Kashi Shastrarth: Debate between truth and ignorance

Kashi Shastrarth: Debate between truth and ignorance

(Published on the occasion of 149^th Anniversary of Kashi Shastrarth)

Reproduced from Bawa C. Singh's Life and Teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati's

Edited by Dr. Vivek Arya

Kashi (Benares) been the seat of learning in India, and the center of religious influences. Ever since the birth-hour of Jainism Kashi has been the stronghold of Idolatry. Swami Dayanand felt that if he was to deal with ignorance he need to propagate the true message of Vedas. He reached Kashi and challenged Pundits to debate on Idol Worship and Vedas. The so called learned Pundits instead of accepting his challenge start abusing him. The news of this most unbecoming behavior to the Maharaja of Benares, he announced that everyone was welcome to have a Shastrarth with Dayanand, but that no one was to abuse him under any circumstances. He called together a meeting of his Pundits and emphasized the necessity of their holding a Shastrarth with him without further delay.

After much deliberation the necessity of a discussion was admitted, but it was hinted that a discussion with Dayanand could not be held till it had been first ascertained what books he believed in. "He is in the habit of setting down this and that book as utter nonsense," complained the Pundits, " and who knows but that he may try with the same trick just when we are on the point of running him to earth!" Very modest this of the Pundits, but, for all that, the Maharaja could not but admit the justness of their contention, and authorized them to take the necessary steps towards finding out what constituted authoritative literature and Dayanand's opinion. Accordingly, five Pundits - Shalig Ram Shastri, Dhondi Raj Shastri, Damodar Shastri, Bharadwaj and Ram Krishn Shastri were deputed for the purposes. When these gentlemen put in an appearance, some one form among the numerous students, who surrounded the Swami at the time, gave out that students from the opposite party were approaching, and the result was, that when the Pundits disclosed their errand, the Swami indifferently replied that the discussion should come off in few days, and under the supervision of the City Kotwal. As to what Shastras he believed in as authoritative, he would give a written answer to the question as soon as the Pundits from the opposite party saw him.

The five Pundits not quite clear as to what the reply meant, returned to their chiefs, but soon discovering the mistake that had been committed in ignorance, they once more waited upon the Swami, and informing him of their status, begged for an answer to their question. This time the Swami, gave them the needed answer, telling them to put down, in writing that he believe in, as authoritative the four Vedas, the four Upavedas, the six Angas, the six Upangas and the Manu Smriti. The Pundits asked on what authority the Swami believed these books to be authoritative. "I will answer this question at the time of the Shastrarth," replied the Swami, "if you Pundits desire to have its answer." Again the Pundits asked to be informed as to what particular verses in the Manu Smriti the Swami regarded as meaningless interpolations, and false. The answer of the Swami was the same as before.

The leaders of orthodoxy could not reasonably take exception to their opponent's reply, and consequently they set about making preparations for a "tussle." Monday, November 16, 1869, was fixed as the date of the Shastrarth, by mutual consent. Knowing how much depended upon the issue of the struggle, the Pundits resolved that the learning of the city should be completely represented on the occasion. The news of the discussion was received in the various parts of the city, and in the neighborhood of Benares, with mixed feelings, profoundly stirring whatever side arrayed, that a crisis was at hand.

The officials of the city, yielding to natural curiosity, sharpened by the intense prevailing excitement, suggested an alteration in the date fixed, but the Maharaja of Benares, for reasons of his own, expressed his inability to adopt their suggestion, and desired that the Shastrarth should come off on the day specified instead of on - Sunday.

The specified day came, and at the hour appointed Anandbag presented a spectacle superbly grand and imposing. Some affirm that no less than fifty thousand persons were present on the occasion, while others put the number at a considerably lower figure, asserting that the gathering did not exceed ten thousand souls. Whatever the actual number, there is reason to believe that it made up the biggest assembly of its kind ever witnessed in Benares.

