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PETITIONER: BRAMCHARI SIDHESWAR BHAI &ORS.ETC.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF WEST BENGAL ETC.

DATE OF JUDGMENT02/07/1995

BENCH: VENKATACHALA N. (J) BENCH: VENKATACHALA N. (J) KULDIP SINGH (J) AHMAD SAGHIR S. (J)

CITATION:  1995 AIR 2089            1995 SCC  (4) 646  JT 1995 (5)   205        1995 SCALE  (4)113

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                   THE 2ND DAY OF JULY,1995 present:      Hon’ble Mr.Justice Kuldip singh      Hon’ble Mr.Justice N.Venkatachala      Hon’ble Mr.Justice S.Saghir Ahmad Mr.Shanti Bhushan,Mr.Tapas Ray, Mr.A.K.Ganguli, Mr.P.P.Rao and Mr.Dhruv kr.Mukherjee, Sr.Advs., Mr.H.Puri, Mr.S.K.Puri,(Mr.Raj Kumar Gupta,Advs.for Mr.Rajesh,Adv.,(m/s.Dilip Sinha,J.R.Das,Advs for M/s.Sinha and Das,Advs.,Mr.Indra Makwana,Mr.V.B.Joshi, Mr. Umesh Bhagwat,Mr.Alok Singh,Mr.Rathin Das,Mr.Abhijit Sengupta,Mr.A.D.Sikri,Mr.A.K.Chakravarti,Mr.A.Mariarputham, Ms.Aruna Mathur,Mr.Charavorty,Mr.Bijan Kumar Ghosh, Mr.P.P.Choudhary and Mr.R.K.Gupta,Advs.with them for the appering parties.                       J U D G M E N T The following Judgment of the court was delivered:                IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA                 CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION             CIVIL APPEAL NOs. 4434A-34D OF 1986                             WITH             CIVIL APPEAL NOs. 4937/85.5676-78/85                             WITH           I.A.No.1 IN C.A. Nos.5676-78/85 and CMP                NO.23111/86 IN C.A. NO.4937/85 Bramchari Sidheswar Shai & Ors.etc.      Versus state of West Bengal etc.                       J U D G M E N T VENKATACHALA, J.      The sustainability  of the  common judgment of Division Bench  of  the  calcutta  High  Court  rendered  in  appeals preferred against  the order of dismissal of a Writ Petition by a  learned single  judge of  the same High Court by which

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the  claim   of  the   followers  of   Ramakrishna  that  an educational  institution  established  and  administered  by their Ramakrishna  Mission receives protection under Article 30(1) of  the Constitution  of India  being  an  educational institution established  and  administered  in  exercise  of their fundamental  right as a minority based on religion and under Article  26(a) of  the constitution  of India being an educational  institution   established  and   maintained  in exercise  of   their  fundamental   right  as   a  religious denomination or  section thereof,is upheld, since arises for our consideration  in the present appeals filed against that judgment, all of them could be disposed of by this judgment.      As the writ petition filed in the High Court, which has led to  the present  appeals related  to Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary  College at Rahra- Ramakrishna Mission College  ’,established   and  administered   by   Ramkrishna Mission, it would be advantageous to refer to material facts relating to establishment and administration of that college and the controversies thereto which led to the filing of the writ petition,  and   ultimately the present appeals , for a proper apprisal  and appreciation  of the points arising for our consideration in deciding the present appeals.Such facts are briefly these:      By letter dated 19th july 1961, the secretary,Education department of  Government  of  West  Bengal  informed  Swami Punnyananda Maharaj  of Ramakrishna  Mission Boys’  Home  of Ramakrishna  Mission   at  Rahra   of  the   willingness  of Government of  India  for  granting  rupees  two  lakhs  for construction of  a college  building on  a suitable  site at Rahra to be made available by Ramakrishna mission and of the willingness of  the Chief  Minister to  meet the  additional cost of  construction of such college building from funds of State Government,requested him to communicate the acceptance by Ramakrishna  Mission of  the proposal and further prepare plans  and  estimated  cost  of  college  building  early.On Ramakrishna  Mission’s   acceptance  of  the  said  proposal Government of  West Bengal,  issued Memo  dated 27th October ,1961,intimating  its  Director  of  Public  Instruction  of Governor’s approval  for setting  up  a  three  year  degree college under the auspices of Ramakrishna Mission Boy’s Home  at   Rahra  at  its  site  at  an  estimated  cost  of Rs.7,25000/-  to  be  borne  by  the  State  Government  and Government of  India. Thereafter,by  a letter  dated  25  th April,1962 the Deputy secretary to Government of West Bengal addressed to  Registrar,Calcutta University intimated him of the three  year degree  college to  be set up at Rahra under the auspices  of Ramakrishna  Mission and  its readiness  to manage  the   college  through   a  Governing   Body  to  be constituted by  it. In  turn by  another letter  dated  29th August,1962, the Director of public Instruction intimated to the Registrar, Calcutta University that the said college was being inaugurated  under the auspices of Ramakrishna Mission Boy’s Home  and will  function as  a sponsored  college with financial assistance  from the  State Government  and  Union Government  and   requested   for   obtaining   University’s affiliation  of  the  college  upto  B.A/B.Sc.  courses  and approval  of  college  Governing  Body  constituted  by  the Ramakrishna Mission.  Calcutta University being of the view, that it was quite in fitness of things that  the college was being ushered  into existence  in commemoration of the birth centenary of  Vivekananda, who contributed so much to uplift the down-trodden  and the  building up of national character and education,  not only granted affiliation to the proposed college, but  also accorded  approval to  Governing Body  of that  College   as  constituted   by  Ramakrishna   Mission.

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Thereafter,Governing Body  of the  College as constituted by Ramakrishna Mission  from time to time with special approval obtained from  the  state  Government  and  the  University, continued  to   administer  the  affairs  of  that  College. Ramakrishna  Mission  College  did  not,  therefore  have  a Governing Body  which was  modelled on the common pattern of governing   bodies of  sponsored colleges  as becomes  clear even from  Government Memo dated 16th January,1971 conveying approval of  Governor for common pattern of Governing bodies of sponsored  colleges, for  it said that the approval given by Governor regarding composition of the governing bodies of the sponsored  colleges, did not include Governing Bodies of sponsored colleges  run by Missionary Societies on the basis of agreement with respective Missions. Indeed, the letter of Deputy Secretary to Government refering to the said Memo had clarified that  the Memo  in its  application  to  specially sponsored colleges  such as  Colleges managed by Ramakrishna Mission, Christian  Order Missionary  Society Brahma  Samaj, Trust Deed  etc.would be modified by Government according to exigencies by  mutual agreement with Mission/Society/parties concerned. In  his Memo  dated 18th  April, 1978, the Deputy Secretary to  Government of  West Bengal also clearly stated that the  Government  had  been  feeling  the  necessity  of revising the  existing pattern  for composition of Governing Bodies of  Government  sponsored  colleges  on  a  "standard pattern" excepting where the college concerned had a special constitution on the basis of Trust Deed or where the college was  run  by  the  Missionary  Societies  on  the  basis  of agreement with respective Missions.      When according to the said Memo dated 18th April, 1978, the existing  Governing  Body  of  the  Ramakrishna  Mission College was carrying on the governance of that college, that on 12.8.1980  by a  letter of  even date.  Principal of that college Swami  Jitatnanda resigned  his post. This situation led to  the appointment  of Shivamoyananda who was till then head of  Ramakrishna Mission  Vidya Mandir,  Bellurmath,  as Principal of Ramakrishna Mission College.      Teachers Council of the Ramakrishna Mission College who were agitated  by new  Principal’s appointment, by resorting to strike,  took over  the management  of  the  College  and prevented the  newly appointed  Principal Shivamoyanda  from functioning as  Principal but  also made Prof.A.R. Das Gupta to function  as the in-charge Principal of the College. This untoward situation led Ramakrishna Mission and the Secretary of the  Governing Body of the College Institute a civil suit -suit No.111  of 1980  in 10th  Court of  Sub-Judge, Alipore seeking a  declaration that the functioning of A.R.Das Gupta as Principal  and the  functioning of  14 professors  in the college was illegal.      When  the  affairs  of  the  said  Ramakrishna  Mission College stood as above, that on 18.12.1980 the appellants in Civil Appeal  No.4937 of  1985 by  filing C.O.No.12837(w) of 1980 in the High Court sought for issue of (i) a writ in the nature of  mandamus commanding the Government of West Bengal to  reconstitute  the  Governing  Body  of  the  Ramakrishna Mission College  according to standard pattern for Governing Bodies of  sponsored college  as per Government Memo No.752- Edn(cs)/c.s.30-3/77  dated   18th  April,1978;(ii)   a  writ declaring that  the Ramakrishna Mission  college is governed by W.B.  Act of  1975;and W.B.  Act 1978;(iii) a writ in the nature of  quo warranto  restraining Swami  Shivmoyananda as Pricipal  of   Ramakrishna  Mission   College,   and   other incidental writs.       The  grant of  prayers sought  for in  the  said  writ petition was  resisted by  Ramakrishna Mission, Secretary of

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the Ramakrishna  Mission College and Shivamoyanada, who were respondents in  that writ  petition and  are respondents  in present  Civil  Appeal  No.4937  of  1985  and  other  Civil appeals.      However,as three  notices were  sent  by  the  Calcutta University to Ramakrishna Mission during the pendency of the writ petition for reconstituting the Governing Bodies  of  the  Ramakrishna  Mission  Residential College,  Narendrapur,Ramakrishna   Mission  Siksha  Mandir, Howrah and  Ramakrishna Mission  Vidya Mandir,  Howrah , the sustainability  of   those   notices   was   questioned   by Ramakrishna Mission,  by filing an Interlocutory Application in the writ petition itself.      A learned  single Judge   of  the High  Court  although dismissed the  said writ  Petition, quashed  the said  three notices issued by the Calcutta University to the Ramakrishna Mission for  reconstituting   the Governing  Bodies  of  its three colleges,  on his  view that  the Ramakrishna  Mission College and  other colleges  of  Ramakrishna  Mission  since estasblished  and   administered  by   Ramakrishna  Mission, comprised of  the followers  of Ramakrishna religion , being protected under  Article 30(1)  of   the  Constitution,  the provisions in  W.B.Act of  1975 and the W.B. Act of 1978,did not apply  . However,  he did  not accept   the claim of the Ramkrishna Mission  that Article  26(a) of  the Constitution enabled the  Ramakrishna Mission  to  establish  educational institutions   as    a   religious   denomination.The   writ petitioners  as   a   religious   denomination.   The   writ petitioners, who  were  aggrieved  against  the  order    of dismissal of  their writ  petition  by  the  learned  single judge and   of quashing of the notices for reconstituting of Governing Bodies  of  Certain  colleges  of  the  Ramkrishna Mission preferred  a writ  appeal against  that  order.  The State of  West Bengal  and Calcutta University who also felt aggrieved by  the said  order of learned single judge ,filed separate  writ   appeals  questioning   its  correctness.  A Division Bench  of the  High Court, Which clubbed those writ appeals and  heard them together, dismissed all of them by a common judgnent  having expressed  its  agreement  with  the learned single  Judge that the Ramakrishna Mission comprised of followers  of Ramakrishna,  being  a  minority  based  on religion,  was   protected  under   Article  30(1)   of  the Constitution, and  also its  disagreement with the view that Article   26(a) of   the   Constitution  did not protect the Ramakrishna   Mission    from    establishing    educational institutions as  a religious  denomination. Dismissal of the appeals was  also based  on   the view of the Division Bench that   both   the W.B. Act  of 1975 and the W.B. Act of 1978 since did not contain any express  provision including their application  to  educational  institutions  established  and maintained by  the Ramakrishna  Mission, those Acts would be inapplicable,to the  Ramakrishna Mission  College and  other colleges of  Ramakrishna Mission for to hold otherwise would amount  to   infringement  of  the  rights  enjoyed  by  the Ramakrishna Mission  under  Articles 26(a) and 26(b) of  the Constitution. However, it left open the question of legality or otherwise  of the  direction  contained  in  the  notices issued   by the  Calcutta   University  to  the  Ramakrishna Mission  for  reconstitution  of  Governing  Bodies  of  the Ramakrishna  Mission   Residential   College,   Narendrapur, Ramakrishna Mission  Siksha mandir,  Howrah  and  Ramkrishna Mission Vidya mandir, howrah. doctrines and  teachings of  Ramakrishna and have become his follwers, claim to belong to a minority based on Ramakrishna religion which  was    distinct  and  different  from  Hindu

