Nithyananda Sangha and Our Course

In a lecture on 31 January 2017 titled "Religion, Religiosity, and Meaning", we spoke about "world religions" as relitions with texts. Nithyananda Sangha is an interesting case because, while it is attached to Hinduism, a world religion, it also branches off with unique religious views. The Nithyananda Sangha is present in small enclaves around the world with the help of Swamiji Paramahamsa Nithyananda's ongoing transcription of the Vedic texts. With these texts and his charasmatic leadership he establishes notions of good and evil that pervade culture, instructing his followers on the "correct" way of living. In many ways Swamiji Paramahamsa Nithyananda embodies the excluded middle as a living diety. His existence spans both the spirit world as well as our world and is thus able to receive the Vedic scriptures and transcribe them for those of us existing in only this, the physical, world.

Though the religion started by Sri Paramahamsa Nithyananda is very similar to Hinduism, the practices depart from the Hindu tradition in a few ways. The religious beliefs and ethics, as depicted in the handbook from which most of the information that I gathered is from, do not appear to be violent in the ways that we have studied through Veena Das chapter Violence and Nonviolence at the Heart of Hindu Ethics. Das explains that there is sacrifice in Hindu religious traditions but this sacrifice is all but absent in the materials circulatd by Sri Paramahamsa Nithyananda and his followers. Like in Hinduism, followers obstain from consuming meat, thus, violence against animals is seemingly not present. On the surface the religious practices that Sri Paramahamsa Nithyananda follow are not overtly violent, though it is unlikely that violence within the religious practices would be circulated or promoted by the followers. Overall, it appears that followers strive for noncruelty both against humans, themselves, and animlas. The religious movement itself has not come into contact with any wars or killing that have become publicized, though there is much disagreement and controversy over the legitimacy of Sri Paramahamsa Nithyananda as a diety incarnate, religious leader, as well as many of his religious teachings.

Works Cited

Das, Veena, "Violence and Nonviolence at the Heart of Hindu Ethics." The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Violence. By Mark Juergensmeyer, Michael Jerryson and Margo Kitts. N.p.: Oxford U Press, 2013. 17-40. Print.