Besides many other famous Pundits there were many of the richest and most influential local men, many Thakurs from the villages around, and several ministers of the Gospel (Bible) who formed part of the surging mass of humanity assembled. The police arrangements were satisfactory, the Kotwal with fifty of his men being in attendance, but in spite of all that they could do, a large number of the rowdies of the town, notorious characters, out and out, found their way to the very spot where they were least wanted, - the spot reserved for the controversialists and the pick of cream of the locality.

The well-wishers of the Swami, apprehending personal violence, made known their anxiety to him, adding that had the discussion taken place at Farrukhabad, there would have been not fear of a disturbance. At this the Swami burst out laughing, and replied. "It is always the firm conviction of genuine Yogis that the sun of truth is stronger than any forces which darkness can muster. He, who following the Will Divine, is above all partially and preaches the truth, what has he to fear? Men of truth hide not the truth through fear. They will risk their lives rather than be false to a Divine Commandment. I have nothing to be afraid of, for I live for the Ishwara (God) and the Dharma (duty). Let us wait and see what happens." After uttering these words the Swami desired a barber to summoned, and having got himself thoroughly shaved, he had a bath and spent some moments in contemplation and meditation, and then taking his meal repaired to the meeting.

The Maharaja of Kashi and his son soon followed. As soon as His Highness entered the assembly, the orthodox Pundits rose and give him their blessing, and disregarding all discipline, followed at his heels and surrounded the Swami, thus largely usurping the place which, in all fairness, belonged to the Swami's supporters. They further had an order issued by the Maharaja that no more men should be allowed to come near the Swami or the Pundits, which meant nothing less than the exclusion of the Swami's admirers from where they had every right to be present! Of this move the Swami was duly informed, and he, in his turn informed the Kotwal of what had been done.

That good official perceived the justice of the complaint, and at once conducted Pundit Jyoti Saroop and other sympathizers and followers of the Swami to him. The latter received them with every mark of respect, and desired them to take a seats near himself. Nothing could be more distasteful to the orthodox Pundits, who made a significant sign to the Maharaja, as much as to say that the addition to Dayanand's ranks was wholly undesirable, as Dayanand alone was more than a match for them all! The chief understood the sign, desired that the Pundits should take the front places, and the Jyoti Saroop should retire to a distant seat. Similar shameful treatment was meted out to the other supporters of the Swami, but it was no time to grumble, for a Shastrarth must be had at any cost, and so he kept quiet and let the Maharaja and his Pundits please themselves.

Before the Shastrarth began, Swami Dayanand asked the Maharaja of Benares if he had brought the Vedas with him. The reply was, that the Pundits present knew the Vedas by heart, and hence it had been deemed unnecessary that they or the Maharaja should come provided with the Books of question. Upon this the Swami observed that, in the absence of the Vedas, the import and drift of an authority could not be fully understood, as the passages preceding and following a quotation cited had often an important bearing on the quotation, and minimized the chances of its being twisted and distorted to suit a present purpose.

Presently after this remark from the Swami, the rule was laid down and proclaimed by the Kotwal, Pundit Raghu Nath Sahay,that only one Pundit Tara Charan Naiyayak came forward to open the discussion. On his admission that all who were faithful to the requirements of varna and ashrama believed in the Vedas as the final authority, the Swami desired him to cite, from the Scripture, a passage which enjoined the worship of Shaligram and other images, and to declare, if no such passage existed, the truth.

To this the Pundit making no satisfactory reply - indeed, he did little more than seek to evade the question, Swami Vishuddhanand cried out: "Vyas says in a Sutra that the Creator of the world is a conscious, intelligent Being and not inanimate; where is the authority for this in the Vedas?" The Swami answered that the question was wholly irrelevant, adding that nothing should be said by either party that hand not something to do with the subject under discussion.

