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The Jnyaneshwari: Where two religions meet

The Jnyaneshwari: Where two religions meet

Author: Yogesh Pawar
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: December 3, 2000
 
Call it a synthesis of all that is beautiful in Hinduism and Christianity or simply baulk at it as another attempt to bridge the twain that even Samuel Langhorne Clemens felt could not be bridged.  You can love or hate Fr Felix Machado's treatise on Sant Jnyaneshwar's Jnyaneshwari depending on where you sit on the saffron spectrum but you cannot ignore it.

"I don't see much difference between what Jnyaneshwar and Jesus said," claims this under secretary to the Pope at the Vatican, "both spoke of love and compassion." He should know.  Not only has he penned the exhaustive book on the subject but his doctoral thesis on comparative religions which focussed on the Jnyaneshwari had already prepared the grounds for the book as early as 1984.

So what is Machado all about? A priest trying to resolve his mid-life crisis by going back to his Hindu roots? Or a man who has gone beyond religious boundaries in realising the Oneness of Him?

"Let's not get into philosophical semantics," he laughs, "I do what Christ makes me do in understanding Him and his love for all mankind better." Born in Vasai on June 6, 1948 in the Koli family of Rauts who had just got converted and taken the name Machado, he was re-christened Felix.  "It has always made me wonder why the priests wanted to change us from Raut to Machado," he laments, "it's not as if Christ would not have welcomed us with open arms if we were Rauts."

He had quite an eclectic childhood.  "There was no closed Catholicism in my family." He recites a shloka on the Rigveda to elucidate: "Aa no bhadra ratvo yantu vishwataha (let noble thoughts come to me Om all sides) and cites an example to drive his point home.  "Reverend Tilak comes to mind.  This 19th century staunch Brahmin was all for a Hindu church and faced ridicule for having mass in Sanskrit with kirtans and bhajans thown in instead of hymns."

Moreover Machado went to a Marathi medium school where he was first exposed to Bhakti poets in his curriculum.  "I remember how a wave of joy hit me when I first read Sant Tukaram's Je Ka Ranjale Ganjalel Tyaasi mhane jo aaapule..  (The one who treats the destitute And deprived as his own is a Godly seer).  This was precisely what I had heard being said in the Gospel in my Catechism classes."

This planted the germ for his further forays into finding a common ground between Hinduism and Christianity.  After graduating from St Pius in 1970 he pursued Bombay University's Pradnya exam in Marathi literature.  In 1973 Machado went to France for further studies and was ordained a priest in 1976 and returned to his own parish in Vasai to serve as a priest.  "But academics kept beckoning and I answered by going to the US for my doctorate in comparative religion where I focussed on the Jnyaneshwari.  My superiors encouraged me to read most of the Hindu scriptures and Marathi Bhakti literature from Ramdas and Gora Kumbhar to Muktabai and Eknath," he points out.  It's perhaps this skill of being able to understand other sub-continental religion., better that saw him being called to the Vatican to join the Asia desk in 1993.  "Along with my work there I wrote the book since I had already collected enough material," he informs.  In 1998 the book release saw hits being promoted to under secretary on the Asia desk.  "It means Pope John Paul II will consult me on matters related to Asia and any inter-religious problems before the Vatican finally decides on its policy." So what does he have to say about the notion among some in this country that the Vatican is anti-Hindu.  "Nothing could be further from the truth," he protests asking, "why would I receive such wholesome appreciation for my book otherwise?"

Dr Panniker of the University of Fordham, New York who was his guide for his thesis has written the Foreword for the book which criticises the Christian view that all other religions think only of natural mysticism while Christianity alone thinks of supernatural mysticism.  "I know that the Church did think on those lines earlier.  But increasingly even at the Vatican there is a realisation that this is untrue and other religions are beginning to be treated on par," claims Machado.

If that were the case then why did the Pope call for efforts to bring more people in the sub-continent under the church on his last trip to India? "Bringing people to God is not wrong.  Only the use of force to do this is wrong," defends Machado.  But if all the paths lead us to HIM then isn't it wrong to say one path is better than the other.

"That is the Hindu way of looking at things.  Christianity may not necessarily think alike," he points out, "Christ is the zenith of all religions and we should make efforts to bring people to Him."

Does he take Jnyaneshwar literally (vishwa swadharm surye paaho- may Sun of my religion shine brightly over whole world).  He smiles, "I'm sure Jnyaneshwar has used the word religion to mean brotherhood, compassion and love for all fellow beings."
 


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