Author:
Publication: www.newkerala.com
Date: November 21, 2004
URL: http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=43815
Vijayendra Saraswathi, junior pontiff
of the Kanchi Mutt, firmly believes that his spiritual guru, Jayendra Saraswathi,
is innocent of the charges of involvement in murder slapped against the
arrested seer.
"I have firm belief in one thing.
My guru is innocent. Every allegation made against him is untrue," the
junior seer said in his first interview since the Nov 11 arrest of Jayendra
Saraswathi.
Amidst reports that there is a move
to install the 35-year-old Vijayendra Saraswathi as chief of the powerful
Shankara Mutt in Kanchipuram, the mutt has blamed the media for false reporting.
In an interview to T.S.V. Hari,
editor of the religious magazine "Kamakoti" that will hit the stands Tuesday,
an emotional Vijayendra Saraswathi said: "I have requested the advocates
representing us to seek the permission (of the magistrate) to enable me
to meet my guru in person... a one-on-one meeting. That is all I want ...
for now."
Hari writes: "Two words can aptly
describe the expression on the face of His Holiness Sri Shankara Vijayendra
Saraswathi. Stunned disbelief."
"As a matter of policy, the mutt
has now learnt to forget the existence of the contraption called mobile
phone."
While arresting the senior pontiff,
police had furnished as evidence mobile phones numbers and conversations
relating to the execution of the crime - the murder in September of Shankara
Raman, a former mutt employee.
"As a believer in the Hindu faith
and as a devotee of the mutt, this scribe wanted to hear from the present
centre of power (Vijayendra) of the 2,500-year-old institution, what it
was all about," Hari writes.
"At 8.45 a.m. the mutt was almost
deserted. But for a strong contingent of policemen outside, and three old
hands at the place, there was an eerie silence... a far cry from the usual
hustle and bustle one associates with the institution."
"With innocent incredulity" Hari
writes, Vijayendra asked him: " 'Why has the press suddenly turned so hostile
towards us'?"
"The junior seer asked the question
not as a rhetoric. It was obvious that he is yet to come to terms with
a medium called television which captured his visuals and juxtaposed it
with diatribe."
"As every hour passes, I am informed
that a new series of lies have been said about us. When people started
saying that my brother from my previous ashram was trying to hide from
law, I requested the television crews to come here and take pictures of
him. They did that and uttered more untruths," Vijayendra told Hari.
"'Now I know better. The press is
free to write and show what it wants. I only have one wish now. I just
want to see my guru and hear what kind of tribulations he is undergoing
- from him... straight. The second and third hand information is confusing
and threatening at the same time', Vijayendra said emotionally."
Hari asked the junior pontiff: "Just
tell me, your Holiness, what is the truth about Shankara Raman?"
"'I remember this man vaguely. That
is all. All this talk about him being a former employee of the mutt and
everything else is like a nightmare. But why talk about him? The courts
can find out the truth.
"' But I have firm belief in one
thing. My guru is innocent. Every allegation made against him is untrue.
The outside world doesn't know what kind of rigorous discipline we have
(and) how many rituals we have to perform.
"'Today, various newspapers and
television channels publish and show some visual and add a different commentary
totally twisting everything out of context. Someone told me that some television
channel said that I was emotional and showed me brushing off the dust from
my eyes, suggesting that I was shedding tears. Tell me, is this journalism?'"
"'Just request your readers that
everyone prays for the release of my guru. I simply want him to be free.
Everything else seems so needless for the moment', Vijayendra said in a
matter-of-fact tone, blessed this scribe, got up and walked away toward
the main hall of the mutt for puja," Hari writes.
--Indo-Asian News Service
