Every year we witness the concluding ceremony of this Sangh Shiksha Varg. This year, there is a special coincidence has occurred. Today (June 10, 2024), is the Martyrdom day of the fifth Guru Shri Arjan Dev Singh Ji Maharaj. He was martyred in Lahore after a lot of torture and pain. He happily attained martyrdom for the cause of Dharma. Yesterday was the birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap and Nirvana Day of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. During these days of remembrance of great personalities, it is very auspicious to witness the efforts of those (Swayamsevaks) who are trying to make themselves worthy for the national cause and share some thoughts regarding the Rashtra with them.
Even the atmosphere outside is different. The elections are over. Its results are also declared and yesterday the Government was also formed. All this is done , but the discussion about it is still going on. Why did it happen, how did it happen, what happened? This is an event that happens every five years in the democratic system of our country. It has its own rules and dynamics. All this happens according to it. That is an event that determines something for the functioning of our country , hence it is important. But why is it so important ? Society has given its verdict, everything will happen accordingly. Why and how we the people working as the Sangh do not get involved in this? We continue to perform our duty of refining public opinion. We do it in every election. We have done it this time as well. We do not get into the discussion of why it happened and what happened.
Need for Dignified Behaviour
Just yesterday, respected Satya Prakash ji Maharaj told us a saying of Kabir ji. In essence, we look at all these things (like elections) by thinking in that way. Kabir says, “निर्बंधा बंधा रहे बंधा निर्बंधा होई कर्म करे करता नहीं दास कहाय सोई”। It means, a person who is serving in a true sense only when he is serving with some restraints. The one who serves , who is a real servant , who can be called a real servant, has some dignity, that is, he behaves with certain limitations. Everyone works , but while working, one should follow some restraints. As Tathagata has said – Kusalasya Upasampada , that is, everyone is engaged in the work of earning their livelihood, they should do it. One should not keep the body hungry, but earn a livelihood skillfully and while working, others should not get pushed. This restraint is also inherent in it. We work while following such restrain. The person working takes care of such dignified behaviour. That restrain is our Dharma, our culture. Pujya Mahant Guruvarya Mahant Ramgiri Ji Maharaj Ji has just told in a few words with very touching stories, the one who moves forward, does his Karma, but does not get involved in, the work and does not have arrogance about the same. Only he is entitled to be called a servant.
Elections: Essential Process of Democracy
When respected Satyaprakash Maharaj Ji told this quote yesterday, it came to my mind that what is our thought process, how does the Sangh work, what is the alternate way to explain it ? This is the simplest way. The attitude of the Sangh comes to mind in these four lines (as explained above in the words of Sant Kabir and Tathagat Buddha). Because if we remain entangled in these matters, our work will remain incomplete. Election is an essential process of democracy. There are two parties in it, so the competition is inevitable. If there is competition, then the work of pushing others behind and moving oneself ahead is done, it should be done. But there is a limit to that too. Do not use lies. Elected representatives will run the country by sitting in the Parliament, they will do so by building consensus. Ours is a tradition of moving forward while evolving consensus – Samano mantra: samiti: samani. Samanam manah sah chittamesham. Vinoba Bhave ji has commented on this Sah-Chitta (collective consciousness). He says that it is understandable how much knowledge the creators of Rig Veda had about the human mind . Everywhere they have said ‘sam‘ (saman mantra: samiti samani samanam manah), but they have not said ‘sam’ about the mind, because every person’s mind and psyche are different. Therefore, it is not possible to match 100 per cent of the opinions. But when two minds decide to move together despite being different from each other, then a Saha Chitta (collective-consciousness) is formed.
Why unnecessarily target the Sangh?