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religion   and as  such entitled  to the  fundamental  right under   Article 30(1)  of the  Constitution of  India  ,  of establishing and  administering educational  institutions of their choice  through Ramakrishna Mission or its branches in that State? 2. Do persons belonging to or owing allegiance to Ramkrishna Mission belong  to a  religious denomination or any  section thereof as  would entitle  them to  claim the    fundamental rights conferred  on either  of them under Article 26 of the Constitution of India? 3.  If   persons  belonging   to  or   owing  allegiance  to Ramakrishna Mission is a religious denomination or a section there of  , have  they the  fundamental right of estblishing and maintaing  institutions for  a charitable  purpose under Article 26(a) of the  Constitution of India. 4. If  Ramakrishna Mission  as a religious denomination or a section  there  of  establishes  and  maintains  educational institutions,  can   such  institutions   be   regarded   as instituions  established   and  maintained   for  charitable purpose  within   the  meaning   of  Article  26(a)  of  the Constitution of India? 5. Is  Ramakrishna Mission  College at Rahra established and maintained by  Ramakrishna Mission  and if  so  ,  will  the constitution of its governing body by the government of west Bengal  amounts   to  infringment  of  Ramkrishna  Mission’s fundamental right  to establish  and maintain an educational institution under  Article  26(a)  of  the  Constitution  of India? 6. Can  the court  direct the West Bengal Government because of W.B.Act  1975 and  W.B.Act 1978,  to constitute governing body on  standard pattern  of  sponsored  college  envisaged under  its  Memo  dated  18th  April,  1978  in  respect  of Ramakrishna Mission  College when that Memo itself says that colleges establised and maintained by Missions on the  basis of agreements  cannot be  treated as  sponsored colleges for the purpose  of constituting  governing bodies for them on a standard pattern.      Before taking up the above points for consideration, we may advert  to the  views of this Court expressed in some of its decisions on matters, such as Hindu religion , religious denomination, to our advantage:      A Constitution Bench of this Court in the commissioner, Hindu Religious Endowments, Madras & sri Lakshmindra Thirtha Swamiar  of  Sri  Shirur  Mutt  [(1954)  SCR,1005]  speaking through Mukherjee,  j. (as  he then  was), who spoke for the Bench while  holding that  certain provisions  of the Madras Hindu  Religious     and  Charitable  Endowments  Act,  1951 imposing tax  on religious trusts and institution were ultra vires Article  26 of  the Constitution of India, adverted to the meaning  of    the  word  religion  and  the  expression religious denomination  found in  the Constitution of India, thus:      "... The  word religion   has  not  been      define in  the Constitution  and it is a      term which  is hardly susceptible of any      rigid definition.  In an  American  case      [Davis v.  Benson,133 US  at 342] it has      been said  that  term  religion  to  his      Creator  and  to  the  obligations  they      impose of  reverence for   His Being and      character and  of obedience to His will.      It is  often confounded  with cultus  of      form or  worship of  a particular  ect ,      but is distinguishable from the latter,.      We  do   not  think   that   the   above

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    definition  can  be  regrded  as  either      precise or  adequate.Articles 25  and 26      of our  Constitution are  based for  the      most part  upon  asticle  44(2)  of  the      Constitution of  Eire and  we have great      doubt whether  a definition  of religion      as   given above  could have been in the      minds of  of faith  with individuals  or      communities   and  it is not necessarily      theis  tic.   There  a  are  well  known      religions   in India  like Buddhism  and      jainism which  do not  believe in god or      in  any   Intelligent  First   Cause.  A      religion  undoubtedly has its basis in a      system of beliefs or doctrines which are      regarded  by   those  who  profess  that      religion as  conducive to their spirtual      well being  but it  would not be correct      to say that religion is nothing else but      a doctrine  or belief.A religion may not      only lay  down a  code of  ethical rules      for its  followers to accepts , it might      prescrive   rituals    and   obsevances,      cermoniwes and  modes of  worship  which      are  regarded  as  integral  observances      might extend even to matters of food and      dress."      Then dealing  with the  meaning and  connotation of the expression religious  denomination and  whether a Math could come within this expression , it has been ovserved thus :      "..... The  word denomination  has  been      defined in  the Oxford    Dictionary  to      mean a collection of individuals classed      together    under  the  same  name  :  a      religious sect  or body  having a common      faith and  organisation and designted by      a distinctive name it is well know  that      the practice  of  setting  up  Maths  as      centres of    theological  teaching  was      started by  Shri Sankaracharya  and  was      followed    by  various  teachers  since      then. After  Sankara, came  a galaxy  of      religious teachers  and philosophers who      founded the  different  sects  and  sub-      sects  can   certainly   be   called   a      religious  denomination   ,  as   it  is      designated  by  adistinctive  name,-  in      many cases it is the name of the founder      , and  has a  common  faith  and  common      spiritual organisation. The followers of      Ramanuja , who  are known by the name of      Shri  Vaishnabas,undoubtedly  constitute      a religious denomination; and so do  the      followers  of   Madhwacharya  and  other      religous teachers  .It is  a  fact  well      established by  tradition that the eight      udipi Maths were founded bu Madhwacharya      himself  and   the  trustees   and   the      beneficiaries of  these Maths profess to      be followers  of that teaher ,  The HIgh      Court  has   found     thatthe  Math  in      question is  in charge  of  the  Sivalli      Brahmins who  constitute a  section  the      followers of  Madhwacharya .  As Article      26 contemplates  not merely  a religious

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    denomination but  also a section ther of      , the  Math or  the spiritual fraternity      represented by  it can legitimately come      within the purview  of this article. "In Shastri  Yagnapurushdasji and others & muldas Bhundardas vaishya and  another [AIR  1966 SC 1119]a Constitution Bench of this Court was required to consider  the question whether the  Bombay   High  Court   was  right   in  holding    that Swaminarayan Sampradaya  sect to which the appellants before the court  belonged is  not a religion distinct and separate from   the    Hindu   religion    .In       that    context, Gajendragadkar,c.j who  spoke for  the Bench  considered the questions elaborately  as to who are Hindus and What are the broad features of HIndu religion, thus:      "(27)   Who are  Hindus and what are the      broad features  of Hindu  religion, that      must be   the first  part of our enquiry      in dealing with  the present controversy      between the  parties. The historical and      etymological genesis  of the word ’Hindu      has given  rise to a controversy amongst      indo-logists;  but  the  view  generally      accepted by  scholars appears to be that      the  word  ’Hindu’is  derived  from  the      river Sindhu  otherwise known  as  Indus      which flows  from the  Punjab. That part      of the  great Aryan  race,  says  Monier      Williams , which immigrated from Central      Asia, through   the mountain passes into      India, settled  first in  the  districts      near the  river Sindhu  (now called  the      Indus).  The  perisian  pronounced  this      word  Hindu   and  named   their   Aryan      brethern   Hindus.   The   Greeks,   who      probably gained  their  first  ideas  of      india  pesians   ,  dropped   the   hard      aspirate, and called the Hindu ’Indii’      (28). The  Encyclopaedia of Religion and      Ethics,Vol.VI,       has       described      ’Hindusim’as the  title applied  to that      form of  religion which  prevails  among      the  vast   majority  of   the   present      population of the Indian Empire (p.686).      As Dr.  Radhakrishnan has observed: ’The      Hindu civilization  is so  called, since      its  original   founders  or    earliest      followers occupied the territory drained      by the  Sindhu (the  Indus) river system      corresponding to the North-West Frontier      Provvince  and   the  Punjab.   This  is      recorded in  the Rig Veda, the oldest of      the Vedas,  the Hindu  scriputres  which      give their name to this period of Indian      history. The  people on  the Indian side      of the  Sindhu were  called Hindu by the      Persian and  the later  western invaders      [The  Hindu   view  of   life   by   Dr.      Radhakrishnan,  p.12].   That   is   the      genesis of the word ’Hindu’.e>      (29).  When   we  think   of  the  Hindu      religion, we  find it  difficult, if not      impossible, to  define Hindu religion or      even  adequately   describe  it.  Unlike      other religions  in the world, the Hindu      religion does not claim any one prophet;

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    it does not worship any one God; it does      not subscribe  to any one dogma; it does      not  believe   in  any  one  philosophic      concept; it  does not follow any one set      of religious  rites or  performances; in      fact, it  does not appear to satisfy the      narrow  traditional   features  of   any      religion or  creed. It  may  broadly  be      described as  a way  of life and nothing      more.      (30). Confronred by this difficulty, Dr.      Radhakrishnan,  realised  that  to  many      Hinduism seems  to be a name without any      content. Is  it a  museum of  beliefs, a      medley  or  rites;  or  a  mere  map,  a      geographical expression  [The Hindu View      of Life  by  Dr.  Radhakrshnan,  P.11]?.      Having  posed   these  questions   which      disturbed  foreigners   when  think   of      Hinduism, Dr.Radhakrishnan has explained      how Hinduism  has steadily  absorbed the      customs and  ideas of  peoples with whom      it has  come into  contact and  has thus      been adle  to maintain its supremacy and      its youth.  The term Hindu, according to      Dr.  Radhakrishnan,   had  originally  a      territorial    and    not    a    credal      significance. It  implied residence in a      well    deficed    geographical    area.      Aboriginal  tribes,   savage  and  half-      civilized    people,     the    cultured      Dravidians   and the  Vedic Aryans  were      all Hindus  as they were the sons of the      same mother. The Hindu thinkers reckoned      with the  striking fact that the men and      women dwellining  in India  belonged  to      different    communities,     worshipped      different gods,  and practised different      rites [the  Hindu View  of life  by  Dr.      Radhakrishan, p.12] (Kurma Purana).      (31). Monier  Williams has observed that      it must  be borne  in mind that Hinduism      is far  more than  a mere form of theism      resting on  Brahmanism. It  presents for      our investigation a complex congeries of      creeds  and   doctrines  which   in  its      gradual accumulation  may be compared to      the gathering  together  of  the  mighty      volume  of  the  Gangas,  swollen  by  a      continual influx of tributary rivers and      rivulets,  spreading   itself  over   an      everincreasing  area   of  country   and      finally   resolving   itself   into   an      intricate Delta  of tortuous streams and      jungly marshes..The  Hindu religion is a      reflection of  the Hindu  religion is  a      reflection of the composite character of      the Hindus,  who are  not one people but      many.  It   is  based  on  the  idea  of      universal  receptivity  .  It  has  ever      aimed   at   accommodating   itself   to      circumstances, and  has carried  on  the      process of  adaptation through more than      three thousand years. It has first borne      with and  then, so  to speak, swallowed,

