About the Book: Rashtrarishi Sri Guruji Shatabdi Visheshank, Publishers: Swadesh-Bhopal Group of Newspaper, Sri Radhika Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Swadesh Bahvan, 26-A Press Complex,Maharana Pratap Nagar, Bhopal-426 011, Total pages 654, Price- Rs 1,500/- Price for educational institutions and libraries, Rs 1,100/-
SWADESH, a leading newspaper group of Madhya Pradesh published from Bhopal and its Editor Shri Rajendra Sharma deserve best of the compliments for bringing out an excellent and comprehensive commemorative volume on Sri Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar, popularly known as Sri Guruji-the second Sarsanghachalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on his birth centenary.
The volume titled Rashtrarishi Sri Guruji Shatabdi Visheshank is a rich treatise which highlights the philosophy, life and achievements of this legendary leader. It not only touches all the aspects of Sri Guruji’s life and mission, but also contains all shreds of thoughts of Sri Guruji which hitherto were not published anywhere. This is a new reference volume for all those who want to nourish and spread the nationalist thinking and who belong to the nationalist school of thought.
Many books, articles and other materials are available on Sri Guruji’s life and mission. Seven volumes were brought out by the Bharatiya Vichar Sadhana in Hindi immediately after his demise in 1973 and 12 volumes titled Samagra Guruji were published in his birth centenary year and so on. During the birth centenary year many such attempts were also made in different provinces to bring out Sri Guruji’s thoughts and deeds in various languages. But the volume published by Swadesh group stands tall in this crowd of literature on this great personality of the last century. The difference lies in its comprehensive nature. It is a source of varied information on Sri Guruji. Anyone who wants to gather any information relating to Sri Guruji or his times, can get it from this volume.
Sri Guruji accomplished this seemingly difficult task as a leader of a team of youths of extra-ordinary capabilities and dedication inspired by Dr Hedgewar, till he breathed his last on June 5, 1973. He toured each and every part of Bharat twice a year during his stint as Sarsanghachalak for 33 years. He exhibited deep insight into the challenges and issues confronting the society. Endowed with astonishing memory Guruji with his extensive correspondence, inspired hundreds of workers to dedicate and sacrifice their lives at the altar of the motherland, and also enthused thousand others to serve the society.
The greatest achievement of his era was foundation of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and declaration by Shankaracharyas and saints of all sects and religious streams to denounce untouchability. Saints and seers of various religious persuations in the Hindu society congregated on one platform and announced unanimously that untouchability had no sanction in Hindu Dharma. At the same time they threw open the doors for those brethren who, for some historical or other reasons, got converted to non-Hindu sects, and now wanted to return to their ancestral fold. This single event of religious reform bestows on Sri Guruji an eminent place amongst the distinguished personalities and saints of his time.
Sri Guruji with his peculiar vision on long-term national interests warned the national leadership on a number of important issues. When passions ran high in favour of formation of linguistic states, he proclaimed without mincing words that all the languages of Bharat were national languages and conceitedness in any language should not be allowed to become a breeding ground for divisive elements.
Sri Guruji was an exceedingly bright star in the galaxy of epoch-making saints of Bharat. He was representative of that Bharat of the last century, which was diligent for social transformation yet preferred to protect its eternal, spiritual and cultural values.
This volume of Swadesh group highlights all these traits of his life and mission in the best possible manner. The material incorporated in this volume has a variety of information for the swayamsevaks, its admirers, for its critics, and others. The volume contains thoughts of Sri Guruji in his own words expressed from time to time and also includes essays on Sri Guruji by various personalities who were in close contact with him in RSS and in other social and national fields.
More remarkable is the inclusion of articles on Sri Guruji by members of the young generation who have not seen him or rarely came in his contact. Their assessment of this legendary leader is at par or even a step ahead of those who lived with Sri Guruji.
This volume and thoughts expressed in it are extremely useful in today’s social, national and economic perspective if we want to check the accelerating downward trend of values in social and national life.
Swadesh group and its Editor need to be complemented for doing this yeoman service to the nation and its people at this critical and challenging juncture.
