Author of Gitanjali, a “profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse” as hailed by the Nobel Foundation, Rabindranath Thakur was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. His contributions to the Hindu renaissance and the national movement were invaluable. His ‘elegant prose and magical poetry’ are nothing but coinage of Hindu philosophy. Enamoured by the theosophical movement, the influence of Upanishads and mysticism was quite evident in his writings and views. Rabindranath Thakur is perhaps the most misinterpreted thinker in the post-Independent India after he was being misquoted, misinterpreted and misrepresented by Leftists by confining his vast literary collection, wide range of seemingly contradictory thoughts and his very exotic persona into a single book, Nationalism.
While celebrating Thakur’s cherry-picked quotes from Nationalism, the half-baked Lutyens’ intellectuals disregard one of the seminal works, Swadeshi Samaj, in which he eloquently and emotionally detailed his views on Hindu Nationalism and society. On the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Thakur, one of the greatest versatile geniuses Bharat has ever produced, Organiser presents a few excerpts from The Eternal Hindu Rashtra, an article written by RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Manmohan Vaidya that gives a glimpse into hitherto Thakur’s little-known views of Being Hindu:
Despite all kinds of apparent diversity, a common worldview of the entire society was developed by Bharat, and the world recognises the spiritual and integral unique character of our Rashtra. Whether one likes it or not, this worldview is known as ‘Hindu’. That is the unique national identity of our society. Therefore, the title of the book on this worldview by Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is ‘Hindu View of Life’.
What Gurudev Rabindranath Thakur writes in his seminal book ‘Swadeshi Samaj’ is important in this regard. He says, “To feel unity in diversity, to establish unity amongst variety-This is the underlying Dharma of Bharat. Bharat does not regret difference as hostility, she does not regard others as an enemy. That is why without sacrifice or destruction, she wants to accommodate everybody within one great system. That is why she accepts all ways and sees the greatness of each in its own sphere.”
“Because of this virtue in Bharat we shall not be frightened considering any society as our opponent. Each fresh conflict will enable us to expand ourselves. The Hindu, the Buddhist, the Muslim and the Christian will find a meeting point. That meeting point will not be non-Hindu, but very specifically Hindu.” Rabindranath Thakur
He further adds, “Because of this virtue in Bharat we shall not be frightened considering any society as our opponent. Each fresh conflict will enable us to expand ourselves. The Hindu, the Buddhist, the Muslim and the Christian will find a meeting point. That meeting point will not be non-Hindu, but very specifically Hindu. However foreign may be her body parts, her life and spirit will be Bharat’s.”
Therefore, Hindutva means an integral and holistic worldview based on spirituality. It is the distinguishing feature of the entire Hindu society. The entire world has experienced it, and many visitors and distinguished scholars to Bharat have recorded it. That is why ‘Hindu’ is an adjective used for this society that is Rashtra. And ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is a natural corollary of this and an indisputable and eternal truth. This Rashtra has existed from times immemorial and is not an artificial entity or creation.
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