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    digested, and assimilated simething from      all creeds  (Religious Thought & life in      India by Monier Williams ,p.57].".      Dealing with  broad  sweep  of  the  Hindu  philosophic concept, it has been stated thus:      (33). The monistic idealism which can be      said to  be the  general  distinguishing      feature of  Hindu  Philosophy  has  been      expressed in  four  different forms: (1)      Non-dualism  or   Advaitism;  (2)   pure      monism, (3)  Modified  monism;  and  (4)      Implicit monism.  it is  remarkable that      these  different   forms   of   monistic      idealism purport  to derive support from      the same  Vedic and  Upanishadic  texts,      Shankar, Ramanuje,  Vallabha and  Madhva      all based  their philosophic concepts on      what they  regarded to  be the synthesis      between the Upanishads, the Brahmasutras      and the Bhagvad Gita. Though philosophic      concepts  and   principles  evolved   by      different   Hindu    thinkers        and      philosophers varied  in  many  ways  and      even  appeared  to  conflict  with  each      other   in some  particulars, they   all      had reverence  for the past and accepted      the Vedas  as  sole  foundation  of  the      Hindu philosophy.  Naturally enough,  it      was realised  by Hindu religion from the      very beginning of its  career that truth      was  many   sided  and  different  views      contained different  aspeccts  of  truth      which no  one could  fully express. This      knowledge inevitable  bred a   spirit of      tolerance and  willingness to understand      and appreciate  the opponent’s  point of      view , That is how the several views set      forth in  India are considered to be the      branches   of the  self-same  tree.  The      short cuts and blind alleys  are somehow      reconciled with the main road of advance      to  the   truth   [ibid,p.48].’when   we      consider this  broad sweep  of the Hindu      philosophic  concepts,   it   would   be      realised that  under  Hindu  philosophy,      there is  no scope  for  ex-communicaing      any notion or principle as heretical and      rejecting it as such.      Thereafter, the  basic concepts  of Hindu religion, are stated thus:      (35)...The  first  amongst  these  basic      concepts is  the acceptance  of the Veda      as the  highest authority  in  religious      and  philosphic  matters,  This  concept      necessary implies  that all  the systems      claim to  have  drawn  their  principles      from  a   common  reservoir  of  thought      enshrined  in   the  Veda.   The   Hindu      teachers were  thus obliged  to use  the      heritage they reeceived from the past in      order    to  make  their  views  readily      understood.  The   other  basic  concept      which is  common to  the six  systems of      Hindu philosophy  is that  all  of  them      accept  the  view  of  the  great  world

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    rhythm.  Vast   periods   of   creation,      manitenance and  dissolution follow each      other in endless succession. This theory      is not  inconsistent    with  belief  in      progress: for  it is  not a  question of      the movement  of the world reaching  its      goal times  without  number,  and  being      again  forced   back  to  its  starting-      point.....It means that  the race of man      enters upon  and retravels its ascending      path of  realization. This  interminable      succession  of   world   ages   has   no      beginning  [Indian   Philosophy  by  Dr.      Radhakrishnan,  Vol.II,   p.26]."It  may      also be  said that  all the  systems  of      Hindu philosophy  belief in  rebirth and      pre-existence. Our  life is  a step on a      road, the  direction and  goal of  which      are lost  in the infinite. On this road,      death is never an end or an obstacle but      at most  the beginning  of new  steps  [      Indian philosophy  by Dr. Radhakrishnan,      Vol.II, p.27].  Thus ,it  is clear  that      unlike other religions and religions and      religious  creeds, Hindu religion is not      tied to  any definite set of philosophic      concepts as such."      Adverting to  the question  whether Hindus  worship  at their temples  the same  set or  number of gods, it has been observed thus:      (36)....... Indeed,  there  are  certain      sections of the Hindu community which do      not   believe in  the worship  of idols;      and as  regards those  sections  of  the      Hindu community  which  believe  in  the      worship of  idols, Their   idols  differ      from  community  to  commuunity  and  it      cannot be said that one definite idol or      a   difinite   number   of   idols   are      worshioped by all the Hindus in general.      In the  Hindu pantheon  the  first  gods      that wete worshipped in Vedic times were      manily Indra,  Varuna,  Vayu  and  Agni.      Later, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh came to      be worshipped.  In course  of time, Rama      and  Krishna secured a place of pride in      the Hindu  pantheon,  and  gradually  as      different philosophic concepts held sway      in different  sects and    in  different      sections of  gods  were  added, with the      result that  today  the  Hindu  pantheon      presents the  spectacle of  a very large      number of  gods who  are   worshipped by      different sections of the Hindus."      However, dealing  with the  development  of  the  Hindu religion and  philosophy from  time to  time,it is  ovserved thus:      (37)....The   development    of    Hindu      religion and  philosophy shows that from      time  to   time  saints   and  religious      reformers attempted  to remove  from the      Hindu thought  and practices elements of      corruption and superstition and that led      to the  formation  of  different  sects.      Buddha started Buddhism; Mahavir founded

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    Jainism; Basava  became the  founder  of      Lingayat   religion,   Dhyaneshwar   and      Tukaram  initiated  the  varakari  cult;      Guru Nanak  inspired sikhism;  Dayananda      founded  Arya   Samaj,  and   Chaitanaya      became Bhakti cult; and as result of the      teachings     of     Remakrishna     and      vivekananda, Hindu  religion    flowered      into its most attractive progressive and      dynamic form.  If we study the teachings      of these saints and religious reformers,      we would  notice an amount of divergence      in   their    respective   views;    but      underneath that  divergence, there  is a      kind of subtle indescribable unity which      keeps them within the sweep of the broad      and progressive Hindu religion.      "Ultimately, reference  is made  to the working formula evolved  by   Tilak  and   is  found   to  be  adequate  and satisfactory formula. That working formula is quaoted thus:      "Acceptance of the Vedas with reverence;      recognition of  the fact  that the means      or ways  to salvation  are diverse;  and      realisation  of  the  truth    that  the      number  of  gods  to  be  worshipped  is      large, that indeed is the distinguishing      feature of  Hindu religion. [B.G.Tilak’s      Gitarahasaya]."      In   Acharya    Jagdishwaranand   Avadhuta,    etc.   & Commissioner of  police, Calcutta  & Anr.[(1984) 1 scr 447], Ranganath   Mishra ,  J. (as  he then   was  speaking for  a three-judge Bench  of this Court has held that  Anand Margis being a  collection of  individuals who  have  a  system  of beliefs with regard to their conducive spiritual well-being, a common  organisation and  a definitive  name, would  be  a religious denomination  within the  Hindu religion, inasmuch that satisfy  the  tests laid down by the constitution Bench of this  Court in  that regard  in Sri  Shirur  Mutt’s  case (supra).      We could  now refer  to  the  points  arising  for  our consideration in these appeals and consider them seriatim. point-1  : Point-1:      The learned  single Judge of the High Court who decided the Writ  Petition, took  the view  that  the  followers  of Ramakrishna were  entitled to protection of Article 30(1) of the constitution  of India  since the  religion preahced and propagated by  Thakur Sri  Ramakrishna and  his great chella Swami Vivekananda,  is Ramakrishna  religion -  a  universal religion, different  from the  Hindu religion.  The  factors which led the learned single Judge to take the above view in respect of the Ramakrishna religion are the following:      Fundamental tents  of Ramakrishna  religion set  out in the statement  of Swami   Ramanand in his affidavit filed in opposition to the writ Petition, which according to him made it unique  by  comprehending  all  other  religions  without identifying itself with any of them :      "1.   That   Thakur   Shri   Ramakrishna      paramhansa   Deva    practised   various      religions including  Islam and  realised      the truth underying these religions.      2.  That   shri  Ramkrishna’s  spiritual      practice culminated  in experience  that      all beings  are in  essence  divine  and      identical   with    Eternal   Existence,

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    Consciousness and  Bliss, and  that  the      ultimate aim of human life is to realise      this Truth and attain eternal life.      3. Shri  Ramkrishan discovered  that the      same   Eternal   Truth   underlies   all      religious, whichis  the essence  of  all      scriptures. That all religions are true.      4.According   to    Shri    Ramkrishnan,      Religion is  not an end in itself but is      a means to achieve the said aim of human      life.      5.   He (Ramkrishan) proclaimed that all      religions  are   only   diferent   paths      leading to the same goal.      6.  He (Ramkrishan) preached that sevice      to man  as the veriable manifestation of      God, in  a spirit  of worship, is a sure      way to realise the Truth.      7.   Accepting all  religion to  be true      he (Ramakrishna) prohibited condemnation      of any of them."      Most important  features of  Ramakrishan religion,  set out by Swami Ramananda in his affidavit in opposition, which according to   him  distinguished Ramakrishan religion froma ll other cults or religions including traditional HInduism:      "(i). The  religion of  Shri  Ramkrishna      looks  upon    Sri  Ramkrishna  as    an      illustration  and   emobdiment  of   the      Religion Eternal  which constitutes  the      core of all religious ideals and permits      his  worship  through  his  image  (like      portraits, photos, statues, etc.) relics      or otherwise  with or without any ritual      or ceremony.      (ii)   It   not   only   tolerates   all      religions, but  also accepts them all to      be true,  and it considers all religions      to be   only  different paths leading to      the same  goal. whereas  other religions      claim absolute  authority in  all maters      to the exclusion of all others.      (iii) It  believes that  the  underlying      truth  in  all  religions  is  the  same      Eternal Truth  which is  the essence  of      the scriptures of all religions."      Further statement  made in  the self-same  affidavit by Swami Ramananda:      "... that the followers of this religion      or cult  of Shri  Ramkrishan believe  in      and practise  the unversal  resligion of      all times,  as practised and preached by      him.  They   believe  in  the  universal      brotherhood  of   all  irrespective   of      caste, colour, cread community, language      or nationality, Amongst the followers of      Shri Ramkrishna’s  religion.  there  are      persons coming  from Hindu  fold as well      as  from   the   followers   of   Islam,      Christianity and other religions." Remark of notable historian Arnold Toyanbee:      "Shri Ramkrishna’s message was unique in      being expressed in action....Religion is      not just  a  matter  for  study,  it  is      something that has to be experineced and      to be believed, and this is the field in

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    which  Shri  Ramkrishna  manifested  his      uniqueness....  His  religious  activity      and   experience,    were,   in    fact,      comprehensive  to   a  degree  that  had      perhaps never  before been  attained  by      any other  religious genious in India or      elseehere.      Statements of Swami Viekananda made at different times:      "What is wanted is power of organisation      do  you  understand  me?..We  want  some      disciples fiery youngmen...do you see?..      intelligent and  brave who dare to go to      the jaws  of death and are ready to swin      the ocean  across. Do  you follow me? We      want hundreds  like that... both men and      women. Try  your  utmost  for  that  and      alone.make convers  right and  left  and      put  them   into  our   purity  drilling      machine."      "And together  we  conceived  that  this      ideal had to spread and not only spread,      but made  practical. That  is to say, we      must  show   the  spirituality   of  the      Hindus,   the    mercifulness   of   the      Buddhists,  the   activity   of      the      Christians,    the     brotherhood    of      Mohammadans, by  our practical lives, We      shall start  a universal religion now an      here."      "Each soul  is potentially  divine,  the      goal is to manfest this divinity within,      by  controlling   nature  external   and      internal. Do  this either  by work or by      worship by  one or  more, or all of them      and be free,"      "I have   a  message and  I will give it      after my  own fashion,  will  neiter  be      HInduism, nor  Christianism and  that is      all. Liberty, Mukti is all my religion."      "I shall  inspire men everywhere ,untill      the world shall know that it is one with      God."      Swami Jyotishwarananda’s statement:      "    The     Ramkrishna    Mission    is      preeminently a religious body in service      forming a  part of  Sadhana or spiritual      practice, It  stands  on  the  universal      ideals   of   religion.   Its   numerous      preaching centres  in India  and America      are trying  to spread  through the  life      and   thought of  their members  a  true      knowledge  of   religion  in   its   all      embracing aspects  and also  to  promote      fellowship  amongst   the  followers  of      different  religions of the world, which      are in  fact as Sri Ramkrishna realised,      so  many   forms  of   the  Eternal  and      Universal Religion."      Objects of Ramkrishna Math:      "1.The   Ramakrishna   Math,   otherwise      called the Belur Math, is an institution      of  Sannyasins,   established  to   help      individuals as  to work  out  their  own      liveration and  also  to  trai  them  to      serve the  world in  every possible  way

