Maharaj-libel-introduction
The Maharaj Libel Case: Disclosing the Truth of a British Missionary Plot Against Hindus
Authors: Dhawal Patel
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Overview
The libel case was brought in response to an article by Karsandas Mulji, the editor of the Bombay-based Gujarati newspaper Satya Prakash (“Light of Truth”). Titled, “The Primitive Religion of the Hindus and the Present Heterodox Opinions”, the article made a forceful case against the sect known as Vallabha Sampradaya (or Pushti Marg) – devoted to Krishna was a “new” and “heretical” religion – particularly as it had arisen within the period of the Kaliyug. Mulji argued that Hinduism must be singular, and that the idea of multiple religions branching off from that originary source was “a deceitful proposition”.
Mulji also alleged that the leaders of this sect – the Maharajas – were immoral and “lost in a sea of licentiousness” and named one of the Maharajas – Jadunathji Maharaj.
On 14th May 1861, Jadunathji Maharaj filed a plaint in the Supreme Court of Bombay, claiming that the article in Satya Prakash was libelous, and asking for damages in the region of 50,000 rupees. The case came to trial early in 1862, and lasted for three months. The case was presided over by British Judges - Sir Matthew Richard Sausse, the first chief justice of the High Court of Bombay and Judge Joseph Arnould, and both the Maharaj and Mulji were represented by English counsel. The proceedings were reported on by the Bombay Gazette and The Times of India.
The Maharaj’s case was that he was a valid religious authority and guru within his tradition; that his religious views were not heterodox within his religion, and that he was not guilty of “improper conduct.” The Defendants countered with the plea that the Maharaj was not a valid preceptor and Sri Vallabhacharya – being of modern date – “15th century of the Christian era” – was “altogether repugnant to and at variance with the religious doctrines and practices of the ancient Hindu religion”. The defence further averred that the religious books of Sri Vallabhacharya contained many passages of “indecent and immoral character” in which “adultery and fornication are encouraged and commended”, summing up with the assertion that the “supposed libel” of the the original newspaper article and its statements were true in substance and effect.
Several witnesses were called to testify that the Maharaj was a legitimate authority for his tradition – and the cross-examination shows that the officers of the court had some difficulty in establishing the beliefs on and practices of the Vallabhacharyas to their satisfaction – particularly in establishing the distinction between god and guru.
The British judges and the entire court proceeding systematically threatened and intimidated witnesses, swaying the case to favor the colonial agenda. This manipulation ensured that testimonies aligned with the British objective of discrediting Hindu religious practices and leaders.
Mr Anstey: Do some Banias believe the Maharaj to be a God?
Witness: We consider him to be our gooroo.
Sir M. Sausse: Tell witness if he does not answer the question, he will be sent to jail.
Witness: What is the precise question? (interpreter explains) Some consider the Maharaj a god in the shape of gooroo.
Mr Anstey: Is Gooroo a God?
Witness: Gooroo is gooroo.
Sir M Sausse: Tell him if he does not answer the question, most indubitaly will he go to jail.
Sir Joseph Arnould: Tell him he is asked what others believe, not as to his own belief.
Witness: I don’t know if others believe him as God; I consider him as simply a gooroo. I don’t know under what name others worship him.
As Sir Joseph Arnould admitted during the proceedings, the difficulty of establishing libel was complicated by the fact that the court had no real idea about what constituted orthodoxy or heterodoxy in this context: “We don’t know what what heterodoxy is, and we don’t know what heresy is; for we don’t know what the Shastras themselves are.” The court was being tasked with making a legal judgement as to what constituted Hindu orthodoxy – and the means chosen was the comparison of ancient “Shastric” authority (texts) to local and modern practice.
As the case proceeded, the scope of the enquiry broadened out so that it was not merely a consideration of libel, but the Puranic validity of Hinduism, Lord Krishna's character as being immoral and licentious and morality of Vallabhacharya practice and beliefs. This was systematically planned in order to serve the bigger cause by Britishers to convert Hindus to Christianity.
Scandalous bifurcation of Vedic Hinduism vs Puranic Hinduism
On 7th February 1862, Karsandas Mulji took the stand.
Mulji familiarized the court with Krishna – laying particular stress on his “marriage” to sixteen thousand gopis and that “there is no sport imputed to Krishna which is not amorous sport”.
