Can We worship Murti of a Baba?

Concept: Puri Peethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj

Credits: Sandeep Sehgal Ji

Whether you want analysis about religion on the basis of its ‘Siddhanta’ (Principle) or lack of ‘Siddhanta’, please let me know this first. If you forego Siddhanta, whether the thing will give progress or will deteriorate? If Dharma will expand, should it expand within the realms of its Siddhanta or out of it?

There is a famous Baba coming to the picture now. He went popular after his demise. He is accepted by multiple religions. His temples are formed in different locations and most of his followers are Hindus. Why don’t you tell Arya Samajis to keep a Murti of that saint in their temples? Why don’t you expect the same thing from Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, Jews, Muslims?

Do not consider Hindus as weak. In the clan in which Baba was born, was it a Muslim clan or Hindu clan? If it was a Muslim clan, there is no ‘Murti Puja’ accepted there. You respect Baba. There is a different aspect. If a married woman who is chaste, calls a gathering of all other woman and tell them, “Only my husband can be your husband”, isn’t this madness? Your husband is adorable to you, worship him, give him ‘bhoga’, nobody is stopping you. Now, if you tell your friend that, “I will consider you my friend only if you worship my husband”, isn’t this madness?

There is a limit. Whom should we call ‘Ishwara’? The ‘Murtis’ of Vashishth Ji, Vyas Ji, etc. are not established. Were they inferior to the saint that you are referring to? We have a principle as ‘Satchitananda Swarup Sarveshwar’, manifested itself at the start of the ‘Kalpa’ as Surya, Brahmaa, etc. for the creation of cosmos. To serve as the preserver, it gets manifested as ‘Vishnu’ and to serve as the destroyer, it gets manifested as ‘Shiva’. In the same way, as the controller, It gets manifested as ‘Shakti’. To fulfill desire, it gets manifested as Ganapati. Like, all the five fingers come from one palm only, similarly, this Satchitananda Swarup Sarveshwar, gets itself manifested as five Devas.

These five Devas and their incarnations are accepted by Vedas. Only can be established and worshiped in temples of Sanatana Dharma as an idol. Diversion from this eternal practice is anarchic or propagation of Dharma. Is anarchy the same as Shradha?

Another thing is, who believes in Murti Puja? Nyayikas, Vaisheshikas followers of the Quran do not believe in Murti Puja, Do supporters of the Bible believe in Murti Puja, Do Shankhyavadi or Yogis believe in Murti Puja? The answer is No. Who has established Murti Puja? Whose Bhagwan is the creator of the cosmos or who is created also? Our Bhagwan is the maker as well as matter. Bhagwan takes incarnation directly because he is both material cause and instrumental cause.

So, this is the summit of Darshana. The faith in which that saint believed, whether according to that faith? Can they prove him to be both material cause and instrumental cause?. That’s why the propagation of any Siddhanta or Dharma is not acceptable. It is like there are fundamental rights in the constitution. You can improvise while keeping its preservation in mind.

So, whose Murti shall be established or not, it shall be in accordance with the principles of Sanatana Dharma. There was not only one such person, there were thousands of them. What will happen if you establish all of them in temples? Another thing is, if somebody establishes every Acharya Murti and worships it, it is difficult to say for how long these Murtis will remain as Ishwara.

But the true Parmatma, whose Murtis is established in temples with parampara (traditional methods), the feeling towards them will be constant for generations. If you go to Swargashram or Mainpuri today, there was a lot of lands, on which Ashram is built. They created Samadhi sthal, and keep creating it for Gurus in the lineage. Now, if a new Guru dies, they have to break the Samadhi of an old Guru one day. That’s why, vandalism, anarchy, and deviation from principles in not propagation Dharma.

It is a talk from a philosophical standpoint. Shankaracharyas don’t oppose anybody to this extent so that it gets popularized. Now, if you tell other religions to burn a dead body, will they agree? No. If we have to propagate Geeta, should it be done by going against its principle? That’s why we are ready to accept anybody but does it mean disrupting our principle?

We are ready to accept others, but that does not mean that we will do it in the bargain of our principle. Today there is one Ishwara, tomorrow another, that is not like an Ishwara. So, isn’t it disrespectful for ‘Ishwara’? Make 50 Shankaracharyas and make them roam around, whatever they say, but isn’t it the disrespect for truth?

Propagation of any Siddhanta (principle), should not be done at the cost of others. So, this is not the imagination of the mind. Now, you must think and decide.

Narayana !!!