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    along the  lines laid down by factors on      which the learned single Judge had based      his views  on the  subject. However, the      Division Bench  has sought  to point out      how Swami Vivekananda in the latter days      of his  life  changed  his  thoughts  on      religion influenced  by Western  thought      and way  of life  and propounded a world      religion, by refferring to what was said      of him others:      "42.  Unodoubtedly,   thoughts  of   Sri      Ramakrishna and  Swami Vivekananda  were      based on  Vedanta. But  their philosophy      and religion were not indetical with the      Triditional   Vedantabad.   Dr,   Satish      Chandra Chatterjee,  romerly Head of the      Department   of   Philosophy,   Calcutta      University,  in   his  work,  ’Classical      Indian Philosophers : their Syntheses in      the the  University of  Calcutta,  1963,      has Samanvaya  Vedanta in  the sense  of      being a  synthesis of all the schools of      Hindus Law  Dr. Chatterjee  in Chapter-x      of the said book has discussed in detail      the said  philosophy of Sri Ramakrishna.      He has,  inter alia,  observed that  Sri      Ramakrishna’s experiences  go beyond the      Veda and  Vedanta. According to him, the      impersonal absolute and the personal god      are   not    two   different   realities      unrelated to  each other,  nor  are  the      different realities  insparably  related      to each  other as substance and quality.      They are  same  realities  in  diffreent      states.   According   to   the   learned      authour,Bramhana is  not different  from      Sakti or  Kali in point of Reality. Shri      Ramakrishna  held   that   Bramhana   is      present in  every though  and being  the      Universe.  Sri   Ramakrishna  held  that      Bramahana is  present in  every  thoutht      and    being     the    Universe.    Sri      Ramakrishna’s  teachings   lay  down   a      rational  basis  for  reconciliation  of      different and  conflicating  systams  of      philosophy and  religion. Dr. Chatterjee      in his said book observes that religion,      according to  Sri Ramakrishna,is neither      religious  knowledge   about  God,   nor      philosphical speculation  on God;  it is      the direct  experience or realisation of      God. Sri  Ramkrishna’s  conception  that      the end  of man’s life is realization of      the divine  in him,  was not  indentical      with  the  tradtitional  Hindu  view  of      life. One  of the most remarkable traits      of Sri  Ramakrishna’s religion  was  his      doctrine of harmony of religions. He not      only taught  University Harmony  but  he      himself demonstrated it.      43.  Thus   although  thoughts   of  Sri      Ramakrishna and  Swami Vivekananda  were      based  on  Vedanta,  thier  thought  and      action did  not remian  strictly  within      the limits  of ancient Vedantic thought.

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    The  writings   and  speeches  of  Swami      Vivekananda also  clearly  indicate  his      gradual transition  from a  preacher  of      Hindu thought  into a  world missionary.      Swami Vivekananda’s  views  on  religion      did not  remain  static  and  unchanged.      Therefore. stray  quotations given  from      his various  writings and  speeches  may      not depict  his true  views on religion.      With his  greater and grater acquantance      with the  western thought  and  ways  of      life,  Swami   Vivekananda’s  own  ideas      about  religion  and  its  significances      underwent change.  He had  began to  lay      grater and  greater stress  on the unity      of  religions.   He  came  gradually  to      believe in and propunded world religion.      Swamiji persistently sought to formulate      on  the   basis  of   Sri  Ramakrishna’s      teachings of  One Principle  behind  all      religious phenomenon.  Miss Marie  Louse      Burke in  her book ’Swami Vevekananda in      the West’  Vol. II,  had  observed  that      from  the   summer   of   1894   anoward      simultaneous  development  keeping  pace      with one  another were  taking place  in      Swamiji’s  thought  along  three  lines.      There was  an evolution  in his message,      the change  in his plan and work and the      increasing degree in which he identified      his own  message with Vedanta. According      to the  learned author,  all three  were      aspects  of   a  single   event  -   the      emergence   of    his   world   mission,      According to Miss Burke, Swamiji did not      teach  the  orthodox  Vedanta  in  every      respect. He mixed with it, for instance,      a great  deal  of  Sankha  in  order  to      answar some  of the  questions posed  by      modern knowledge. The learned author his      answered the  question why  Swamiji gave      the name  Vedanta to  his Principles  pf      Religion. She  thinks that,  on the face      of it,  it was  not necessary,.  for  as      Swami    Vovekananda    himself    often      observed, these  principle  have  always      existed in  greater or  lesser degree in      every religion.  He wrote the real thing      is   the    religion   taught   by   Sri      Ramakrishna;  let  the  Hindus  call  it      Hinduism and  the other call it in their      own way"  According to  Miss Burke,  one      obvious andimportant  reason of  calling      his religion  by specific  name was that      the name  Vadanta already  existed.  One      religion in  all its  aspects  had  been      alreaduy  formulated  for  thousands  of      years and  called Vadanta.   Miss  Burke      has given two other reasons, first Swami      Vivekananda  attempted   throughtout  to      define harmony of religion in the truest      sense  and   had   concluded   that   it      consisted in  the  recongnition  of  the      unity of  religions  or  rather  in  the      recognition of  religion. Another reason

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    why Swamiji wanted to give a name to one      religion  was   that  he  was  not  only      ensuring purity of his principles but to      make it  possible for  any one to follow      these principles without first attaching      himself to  specific creed and burdening      himself with  some forms  and ceremonies      not neceassary to him One would become a      Vadantic and go straight to the heart of      the religion.      Can the  aforesaid view  of the learned single Judge of Calcutta  High   Court  that   there  came   into  existence Ramakrishna religion, distinct and aprt from Hindu religion, as upheld  by learned  Judges of  the Division  Bench of the same High  Court by  its Judgment  impugned in  the  present appeals,  be  sustained  for  the  reasons  stated  by  them including the special reson put forward by learned Judges of the Division  Bench that  thoughts of  Ramakrishna and Swami Vivgekananda although  were based  on Vendanta, writings and speeches of  Swami Vovekananda show that even thought he had grown as  a praccher of Hindus thought (Hindus religion), he converted  himself   into  a   preacher  of  world  religion different from  Hindu religion, in latter years of this life being influenced  by his  greater acquaintance  with western thought and way of life. In shch  view of the learned single Judge, as upheld by the learned Judges of the Division Bench of the  High Court  came in direct conflict with the view of Hindu religion  enunciated by the Constitution Bench of this Court   in   its   Judgment   in   the   case   of   Shastri Yagnapurushadasji (supra)  by according its approval to what is  stated   in  that   regard  by  great  philosophers  and historians or  of broad features of Hindu religion laid down by this  Court in  that Judgment  or with  the views hedl by Ramakrishna himself,  on Hindu religion and the Hindu way of life led  by him or of what was spoken of Ramakrishna as the great saviour,  reviver and rejuvenator of Hindu religion by world thinkers,  philosophers, historians and his disciples, or the  utterances of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, which show  that they alwayds continued as Hindus professing Hindus religion  and never  discowned  or  discardefd  their Hindu status or Hindu religion.      The  Constitution  Bench  of  this  Court  in  Shashtri Yaganapurushadasji (supre)  when had  occasion to  deal with the question  what Hindu religion has been, on consideration of diverse  aspects of  the questions  before it, not merely expressed its  clear views  thereon, viz.,  (i) that  unlike other religouns  in the  world Hindu religion does not claim any one  prophet; it  does not  worship any one God; it does not follow  any one  set of religious rites or performances; and thus  when it  does not  appear to  satisfy any  of  the narrow traditional features of any religion or creed, it may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more; (ii) that unlike  other religions  Hindu religion  is not tied to any definite  set of philosophic concepts as such; and (iii) that thought  philosophic concepts and principles evolved by diffenrent Hindu  thinkers and  philosophbers varied  in may way and  even   appeared to conflict with each other in some particulars,  they  all  had  reverence  for  the  past  and accepted  the   Vedas  as   the  sole  foundation  of  Hindu philosophy; but  also clearly  accorded its  approval to the views of  Hindu religion  expressed by Monier Willams to the effect that  the Hindu  religion  is  a  reflection  of  the composite character  of the  Hindus, who  are not one people but may  based on  the idea  of universal  receptivity  ever aimed  at  accommodating  itself  to  circumstances,  having

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swallowed,  digested  and  assimilated  something  from  all creeds, and to the view of Hindi  religion expressed  by Dr.  S. Radhakrishna  ’that Hindu religion  because of  the teachings of Ramakrishna and Vivekanda  has   flowered   into   its   mosts   attractive, progressive and dynamic form.’       Since  the afore-mentioned  views that there came into existence Ramakrishna  religion,   as such  ,  distinct  and apart from  Hindu Court  deciding the  writ petition and the learned Judges  of the  Division Bench  of  the  High  Court deciding the  appeals are  quite contrary  to  and  directly conflict weith  afore-referred  views  of  the  Constitution Bench of  Hindu religion  enunciated in  the case of shastri Yaganapurushdasji (supra),  the views  of the learned Judges of  the   High  Court  that  there  came  into  existence  a Ramakrishna religion  which was  different and distinct from Hindu religio9n  cannot,  in  our  view,  stand  and  become unsustainable.       Features  of   Hindu religion recognised by this Court in shastri  Yaganapurashdasji (supra)  as coming  within its broad sweep are these ;       (i)  Acceptance of  the   Vedas with  reverence as the highest authority  in religious  and  philosophic matter and acceptance with  reverence of  vedas by  Hindu thinkers  and philosophers  as  the sole foundation of Hindu philosophy .      (ii) Spirit of tolerance and willingness  to understand and appreciate  the opponent’s   point  of view based on the realisation that truth was many-sided.       (iii)  Acceptance of  great world  rhythm, vast period of creation,  maintenance   and  dissolution  follow    each other in  endless succession,  by all  six systems  of Hindu philosophy .      (iv) Acceptance by all systems of Hindu philosophy  the belief in rebirth and  pre-existence .      (v) Recognition of the fact that the means or ways to salvation are many .        (vi)  Realisation  of  the  truth  that  Gods  to  be worshipped may  be large, yet there being Hindus who do  not believe in the worshipping of idols .       (vii) Unlike other religions or religious creeds Hindu religion  not   being  tied-down  to  any  definite  set  of philosophic concepts, as such .       Ramakrishna - according to Aurobindo :      ".... in him  the spiritual  experiences      of the  millions of  saints who had gone      before were  renaewed and  united .  Sri      Ramakrishna gave  to  Inmdia  the  final      message of  Hinduism to the world. A new      era dates from his birth...  Hinduism as      summed     up  in   the  life   of   Sri      Ramakrishna has  to attempt for all...."      [World     Thinker  on   Ramakrishna   ,      Vivekananda, p.36 ]       Ramakrishna - according to Anold toynbee :      " Sri  Ramakrishna’s message  was unique      in  being  expressed  in  action  ,  the      message itself was the perennial message      of Hinduism." [Ramakrishna AndHis Unique      Message - by Swami Ghananda, p.10 ]      Ramakrishna - according to Prof. s. Radhakrishnan  :      "He  has helped  to raise from the dust      the fallen  standard of Hinduism, not in      words  merly,   but   in   works   too."      [Ramakrishna  Ane  His  Unique  Message,      p.29]