Vishuddhanand, compelled to come to the point, rejoined that since the worship of Brahma was allowable in the mind in and the sun, there could be nothing objectionable in worshipping the Shaligram also. To this the Swami replied that, although such expressions as - mano Brahm iti upasit and aditya Brahm iti upasit, were to be met with in the Brahmans (which, in the opinion of the orthodox, were identical with the Vedas!), no such injunctions -pashan Brahmiti upasit, were to be found in these works, and under these circumstances, how could the worship of Shaligram be justifiable?

Swami Vishuddhanand made no answer to this, but another Pandit Madhvacharya came forward and, quoting a mantra asked what it dealt with. "With clouds, wells, tanks, etc." was the reply, and the Swami cited authorities from the Nirukta and Brahmans in support of his reply. On being thus answered the Pundit turned his attention to the word 'Purana', asking of the words was to be found in the Vedas. The Swami replied in the affirmative, adding that although the world occurred in many places in the Vedas, yet nowhere had it any reference to the Bhagvat or any other so-called Purana.

Many minutes were spent in discussing this point, Swami Vishuddhanand, Pandit Bal Shastri and others, speaking one after another, and Swami Dayanand replying to each all alone. Once while the Swami was quoting a passage from the Upanishads, the orthodox Pundits in a body shouted out that the passage was nowhere to be found in the Upanishads, upon which their opponents observed that if what the Pundits asserted should be found to be true, he would acknowledge that he was defeated.

The Pundits readily signed the agreement, but it was on their part of a huge blunder, as they found out a minute later. The Swami opened the Upanishads and showed them the passage, covering them with shame and convincing those present that their knowledge of the Shastras was far from being perfect. Finding themselves checkmated everywhere and displaying lamentable ignorance of the Shastric teaching (the great Swami Vishuddhanand could not tell so much as what dharma and adharma consisted in), and discovering further that their adversary could quote whole chapters of the Vedas and other works by heart, and could furnish lucid and comprehensive expositions of the same, the Pundits made haste to sound the Swami's knowledge of Vyakarna, and, upon their arrogating superiority in that branch of Science, the Swami asked "What is the Kalma Sangya (retained object?") Vushuddhanand remained silent, but Bal Sahstri essayed to make an answer, only to fall back crest-fallen. Baffled at every point exasperated beyond measure, the Pundits now hit upon a plan, which was nothing but a foul trick, to circumvent Swami Dayanand.

It was now 7 P.M. and rapidly growing dark. Madhvacharya, seein his opportunity, took out two leaves from a manuscript, and placing them before the Pundits said: "This is the Veda (Samhita), and here it is written that on the tenth day after the termination of yajna, the yajman should hear the Purana read. What the word 'Purana' means here?" Swami Dayanand desired him to read out the passage, but before he could do it, Vishuddhanand (in accordance, no doubt with a pre-concerted plan) took the leaves and handed them to the Swami.

The Swami desired him to read out the passage, but before he could do it, the famous man of Kashi excused himself from doing it, on the ground that had not his spectacles with him, and begged the Swami to take the duty upon himself. Suspecting no deceit, the Swami took up the leaves and silently began to go over them.

He had hardly been looking them two minutes, and was just going to reply, when Swami Vishuddhanand exclaiming that he was being unduly detained, the whole host of Pundits, with the Maharaja of Kashi at their head, stood up, and, clapping their hands, shouted out, at the top of their voice, that the dearly-earned victory might be celebrated in a becoming fashion, the notorious characters in attendance commenced raining down stones, old shoes and dung on the Swami. The life of the Swami was in jeopardy, but thanks to his own activity and the vigilance of the Police, the place was soon cleared of the goons.

Thus ended the Shastrarth at Kashi. Swami Dayanand did not leave the town at once. On the contrary, he stayed for three months longer, proclaiming the falseness of idolatry with the beat of drums, and preaching to all the true doctrine. Perhaps the Maharaja of Kashi and the Pundits were not prepared for this they sought vengeance in sending forth the flat that henceforth no true follower of orthodoxy should visit the Swami under pain of incurring the penalty that attends the omission of a great crime. Foul-play was also had recourse to.