Amid swirling controversies, Jagadguru Balak Devacharya Maharaj from Varanasi’s Patalpuri Math has expressed profound unease regarding charges against a Shankaracharya. On February 25, he warned that proven guilt could trigger a faith-shaking backlash against all holy men.
‘It strikes me as incorrect,’ he observed thoughtfully. ‘A verified accusation would dismantle people’s belief in saints—a recovery as arduous as post-Asaram Bapu, where we noted his independent following. My prayers are for exoneration.’
He poignantly illustrated the saints’ struggle, citing Goswami Krishnadevray: ‘Vasana’s grip is formidable. They fortify through devotion, imploring God against base impulses.’ Such libels, he added, wound deeply despite their simplicity.
Turning to Prayagraj unrest, he advocated suspensions for errant police: ‘Street lathi-wielding was wrong. CM Yogi Adityanath’s temple and math restorations merit praise, but this land—cradle of Sanatanis, priests, ascetics, and cows—forbids such outrage. No devotee endures it silently.’
With the case in judicial hands, Devacharya’s stance calls for measured justice to safeguard India’s spiritual heritage from undue erosion.