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    Ramakrishna’s  view of Hindu religion :       "Hindu  religion  alone  is the Sanatan      Dharma. Various  creeds you  hear now  a      days   have come  into existence through      the will of God and will disappear again      through his  will.   They will  not last      for ever.  Therefore,  I bow down at the      feet of   even  the modern Devotees. The      Hindu   religion has  always exixted and      will always  exist." [The  Gospel of Sri      Ramakrishan, Vol. II,   p.642  ]        Swami  vevekananda’s  view  about  his  Master’s    ( Ramakrishna’s ) relogion :      "  Then  it  was  that  Sri  Ramakrishna      incarnated   himself    in   India    to      demonstrate what  the true  religion  of      the Aryan  race is, to whow where amidst      all its  many divisions and  off-shoots,      scattered over the land in the course of      its immemorial  history, lies  the  true      unity of the Hindu relilgion ...... "      " All  that I  am ,  all that  the world      itself will some day  be ,is owing to my      Master, Sri  Ramakrishna, who incarnated      and  experienced   and  taught      this      wonderful  unity   which   under   lines      everything, having  discovered it  alike      in   Hindusim,    in   Islam    and   in      christianity."    [Ramakrishna  And  His      Message , p.57]         Address given  by Swami  Vivekananda at  the World’s parliament of  Religion at  chicago on  11th September, 1893 Since assumes great significance, the same being accepted as the thoughts  of Ramakrishna  expressed on religion, through his    principal    disciple    Swami    Vivekananda,    the importantpassages  therein   which  bear   on  reliogion  of Ramakrishna  and     his  disciple  Swami  Vivekananda,  are excerpted  :      " It  fils my heart with hoy unspeakablt      to rise  in response  to  the  warm  and      cordial welcome which you have given us.      I  thank   you  in   the  name   of  the      mostancient order of monks in the world;      I thank   you  in the name of the mother      of religions  ; and  I thank you  in the      name of  the millions  and  millions  of      Hindu  people   of   all   cclsses   and      sects.........      I am proud to belong to a religion which      has taught  the world both tolerance and      universal   acceptance. We  believe  not      only in  universal  toleration,  but  we      accept all  religions as  true  .  I  am      proud to  belong to  a nation  which has      sheltered  thew   persecuted  anbd   the      refugees    of  all  religions  and  all      nations of the earth........      I am  a Hindu.  I am  sitting in  my own      little well and thinking  that the whole      world is  my; little well. The Christian      sists in  his little  well   thinks  the      whole world  is his well. The Mohammedan      sits in  his little well and thinks that      is the whole world. I have to thank  you      of America for the great attempt you are

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    making to break down the barrier of this      little world  of ours. and hope that, in      the future,  the Lord  will help  you to      accomplish your purpose .......      " From  the high  spilritual flights  of      the Vedanta  philosophy,  of  which  the      latest discoveries of science seem  like      eachoes, to  the low  ideas of  idolatry      with its  multiflavour,  mythology,  the      agnosticism  of  the  Buddists  and  the      atheism of  the Jains, each and all have      a place in the Hindu’s religion.....      Here it  may  be said that these laws as      laws may  be without end, byt they; must      have had a beginning. The Vedas teach us      that creation   is  without beginning or      end, Science  is  said  to  have  proved      thatr the  sukm total   of cosmis energy      is always the  same. Then , if there was      a time  when nothing  exixted where  was      all these manifested energy."        Coming  to  the  paper  on  Hinduism  read  by  Swami Vivekananda on  Idolatry at the  said parliament of Religion on 19th September, 1893  :      " One thing I must tell you. Idolatry in      India does nbot mean any thing forrible.      It is  not the mother of harlots. On the      other  hand   ,  it  is  the  atempt  of      undeveloped   minds    to   grasp   high      spiritual truths . The Hindus have their      faults,  they   sometimes   have   their      exception; ;by;t;  mark this,  they  are      always for  punishing their  own bodies,      and never   for  cutting the  throats of      their neighnbours."       "  The Lord  has dedclared to the Hindu      in   His incarnation as Krishna; ’  I AM      IN EVERY  RELIGION AS THE THREAD THROUGH      A STRING  OF PEARLS. WHEREVER THOU SEEST      EXTRAORDINARY   POWER    PAISIING    AND      PURIFYING HIMANITY,  KNOW THOUGH  THAT I      AM  THERE.’"       Again  speaking at the World’s Parliament of Religions on 20th September, 1893:      "In  India   ,   during   the   terrible      famines, thouosands  died  from  hinger,      yet you christins did noting . You erect      churches  all  through  India,  but  the      crying evil  in the East in not religion      - they  have religion enough - but it is      bread that  the  sufferoing  millions of      burning India  cry out  for with parched      throats,    They  ask  us for bread, but      we  give them stones. It is an insult to      a starving people to affer them religion      ; it is an ilnsult to a  straving man to      teach him metaphysics. "      " The  religion of the Hindus is divided      into two  parts, the  ceremonial and the      sdpiritual ;  the spiritual  portion  is      specially studied by the monks. "      " In  that there  is no cast. A man from      the highest  cast and  a manb  from  the      lowest may  becomes a  monk in India and      the two castes become equal. In religion

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    there is  no caste  is simply  a  sicial      Instituion."         Other exortations  of Swami   Vivekananda  on  Hindu religion (Hinduism)   :      Three religions  now stand in the  sorld      which have  come down  to us  from  time      prehistoric -  Hinduism,  Zoroastrianism      and   Hudaism. They  have  all  received      tremendous  shocks   and  all   of  them      prove, by their survival, their internal      strength .  But while  Judaism failed to      aborb christinaity and was driven out of      its place  of birth by its allconquering      daughter, and a hanful of Parsees is all      that remains  to tell  the tale of their      grand religion, sect after sect arose in      India and  seemed to  shake the  tale of      their grand  religion, sect  after  sect      arose in  India and  seeded to snake the      religion   of    the   Vedas    it   its      foundations, but  like the waters of the      seashore in  a tremendous earthquake, it      receded only  for a while only to return      in an  all - absorbing flood, a thousand      times more vigorous, and when the tumult      of the  rush was over , these sects were      all  sucked   in  ,     absorbed     and      assimilated into the immense body of the      mother faith. (1.6)      From the  high spiritual  flights of the      Vedanta philosophy,  of which the latest      discoveries of science seem like echose,      to the  low ideas  oif idolatry with its      multifarious mythology,  the agnosticism      of the  Budhists, and the atheism of the      Jains,m each and all have a place in the      Hindu’s religion.(1.6)      The Hindu  religion does  not consist in      struggles  and   attmpts  to  believe  a      certaimn  doctrinme  or  dogma,  but  in      realising -not  in  bel;ieving,  but  in      being  and   becoming,  Thus  the  whole      object of  their system  is by  constant      struggle to  become [erfect,  to  become      divine, to  reach God  and see  God, and      and this reaching God, becoming perfect,      even as the Father in Heaven is perfect,      constitutes   the   religious   of   the      Hindus.(1.13)      We not  only toleratate,  but we  Hindus      accept every  religion, praying  in  the      mosque of  the Mohammadans,  worshipping      before the  fire of the Zorestrians, and      kneeling  before   the  cross   of   the      Christians,   knowing   that   all   the      religions, from  the  lowest  fetishism,      mean so many attempts oif the human soul      to grasp and realise the infiniate, each      determined  by  thencxonditions  of  its      birth and  association, and each of them      makeing a  stage of progfress, We gather      all these flowers and bind them with the      twine  of   love,  making   a  wonderful      bouquet of worship. (1.331-32)      The religion  of the Vedanta can satisfy

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    the demands  of the scientific world, by      referring    it     to    the    highest      generalisation  and   to  the   law   of      evolution.      Vedanta lays  down that each man shopuld      be treated not as what he manifests, but      as for  the divine, and therefore, every      teacher  should   be  helpful,   not  by      condemning man,  but by  helping him  to      call forth  the divinity  that is within      him. (1.388)      In India  there never  was any religious      persecusion by the Hindus, but only that      wonderful reverence, which they have for      all the religions of the world. (1.391)      If your  mind  says  something  and  the      Vedas say something else, stop your mind      and believe in the Vedas. (1.452)      Not  only   is   Vedanta   the   highest      philosophy in  the world,  but it is the      greatest poem. (1.499)      In one  word, the ideal of Vedanta is to      know man  as he  really is,  and this is      its message,  that if you cannot worship      your brother  man, the  manifested  God,      how  can   you  worship  a  god  who  is      unmanifested ? (11.325-26)      Taking country  with country,  there  is      not one  race on this earth to which the      world owes  so much  as to  the  patient      Hindu, the  mild Hindu.  The mild Hindu’      sometimes is  used as  an expression  of      reproach;  but   if  ever   a   reproach      concealed a  wonderful truth,  it  ismin      the term  the mild Hindu’ who has always      been the blessed child of god. (11.105).      One thing  we may  not that  wereas  you      will find  that good  and great  men  of      other countries  take pride  in  tracing      back their  descent to some robber-baron      who lived  in a  mountain  fortress  and      emerged from  time to  time  to  plunder      passing  wayfares,  we  Hindus,  on  the      other hand,  take  pride  in  being  the      descendants  of  Rishis  and  sages  who      lived on  roots and  fruits in  Mountain      and caves,  meditating on  the  Supreme.      (111.139)      We must  remember that  for all  periods      the  Vedas   are  the   final  goal  and      authority, and  if the Puranas differ in      any respect from the Vedas, that part of      the Puranas  is to  be rejected  without      mercy. (111.173)      Here  we  are,  the  Hindu  race,  whose      vitality,  whose  life-principle,  whose      very soul,  as it  were, is in religion.      (111.177)      ....I think  that  it  is  Vedanta,  and      Vedanta  alone   that  caan  become  the      universal religion  of man, and no other      is fitted  for the  role. Excepting  our      own,  almost   all   the   other   great      religions in  the world  are  inevitable      connected with  the life or lives of one

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    or more  of their  founders.  All  their      theories,   their    teachings,    their      doctrines adn  theior ethics  are  build      round the  life of  a  personal  founder      from whom  founder from  whom  they  get      their  sanction,   their  authority  and      their  power;  and,  strangelky  enough,      upon the  historicity of  the  founder’s      life is  build,  as  it  were,  all  the      fabric of  such religions.  If there  is      opne blow  dealt to  the historicity  of      that  life,   .....if   that   rock   of      hostoricity....is shaken  and shattered,      the whole  building tumbles down, broken      absolutely, never  to regain  oits  lost      status.      Every one  of the great religions in the      world, excepting  our own, is build upon      such historical  charactorers; but  ours      rests upon  principles. Their  is no man      or woman  who can  claim to have created      the Vedas.  They are  the embodiment  of      enternal  principles;  sages  discovered      them.....(111.182-83)      India alone was to be, of all lands, the      land    of     toleration     and     of      spirituality;... For  one of the greates      t sages  that was  ever born  found  out      here in  India even  at  theat  deistant      time, whichj  history cannot  reach, and      intom whose  gloom even tradition itself      dares not peep- in that distent time the      sage arose  and declared Ekkam Sad Vipra      bahuda Vadanti - ’he whop exists is one;      of the  most memorable  sentences’. This      is opne  of the  most  memorable  sences      that  was  evcer  uttered,  one  of  the      grandest   truths    that    was    ever      discovered. And  for us Hindus the truth      has  been   the  very  backbone  of  our      nations existence.  For  throughout  the      vistas of  the centuries of our national      life this  one  idea-  Ekkam  Sad  Vipra      bahuda Vadanti  - comes  down gaining in      volume  and  in  fullness  till  it  has      permeated  the  whole  of  our  national      existence, till  it has  mingled in  our      blood, and  has become  one with  us. We      live that grand truth in every vein, and      our countryu  has  become  the  glorious      land of  religious tolerance. It is here      and here  alone that  they build temples      and churches  for  the  religious  which      have come  with the object of condemning      our own religion. (111.186-87)      ....our  religion   is  not  based  upon      persons but  on  principles.  That  yopu      obey ypur  religion is  not  becaous  it      came through  the authoprity  of a sage,      no, not  even of an Incarnation, Krishna      is not  the authority  of the Vedas, but      the Vedas  are the  authority of Krishna      himself. His  glory is  that he  is  the      greatest preacher of the Vedas that ever      existed. (111. 249)

