Sai Baba vs Shankaracharya: Conflict continues

The issue started when Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati  said that Sai Baba should not be worshipped as he was a human being and not a god. His photographs should be removed from temples.

On the other hand, the devotees of Sai Baba continued their protest against Shankaracharya.

Swaroopanand comment had hurt feeling of Sai Baba followers as they were telecast on TV channels and all over the country.

It starts when Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya Swami passed a controversy statement against Sai Baba :

-Sai Baba should not be worshipped as he was a human being and not a God. His temples should not be built.

-“It is a conspiracy of some foreign organisations which are making money. They don’t want Hindu community to unite.

-Shankaracharya also refused to regard Sai Baba as the symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, saying if it were the case, the spiritual man would have been admire by Muslims with as much devotion as Hindus.


-In Sanatan Dharma, there are said to be 24 avataars  of  Lord Vishnu,  In Kalyug, there is no mention of other avataars than Kalki and Buddha. Hence, Sai Baba can certainly be not an avataar, Shankaracharya opined.

-He added that Sai Baba should not be considered a guru and an ideal  because he was a non-vegetarian and advocated the practise of circumcision.

-Shankaracharya also claimed that a number of temples devoted to Sai Baba  are built across the country to deviate attention from Ram Temple movement  in Ayodhya.

-The religious scholars associated with Shri Kashi Vidwat Parishad strongly supported the Shankaracharya of Jyotish and Dwarka-Sharda peeths Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati for his remarks on Sai Baba.


-They held a meeting at Shri Vidya Math, Kedar Ghat  to express unity of action with the seer. It was resolved that 'Sanatan dharmi' people

would give befitting reply to those who are disgracing the Shankaracharya. Sanatan dharmi are agree with Shankaracharya statement.

-The controversy surrounding Swami Swaroopanand`s remarks against Sai Baba refused to die down on Saturday with a potential successor to the Shankaracharya of Dwaraka Peeth supporting his guru`s view by saying that the ability to perform miracles can`t be mistaken for religion.

-The followers of Sai Baba should stop worshipping Lord Rama and not take holy bath in river Ganga, said Dwarakapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand.


-Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti said that she has no regret over her remarks in favour of Sai Baba. Bharti, who came out in support of worshipping Sai Baba after Shanakaracharya Swaroopanand’s objection, said that worship is a subject of personal belief. The union minister said that she does not want to react on Swaroopanand’s statement as she never speaks against him.

-Refusing to move from his stand on Shirdi Sai Baba, Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand today described him as a Muslim ascetic who could not be worshipped like a Hindu deity.


-Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand said those who worship Shirdi Sai Baba should neither enter temples nor take dip in holy Ganga and worship Ram.

-He had even asked the Sai disciples to have fast on Ekaadashi and take a dip in holy river Ganga for their purification.

-Meanwhile, the Naga Sadhus have extended their support to Swaroopananda Saraswati and warned of protests on streets if the Dwarkapeeth seer is insulted. They have declared the spat as a 'religious war'.





The conflict between Sai devotees and Swaroopanada Saraswati has turned worse in the last few days after the  huge controversy by issuing objectionable remarks against Sai Baba of Shirdi.

The Sai Temple authority in Lucknow has filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court demanding an FIR against Shankaracharya of Dwarkapeeth Swaroopananda Saraswati for hurting religious sentiments.

The petition alleges that the controversial remarks made by the Swaroopanada Saraswati have hurt the religious sentiments of thousands of followers of Sai Baba, hence legal action should be taken against the Shankaracharya. The court is expected to take up the case soon.

Angry supporters of Sai Baba spilled into the streets of many cities, burning statue of Shankaracharya. Meanwhile, another reason being floated for the Dwarka peeth’s comments is that he was jealous of the sheer size of the donations  received by the Sai temple at Shirdi.

According to a report displayed on the temple’s website, the temple received donations worth Rs. 410 crore in 2012-13. “People come and donate in large numbers at the Sai temple.

Acharya Kushmuni Swarup, national spokesman, Akhil Bhartiya Dandi Sanyasi Prabudh Samiti, advised that the followers of Sai should worship him as “guru and not God”. Many Sai followers are comfortable with it.



Like different people we all have different views.  India is a democratic country and we have independence to worship our God and Guru.

Sai Baba remains a very popular saint, especially in India, and is worshiped by people around the world. He had no love for perishable things and his sole concern was self-realization. He taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace, and devotion to God and guru. He gave no distinction based on religion or caste. Sai Baba's teaching combined elements of Hinduism and Islam: he gave the Hindu name Dwarakamayi to the mosque he lived in, practised Muslim rituals, taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions, and was buried in Shirdi. One of his well known epigrams, "Sabka Malik Ek" ,
is associated with Islam and Sufism. He also said, "Trust in me and your prayer shall be answered".

The conflict is still continues. The Seer said, Hinduism is governed by Shastra and Vedas and there is no mention of Sai Baba. He should not be worshipped with Hindu gods."They may send me to jail, but my campaign to protect the sanctity of the Hindu religion will continue.

The issue  "income of temples in India" if people raise then it will be a better debate instead of not considering one  as "God" or "Guru". Our thoughts are different, then how can we expect to have same beliefs. 

 ~shiva