Justice (Retd) G D Sharma
Historically, the Kashmir valley was a prominent hub of Sanskrit scholarship. Kashmir Shaivism, a non-dualistic school of Hindu Philosophy expressed in Sanskrit, originated there thousands of years ago. Sharda Peeth University, a temple of Goddess Saraswati, was one of the subcontinent’s premier learning centers, attracting students even from foreign countries. From Sharda Peeth, Sanatana Dharma was revitalized after Adi Shankaracharya’s debates with Buddhist monks, particularly after Buddhism had overshadowed Sanatana Dharma from King Ashoka’s time (273 BCE) to King Lalitaditya’s period (764 AD). The Buddhist monks were also erudite scholars of Sanskrit language who represented their views in the debates with Shankaracharya from their religious books.
Even after the establishment of an Islamic state in Kashmir in the 14th century, Sanskrit continued as the official language for about 150 years. This pattern of governance changed under Sultan Sikandar Shah Mir’s rule (1389-1413), known as “idol breaker,” who switched to Persian as official language and simultaneously destroyed hundreds of temples and thousands of Sanskrit scriptures. He persecuted Hindus, forcibly converting some, and defiled the Shardha Goddess temple.
However, this period of tyranny ended with the noble Sultan Zayn al-Abidin’s rule (1420-1470 AD), who is known as “Baadshah” for his humane qualities. He abolished Jaziya (tax) on Kashmiri Hindus, banned cow slaughter, extended liberal patronage to Sanskrit, repaired places of worship, and facilitated the return of Hindus who had migrated for safety.
Regrettably, after India’s independence, Kashmir Valley became barren for Sanskrit retention, teaching, and learning. The eruption of militancy and terrorism in 1989/1990 further exacerbated this, forcing the aboriginal Hindu population to leave their ancestral homes, initiating an era of erosion for Sanatana Dharma, its cultural institutions and consequential erosion of Sanskrit language.
Now, with the bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories, the J&K UT Government has largely re-established the rule of law and maintained communal harmony. This change has created an environment where Hindu cultural institutions are protected, and public harm to the age-old culture is met with suitable penal retribution with utmost alacrity.
The founder of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh descends from the clan of Shri Ramji. Thousands of years ago his (Ram’s) descendants migrated from Ayodhya to different parts of the country and primarily in Rajasthan. History records that an ancestor of the rulers of Jammu region namely, Agni Barn had migrated from Rajasthan nine hundred years before setting in of “Kal Yug” and established his rule over this sacred and spiritual landscape. Maharaja Gulab Singh after founding the state of J&K over the debris of foundations of short-livedSikh rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab had his first preference to revive, reinforce and spread more vigorously the Vedic culture by preferably constructing various temples in Jammu and Kashmir devoted to his family deity Shri Ram. The Raghunath Temple in the heart of Jammu city is one of such shining examples. After his death in 1857; his surviving illustrious son Maharaja Ranbir Singh ascended the throne. Maharaja Ranbir Singh forwarded the family legacy more effectively and vigorously. The incomplete Raghunath Temple complex which was started in 1830 by his father (Maharaja Gulab Singh) was completed by him in 1860. He established within the temple complex “Shri Raghunath Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya” and a comprehensive library of manuscripts within the temple premises (herein to be referred to as Mahavidyalaya). It is renowned for its vast and invaluable collection of manuscripts estimated to be around 6000 to 8000, with many being extremely rare. This collection encompasses a wide spectrum of theological and scholarly subjects. It remains a vibrant center of learning, a repository of ancient wisdom and a significant contributor to the ongoing efforts of preserving India’s rich linguistic and intellectual heritage. In other words, the whole complex stands as a testament to the rich intellectual and spiritual heritage of the Dogra Dynasty particularly the vision of Maharaja Ranbir Singh. Maharaja Ranbir Singh being a devout patron of scholarism and a keen promoter of Sanskrit learning recognised the importance of preserving ancient texts. He even dispatched teams of pandits across India to acquire as many rare manuscripts as possible. This ambitious undertaking aimed to make Jammu a prominent center of Sanskrit learning and consequently earning the “Moniker Kashi of the North”. While evaluating the whole Centre in a straitjacket formula, it transpires that it was Maharaja Gulab Singh who initially during his lifetime had conceived the noble idea to make provision of necessary infrastructure for the learning and propagation of Sanskrit.
In the premises of Raghunath Temple Jammu, free boarding and lodging facilities were established to provide the education of Sanskrit upto degree (Shastri) level. The students not only from the state of Jammu and Kashmir but also from the adjoining province of undivided Punjab which then included present state of Himachal, used to stay in the premises and receive free education. In the same manner; steps were also taken for the preservation and spread of Vedic culture in Kashmir Valley. Vedic scholars were getting employment as Pujaris of large number of temples built inside the different complexes. Maharaja Rabir’s son Maharaja Pratap Singh who was more religious minded also followed suit. To the same extent the last ruler, Maharaja Hari Sigh, till the abolition of Dogra rule in 1947 continued to look after the family interest in usual customary manner to provide all the facilities to the lovers of Indian Vedic culture and to the students of Mahavidyalaya all the facilities extended to them. When his authority came to an end following the political developments of 1948, Maharaja Hari Singh was effectively sidelined from the affairs of the State and subsequently compelled to exile from the Jammu and Kashmir for good. He settled in Bombay (now Mumbai) and breathed his last there. The sacred and spiritual onerous moral duty was carried forward by his sole illustrious son namely Dr. Karan Singh – who himself happens to be a great scholar, and philologist. He is erudite inEnglish, Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri and Urdu languages etc. During his long tenure as a titular head of Jammu and Kashmir State and then Member of Parliament (Indian Nation al Congress) from 1967 onwards over a span of multiple decades as well as Cabinet Minister holding important portfolios, his global contributions to Vedic philosophy are:- Delivered lectures across Europe, United States of America and Asia on Vedanta, Upanishads and interfaith harmony, promoting Indian spiritual legacy on global platforms like: (1) UNESCO (2) World Parliament of Religions (3) Global Peace Conferences. Scholar and Author: Authored books and essays interpreting Vedic wisdom in modern context, including “One man’s world”, “Towards a new India”, “Hymn to Shiva and other poems”. The last classic spiritual treatise,“Shiva Lord of Cosmic” was authored in 2022.Leadership in Indian Philosophical Institutions: –
Chairman, Indian Council for cultural relations, promoted Sanskrit texts and Indian philosophy abroad.
President, Aurovilla foundation – helped spread Sri Aurobindo’s integral philosophy, rooted in the Vedas, etc.
This customary family prominence ceased to exist within the premises of Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya when the “National Sanskrit Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan” formally took it over and renamed it “Shri Ranbir Kendriya Sanskrit Vidhyapeetha”. In 2007, the campus was relocated from its old rented premises near Raghunath Temple to a dedicated new campus at Kot Bhalwal, Jammu, built on about 10.5 acres (85 Kanals) allotted by the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The new infrastructure includes the main academic building, library, hostels and staff quarters. With the passage of the Central Sanskrit University Act, 2020, this institution was officially recognised as “Shri Ranbir campus” under Sanskrit University from 2020 onwards. In this university courses are taught right from Shastri (B.A. in Sanskrit), Post-graduate courses, Doctoral programs in different streams of learning. Objectives of the campus are: – (i) preserve and promote Sanskrit as a vital part of Indian heritage (ii) provide traditional Sanskrit education with modern relevance and (iii) promote research in Indian philosophy, literature, grammar, and science.
(The author is one of the Trustees of Sanskrit Bharti)
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