Why does the Parliament actually exist? Why are there two sides in it? It is so that both the aspects (of any issue) are revealed. Any coin has two sides. Any question has two sides. One side thinks about one side and the other side has to bring out the other side, so that whatever has to happen is perfect. Parliament is formed to build consensus. But it is a bit difficult to build such consensus among people who have come through competition. That is why we rely on majority. There is competition for that. This is competition, , not a war among ourselves. The way these things happened , the way two sides lashed out at each other, the way things such as our campaigning would increase the discord in the society, divide the society into two groups, create suspicion and doubts about each other, are completely ignored. Organisations like the Sangh were also dragged into it without any reason. Falsehood was served with the help of technology. Absolutely untruth. Is this the use of science, and knowledge ? A noble persons do not use knowledge like this. It has been said that this is the work of a wicked person – —“विद्या विवादाय धनं मदाय शक्तिः परेषां परिपीडनाय। खलस्य साधोर् विपरीतमेतद् ज्ञानाय दानाय च रक्षणाय”॥
Education is used to enlighten , but modern knowledge (technology) has been used to serve falsehood. How will a country run like this? After all, everyone has to run the country. There are two sides. They call it the opposition , I call it the alternative point of view. He is not the opposition. He should not even be considered an opponent. He is the alternate opinion. He is highlighting one aspect which should also be considered. If we have to move forward like this, then there has to be a limit while contesting elections as well. That limit was not followed. It is necessary to follow it because the challenges facing our country are not ended. Now the Government has been formed. The same Government has made a comeback. A lot of good things have happened in the last ten years. According to the standards followed by the modern world, on the basis of which economic status is measured, our economic condition is improving according to that. Our strategic position is certainly better than before. Our country’s reputation has increased in the world. In the field of art , in the field of sports , in the field of knowledge and science , in the field of culture, we are all moving ahead in front of the world. The developed countries of the world have also gradually started accepting this. But this does not mean that we are free from challenges.
Change in development path is necessary
Whatever happened in the heat of the elections or in excess, we have to free ourselves from that and think about the things to come. We have to get relief from the problems. Right now we are sitting , it is hot. It was so hot a few days ago! This year it was much hotter than any other year and it was the same case everywhere. It also happened in mountainous regions. There is a water crisis in a metropolis like Bangalore. Various things are being published about the melting of the Himalayan glacier originating rivers. This environmental crisis is affecting the entire world. Bharat, which has been a friend of the environment since its culture, gratefully worships rivers, trees, mountains, animals, birds, and believes in their relationship, is also facing this crisis. Because the vision of the development path is incomplete. It has to be changed, and everyone has to change the same. The world will follow the vision of the one who already has it, seeing how Bharat transforms itself. Therefore, we have to properly create a development path on the basis of the Swa (selfhood). Many things are happening by thinking about that selfhood. But we will have to think from the root and transform everything. The modern journey and efforts of knowledge and science should also be kept in mind while moving forward. We will have to take along with us the knowledge of our tradition which is relevant to the times, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the universe is our mother, we are not conquerors of the universe, we are a part of the universe, it is our mother, it has to be tapped, it has to be nurtured, we have to pay attention to this.
We will have to evolve our development path and create models of our development in that way. For that, there should be peace in the country. There cannot be conflict everywhere in the society. Manipur has been waiting for peace for the last one year. Before that it was peaceful for 10 years. It seemed that the old ‘gun culture’ had ended. But the conflict that has suddenly cropped up or was created there is still burning in its fire, it is crying for help. Who will pay attention to it? It is our duty to consider it on a priority basis.
Transferring of Life Values
So many things are entering in society! Women from good families drink alcohol and drive and trample people under their cars. Where have our values gone? Where is our culture? The culture which has remained formidable till now , no one can conquer it even now, but when, we, the carriers of that culture will have to take care of it…. Therefore, the question of the survival of the culture that teaches us the Dharmic values that sustain the entire universe, that are passed on from generation to generation in the society, and that of its percolating to the next generation has arisen. Those who have abandoned it, their condition in the world is not good. Even if there is material prosperity, families are breaking up, there is unrest in the mind , small children take guns and shoot their schoolmates, such situations arise. Fatherless motherhood, there are so many things! Do we want to become like that? Don’t we love our family? Are our relatives not important for us? It is a question of preserving that culture. For that, those who talk in the society, those who organise various programmes in the society, those who enlighten the society, all will have to impose a bond of restraint on themselves. They should impose such a bond because in today’s system, the Government looks into many things. Governments will also have to make necessary provisions regarding the same. A lot of work has to be done. This work is not to be done only by the Governments. We discuss these too , but it is not enough just by discussing, the society has to be prepared for this.
