Press Statement by Swami Agnivesh
New Delhi
12th June , 2015
As an Arya Samaj follower of the Vedas, as interpreted by Maharshi Dayanand, I have no problem with such Muslims who, complying with the Islamic injunction against idol worship, are opposing Surya Namaskar. Instead of forcing Surya Namaskar on people, as is being done in States like Rajasthan, or mocking ill-informed resistance to it, we should gently and respectfully make than realise over a period of time that Surya Namaskar is only a nomenclature of a particular asana that is not tantamount to Sun worship. One may jolly well do Surya Namaskar asana with the sun at the back. Shava Asana similarly should not mean turning into a Corpse (Shava). It means just relaxing fully.
But may I respectfully ask my Muslim brothers and sisters why they should do Kaaba Namaskar (saying Namaz facing Kabaa in Saudi Arab) which is no less an idol as compared to the Sun, the inexhaustible provider of energy? A Muslim is supposed to worship one and only Allah as per the kalma - La Ilaho Illillah. This is the first and foremost principle of Islam and is called Tauheed. And like the Vaidic God being Universal, the Holy Quran also claims Allah to be universal or Rab-ul- Alemeen. From the tiniest of sub atomic particles to the boundless cosmos, Allah’s majestic and all compassionate presence should be realised. Our planet earth is nothing more than a grain of sand in the boundless scheme of Universe in all its grandeur! Why reduce the house of God from its universal creation to a much insignificant place called kaaba near the twin city of Mecca & Medina? Why not consider the human body as the Vedas or as Jesus of Nazreth said – the living temple of God! In which case all other Temples, Mosques, Churches, Gurudwaras and Synagogues pale into insignificance and all ritualistic religiosity evaporates yielding place of primacy to human body as the real dwelling place of God. Vaidic sages have proclaimed “Yat pinde tat Brahmande” every human body is a micro-replica of the universe. God being all pervasive- Sarva Vyapak pervades not just each one of our trillions of body cells but also the Soul- the source of consciousness in the body. And therefore the only effective place of real communion is inside the body in the conscious soul pervaded by the cosmic consciousness of God.
May we therefore discard this spurious debate about Surya Namaskar and go to the crux of spirituality and devote at least half an hour to one hour daily for Meditation – the real Yoga. May the Muslims opposing Surya Namaskar also oppose Kabra (Grave) and kaaba Namaskar! Anything less is illogical and unbecoming of the spirit of Islam, which emerged as a revolutionary light in a world of obscurantism.