in court?

Of course! This time I have decided to go to court. I will advise Nischalanand to give up his ambition and childish activities and face the legal challenge. In the next two to three days things will be decided by the court.

What about the open support to Swami Nischalanand by Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Grija Kishor?

I am shankaracharya, not anyone's puppet. The VHP and Sangh Parivar are destroying Hindu religion by exploiting people. I strongly feel that politicians should desist from getting involved in matters related to dharma. It should be left to the dharmacharyas to decide as per the shastras.

Do you think Swami Nischalanand was right in taking part in reconversions and suggesting that separate swastik temples be built for neo-Hindus?

There is no such provision in Hindu shastras. I feel that dharmacharyas instead of resorting to reconversions should work hard to check conversions.

The Rediff Interviews

Tell us what you think of this interview