Society needs to stand up for transformation
In a democracy, it is the society that makes the king and it is the society that creates its own position. Therefore, it is the first and foremost thing that the society stands on its own. Change in society brings about systemic change. This has happened everywhere in the world. When any change came, it first came in society and due to that it came in the system. Leadership emerged, but in order for the leadership to get the response of society, the society changed. In the French Revolution, the discontent of the poor of France had reached its peak. Therefore the entire public stood behind those who talked about the revolution. This is what happened in Russia. A feeling developed in the society that we have to get rid of this, we have to come out of this. Now, this culture, which Mahatma ji has just described, does not exist there. We have self-restraint, truth, non-violence, non-stealing, non-possession, celibacy. We had this, but its expression was different and that was the Bharatiya expression.
Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar says that before any big change takes place, there is a big spiritual awakening in the society. This is the rule. It is certainly there in our country. Saints had awakened the soul for hundreds of years before Shivaji Maharaj. They had eradicated the divisions and caste-based pride in the society on the basis of devotion. When such society was created, Shivaji Maharaj put forth the idea of Swarajya. The ordinary man stood behind him. He fought for him while managing his own household. That is why even the powerful forces of the world could not defeat him. This is the work of building the society we need to do. There should be unity in the society, there should be values in the society.
At the core, We Are One
Another special thing about our society is that our society is full of diversity and we are a society that knows that these diversities are superficial. They last for a few days. Later, the diversity does not remain. At the core, we are one. Diversity is also an invention and expression of our unity. So accept it, live together, everything is true. Be firm on your own beliefs. Respect the opinions of others equally. His opinion is also true, accept it and walk together on the path of Dharma. When I am talking about Dharma, I am not talking about ways of worships. Keeping faith in one’s own worship, believing other worships to be equally true, all people have to believe in everyone together, give life to everyone, give life to the universe as well. One has to live one’s life with the thought of the entire existence. This is Dharma. If one moves on that path of Dharma, one progresses.
The vision of unity of diversity is very old in our country. The people here are described in Kurma Purana. It is said that the people of Bharat worship many gods and goddesses and follow many customs and traditions, speak many languages, yet live in harmony. The verse of Atharvaveda is also famous: Janam Vibhrati Bahudha, Vivaachasam, Nana Dharmanam Prithvi Yathaukasam. This has been our tradition. Since we started forgetting this tradition, the downfall started. Then we kept our own brothers away by calling them untouchables. There is no justice behind this. There is no scripture behind this. Neither does it have the basis of Vedas nor Upanishads. This is a web woven by selfish people. Or there must have been a time when such a thing had to be followed. Don’t know what it was. But that is outdated and wrong. Unity is needed in society. But injustice has been happening, so there is a distance among us, there is distrust in our minds. There is also anger because of the thousands of years of continuation of such practice.
Be the Change
When aggressors came from outside into our country, they also brought in their philosophy with them. Some people here have became followers of their ideas for various reasons. Well, now those people have gone, their ideas remain and those who believed in those ideas also remained. But, they are also natives from here. The ideas may be from there, but it does not make any difference as per our tradition here. There is just one thing, leave aside the viewpoint of ‘only we are right, everyone else is wrong’ which is prevalent in the thoughts originated outside Bharat. There is no need to convert etc. All faiths are true. If everyone is equal, so it is better to stick to your own faith. Respect the opinions of others equally. When the people who provided these elements came from outside, there were fights and conflicts. There is a long history of struggle. There have been many intense struggles, many bitter conflicts. We have not forgotten those memories. We did not forget those memories, that is why partition took place. That also widens the faultlines.
