Ram mandir, the dawn of a Satyug in Kaliyug

In the Brahm Vaivart Puran, Sri Krishna says to Bhagwati Radhika in chapter 34 “कलौ दशसहस्राणि वर्षाणि प्रतिमा मम।। तिष्ठन्ति च पुराणानि प्रभावस्तत्र कः कलेः ।।

meaning that in Kaliyuga, the lord will remain for the initial ten thousand years of kali in idols, where the scriptures will be respected, he then questions as to what effect will kali have in such golden age? These words must have sounded hopeful for a Hindu living in the times of Delhi sultanates and Mughal times when Hindu temples were desecrated with the blood of cows and ‘the kafirs’. If such times were supposed to be the golden age of Kali, then they must have wondered as to how upcoming years would be like?

It must have been a constant question in the minds of the Hindus who saw the destruction of temples in Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura then, as to whether the current age is the beginning or the end of Kaliyuga, a question that those who have known of Kashmiri Pandits, Setu Samudram and constant terror attacks during UPA 2 would also have faced.

But none of the invaders-colonists and adversaries have succeeded in their attempts to make India a museum civilization like Persians, Greeks and Egyptians and then cherishing our artifacts for the lord had decided to keep his words and so he sent Nara, in the form of Chandragupta, Sudhanva, Rana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji to act and he also sent their respective Gurus as Chankya, Adishakaracharya, Guru Raghvendra and Ramdas, as Narayan, an image of the lord himself, and with the combination of Nara and Narayana, Men with a capital and bold M, emerged as the saviors of Bharat. Such Guru-shishya saviors are so many that it is difficult to count them here.

However today by the reinstatement of a temple in the sacred land of Ram Janmabhoomi, it has become clear that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is one such Man, except that he carries the guidance of not one but multiple Gurus.

His tenure as the Prime Minister truly embodies the aforementioned words of Lord Krishna and now it truly appears that the current times are headed towards a golden period, the 10,000 years long Satyug within Kaliyuga, where Ram Mandir marks the start of a new age, even though the world may forget the name of 1st and 2nd Prime Ministers of India, Modiji will be remembered always, and his name and tenure is bound to be compared with the glory of Emperor Vikramaditya, who also had instated a temple in the Ram Janmabhoomi.

The struggle for the temples was not ordinary and the task was so immense that for most of the people, it was dream which was reasonably believed to be realized only after our lifetimes, but be it Article 370, which was based upon a highly complex constitutional question or the dream of having a legal and peaceful solution to the Ayodhya dispute, Shri Narendra Modi has been a facilitator and has insured such governance and security that hard decisions were possible by the otherwise slow limbs such as the Judiciary, his skill of governance is specially commendable when no riots were recorded after the Janmabhoomi judgement especially in light of previous threats by radical politicians that a Ram Mandir would result in the burning of the nation.

The issue of Ram Mandir is an issue of national pride and a correction for a civilizational wound, when our temple was demolished not for gold and wealth as leftist historians claim, but as a humiliation upon those who were infidels in the eyes of Islamic invaders. The wound was so deep that its healing was attempted uncountable times since centuries by the Marathas, Sikhs and even by Hindu kings including the ones who had served the Mughals.

The greatest attempt in this regard was the demolition of the Babri Mosque built by restructuring the pre-existing temple, on 6th day of December in 1992, an event where the common men of the country, deprived of justice for centuries, for whom a Mosque built to humiliate their Lord, land and ancestors was unbearable, decided to do justice by their own two hands. If this fateful day has any comparisons, then it is the event of storming of Bastille during the French revolution, where the French people had took up arms against an oppressive monarch to seek their rights.

Removing Babri was not tough physically, for the structure had decayed, maybe by the tears of a million people, but to do the act, the karsevaks had to be baptized by bullet fire, not one but many times such as in October and November of 1990, where Karsevaks were brutally shot, including the remembered Kothari brothers, who had become the face of the temple movement, and who interestingly belonged to the Jain community. It should be no surprise to read about the support of Jains and Buddhists to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, for many of the Jain Tirthankaras were Sooryavanshi Kings of Ayodhya, possible the descendants of Sri Ram, also in Jainism Sri Ram is recognized as Vasudev and is celebrated through Jain Ramayana.

Lord Buddha also comes from the Surya vansa, the dynasty of Sri Ram and interestingly Lord Buddha declares in the Buddhist Scripture of Dasarath Jataka (Buddhist Ramayana) “At that time the king Suddhodana (Buddha’s father) was the king Dasaratha, Mahamayi (Buddha’s mother) was the mother, Rahula’s (Buddha’s son) mother was Sita, Ananda was Bharat, and I myself was Rama-pandita”. Thus the temple movement was not just a Hindu issue, it was a Bhartiya issue, a civilizational issue.

The judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court is truly landmark, for it has come forward to undo a historical injustice and has seen 500 years in the past, removing the guilt, pain and agony from the hearts of our hundreds of deceased ancestors. This feeling of pain for an event century old as Dr. Anand Ranganathan rightly points out, is an actual sign of civilization and continuity which flows from the Saraswati Sindu people 8,000 years from the present and even prior to it, till every upcoming day, where we cherish the Vedic hymns dedicated to honor river Saraswati, though the river itself has dried up centuries back.

