The Hinduphobic extremists are quick to point out how Savarkar was an atheist to deride the Hindus. The facts, however, overwhelmingly suggest otherwise. This article is aimed at a factual analysis of his poems to emphasize that this is not the case. In this article, we will analyze this aspect of Savarkar’s character through his words (his literature, his essays, and his speeches) and his actions.
Evidence 1: अनंताची आरती (Anantācī Āratī)
The title translates to a prayer to be sung during the performance of a Hindu ritual. In this poem, the poet Savarkar prays to the निरंजन देव श्री अनंत (Nirañjana Deva Śrī Ananta):
निरंजनासी निरांजनाचा देवा दीप तुला
दाविती, देवा दीप तुला ॥ ध्रु. ॥
आकाशाच्या अंगणांत तव
सूर्यसहस्त्रीं जो दीपोत्सव
पाजळिती हे पणती अपुली त्यास करूं साजरा
दाविती, देवा दीप तुला
सूर्यसहस्त्रीही जो उरला
पणतीने तो जाई स्फुरला
नयनी ऐसा अंधकारलव आहे तोचि भला
दाविती, देवा दीप तुला ॥२॥
आईच्याची बागेमधुनी
ताजी ताजी वेंचुनि वेंचुनि
मुली गुंफिती आईच्याची वेणींतून फुलां
दाविती, देवा दीप तुला ॥ ३ ॥
Evidence 2: श्री पतीतपावनाचा धावा or Prayer to the sanctifier of the fallen: श्री विष्णू (Śrī Patīt-pāvanācā Dhāvā; Śrī Viṣṇū)
It was also composed as a prayer. In this, he prayed to श्री पतीत पावन विष्णू. He prays for the salvation of the whole Hindu race. He asks for पापक्षालन (pāpa-kṣālan) i.e. repentance/forgiveness of the sins of Hindus. Here is first stanza of the said prayer:
उद्धरिसी गा हिंदुजातिसी केव्हा
हे हिंदुजातिच्या देवा ॥ धृ. ॥
आब्राह्मण चंडाल पतितची आम्हीं
तुम्हि पातितपावन स्वामी
निजशीर्ष विटाळेल म्हणुनि कापाया
चुकलो न आपुल्या पाया
आणि पायांनी राखु शुद्धता साची
छाटिलें पावलांनाची
ऐकू न पडो आपुलिया कानातें
मुख कथिन म्हणुनि ज्ञानातें
निज सव्यकरें वामकरा जिंकाया
विक्रीयली शत्रुला काया
करु, बंधूसी बंद करू दारा, जे
चोर ते घराचे राजे
हें पाप भयंकर झालें । रे
पेरिलें फळाला आलें रे
हृदिं असह सलसि ते भाले । रे
उद्धार अता ! मृत्युदंड की देवा
हे हिंदुजातिच्या देवा!
अनुताप परी जाळितसे या पापा
दे तरी आजि उः शापा
Evidence 3: पिंडिका (piṇḍikā)
In the poem ‘Gomāntak’, when the white Portuguese officer laughs at Liṅga Pūjā, the protagonist replies to the officer entailing an explanation of the meaning and reason of Liṅga Pūjā:
महद्बह्मयोनींत महेश्वरवीर्य धरी चंडिका।
जगाची जननी ही पिंडिका !
गर्भवतीचें दिगुदर दाही दिशा फुगेल्या पला।
लागल्या काळाच्याहि कळा ।।
ब्रह्मांडाचा पिंड तेधवां प्रसवे हा ती अजा ।
सर्वही भगवंताची प्रजा।।
मूर्ति कृमीपासूनि कार्तिकापर्यंतहि ज्या ज्या ।
सर्व त्या भगवंताच्या प्रजा ॥
Evidence 4: हे सदया गणया तार (he sadayā gaṇayā tāra)
This poem is a prayer to गणाधीश गणपती (gaṇādhīśa gaṇapatī). Here, Savarkar is calling विघ्नहर्ता गणपती (vighnahartā gaṇapatī) for the help of Hindus as the only refuge:
हे सदया गणया तार । तुझ्यावरि भार
तूं मायबाप आधार । तुझ्यावरि भार
किति देश-शत्रु भूतलीं
हृच्छत्रु सहाही परी शापें वा सुशरें जाळी
तो ब्राह्मण आतां खाओ परक्या लाथांचा बा मार -१
देशावरि हल्ला आला
पुरुष तो लढोनी मेला
स्त्री गिळी अग्निकाष्ठाला
रजपूत परी त्या परवशतेचें भूत पछाडी, तार -२
अटकेला झेंडा नेला
रिपु-कटका फटका दिधला
दिल्लीचा स्वामी झाला
तो शूर मराठा पाहिं तयाचे खाइ न कुत्रे हाल -३
Evidence 5: मंगलाचरण (maṅgalācaraṇa)
This is an invocation of gods.
Evidence 6: जगन्नाथाचा रथोत्सव (Jagannāthāca Rathotsava)
As evident in the title itself, the great procession and festival has been described. In this, Lord Jagannātha has been questioned about where Jagannātha is going. Graphic description includes the Lord moving through the unbroken passage of time, sitting in the celestial chariot with the horses of the Gati:
Evidence 7: जयोस्तुते (Jayostute)
In his Joyostute,
मोक्ष-मुक्ति हीं तुझींच रूपें तुलाच वेदांतीं
स्वतन्त्रते भगवती योगिजन परब्रह्म वदती
Savarkar describes स्वातंत्र्यलक्ष्मी as परब्रह्म, and भगवती.
Evidence 8: अनादि मी अनंत मी (anādi mī ananta mī)
अनादि मी अनंत मी, अवध्य मी भला
मारिल रिपु जगतिं असा कवण जन्मला
Without beginning nor end am I, inviolable am I.
Vanquish me? In this world no such enemy is born!
Does this sound familiar?
To me, it sounds something like Bhagwad Geeta 2:23.
Evidence 9: छिन्नमुंडा (chinnamuṇdā)
Devī Chinnamuṇdā has been the theme of the poem by Savarkar in his poem मूर्ती दुजी ती.
Evidence10: माळ गुंफिताना
In this beautiful poem, he describes different divine pairs and the love between them through a simple act of garlanding like जगदंबा-महादेव, सत्यभामा-श्रीहरी.
Evidence 11: मला देवाचं दर्शन घेऊ द्या (Let me take blessings of my God)
The poem he wrote conveys the longing of the untouchables towards god.
Evidence 12: He was only against the common tendency of expecting results just because one has prayed, or worse, falling short in your effort because you’ve prayed. In his opinion, the Hindu scriptures do not ask one to do so. Rather, the BG is strongly against the act of expecting results other than that of the effort. This does not mean that he expected people to give up faith.
Evidence 13:
Here is an instance of him praying to the goddess Bhavānī. He writes:
Evidence 14:
Now let me list few actions he took,
He established a Temple of पतितपावन श्री विष्णू (sanctifier of the fallen). In this temple, Hindus of all castes were allowed.
Evidence 15: In his Autobiographical book माझी जन्मठेप, he mentions how he used to offer oblations to the Sun God every day. Later in the day, he used to have a walk while reciting योग सुत्र (Yoga Sutra).
In light of these evidences, I would like to argue that Savarkar was not an atheist. This atheist argument is mainly brought up by liberals to deride the followers of Savarkar.
