JOIN USPejawar seer Vishwesha Theertha Swami has said that he has no reservations about himself taking part in the Ede Snana ritual, in reply to a recent challenge by writer K S Bhagawan.
Speaking to mediapersons, here, on Wednesday, before participating in a felicitation programme organised in his honour, ahead of his assuming Paryaya of Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt, he said, he himself does not support either Made Snana or Ede Snana, but he was not averse to himself rolling over the Prasada laid on a plantain leaf as part of the Ede Snana ritual.
Stating that there is no caste angle to either Made Snana or Ede Snana, he said, even Brahmins observe the ritual as they believe that it has some curative properties. “At present Made Snana — rolling over left-over food consumed by Brahmins — is not being observed. Ede Snana is the ritual where the Naivedya offered to the deity is placed on a plantain leaf. The government and the courts have allowed it. So, there is nothing illegal about it,” he asserted.
Reacting to the recent comments that the Prasada of the deity is being dishonoured in the Ede Snana ritual, he said, definitely Prasada is holy, but does it not get unholy if we eat it? he questioned. To substantiate his argument, he said, even the Ganga River is considered holy, but we set foot into it and take bath.
To a question about the long-pending debate with writer Bhagawan, he said, he was ready for the debate in Mysuru, but the Police department did not allow it, anticipating law and order problems. “He has recently stated that Madhvacharya had used derogatory words against Dalits. If he does not provide evidence to his statements, he should apologise in public. However, if Bhagawan approaches me, I can have a private debate with him about his objections about religious practices and scriptures,” he said.
In reply to a question about the demands for the Muzarai department taking over the Udupi Krishna temple, he said, the government is planning to form committees to the temples already under the department for management purpose. “The Krishna temple is under eight mutts and bringing it under the department is not possible,” he said.
Replying to a query, he said, Sahabhojana is practised in the Udupi mutts since years and only ignorant people are demanding its introduction. “I cannot have food with others, not even Brahmins, because I have a few rituals to follow while consuming food. But, the devotees have food together in the mutt, irrespective of their caste,” he clarified.