No link between Sanatana Dharma and Chaturvarnya caste system, says Sivagiri Mutt head

PTI, Jan 3, 2025, 8:46 PM IST

Swami Satchidananda of Sivagiri Mutt (Image sourceL Sivagiri Website)

Thiruvananthapuram: Sivagiri Mutt head Swami Satchidananda said on Friday that his studies have found no link between Sanatana Dharma and the Chaturvarnya caste system.

His statement comes amidst a raging debate in the state over Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s remark that sage reformer and the founder of Sivagiri Mutt, Sree Narayana Guru, who advocated “one caste, one religion and one God for people” had neither been a spokesperson nor a practitioner of the Sanatana Dharma but had reconstructed it and proclaimed a Dharma suited to the new age.

Vijayan made the statement while inaugurating the Sivagiri pilgrimage conference on January 1.

According to Satchidananda Swami, Sanatana Dharma represents a great civilisation that existed in ancient Bharat long before the emergence of religions worldwide.

All religions, including Christianity and Islam, were welcomed in Bharat as part of this civilisation, he told a news channel.

“However, today, Sanatana Dharma is often misconstrued as being synonymous with the Chaturvarnya caste system, which is inaccurate and needs to be rectified,” Swami said.

He said the primary reason for this misconception is the lack of in-depth studies and analysis.

Swami also noted that the Sreenarayana society, a reference to followers of Sree Narayana Guru, regards the sage as God.

He said that Guru, as a representative of Advaita truth, is part of Sanatana Dharma.

Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan hailed Satchidananda Swami’s response to the chief minister, stating that Sree Narayana Guru is indeed part of Sanatana Dharma.

The CM’s remarks drew sharp reactions from the BJP, which alleged that Vijayan had insulted Sanatana Dharma in the holy land of Sivagiri.

The BJP also claimed that Vijayan had insulted the followers of Sree Narayana Guru through his remarks.

“The crux of Vijayan’s speech at the Sivagiri conference was that Sanatana Dharma should be hated. His remarks were a continuation of Udayanidhi Stalin’s statement that Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated,” Muraleedharan had said.

Congress leader, V D Satheesan, had also criticised Vijayan’s statement on Sanatana Dharma, alleging that it was an attempt to make Sanatana Dharma exclusive to the Sangh Parivar.

“Sanatana Dharma is a cultural heritage. It encompasses Advaita, Tat Tvam Asi, the Vedas, the Upanishads, and their essence. Claiming that all of this belongs to the Sangh Parivar is misleading,” Satheesan had said.