A DISTRESSING END-RITE THAT OUGHT NOT TO HAVE BEEN

It is a queer sort of 'spiritual sense', to say the least, that I witness in people who lose the sense of aesthetics and propriety to be not able to see the sheer blasphemy of the 'gun salute' in Belur Math in supposed 'honour' of Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, the 15th President of the Ramakrishna Order. To posit such a view that criticism of such a horrendous act within the tranquil and holy precincts of Belur Math is unwarranted and the matter ought to be best left to the judgement and action thereof of Thakur himself is self-defeating and of a retrograde kind. The last rites of revered Maharaj were badly blotted by such a crude and cruel act, totally not in keeping with the sanctity of the place, and it requires the Trustees of the Ramakrishna Order to take a serious look at this damaging lapse that has thus taken place and which must never be allowed to repeat itself in the future if we are to entertain a semblance of sanity in maintenance of the sanctity of the palce at all. The peacefulness of the place, the holiness of the environs, a la Kailash, a la Vaikuntha in the estimation of none other than Swami Brahmananda, deserves a better deal and so does a departed holy one. It is strange to see that devotees of Thakur do not even have the good sense to see the point I have made earlier in my relevant post about this issue and keep on harping on the tune that is in keeping with the status quo on the matter. It just requires a degree of discrimination to decipher the declining value in social culture that is now creeping into the world of spirit as well unfortunately and it does not augur well for the future of our country's culture. This is 'dharmaglaani' (decline of virtue) and must be arrested forthwith. Else, what we have witnessed in the 1980s and 90s of courtroom battles over 'minority status' claimed by the Trustees of the Ramakrishna Order then which was by Thakur's grace overruled by the honourable Supreme Court of India, will be the recurring theme of the matter in many an unforeseen garb of which the 'gun salute' was but an instance. A spiritual order is not well served by sycophantic devotees always singing the praises of monks even when they are caught napping but requires, as Swamiji had categorically asserted, the well-meaning and rightful service of lay devotees of discrimination as well. Hence, we must all serve Thakur and his Order as we deem it spiritually right and in keeping with our awakened conscience and not as we find it convenient to go with the flow of whatever takes place in the name of politics and 'honour'.