Rationalists who mock followers of spiritual gurus are the real scoundrels: Madras HC Justice GR Swaminathan

Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madras High Court courted controversy yet again when he said that rationalists who ridicule those who believe in gurus as “scoundrels, fools, or barbarians” are themselves deserving of those labels.

Referring to critics who identify as rationalists, the judge, speaking in Tamil, said:

“In Tamil Nadu, some people call themselves ‘rationalists.’ Because we see a Guru as an embodiment of God, they might call us ‘scoundrels,’ ‘fools,’ or ‘barbarians.’ I say that those who call us that are the real scoundrels, fools and barbarians.”

Speaking at the Guru Vandana Utsava organised by the Hosur Sathsangh at a private school in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, the judge emphasised the spiritual significance of the guru. The event was attended by several spiritual leaders, including Sri Sri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamy of the Pejawara Mutt. He said,

“God is an abstract concept we haven't seen, but a Guru is the living presence of God...It's difficult to hold onto God's feet, but it's very easy to hold onto the feet of a Gurunatha.”

He recounted a personal incident when he travelled from Chandigarh to Delhi late at night after attending his daughter’s law convocation in Patiala. Despite warnings about heavy mist and traffic, he and his wife decided to travel back to Delhi the same night.

“Visibility was not even five feet. Suddenly, the car's right rear wheel punctured,” he said, describing the situation around 1:00 AM on a busy highway.

As his wife and driver attempted to change the tyre in dense fog, he said he felt “very scared and helpless.”

“In that helpless situation, the only word that came out of my mouth for those 30 minutes was ‘Gurunatha, Gurunatha, Gurunatha. That incident changed my life. When we feel helpless, the grace of Gurunatha is the only thing that can give us strength and a helping hand,” he added.

The judge also referred to the concept of spiritual “aura,” stating,

"I have close ties with many spiritual movements. Recently, I’ve been in close contact with a Yogi near Tenkasi. He told me about the "aura." We only see the physical body, but there is always an aura around us. For Guru Maharajas, this aura is very strong. When we are near them, their aura embraces us and washes away our weaknesses.”

Concluding his remarks, he praised those honoured at the event for dedicating their lives to service and said,

“I have four-and-a half years of service left as a judge. Looking at those who were honoured, I feel inspired to work even more courageously.”