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    The Hindu  can worship  any sage and any      saint from  any country  whatsoever, and      as a fact we know that we go and worship      many  times   in  the  churches  of  the      Christians, and many, many times inm the      Mohammadan mosques and that is good. why      not?  Ours.  as  I  have  said,  is  the      Universal  religion.   It  is  inclusive      enough, it  is broad  enough to  include      all  the   ideals.  All  the  ideals  of      religion that already exist in the world      can be immediately included., and we can      patiently wait  for all  the ideals that      are to come in the future to be taken in      the  same   fashiom,  embraced   in  the      infinite arms  of the  religion  of  the      Vedanta. (111.251-52)      Ours is  the religion  of which Budhism,      with all  its  greateness,  is  a  rebel      child ,  and of  which Christianity is a      very patchy imitation. (111.275)      Ours is  the only religion that does not      depend on  a person  or persons;  it  is      based upon principles. (111.280)      ...this religion  of ours  admits  of  a      marvellous variation, an infinite amount      of liberty  to think  and live  our  own      lives...(111.286087).      If there is any sect here which believes      that OM  ought not  to be  the symbol of      Hinduism, it has no right to call itself      Hind. (111.302)      Whether we  are conscious  of it or not,      we think  the Vedanta,  we live  in  the      Vedanta, we  breathe the VEdanta, and we      die in the VEdanta, and every Hindu does      that. To  preach VEdanta  in the land of      India, and  before an  Indian  audience,      seems therefore,  to be amn anomaly. But      it is  the one  thing  that  has  to  be      preached and  it is the necessity of the      age that it must be preached. (111.323)      It  at  present  the  word  Hindu  means      anything bad,  never mind; by our action      let us be ready to show that this is the      highest  word   and  any   language  can      invent.  It   has  been   one   of   the      principles of  my life not to be ashamed      of my opwn ancestors......(111.368-69)      Any,  when  a  man  has  begun  to  hate      himself, then last blow has come. When a      man has  begun  to  be  ashamed  of  his      ancestors, the end has copme. Here an I,      oine of the least of the Hindu race, yet      proud of my race, proud of my ancestors.      Iam proud  to call  myseld a Hindu, I am      proud that  I am  one of  your  unworthy      servants.  I   am  proud  that  I  an  a      countryman  of   yopurs;  -   you,   the      descenmdants  of   the  sages,  you  the      descendants of the most glorieous Rishis      the  world  ever  saw.  Therefore,  have      faith in  yourselves, be  proud opf your      ancestors, instead  opf being ashamed of      them. (111.381)

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    I  found   Hinduism  to   be  the   most      perfectly  satisfying  religion  in  the      word. (111.449)      The principles  of the  vedanta not only      should be  preached everywhere in India,      but also outside, Our thought must enter      into the  mane-up of  the minds of every      nation,  not   through   writings,   but      through persons. (IV.311)      No  religion   onm  earth  preaches  the      dignity of  humanity  in  such  a  lofty      strain as  Hinduism, and  no religion on      earth treads  upon the necks of the poor      and  the   low  in  such  a  fashion  as      Hinduism. (V.15)      The Hindu must not give up his religion,      but must keep religion within its proper      limits and  give freedonm  to society to      grow, All  the reformers  in India  made      the serious  mistake of holding religion      accountable  for   all  the  horrors  of      priestcraft and  degreratiuon  and  went      forthwith    to     pull    down     the      indestructible structure  and  what  was      the result? Failure (V.22)      I want  to see  you, Swami’,  asked  the      correswpondent of Prabhudha Bharata, ‘on      this  matter   of  receiving  back  into      Hinduism those  who ahve  been perverted      from it.  Is it  your opinion  that they      should be received?’      Certainly’, said  the Swami,  ‘they  can      and ought to be taken’. (V.233-34)      Most of  the Upanishads  were written by      kshtriyas,   while    the    ritualistic      portions of  the  Vedas  came  from  the      brahmins (V309)      One peculiarity  of the  Vedas  is  that      they are  the only scriptures that again      and again  declare that  uyou  mist  gfo      beyond them.  The Vedas  say  that  they      were written  just for  the child  mind;      and when  you have  grown, you  must  go      beyond them. (V.311)      The Vedas,  i.e. only those portuions of      them which  agree with  reason are to be      accepted as  authority. Other  Shastras,      such as  Purana, etc.  are  only  to  be      accepted so  far as  theyu dol  bnoit go      against the  Vedas.  All  the  religious      thoughts that  have come  subsequuent to      the Vedas,  in the  world,  in  whatever      part of  it, have  been derived from the      Vedas. (V.315)      In Vedantamthe  chief advantagem is that      it was  not the  work of one single man:      and,   therefore,   naturall;y,   unlike      Budhism     of      Christianity      or      Mohammedanism, the  prophet opr  teacher      did  not   entire,ly   swallow   up   or      overshadow the principles. (VI.7)      The  religion   of  the   Vedas  is  the      religion  of   the   Hindus,   and   the      foundation of  all  Oriental  religions:      that is,  all other  Oriental  religions

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    are offshoots  of the Vedas; all Eastern      systems of  religion have  the VEdas  as      authority. (VI.48)      Hinduism  is   the   very   genious   of      absorption.  We  have  never  cared  for      fighting. of  course, we could strilke a      blow now  and then  , in  defence of our      homes. That  was  right.  But  we  never      cared for  fighting for  its  own  sake.      Every one  had to  learn  that.  So  let      these reces  of new  comers whirl  on  .      Theyu will all be taken into Hinduism in      the end. (VIII.266)      [Hinduism    by    Swami    Vivekananda,      published by Shri G.M. Jagtiani]      This is  the gist  of all worship- to be      pure and  to do  good to  others. He who      sees Sivas in the poor, in the weak, and      in the diseased, reallyt worship[s Siva;      and if  he sees  Siva only in the image,      his   worship    is   but   preliminary.      (111.141-42)      The  only  way  of  getting  our  divine      nature manifested  is by  helping others      to do  the same.  If there is inequality      in nature,  still  ther  must  be  equal      chance for  all- or  if greater for some      and for  some lkess-  the weakere should      be given more chance than the strong. In      other words,   aBrahmana  is not so much      in need  of education  as a  Candala. If      the  son   of  the  Brahmana  needs  one      teacher, that  of a  Candala needs  ten.      For greater  help must  be given  to him      whom nature  has  not  endowed  with  an      acute intellect  from  birth.  It  is  a      m,adaman who carries coals to newcastle.      The poor,  the downtrodden, the ignorant      - let these be your god. (VI.319)      There are  many things  to be  done, but      means are  wanting in  this country.  We      have brains,  but no  hands. We have the      doctrine Vedanta,  but we  have not  the      power to reduce it into practice. In our      books,  there   is   the   codtrine   of      universal equality,  but in work we make      great distinctions. It was in India that      unselfish and  disinterested work of the      most exalted  type waspreached,  but  in      practice   we    are   awfully    cruel,      awfdulklky heartless  - unable  to think      of anything  bedises  our  own  mass-of-      flesh bodies....  I  too  believe  thjat      India will  awake again, if anyone could      love with  all his  heart the  people of      the country-  bereft  of  the  grace  of      affluence,  of  blasted  fortune,  their      discretion totally  lost,  down-trodden,      ever-starved, quarrelsome,  and envious.      Then  only   will  India   awake,   when      hundreds of large-hearted men and women,      giving up  all desires  of enjoying  the      luxuries of  life, will  long and  exert      themselves to their utmost for the well-      being   of   the   millions   of   their

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    countrymen  who  are  gradually  sinking      lower  and   lkower  in  the  vorted  of      destitution and ignorance. (V.125-26)      Carry the  light and  the  life  of  the      VEdanta to  evry door,  and rouse up the      divinity that  is  hidden  within  every      soul. (111.199)      [Vivekananda - His call to the n\Nation,      pp.64, 86-87 and 89]      Shri C.  Rajagopalacharia, the  great scholar speaks of the greatness of Swami Vivekananda thus:      "Swami Vivekananda  saved  Hinduism  and      saved India.  But for  jim we would have      lost our religion and would not gain our      freedom."     [World     Thinkers     on      Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, p.54].      Thus, from  what  is  said  of  Ramakrishna  and  Swami Vivekananda and  of their  religion by  great worls thinkers and philosophers,  the  glory  of  Ramakrishna  is  that  he preached and  made his  principal disciple Swami Vivekananda to preach  the religion  of Vedanta which is the religion of Hinduis, as the message of Hinduism or Hindu religion to the people of  the entire  world for their future survival, good and prosperity,  that is,  the worship  of brother m,an, the manifested God, the living God, the human soul in the body.      When Shri Ramakrishna was approached by Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) to  bless  him  with  ‘Nirvikalpa  Samadi’  the highest spiritual  experience, the  admonitionm he  got from his master  Ramakrishna, being  shame on  you, I thought you would grow,  like a  banayan tree, shetlering thousands from scorching  of   the  world.  But  now,  you  seek  your  own liberation. The  same, demostrates  that Ramakrishna  wanted his principal  disciple to  bring  home  to  the  world  the religion of Vedanta which is the religion of Hindus, that is ‘worship of man is worship of god’.      Again from  what could  bne  seen  from  the  aforesaid features adverted  to be  this Court  as falling  under  the broad  sweeep   of  Hinduism,   and  as   the  thoughjts  of Ramakrishna of  hinduism, and as the thoughts of Ramakrishna on Hinduism  and as  to what great thinkers, philosophers of the world  have said of the highest contribution made by the great  saint   Ramakrishna  to   Hinduism  and  as  to  what Ramakrishna has  himself said  of Hinduism  and again  as to what Ramakrinshan’s  disciple Swami  Vivekananda has said of the Hinduism  of his  master Ramakrishan,  a Hindu  of Hindu religion,  we  find  it  difficult  to  accept,  with  great respect, the  view of  the learned  single Judge of Calcutta High Court,  who decided  the writ  petition and the view of the learned  Judges of  the Division  Bench of  the Calcutta High  Court,   who  decided  the  writ  appeals,  taken  for upholding the claim put forward on behald of the Ramakrishna Mission  and   the   Ramakrishna   Mission   College,   that Ramakrishna religion  was distinct  and  separate  from  the Hindu religion  and it  was a minority religion in the State of  West   Bengal.  The  peculiar  circumstances  which  led Ramakrishna  Mission to make a claim that Ramakrishna religion was  a distinct  and separate  religion from  Hindu religion and,  therefore, a  minority  religion  having  the protection of Article 30(1) of the Constitution, to save the Ramakrishna Mission  College for Ramakrishna Mission and all other educational  institutions established and administered by Ramakrishna mIssion or its branches from being taken away under opne  pretext or  the other  by the  State Government, should not  have been  found favour by the learned Judges of the High  Court for declaration that Ramakrishna religion as