On the 8th February, the defence produced an “expert witness” – Dr. John Wilson, a Scottish Presbyterian missionary and Indologist – a member of the Royal Society of Great Britain, and the Bombay branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (currently honorary president). Wilson then proceeded to explain to the court that “the most ancient books of the Hindus are the Veds … they are believed to be the works of divine revelation in the highest sense of the word” and went on to explain that the “Vishnoo Puran” belongs to a later period. He asserted that:
It is a historical fact, that the more modern religions are less moral and less pure. Very great changes have occurred in India with reference to the gods, positively for the worse, as admitted by the Hindus themselves.
Wilson went on to describe the history of the Vallabhacharya religion and its sixteenth-century founder, Vallabha. He quoted approvingly the views of Dr. Horace H Wilson:
Amongst other articles of the new creed, Vallabha introduced one which is rather singular for a Hindu religious innovator or reformer: he taught, that privation formed no part of sanctity, and that it was the duty of the teachers and his disciples to worship their deity, not in nudity and hunger, but in costly apparel and choice food, not in solitude and mortification, but in the pleasures of society and the enjoyment of the world.
Wilson concurred with HH Wilson that the sect was “impure”.
Wilsons leading the Anti-Hindu task force
Below was the introduction of Dr. John Wilson published in one of the Christian Work magazines. Dr. Wilson was produced as an expert witness to explain the court on what Hinduism is. Please note, the British court used a British Christian Missionary and Indologist to understand the core principles of Hinduism which in turn describes the prejudiced mindset of the court.
This man Dr. John Wilson FRS (11 December 1804 – 1 December 1875) was the member of The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge. He and his wife Margaret Bayne, both arrived at Bombay in 1829 being the Scottish Christian missionary supported by the Church of Scotland. After learning the Marathi, Dr. John Wilson established the Ambroli Church at Bombay. During 1830-1831, Dr.Wilson engaged in debates with Hindu apologists in Bombay, with an intention to prove Hindu's theology wrong and scandalous, and finally convert them to Christianity.
It's the Great Unfortunate for Indians that such a man who has been staunch missionary from generations and who had travelled to India all the way back from Scotland, to convert Hindus to Christianity, was called as a Subject-Matter Expert (SME) to give his opinions. This shows that the British Government, backed by the Royal Family of UK, and Church of Scotland, were all involved in these fake allegations against Hindus so being a Hindu becomes of topic of deep-shame and disgrace finally leading them to accept Christianity.
- Christian work - Magazine of Religious and Missionary Information reporting the status of Christian Missions at India, the Maharaj Libel Case
"Christian work - Magazine of Religious and Missionary Information" was a periodical magazine published from London. As it's very name sugessts, it was a magazine that was published to spread the progress of Christian Missionary's activities. It contained papers of information on the christian work of the missionaries and criticism of the Non-Christians. It also contained the letters from the missionary agents from all over the world describing the events which affected the Christian Work. New Books bearing the Christian Works were Also published in this magazine.
In short, it was a complete toolkit of Missionaries to convert the non-believers to Christianity.
Disgusting details
On the 22nd April, 1862, Sir Matthew Sausse delivered judgement. Although he found judgement in favour of the plantiff (the Maharaja) in terms of three minor pleas, he ruled in favour of the defendant (Mulji) and awarded him all costs. Sausse stated that although he wanted to avoid any “reiteration of … disgusting details” he commented that
“All songs connected with the God Krishna, which were brought before us were of an amorous character, and it appeared that songs of a corrupting and licentious tendency, both in idea and expression, are sung by young females to the Maharaja, upon festive occasions, in which they are identified with the God in his most licentious aspect. In these songs, as well as in stories, both written and traditional, which latter are treated as of a religious character in the sect, the subject of sexual intercourse is most prominent.”
Sir Joseph Arnould felt it necessary to pronounce judgement on the worship of Krishna:
“It is Krishna, the darling of the 16,000 Gopees; Krishna the love-hero – the husband of the 16,000 princesses, who is the paramount object of Vallabhacharya’s worship. This tinges the whole system with the stain of carnal sensualism, of strange, transcendental lewdness. See, for instance, how the sublime Brahminical doctrine of unition with “Brahman” is tainted and degraded mode of regarding the Deity. … The teachers of the Vallabhacharyan sect do not absolutely discard this great tenet, but they degrade it.”
Conclusion
The entire Maharaj Libel case was scandalous, with the machinery, including judges, acting with a single-point agenda to demolish the roots of Puranic Hindu deities. The judges scandalously generalized the allegations against one Guru, extending the attack to Lord Krishna by acknowledging and accepting that Lord Krishna was licentious and amorous. They further disparaged the entire Vallabhacharya sect as heretic, amorous, and licentious. What else could be expected from British colonial judges who were determined to undermine Hinduism and promote their colonial objectives?
Read our next article in this series where we dive in details about Karsandas Mulji and his associates.