Nagpur: “There are times in a nation’s history when Providence places before it one work, one aim, to which everything else, however high and noble in itself, has to be sacrificed. Such a time has now arrived for our motherland when nothing is dearer than her service, when everything else is to be directed to that end. If you will study, study for her sake; train yourselves body and mind and soul for her service. You will earn your living that you may live for her sake. You will go abroad to foreign lands that you may bring back knowledge with which you may do service to her. Work that she may prosper. Suffer that she may rejoice. All is contained in that one single advice,” said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat. He was addressing Swayamsevaks as part of the Vijayadashami celebrations in Nagpur.
Renowned mountaineer Smt. Santosh Yadav was the chief guest of the event. She is the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest twice and the first woman to successfully climb Mount Everest from Kangshung Face. She climbed the peak first in May 1992 and then again in May 1993 with an Indo-Nepalese Team.
“The Mother Goddess manifesting herself as Shakti is the basis of success of all noble and pure resolves and is imperative in establishment of purity and peace everywhere. Coincidently the delightful and honorable presence of today’s chief guest, Shrimati Santosh Yadav represents that Shakti and sentience. Twice, she has climbed the great heights of Gauri Shankar, he said.
“In Sangh programmes, there is an old tradition of welcoming intellectual and accomplished women guests. The Shakha methodology of ‘Vyakti Nirman’ (Human-development) is being operated separately by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Rashtriya Sevika Samiti. All other activities are carried out jointly by men and women. Bharatiya tradition has always thought with this vision of complementarily. However, this great tradition was forgotten and numerous limitations were placed on ‘Matri Shakti,’ our women’s power,” Shri Mohan Bhagwat added.
Speaking about the challenges and obstacles faced by the society, the Sarsanghchalak said, “The process of national regeneration calls for overcoming obstacles. The first obstacle is Conservatism! The knowledge base of humankind increases with time. With time some things change while some are obviated. New facts and situations emerge. Therefore, any new dispensation must create a harmonious balance between tradition and contemporary realities. Outdated mores of the past have to be castaway. New traditions that are in sync with the present times and our nation have to be formulated, at the same time we have to be mindful about certain eternal values that imbue our identity, culture and life principles. We have to be cautious that they are not eroded and faith in them and their practice remains intact as before.”
“The second type of obstacles are created by forces who are inimical to Bharat’s unity and progress. Broadcasting wrong and fake narratives for spreading misperceptions, engaging and encouraging criminal acts, fomenting terror, conflict and social unrest are their tactics. We are experiencing these. These forces pit different sections of society against each other on the basis of sectional self-interest and hatred, and increase chasms and enmities, this has been their conduct in independent Bharat. Without getting trapped in their machinations, irrespective of their language, religion, region, policy, they have to be dealt with fearlessly, relentlessly and be either protested or repelled. We should assist the governments and administration’s efforts to control and bring such forces to its heels. Only our society’s strong and pro-active cooperation can ensure our comprehensive security and unity,” he added.
We are completing 75 years of our independence. At the beginning of our national resurgence, Swami Vivekananda had exhorted us to devote ourselves to Bharat Mata and her service. On the occasion of our first Independence Day, 15 th August 1947, Rishi Aurobindo gave a message to Bharitiyas. It was also his birthday. The message described his five dreams. First, Bharat’s independence and solidarity. The integration of princely states through a constitutional process was a matter of joy for him. However, he was worried that due to partition, instead of Hindu-Muslim unity an everlasting political divide had been created which could obstruct and get in the way of Bharat attaining unity, progress and peace. By which ever means possible he wanted Bharat’s partition to be nullified and fervently wished for Akhand Bharat, Shri Mohan Bhagwat said.
