Autorytet guru w kulturze cyfrowego hinduizmu. Nithjananda i projekt Kailasy, „hinduskiego narodu” .......... 121

GURU AUTHORITY IN THE CULTURE OF DIGITAL HINDUISM: NITHYANANDA AND THE IDEA OF KAILASA, A “HINDU NATION”

The article examines the structure and role of guru authority within the culture of digital Hinduism, taking as its case study Swami Nithyananda – a controversial yet highly visible online figure, a self-proclaimed “Pope of Hinduism,” and an alleged incarnation of the god Śiva. The first part outlines the philosophical foundations of research on digital culture and religion, focusing on the fluid interplay between the online and offline spheres. It also discusses the methodological framework, with particular emphasis on the concept of the “third space,” and addresses the question of media strategies in constructing religious authority. The second part situates Nithyananda within the broader context of studies on digital Hinduism, presenting him as an internet guru par excellence: hyperactive in online environments yet largely absent from physical space. The analysis explores his strategies for building authority through online darśan and seva (service), hagiographic discourse, the fabrication of lineages, and the creation of Kailasa – a self-declared Hindu “nation,” imagined as a networked refuge for “true Hinduism,” allegedly persecuted by mainstream media, and simultaneously an (offline) community legitimizing Nithyananda’s teachings. The article is concluded with remarks on the significance of Nithyananda to the study of digital religion, followed by an attempt to prefigure the development of his teachings in light of his proposed modifications to the structure and meaning of the guru–disciple relationship, central to Hinduism.