Varanasi: Shankaracharya Nischalanand Saraswati says word 'Allah' stems from Sanskrit

Godman Shankaracharya Nischalanand Saraswati has claimed the word Allah stems from the ancient Sanskrit language. Nischalanand Saraswati is the chief of Varanasi's Govardhan Puri mutt. He said the word denotes the power of womanhood and it is used to pray to Goddess Durga. He also claimed that every Indian was a 'vedic' aryan in the past.

He said there is only one religion in the world -- Hindu Sanatan Dharma. All of the rest of the religions are just sects, he claimed. He said those who raise questions on the religion first learn Sanskrit grammar.

All of us were Sanatani Vaidik Arya, he added.

The godman also slammed Maulana Sayed Arshad Madani's remark that 'Allah' and 'Om' were the same.

Shankaracharya Nischalanand Saraswati said those who question the Ramcharitmanas must read the Chanakya Niti.

"Nobody has the courage to say anything against the scriptures of other religions," he said.

He also supported Pandit Dhirendra Shastri. He said he is trying to save Hindus from wandering off.

"He does well by taking the name of God. He never says he performed some miracle. He says whatever has happened, has happened because of the power of Lord Hanuman," he added.