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a minority  religion entitled  to protection  under  Article 30(1) of  the Constitution of India, when such claim made on behalf of  Ramakrishna Mission was based not on the sayings, teachings, preachings  or practices of Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda pertaining  to Hinduism  not  tied-down  to  any definite philosophic concepts, to which we have adverted to, but on supposed statements made by Swami Vivekananda without indicating context  or place  and time  in which  they  were made. Even otherwise those statements, as they stand, do not indicate that  Ramakrishna brought  into existence  his  own religion  and   called   it   Ramakrishna   religion.   Such declaration ignores  the reality  that Ramkrishna, the great saint had  been born  in Dakshineswar  as an  Avatar of both Rama-the embodiment of truth and Krishna - the embodiment of love, the  epic Heroes  of  Hindus  to  save  Hinduism  from extinction and  rejuvenate it to serve the whole humanity by expounding great  principles of  Vedanta,  the  religion  of Hindus. In  the words of Swami Vivekananda himself, Hinduism being the religion of Vedanta can satisfy the human needs of the scientific  world by  referring to  it  as  the  highest generalisation  and   the  law  of  evolution,  and  further referring to  it, as  the only religion that does not depend on a person or persons and taking pride of calling himself a Hindu, which were:      "Ay,  when  a  man  has  begun  to  hate      himself, then  the last  blow has  come.      When a  man has  begun to  be ashamed of      his ancestors, the end has come. Here am      I, one  of the  least of the Hindu race,      yet  proud  of  my  race,  proud  of  my      ancestors. I  am proud  to call myself a      Hindu."      The views  expressed by the learned single Judge of the Hindu Court  deciding the  writ  petition  and  the  learned Judges of  the Division Bench deciding the writ appeals that Sri Ramakrsihna  brought  into  existence,  during  hs  life time, by his practices and teachings a religion distinct and different  from   Hindu  religion  and  it  was  Ramakrishna universal religion,  indeed, goes  against the philosophy of Hindu religion  as expounded, practiced and preached by Shir Ramakrishna himself and latter propagated to the whole world by  his  principal  disciple  Swami  Vivekananda  and  other disciples. In this context, a passage from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrsihna’ which contains the view of Ramakrishna on Hindu religion is worth reiteration:      "Hindu religion  alone  is  the  Sanatan      Dharma. Various creeds you hear nowadays      have come  into  existence  through  the      will of  God and  will  disappear  again      through his will. They will not last for      ever. Therefore,  I bow down at the feet      of even  the modern  Devotees. The Hindu      religion has  always  existed  and  will      always exist."      Speaking   of    greatness   of    Ramakrishna,   Swami Vivekananda, the already adverted to by us, said thus :      "....Sri Ramakrishna  incarnated himself      in India  to demostrate  what  the  true      religion of  the Aryan  race is, to show      where amidst  all its many divisions and      off-shoots, scattered  over the  land in      the course  of its  immemorial  history,      lies  and   true  unity   of  the  Hindu      religion...."      In the  World’s Parliament  of  Religions  at  Chicago,

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Swami Vivekananda,  who claimed himself to be a Hindu, spoke of his Hindu religion which require reiteration :      "I am  proud to  belong  to  a  religion      which  has   taught   the   world   both      tolerance and universal acceptance...."      Again  speaking   of  Hindu   religion,  whathe  stated requires reiteration:      "......all have  a place  in the Hindu’s      religion......"      Speaking of  the ideal  of Vedanta  and its message, to which we have adverted to, Swami Vivekananda has said thus :      "In one word, the ideal of Vedanta is to      know man  as he  really is,  and this is      its message,  that if you cannot worship      your brother  man, the  manifested  God,      how  can   you  worship  a  God  who  is      unmnifested?"      Again what  according to Swami Vivekananda Vedanta says requries reiteration :      "The Vedanta says, there is nothing that      is not  God.... The living God is within      you and  yet you  are building  chruches      and temples  and believing  all sorts of      imaginary  nonsense.  The  only  God  to      worship is  the human  soul in the human      body."      Then speaking  of Upnisads,  Swami Vivekananda  at  one stage administered a w arning to Europe thus:      "Europe, the centre of the manifestation      of material  energy, will  crumble  into      dust within  fifty years,  if she is not      mindful to change her position, to shift      her ground  and  make  spirituality  the      basis of  her life.  And what  will save      Europe is the religion of the Upanisads"      Warning given  not to  give up  Hindu religion,  but to keep   religion   within  proper  limits and give freedom to society to grow the Swami Vivekananda requires reiteration :      "No  religion   on  earth  preaches  the      dignity of  humanity  in  such  a  lofty      strain as  Hinduism, and  no religion on      earth treads  upon the necks of the poor      and  the   low  in  such  a  fashion  as      Hinduism."      "The  Hindu   must  not   give  up   his      religion, but  must keep religion within      its proper  limits and  give freedom  to      society to  grow. All  the reformers  in      India  made   the  seriours  mistake  of      holding religion accountable for all the      horrows of  priestcraft and degeneration      and went  forthwith  to  pull  down  the      indestructible structure  and  what  was      the result? Failure."      What is  referred to above by us, as to what is said by Ramakrishna of  Hindu religion  and what  is said  by  Swami Vivekananda of Vedanta, the very sould of Hindu religion and its message  that service to man is service to God’ makes it abundantly clear  that Ramakrishna brought into existence no religion of  his own  which was called as universal religon, but gave the message of Vedanta of service to man is service to God’  as the  universal principle  basic to all religions and it  being  the  message  which  was  preached  by  Swami Vivekananda as  the message  given by  hsi master  based  on Vedanta philosophy of Hindu religion, it would be a travesty

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of  truth   to  say  that  Ramakrishna  created  a  religion independent, distinct  and apart  from  Hindu  religion  and called it  a universal religion. Indeed, Hindu philosophy by Ramakrishna could  be regarded  as that  expounded by him to serve humanity  of the  changing world. Shri Ramakrsihna is, therefore, rightly  regarded by  Hindus, great  philosophers and thinkers  of the  world, who  have studies the lives and works of  Shri Ramakrishna  and his  disciples and others as the incarnation  of Rama-  the truth and Krishna - the love, born in  Dakshineswar as great saint, not only to save Hindu religion from  its extinction, but to rejuvenate it with the message of  Vedanta that  service to man is service to God’, calls for  our acceptance  without any  hesitation  and  the views of  the learned  single Judge  and the  views  of  the learned Judges  of the  Division Bench  of the High Court in the order  and judgement  under  the  present  appeals  that Ramakrishna religion  exists apart  and  distinct  from  the Hindu religion  and it  is a minority religion which has the protection of  Article 30(1)  of the  Constitution of India, becomes unsustainable.      We  may   state,  at  this  stage  itself,  that  Swami Vivekananda changed  his views  on religion  in  his  latter years, having  been influenced  by the  West, as held by the Division Bench  of the  High Court,  even  if  true,  it  is inconceivable that  the same  can have  the effect  of  Shri Ramakrishna himself  bringing  up  a  religion  of  his  own according to  the subsequent  thinking of Swami Vivekananda. Therefore, the  basis of  the subsequent  thinking of  Swami Vivekananda on  which the  Division Bench  of the  the  High Court held  that  there  came  into  existence  a  universal religion  of   Ramakrishna,  cannot  be  sustained.  On  the contrary,  what   becomes  obvious   and  evident  from  the exortations of  Swami Vivekanada  himself, to  which we have already referred  to, what  he proclaimed  to the  world was that it  is Vedanta  and Vendata  alone that  can becoem the universal religion of man and it is Hindu religion alon that is fitted  t  that  role,  in  that,  Hindu  religion  being inclusive and  braod enough to include all the ideals of all religions in  the world  was indeed, the universal religion. Hence, to  say or  to hold  that there  came into  existence Ramakrishna  religion-a   universal  religion,   apart   and distinct from  Hindu religion  would, again  be travesty  of truth and reality.      For the  foregoing reasons, we hold tha the citizens of India  residing  in  the  State  of  West  Bengal,  who  are professing,  practising   or   propagating   the   religious doctrines and  teachings of  Ramakrishna and have become his followes, cannot  claim to  belong to  a minority  based  on Ramakrishna religion  which was  distinct and different from Hindu  religion   and  as  such  are  not  entitled  to  the fundamental right under Article 30(1) of the Constitution of India,  of   establishing  and   administering   educational institutions of  their choice through Ramakrishna Mission or its branches  in that  State and answer Point-1 accordingly, in the negative. Point-2:      It is held by a Constitution Bench of this Court in Sri Shirur Math’s  case (supra)  tha religious denomination is a collection of  individuals classed  together under  the same religious  sect   or  body   having  a   common  faith   and organisation and  disignated by  distinctive name,  based on the meaning of that phrase found in Oxford Dictionayr. It is alos held  therein that such a religlious denomination falls under Article 26 of the Constitution of India. It is further held therein  that the  followers of Ramanuja, who are known

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by the  name of  Shrivaishnavas while  consitute a religious denomination of  their own,  the followers  of Madhavacharya and other  religious teachers  could be  regarded  as  those belonging to their respective religious denominatiosn.      Following the view taken as above as regards ’religious denominations’, by  the Constitution  Bench of this Court in Sri Shirur  Math’s case (supra), a three-Judge Bench of this Court in  Acharya Jagadishwaranand  Avaduta’s  case  (supra) speaking through  Ranganath Misra,  J. (as  he then was) has held  that   ’Ananda  Margis’,   who  are  a  collection  of individuals, who  have a  system of  beliefs with  regard to their conducive spiritual well being, a common organisation, a  definite   name,  could   be  regarded   as  a  religious denomination within  the Hindu  religion, stating  that  the tests laid  down by  the Constitution  Bench for regarding a denomination as a religious denomination were satisfied.      In view  of the  said  pronouncements  of  this  Court, persons  who  claim  to  belong  to  religious  denomination envisaged under  Article 26  of the Constitution can succeed in such  claim only  when they  fulfil or  satisfy the tests laid down therein, to wit :      (i) a  collection of  individuals who  have a system of beliefs with regard to their conducive spiritual well-being;      (ii) a common organisation; and      (iii) a definite name.      A Division  Bench of  the High Court of Calcutta in its Judgment under appeal has held that Ramakrishna Mission is a religious denomination by stating thus :      "The followers  of Shri Ramakrishna have      a  common   faith.  They   have   common      organisation and  tehy are designated by      a distinct name."      No good  reason is  shown to  us for  not accepting the view of  the Division  Bench on  the point  that Ramakrishna Mission or Ramakrishna Math is a religious denomination’. It is  not   is  dispute   and  cannot  be  disputed  that  Sri Ramakrishna  could  be  regarded  as  eligious  teacher  who expounded, practised  and reached the principles of Vendanta on which  Hindu religion  is founded, to meet the challenges posed to  humanity  in  the  changing  world  and  made  his disciples to  spread the  principles so expounded by him not only in India but all over the world as the basic principles of Hinduism.  It cannot  also be disputed that the disciples of  Ramakrishna  formed  Ramakrishna  Math  and  Ramakrishna Mission for  propagation and promotion of the principles, so expounded, practised and preached by Ramakrishna Parmahansa, by way of publications and building of temples, prayer halls and  building   of  educational,   cultural  and  charitable institutions as performance of sevas resulting in the coming up of  organisations as  Ramakrishna Maths  and  Ramakrishna Missions, all  over the  world. These  Maths and Missions of Ramakrishna composed  of  the  followers  of  principles  of Hinduism as  expounded, preached or practised by Ramakrishna as hs  disciples or  otherwise form  a cult or sect of Hindu religion. They  believe in  the birth of sage Ramakrishna in Dakshineswar as an Avatar of Rama and Krishna and follow the principles of  Hinduism discovered,  expounded, preached and practised by him as those conducive to thier spiritual well- being as  the principles  of highest Vendana which surpassed the  principles  of  Vedanta  conceived  and  propagated  by Sankaracharya, Madhavacharya  and Ramanumjacharya,  who were earlier exponents of Hinduism. Hence, as rightly held by the Division Bench  of the High Court, followers of Ramakrishna, who are  a collection of indivuduals, who adhere to a system of beliefs  as conducive  to their sprtitual well-being, who