There are very deep wounds. There is pain because of that. Because of the anger towards injustice, people of our own society are upset, angry, there is an apprehension in their minds. There is a distance of minds. There is a pain because of the wounds caused due to history. That is why there is a social estrangement. So what will be the way to come closer and become united? The only way would be to deposit it in the past. If you are afraid then don’t become weak. Become powerful, there will be no fear. But along with power, nurture the character. Character comes from our Dharma and culture, which after truth talks about non-violence, goodwill towards all. With goodwill towards all, forgetting the old things and accepting all and so that we can accept each other, therefore, whatever change we have to bring about in ourselves, we have to start it from our home, we have to start from ourselves.
Time to correct the Distortions
Our own brothers, whom we have distanced ourselves from, the talk of caste based discrimination must go lock, stock and barrel as Balasaheb ji (Third Sarsanghchalak of RSS Shri Balasaheb Deoras) had said. This may go in speeches and programs, but it should also go in my and my family’s conduct. Equality based behaviour should be established. It will be difficult , but it will have to be done for the country. It will have to be done to wash away the sins we have committed for thousands of years. This is how we have to mingle with each other. There is only one basis. The same Yama and Niyam (rule-based) behavior is accepted to all and everything has come from one – “Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti“. This is the belief of all. Therefore, let there be all kinds of relations go on like mingling with each other, maintain indivisibility, roti-beti (inter-caste and community dining and marriages). Ideologies from outside came in. Their nature was such that ‘only we are right and everyone else is wrong’. Now it has to be corrected as such thought is not spiritual .
We will have to address the spiritual content of these ideologies. We will have to think about, what is the Islam of Prophet Saheb, what is the Christianity propagated by Jesus Christ. We will have to think about. God has created everyone. We will have to think about what our feelings should be towards this universe created by the Almighty. After careful thinking, by removing the distortions that have come in the flow of time and by knowing that opinions can be different, methods can be different, everything can be different, we will have to consider this country as our own and establish our devotional relationship with it, and behave by knowing that all the sons of this country are our brothers. If this has to happen then we will have to inculcate our habits accordingly. Because thoughts are good, the mind also likes them, the intellect also accepts them, but the habit of decades, centuries takes time to reform. Therefore, it is necessary to do daily exercise. That exercise is the Sangh Shakha. All these things happen in the Sangh Shakha very cheerfully and naturally. Those who do it also do not even realise the impact of what they are doing. After ten-twelve years, when they look back at their self of that time, they realise how much they have changed. This is what the Sangh does. This is what the Sangh is for. While doing this, we have to contribute in reconstructing Bharat, which has to become the basis of the whole life of the world. This is a duty, this has to be done. Hence this is tapasya and hence we do all these things.
Insistence for Five Things
Right now we are requesting five things from the society. Swayamsevaks will start from themselves. They have done it. It will happen gradually. The first thing among these is the practice of social harmony. We should have friends and family in all sections of society in our functional area. Where we have enough strength and feel that the society can respond to our initiative, there should be common facilities of temples, water and crematoriums for all. We will make efforts for the environment – save water, remove plastic, plant trees, make your home a green home. All the behaviour should be based on our national selfhood. The idea of a selfhood-based life is not a life for consumption. We want prosperity, not debauchery. In Sri Sukta we praise Goddess Lakshmi. Just as it has been said in it that ‘Dhanyam Dhanam Bahu Putra Labham’ (Wealth, Grains, Cattle and Many Offsprings) etc., similarly it has also been said that “न क्रोधो न लोभो न मात्सर्यं नाशुभामति:” (Neither anger nor greed nor jealousy nor bad intent). We worship the ethical Lakshmi. We do not run in the blind race of consumption, we maintain restraint. We believe in restrained consumption. Hence, we do not spend wastefully. No need for too many show-off. Live simply, live frugally, all needs should be fulfilled. If there is a society, everyone has a place or respect in it. We should live according to that, but we should not spend unnecessarily. We can live simply and will do so. This is the selfhood-based Swadeshi conduct. Whatever can be made at home, do not bring it from outside. It is fine to go out and have pizza once in while on Sunday. But this cannot be routine. Whatever is made in our country should not be imported. We have to import (certain things) from abroad because it is an international trade. But the policies of the country should be such that whatever we want to import, we should import it on our own terms. It should not happen that someone presurises us and we take it because of that.
