Vande Mataram” is not just a poem, it is the song that inspired an entire nation to sacrifice itself for freedom and self-reliance. Penned 150 years ago by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, this miraculous composition possessed the power to ignite rebellion in every heart against anti-national forces. It had the strength to arouse intense repugnance and resistance against the enemies of the nation. It awakened a blazing spirit among the masses with a fire for collective progress, collective upliftment, and collective prosperity.
Spirit of “Nation Above All” in the RSS
Since its very inception, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has upheld the ideal of “Rashtra Sarvopari”, which means the Nation Above All. The same spirit that inspired Vande Mataram lives on in the songs sung daily in RSS Shakhas.
“Bharat hamari maa hai, Mata ka roop pyara; Karna isi ki raksha, Kartavya hai hamara”
— Bharat is our Mother, and her form is divine; To protect her honour, is our duty.”
This feeling, which guided the freedom struggle, continues to resonate in the songs of the Sangh even today. There is no note of despair or defeat in them. The idea that our birthplace, our motherland, our nation is the foremost among all nations, remains deeply embedded in every Swayamsevak’s heart through these Sangh songs. As a result, even in the most testing times, RSS karyakartas remain ever ready to face any crisis the nation is confronted with.
Bharat Mata as the Living Ideal
Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder of RSS, instilled in every Swayamsevak the inspiration to see Bharat as the Divine Mother. Hence, the line from Bankim Chandra’s Vande Mataram — “Tvam hi Durga Dashapraharana Dharini” (You are Durga, the wielder of ten weapons) — is held as an ideal within the Sangh. Our nation, my Bharat Mata, has always been and shall always remain powerful.
The songs sung in the Sangh that embody the essence of Vande Mataram continue to inspire and energise every Swayamsevak:
Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram…Bharat Vande Mataram, Jai Bharat Vande Mataram…Ruk na paye tufaanon mein, Sabse aage badhe kadam.
Jeevan pushpa chadhaane nikle, Mata ke charanon mein ham…
Nadiyon ki paavan dhaaraa hai, Mangal
mala ganga ki.
Charan dho raha vishal saagar, Satpura ke shreni ki.
Sahyadri ka vajra hasta hai, Paurush ko
pahachaane ham…
— Let the storms not halt our steps, We move ahead, offering our lives, At the feet of our Mother. The sacred rivers flow in devotion, The ocean washes her feet, Satpura stands strong, And Sahyadri’s might defines our manhood. Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram!
True Nationhood Beyond Wealth or Arms
Nations are not built by wealth and riches, nor by rituals and weapons alone. Mountains, rivers, and people together do not make a nation. It is the awakening of national consciousness that creates a living nation. The songs of the Sangh embody and awaken this national consciousness.
Rashtra ki nav chetana ka gaan Vande Mataram,
Rashtra bhakti prearana ka gaan Vande Mataram…
— The chant of the nation’s new awakening — Vande Mataram, The song that inspires national devotion — Vande Mataram.
Awakening the Hindu Youth
Hindu Rashtra ke nav nirmata, Hindu yuvakon jaago… Jago jago jago…Himgiri mukut udadhi charanon mein,
Vande Mataram…
Snehasikta vyawahar hamara, Vasudha Kutumbakam…
— O young builders of the Hindu Nation, arise, awake! From the peaks of the Himalayas to the shores of the seas — Vande Mataram! Let our affection flow in every action; the whole world is our family.
This song, which awakens such emotions in every youth, mirrors Bankim Chandra’s Vande Mataram in its portrayal of Bharat Mata and its call for national rejuvenation.
The Ekatmata Stotra, recited daily in RSS Shakhas, begins with the same spirit:
Ratnakara-dhautapadam, Himalaya-kiritinim, Brahmarajarshi-ratnadhyam, Vande Bharat Mataram.
— Whose feet are washed by the oceans, whose crown is the Himalaya, adorned by sages and kings, I bow to
Mother Bharat.
Diversity in Song, Unity in Spirit
In every Bharatiya language, including Dev Vani Sanskrit, countless songs are sung in RSS Shakhas that echo the same devotion and national pride.
For example, in Marathi: Ved mantrahun aamha vandya Vande Mataram, Vandya Vande Mataram — Holier to us than even the Vedic mantras is Vande Mataram.
In Sanskrit: Vande tvaam Bhoodevi Arya Mataram, Jayatu Jayatu Pada Yugalam te Nirantaram — I bow to you, O noble Mother Earth; may your sacred feet ever be victorious.
Swadeshi and Self-Reliant Bharat
A song sung at every Swadeshi Jagaran Manch programme celebrates Bharat Mata’s ancient to modern glory and the dream of self-reliancel carrying the same essence of Vande Mataram:
Bharat Vande Mataram
Ham se behtar ham, bolo Vande Mataram..
Atmanirbhar ham, bolo Vande Mataram..
Shunya mein sambhavna, Aata hamein hai dekhna..
Vishwavidyalaya Takshashila, Vishwa ko pahala mila..
Shalya Sushruta Pradaan hai, Duniya ke liye
vardaan hai..
Jag ko hamne hi sikhaya, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam..
Yoga Ram baan hai, Sadiyon ka ye gyan hai..
Taj apna Tajmahal, Hunar ki pahchan hai..
Jana jag Jagadish se, Paudhon mein bhi to jaan hai..
Raman ne lahara diya, Raman prabhav ka parcham..
Swadeshi apnaane lage, ham videshi bhaagne lage..
Khojon ka hai ye silsila, Jo chand par pani mila..
USB bhi hamne diya, Mat puchho kya kya kiya..
Hargovind par hai naaj hamein, diya DNA ka raj hamein..
Desh ki Swadesh ki hai khoj ki hai ham..
— We are self-reliant — say Vande Mataram! We are better than before — say Vande Mataram! Where others see emptiness, we see potential. From Takshashila, the world’s first university, To Sushruta’s gift of surgery, Bharat has been a blessing to the world. We taught the world — Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. We are self-reliant — say Vande Mataram!
RSS: The Living Spirit of the Nation
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh represents the noble character of the nation, the living embodiment of Bharat’s spiritual and national consciousness, a dedicated and infallible instrument for the nation’s progress. Its lyrical expression has always reflected the very soul of Bharat which is its pride, glory, sanskriti, vitality, and divine aspiration for ultimate greatness. The songs inspired by this spirit mirror the essence and emotion of Vande Mataram, nurturing deep patriotism in every Swayamsevak’s heart.
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