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have organised  themselves  collectively  and  who  have  an organisation  of   definite  name  as  Ramakrishna  Math  or Ramakrishna Mission  could, in  our view,  be regarded  as a religious denomination  within Hindu  religion, inasmuch  as they satisfy the tests laid down by this Court in Sri Shirur Math’s case  (supra)  for  regarding  a  denomination  as  a ’religious denomination’.      For the said reasons, we hold that persons belonging to or  owing   their  allegiance   to  Ramakrishna  Mission  or Ramakrishna Math  belong to  a religious denomination within Hindu religion or a section thereof as would entitle them to claim the  fundamental rights  conferred on  either of  them under Article  26 of  the Constitution  of India  and  anser Point-2, accordingly,  in the  affirmative. Article 26(a) of the Constitution of India, is an important point that arises for our consideration here.      No doubt a six-Judge Bench of this Court in the case of Siddarajbhai v.  State of  Gujarat [AIR  1963 SC  540] while considering the question whether the serious inroads made by the Rules  and Order  issued  by  the  State  Government  in respect  of   an  educational  institution  established  and administered by  a minority  entitled to,  protection  under Article 30(1) of the Constitution of India, speaking through Shah, J.(as he then was) has observed thus:      "Article 26  occurs in  a group  dealing      with freedom of religion and is intended      to protect the right to manage religious      affairs. By  clause (a)  of Article  26,      every  religious   denomination  or  any      section thereof,  hs, subject  to public      order, morality and health, the right to      establish and  maintain insitutions  for      religious or  charitable purposes and in      a   larger    sense    an    educational      institution   may    be   regarded    as      charitable."      But, it  was  thought  not  necessary  to  express  any opinion on  the plea  that the  right of  petitioners  under Article 26(a)   was  infringed,  in  that  petitioners  were entitled to protection of Article 30(1) of the Constitution.      While the  learned single  Judge of  the High Court who decided the  Writ Petition  took the view that Article 26(a) is confined to institutions imparting religious instructions and not  to insitutions  imparting  general  education,  the learned Judges  of the  Division Bench  of  the  High  Court deciding the  appeal have  taken the view that Article 26(a) extends to  establsihment and  maintenance of  religious and charitable institutions including institutions for imparting education and  that the  essential part  of the cult of Shri Ramakrishna being  spreading  of  education  of  Ramakrishna Mission  have   the  protection  of  Article  26(a)  of  the Constitution making it, however, clear that they do not mean to lay  down that  establishment of educational institutions would be essential matter of their religion.      We think  that the  learned Judges  of the  High  Court should not  have decided  on the  general  question  whether educational  institutions   established  and  maintained  by religious  denomination   including  those  established  and maintained by  Ramakrishna Mission for general education get the protection  of Article  26(a) of  the Constitution  when that question  in a  general form,  was not  really at issue before them.  Therefore, the views expressed on the question shall, according tous, ought to be treated as nonest and the quesion is  left open  to be  decided in  proper case, where such question really arises and all the parties who might be

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concerned with  it are afforded adequate opportunity to have their say in the matter.      As we have pointed out while narrating the facts, which gave rise  to the  filing of  Writ Petition  before the High Court earlier  and now  to the  filing of  present  appeals, Ramakrishna Mission  College was  established by Ramakrishna Mission at  the istance  of the  Central Government  and the West Bengal Government and was allowed to be administered by it through  a Governing  Body constituted by it (Ramakrishna Mission).  The   State  Government   did  not  envisage  the constitution  of  a  Governing  Body  of  its  own  for  the Ramakrishna Mission  College  on  the  standard  pattern  of governing bodies  requred to  be constituted  for  sponsored colleges, as  such, either  before the  coming into force of the W.B.  Act of 1975 or the W.B. Act of 1978 as was done in respect of  other sponsored  colleges or  subsequent to  the coming into  force of  those Acts,  being of the view that a college like  Ramakrishna  Mission  College  of  Ramakrishna Mission at  Rahra, which  was a  specially sponsored college having a  specially constituted  Governing Body  of its  own should be excepted for purposes of constitution of Governing Body on  standar pattern.  This fact  becomes clear from the State Government’s  letters and  clarification to  which  we have already  referred to.  However, this  fact also becomes clear from  the Memo  dated 18th  April, 1978  issued by the Deputy Secretary to Government, which reads :      "GOVERNMENT  OF  WEST  BENGAL  EDUCATION      DEPARTMENT      College (Sponsored) Branch      From: Shri D.L.Guha, M.A.            Deputy Secretary to the            Govt. of West Bengal.      To : The Director of Public Instruction,            West Bengal.      No. 752-Edn (CS)          ------------          C.S.30-3/77      Dated, Calcutta, the 18th April, ’78.      Subject : Composition of the Governing                 Body of Sponsored colleges.           The undersigned is directing to say      that for  some tome past Government have      been feeling  the necessity  of revising      the   exisiting    pattern    for    the      composition of  the Governing  bodies of      the   Government   sponsored   colelgels      excepting in  cases where  the collellge      has a  special constitution on the basis      of Trust Deeds or where the colleges are      run by Missionary Societies on the basis      of   agreement   with   the   respective      Missions. After careful consideration of      the different  aspects of the matter and      keeping in  view  of  the  necessity  of      ensuring  the   academic  interest   and      efficient   administration    of   these      institutions  of  which  Government  has      undertaken full financial responsibility      the Governor  has been  pleased to order      that in  supersession  of  all  previous      orders relating  to the  consitution  of      Governing Body of sponsored College, the      new standard pattern for the composition      of the  Governing  Bodies  of  sponsored      colleges will be as follows:-

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    A. 1.  President -  To be  nominated  by      Government      2. Secretary  - Principal of the College      - Ex-officio.      3-5. The  representative of  the  whole-      time permanent  teachers of  the college      to be elected from among themselves.      6. One  representative of the whole-time      permanent non-teaching  employees of the      college  to   be  elected   from   among      themselves.      7-8. Tow  persons to be nominated by the      Government.      9. One  Educationist to  be nominated by      the Director.      10. One  Educationist to be nominated by      the University  to which  the college is      affiliatied.      11. One  representative of  the  regular      students of  the College.  He should  be      the duly  elected General  Secretary  of      the Student’s Union.      B. The  terms of  the Governing  Body of      the College  should be  for a  period of      three years.  The representatives of the      whole-time permanent  teachers  and  the      representatives   of    the   whole-time      permanent non-teaching staff should hold      office for a period of three years.      C.   Where  the  college  is  a  women’s      college or  a co-eduational one at least      one  of   the  two  Government  nominees      should be a woman.      2. This  order  comes  into  force  with      imemdiate effect.      3. In order that there is no dislocation      in  administration   of  the   sponsored      colleges, the  Governor  has  also  been      pleased  to   order   that   until   now      Governing  Bodies   of   the   sponsored      colleges are  constituted in  accordance      with the  pattern prescribed  above  the      existing arrangement will continue.      4. The Governor is also pleased to order      that there  should be  Finance Committee      in every sponsored college consisting of      give members,  three of  whom should  be      representatives   of    the   whole-time      permanent teachers  of the  College, one      should be  representative of  the whole-      time permanent non-teaching staff of the      college and the Principal of the college      (Ex-officio). The  representative  staff      shall be  elected int  eh manner as laid      down in para 1(a) above.      The duteis  and functions of the Finance      Committee  shall   be  such  as  may  be      prescribed by the Government.                        Sd/- D.L. Guha 18.4.78                            Deputy Secretary."                           (underlining by us)      As stated  above, the State Government has excepted the Ramakrishna Mission  College  at  Rahra  in  the  matter  of constituting of a Governing Body on standard pattern for the obvious reason that constituting such a governing body for a

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college like  Ramakrishna  Mission  College  which  was  all through allowed  to have  a  governing  body  consituted  by Ramakrishna Mission, which had built the College on its land conceding to  the request  made in  that behalf by the State Government itself  on the  initiation of Central Government, may not  be just. Thus when Ramakrishna Mission Collegle had come to be built, established and managed by the Ramakrishna Mission, it  is difficult  for us  to think that the learned Judges of  the Division  Bench of  the High  Court were  not right in  holding that the Government should not be directed by issue  of a  mandamus, to  consitute a governing body for the Ramakrishna  Mission College  on standard pattern taking recourse to  the W.B.  Act of 1975 and the W.B. Act of 1978, althoug for  its own  reasons. Therefore,  in  the  peculiar facts and circumstances in which Ramakrishna Mission College at Rahra  was established  on Ramakrishna Mission’s land and allowed  to  be  administered  by  the  Ramakrishna  Mission through its  own Governing  Body, we  feel that interests of justice may  suffer by  directing the  State Governmdent  to constitute its  own governing body on standar pattern of the usual sponsored  colleges, as  prayed ror  the by  the  writ petitioners. Howevr,  the view  we  have  expressed  int  eh matter shall  not come in the way of the State Government to change  their   earlier  arrangement  with  the  Ramakrishna Mission in  the matter  of  governance  of  the  Ramakrishna Mission Collegle, if on objective considerations such change becomes necessary  in  the  larger  interests  of  students, teachers and  other employees  of that  College  and  is  so permitted by law.      In the  said view  we  have  taken  in  the  matter  of consituting a  Governing Body  by  the  Government  of  West Bengal in  respect of  the Ramakrishna  Mission  College  at Rahra, there  is no  need to go into the question that there has been  infringement  by  the  Government  of  Ramakrishna Mission’s fundamental  rights  to  establish  and  mmainrain educational  institutions   under  Article   26  (a)of   the Constitution of  India inasmuch  as such a question does not arise, in  view of the answer already given by us on Point-3 above. So  also,  question  of  directing  the  West  Bengal Government decause  of the  W.B. Act of 1975 and the W.B.Act Of 1978 , to constitute govetning body on standard pattern ’ of sponsored  college envisaged  under its  Memo dared 18 th April, 1978 in respect of Ramakrishna Mission College cannot arise.     Points 4 to 6 are accordingly answered . In the  risult we  dismiss these appeals, however by setting aside the  holding of  the liatned  single Judge in the Writ Petition that  Ramakrishna religion being areligion distinct and siparate  from Hindu  relinion was  a minoritu  in  West Bingal  based   on  religion,entitoed  to  protection  under Article 30 (1) of the Constitution of India as upheld by the Division Bench  Of the  High court  in its jubgment deciding the appeals  before it and also by setting aside the holding of the  Division Bench  of the  High Court  that Ramakrishna Mission  as   a  religious   denomination  was  entitlid  to establish and  maintain institutions  of  general  education under Article  26 (a)  of the Cohstitution of India as those established and maintained for a charitable purpose.      Having regard to the mature of controversies decided in these appeals  , we  direct all  parties to  bear their  own costs .