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Philosophy of Swami Ramsukhdas ji Maharaj

Ṡiṡira-Tapas-K10, 5126 K.E.

Swami Ramsukhdas ji Maharaj (1904-2005) is one of the founding trustees of Gita Press, Gorapkhpur. His magnum opus is the “Sadhak Sanjeevani” commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. It is probably the second most-selling Gita in India (after Prabhupada’s As It Is). In this article, I try to collect the main points of his ideology, especially regarding his differences from other ideologies.

Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Ṡiva are one

From his book The Divine Name - Nāma-japa(pg. 28):

If you are a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu don’t speak lightly of Lord Ṡiva. Don’t try to discriminate between the two. In fact both are one.

ubhayōḥ prakṛtis tv ekō pratyaya-bhēdēna bhinnavad-bhāti
kalaya kaṡcina mūḍhō hari-hara-bhēdaṃ vinā ṡāstram

The nature of Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Ṡankara is the same but they appear to be different on account of different feelings and attitudes of the devotees. Therefore, if an ignoramus discriminates between the two, it means that he is devoid of the knowledge of the scriptures. The root of the two words ‘Hari’ and ‘Hara’ is the same. Only the suffix is different. Therefore, they appear to be different. One who carries on a controversy about the difference between Hari (Lord Viṣṇu) and Hara (Lord Ṡiva) does so out of ignorance and is heading for his own disaster. Lord Ṡankara paints the figure of Lord Rāma on his forehead, while Lord Rāma paints the figure of Lord Ṡankara’s trident on his forehead… Both are favourite Gods of each other.

Idol worship (mūrti-pūjā) - God in the idol, not God as the idol

From his book On Idol Worship in the Gita:

Then how is it considered “murti” idol worship? Therefore, devotees do not worship the idol, however they worship the God in the idol “murti”. In other words the feeling of it being a stone idol disappears and the sentiments are one of presence of God. By worshipping God in an idol in this manner, one develops the sentiments of divinity (God) everywhere. It is the beginning of devotion to God. This worship continues even when a devotee attains perfection.

Likewise, if a devotee worships a cow, a basil-plant, a peepal tree, the twice born, a liberated soul, the Govardhana mountain, the Ganga and the Yamuna etc., their worship is also worship of God. This sort of worship easily leads a devotee to the thought that God pervades everywhere. In other words, to experience “God is everywhere”, worship of cow is very helpful.

Worship of God through the medium of a “murti” is a matter of faith rather than of reasoning. The glory of God is revealed to those who have faith in Him. The worship and adoration done by these devotees is accepted and partaken by God.

He emphasizes Formless Attribute-ful God (Paramātman)

He distinguishes three aspects or manifestations of God:

Of course, God is any one or all of the above combined. There is no contradiction. However, Swami Ramsukhdas ji emphasises the omnipresence of God (vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti) and therefore the Paramātman aspect(Gita 3.14-15) is his favourite, as he frequently says “ṡrī paramātmanē namaḥ”.

Caste (jāti) is birth-based

Though Lord Kṛṣṇa says that He created the four varṇas based on qualities and deeds (4.13), Swamiji says that these qualities themselves are based upon deeds in previous births. Therefore, Gita accepts caste (jāti) from birth itself:

अतः गीता जन्म (उत्पत्ति) से ही जाती मानती है, अर्थात जो मनुष्य जिस वर्ण में जिस जाती के माता-पिता से पैदा हुआ है, उसीसे उसकी जाती मानी जाती है

He justifies it by Gita 13.21, 14.16-18 and 18.41.

Support of Panchayatana Puja

Swamiji often uses the phrase “īṡvara-kōṭi” (category of Īṡvara) to highlight that multiple individuals fall into the category of Īṡvara (Lord). That is, Īṡvara is not just one divine being but it denotes a category. In his commentary on Gita 17.14:

Here the term ‘Deva’, particularly stands for Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Ṡiva, Gaṇēṡa, Goddess Durgā and the Sun-god, the five chief deities of the category of ‘Lord’. So, a devotee should worship his favourite deity, out of the five, without having any desire for fruit. The devotees worship their favourite Deity by regarding Him or Her as the Supreme while the others are regarded as gods by them.

Essentially, he endorses henotheism.