Cultural Environment at Home
Following the systems, laws, Constitution, discipline etc. of our country; stopping at the red light; wherever you have to stand in queue, stand in queue only. All taxes payable from Municipality to State Government and Central Government, must be paid on time. Do not break any rules, do not break any system, remain disciplined. All this, me and my family can follow, to ensure this, sit with the family once a week. Remember how to behave based on the tradition of my family traditions, the culture of the country and its values. Tell them about an incident related to hard work in your life, remember the ancestors of your family and your country who served even at the cost of their lives. Discuss, whether our own house is according to those standards or not and implement things as per the consensus evolved.
All the members of the family should sit together and sing bhajans once a week according to their faith, enjoy home-cooked food and discuss all matters by chatting for three to four hours and gradually make the atmosphere of your house cultural. We have such a tradition of thousands of years, centuries, decades, ages. The world needs that tradition. The world will get relief if we present it as per the needs of the time, combining both modern knowledge and science with our tradition. Our country will also become better, our life will also be
beautiful and meaningful.
Associate with the Sangh Work
A Swayamsevak comes to the shakha to learn the way to build this kind of life. That is why the Sangh insists that the whole society should come to the shakha. What happens there, what kind of programmes are held, what songs are sung, what kind of sayings are there, you get to see all this through such programmes. But, nothing is going to happen by watching this from a distance. There is a need to associate and participate in this. You have seen this programmes of Shakha. Besides this, Swayamsevaks do many other things. Including the regular small and big service activities, more than one lakh twenty two thousand works are going on. When the numbers are huge, we have to leave out some things for counting by making separate categories. Such gigantic this work is.
There is no area of life in which Swayamsevaks are not active by forming some forum or organisation. You can be a part of all of them. But this is a daily exercise for our body, mind and intellect; we should remain engaged in such work, bind ourselves to those works and do them considering them as our duty. But even after being tied, remain unattached to it. Work, but do not develop the ego that I did it. Then it will be possible that we are doing true service to this country. Then it can be considered as the true service of our country. Our nation needs such true kind of service today. The world also needs this. Serving the whole world is the life purpose of Bharat. If we want to make Bharat capable of doing that, then the society will have to become like this. If the society becomes like this, then the systems and the people running the system will automatically follow it and become like this.
God doesn’t do anything, but get it done
Construction always starts from the foundation. First the peak, then the foundation, only God can perform such miracle. God does not do any work in the world, he gets it done. If He had used the Sudarshan Chakra while sitting, Ravana would have died, but he took the human form, endured so many hardships, went to remote forests and villages and awakened people. They came together, fought face to face, then Ravana was killed. The Pandavas got ready for Dharmayuddha by taking down their weapons kept on a Shami tree, then Lord Krishna merely acted as a charioteer. If He wanted, He could have burnt the Kauravas in the incident of Draupadi’s disrobing. But God rarely performs the miracle of ‘first the peak and then the foundation’. God’s way is that he gives us wisdom, gives us freedom, gives us the opportunity to work in the light of pure wisdom through sanskars. When we work, God supports it with a finger touch. We feel that Govardhan is carried on our stick, but it is the touch of God’s finger that makes it possible. And the finger touch is available from the God side when we have taken efforts to pick up the stick. This is what has happened everywhere in the history of the world. This is what should happen here, it is going to happen. We have to work being instrumental for the same. That is why I invite all of you to this great movement of the Sangh.
(Address given on the occasion of closing ceremony of Karyakarta Vikas Viarg II organised in Nagpur on June 10, 2024. Revered Guruvarya Shri Ramgiri Ji Maharaj was the chief guest of the program)
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