IN RESPONSE TO SWAMI EKARTHANANDA PURI'S BRILLIANT IDEA ABOUT CHRIST-INCLUSION IN THE PANTHEON OF HINDU AVATARAS

IN RESPONSE TO SWAMI EKARTHANANDA PURI'S BRILLIANT IDEA ABOUT CHRIST-INCLUSION IN THE PANTHEON OF HINDU AVATARAS

Brilliant idea, Swami Ekarthananda Puri, that Jesus Christ be included in the Hindu pantheon of Dashavataras. Let this be the introduced verse in the Dashavataram Stotram then --- 'Keshava, dhrita Christasvarup, jaya Jagadeesha Harey, jaya Jagadeesha Harey.' 

Sri Ramakrishna has authenticated the Christ Avatar and has said that Christ, Chaitanya and he himself, that is, Ramakrishna are One. Hence, there ought not to be theoretical hindrance to it. But that would also mean including Mahaprabhu and Thakur in this chronicled list of Avataras as well but there seems to be room for only one more which, as we know, is reserved for the Kalki Avatar. Hence, the predicament in terms of enumeration precision here. But your idea being inclusion of the vast following of Christians across the world within the fold of the Sanatan Dharma thus must make the inclusion of the Christ Avatar in this hallowed list first and foremost and theological considerations of the Christian Church thrust upon Christ apart, the move is most welcome, at least from the Hindu point of view. Only Hindus must first be taught the essential difference between the Christian doctrinaire principles and the eternal spiritual principles of the Vedas before such a massive move is attempted. Else, conflating the two conflicting ideas would result in misapprehension of both the Vedas and the Semitic faith of Christianity. A lot of research needs to go into all this, copious contemplation, before this grand idea of Christ-inclusion in the Hindu pantheon may be successfully attempted. But it must be done and so will it be one day by some great future Acharya as of the past when the Buddha was similarly included. In a like manner the essential teachings of all the sages and the saints which are in line with Vedic principles must be emphasised a hundred-fold to bring about amity and harmony in this faith-driven infernal world. Care must only be all the while taken that the eternal principles of the Sanatan Dharma are not compromised in its wake by trivialising such harmonic efforts philosophically. After all, the fundamental basis of it all is in the Vedic Dharma and remains the one hope of resuscitation of a world in material stupor despite the tallest claims of Semitic prophets lined up in aggression against it.

Written by Sugata Bose