Opinion: Back to Roots for Progress
Intro : India alone can save India, and India, and Hinduism are one.
The US President Obama once said, “I want more and more Indians to settle in America and help in its progress.” It was basically due to the thinking of atmasaiyam (self restraint) taught by Gita, family values taught by the Ramayana and traditional wisdom of our culture. But the Gandhi dynasty that ruled India for over five decades never cared to look at this spiritual heritage of this great nation. During 700 years of slavery, the mind and body of India were crushed. Its religious, political, social and economic institutions were destroyed by invaders. But the soul of India survived all these trials and vicissitudes because of the teachings of great personalities.
The spiritual power, large heartedness and catholicity generated by Hinduism rallied people of different castes, creeds, languages and customs to the cause of the nation. Indians, including Muslims and Christians, became united and fearless, and achieved freedom through truth and non–violence, the basic principles of Hinduism, and ‘unity in diversity’ which has held together a vast and diverse country like India. Unfortunately, during the last 60 years there has been a sharp decline in the moral fiber of Indians because Hinduism has not been accorded its due place in the national life in the name of fake secularism.
We must remember that it was saints like Swami Vivekananda who prepared the ground for evolution of national leaders like Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi, who wrote commentaries on the Gita and preached Ramrajya along with satyagraha. Dr Anne Besant said: ‘’Make no mistake. Without Hinduism, India has no future. Hinduism is the soil into which India’s roots are struck and, torn out of that, she will inevitably wither as a tree torn out from its place. India alone can save India, and India and Hinduism are one.’’
In the present scenario the all inclusive genius of Modi is the product of ancient roots of this great land, who can bring global peace and prosperity. He at present is enthusing swabhiman in Indians suffering from a long period of inferiority and slavery complex to reach great heights, as Atharva Veda ordains, ‘’Explore the ocean, ascend the earth, rise high and touch the zenith in the sky.’’
It is the very antithesis of what Gandhi dynasty has been doing all these years by insulting Indians through imposition of Emergency and turning them into beggars by providing them free food and other things to get their cheap votes instead of removing their poverty from the roots. Today its game stands exposed.
The business community of Muslim Bohras and Khojas are very prosperous, happy and virtuous through their collaboration with liberal and generous Hindu business community, who believe in Sarvadharma Sambhav (equal respect for all religions). All Muslims of India and the world should take a cue from it for universal peace and prosperity which is true religion.
Why it is that socialism and many Five Year Plans have failed to remove poverty from the soil of this country? The reason is simple. The national fabric suffers from lack of a minimum standard of morality. It is for our national leaders to understand that only outer rules and regulations cannot achieve what they have set out to achieve. Only inner discipline, as propounded by Hindu philosophy, can enable them to solve the problems of corruption, crime, police atrocities, rape, violence, divorce, dowry deaths, etc. They must remember that when Hinduism was at its zenith, there were no crimes and atrocities on woman and Harijans. People were so honest that they didn’t locked their doors when going out. Kings gave shelter to religious refugees from foreign lands due to their noble philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam—the whole world is one family. All this has been noted by the famous historians Megasthenes and Fa Hien. Because Hinduism is not a religion of any sect. It is something superior. It is manavdharma or the right way of life which sustains human society.
According to world famous historian Arnold Toyenbee, in this dangerous atomic age world needs the philosophy of Hinduism for its own survival because Hinduism is the very antithesis of fanaticism, terrorism and violence. Hinduism of new India not only represents the philosophy outlined above but stands fully committed to the national concept of democracy, real secularism and the uplift of the down trodden.
Hence if we want the second phase of the freedom struggle to reach fruition, and want to transform this land into one of peace and prosperity, we must go back to our roots, to the basic values of Hinduism.
-Anandshankar Pandya
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