Historical & Political Perspective at the Birth of SRCM

Historical and Political Perspective at the Birth of SRCM


This is taken from a commentary on Elodie’s blog Jan, 2007
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=20689467&postID=116877129544235498

Translated with Google Translate

Alexis said…

I have just read Christian’s last posts on his blog under the heading "Sahaj Marg and Sufism". Here are a few hot reactions:

1-We must not forget that the context plays a great part, it seems to me (historical and space) - Hujur Maharaj, Lalaji and babuji are men from the north (of India), all 3 having lived in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which is still today more than 20% Muslim - KC Varadachari, his son, Narayana , and also Chari are occidentalized Indians from the south - In the XIXthe century, one comes out of a war which opposed 2 empires: the Muslim Moghols and the Hindus Marathes to fall into British colonialism - In 1945, one is within 2 breaths of the independence and the partition of India

2- Apparently Hujur Maharaj & Lalaji together and voluntarily amalgamated the teachings of the Sufism and Hinduism - The majority of the successors of Lalaji do not hide this Sufi heritage. Some assert it high and strong (the Sufi lineage resulting from the son of Lalaji and his (Lalaji’s) brother), others speak about it less (in favour of the synthesis: Ramashram satsang), only Babuji’s referrence to it is not explicit - Babuji is a man from Uttar Pradesh, not an idiot, therefore necessarily aware of the Sufi heritage of Lalaji

3- One is in 1945 when he (Babuji) creates the SRCM, the other currents began in the Twenties and Thirties - In 1920-30, it is the war against the British which prevails, the conflicts between Hindus & Muslims were put on hold - In 1945, it is the opposite. Babuji does not make any more allusions particular to Lalaji’s Sufi heritage.

4- Varadachari meets Babuji in 1955, under the government of the nationalist Nehru, 7 years after the assasination of Mahatma Gandhi, 8 years after the partition - To my knowledge, Babuji never summarized SM with Raja Yoga, at least not so succintly nor simply, it is Varadachari alone who will do it - Varadachari is a man of the south, a specialist in Hindu philosophy and one impassioned of Hindu spirituality, alive in a nationalist environment where the Moslems of Pakistan are the enemy. Is he also nationalist? I do not know.… All that to saying that in their works, Hujur Maharaj the Muslim & Lalaji the Hindu collaborated, sought the fusion of the Sufi and Hindu systems. Contrary to its predecessors of the Sufi lineage, Lalaji did not designate anyone to succeed him but several in their centres of respective populations. Did he name Babuji or did Babuji want it so badly that he "dreamed" it? It does not matter!

These successors spread their teaching, rather Sufi for some, rather Hindu for others, the teachings always resulting from their (Lalaji and Huzur Maharaj) fusion in any case. Babuji returns to the offensive in 1944-45; the political environment has completely degraded. Inter-religious violence are at their peak, in particular in the more Muslim and the more populated states. He does not speak about Sufism, saying that Lalaji rediscovered an old teaching. But in fact, it is he (Babuji) who creates SM, certainly inspired by Lalaji, but it is him who lays down the 10 commands. And he (Babuji) does not hide the Sufi heritage totally, even if he speaks very little about it.

Arrives then Varadachari, from another culture. He comes from the south, is of the academic world where it is of good tone to assert the national (Hindu) heritage vis-a-vis the dangerous Muslim extremism facing them. He thus will try to explain SM in a 100% Hindu perspective . And it is there that the Sahaj Marg equation arrives SRCM = Raja yoga. He is the only one to express it so clearly! Even Chari will be never be so affirmative…