Talking about the judgment of the Hon’ble Court, it exposes the reality of intellectuals and historians who had shamelessly denied the truth of Ram Janmabhoomi. Suvira Jaiswal, an ‘expert’ before the court had stated that his knowledge of the issue comes from newspapers, couldn’t he have said research papers instead to save some reputation?

Regardless of leftist attempts to derail the path to justice like dark clouds, they couldn’t prevent the all-powerful sun from dispelling the dark and the Hon’ble Supreme Court paved way for a grand temple in the Ram Janmabhoomi. It was guided by many experts which included highly respected saints such as the present Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Ji, who was crucial in finding the location of the Janmabhoomi and Shri Rambhadracharya Ji Maharaj and many more and their contributions will always remembered, The event was attended by most of the prominent saints of Bharat and Ayodhya, including those of Sri Sampradaya or Ramanadi Sampradaya (which provides the structure for rituals in the Ram Mandir) including Jagadguru Dwaracharya Malook Peethadhishwar Swami Shri Rajendra Das Ji, of Malook Peetha Vrindavan, an important math of Ramanandi Sampradaya, Jagadguru Ramanujacharya Sri Raghavacharya Ji,Maharaj, Jagadguru Rambhadraachaya Ji of Chitrakoot etc. however it must be added that sweet would have been sweeter if Jagadguru Ramandacharya Shri Ramnareshacharya Ji of Shree Math (the moolsthan of Sri Ramandacharya Ji) was also invited.

It would also have been greater if the four Shankaracharyas would also have attended the event. While the Shankaracharya of Sringeri Peetha is not actively involved in the affairs of North India, other three Shankaracharya were expected by the public. It should be noted that even though they did not attend the Shankaracharya of Sringeri, Dwarkapeeth have actively supported the Pran Pratishtha while the Shnakracharya of Kanchi Math was present in Ayodhya to instruct and supervise the ceremonies himself.

While Swami Avimukteshwaranand of Jyotirmath was not invited which is regrettable his concerns were on the grounds that the ceremonies of Pran Pratishtha in an incompetent temple will lead to the inhabiting of evil spirits etc. in the idol and that the temple lacked Dhwaj and Kalash etc. interestingly after noting his words quick arrangements were made and Sri Ram was welcomed in presence of a kalash, Gumbada and Hanumat Dhwaj, upon which he has expressed his satisfaction and has also praised the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

There also exists contradictions amongst the non-attending Acharyas, as the Acharya of Puri Peetha had raised the issue of Hon’ble PM entering the inner sanctum, while in response to the same issue Swami Avimukteshwaranad has backed the Hon’ble PM and has contended that he has the right to participate as the leader of the country and there is a great history of participation of Kings in such ceremonies.

Though the words of Acharyas and their concerns which have been heard and addressed now, they are being used by their not so wise followers and by those who are the adversaries of the temple itself for labelling the Pran Pratishtha as PretaPratishta, which is condemnable, unacceptable and demeaning not only to Ram Mandir but to the seats of Shankaracharyas whose concerns and words are being misinterpreted to push vested interests. Is advised that may well wishers of Sri Ram hear all sides and show restrain for what will they do of their abuses when the Shankaracharyas themselves will visit Sri Ram?

The fact of the event of 22nd January is that during consecration of the idol of Baal Ram and in the reinstatement of the temple, a kalash as well as a saffron flag bearing the picture of Sri Hanuman was proudly flying above the Ram Mandir. In an event when this temporary shikar will be replaced with permanent structure, this can’t and shouldn’t be seen as a violation for it can only be understood as Jeernodhar, which is allowed and accepted.

Shri Nityanand Mishra, a great Sanskrit scholar has also presented scriptures to prove that how during the ancient times, large lingams were placed inside temples before the temples were fully constructed (which appears wise, since it would have been impossible to transport them inside a fully built temple).

It must also be noted that the present idol of Sri Raghunath has been prepared using a Shaligram Shila, brought from Nepal. Shaligrams which have inherent presence of Narayan within themselves need no consecration to be worshipped, but even when they are being consecrated can they be possess by demons? Any reasonable man will answer no.

Regarding the question as to why the consecration couldn’t be done when the whole permanent structure was ready, it should be noted that the general application of rituals and norms occurs only in normal situations. In special circumstances it is the Apadharm or situational dharma takes its place.Vishvamitra Swapach Samvad in Mahabharat shanti Parv is a great example of this concept.

Today as the country moves towards 2024 general elections, and in an event if NDA-BJP doesn’t come to power and if Ram Mandir would have remained un-consecrated even then, then there would have been no guarantee that some political parties wouldn’t try to put a question mark on the temple.

There would have been no guarantee that agenda driven lawyers wouldn’t have challenged the Ayodhya Judgement. And there wouldn’t have been any guarantee that a stay may have been issued and thus it became the moral responsibility for those who can see this compete picture to make sure that the consecration happens while the power remains in the hands of those who actually follow the spirit of good governance and justice.

In the end, Sri Rama is back in his Janmabhoomi after strict following of scriptures and rituals, due to the struggle of centuries and today his stands with all his glory and is ready to bless his billion devotees. Jai Shree Ram!

Article by

Shreeacharya Mishra
Younginker