Dr. Mohan Bhagawat delivered a clear message and ideological guidance regarding Hindu Dharma, Hindutva, and Bharat as a nation at the recently concluded RSS@100 summit in Mumbai. He also provided a pathway for the nation’s development and its transformation into Vishwaguru by 2047. The most significant aspect of this conference is that Dr. Bhagwat talked frankly and without holding back in front of the celebrities, most of whom have either disseminated false narratives or negatively represented Hindus and Hindutva. Many puzzled celebrities and their followers were able to get their doubts dispelled by the concise explanation of each issue and query posed by celebrities. Both those who were able to attend and those who were unable to for various reasons received a clear message and guidance on the benefits and righteousness of Hindutva for the world as a whole as well as for Bharat. He addressed every topic that has raised concerns in an incorrect manner in our society and nation, particularly in Bollywood. He addressed every question with good intents and in a way that was appreciated by all, without disparaging, biasing, or single-handedly addressing anyone.
Let’s examine some of his viewpoints
He cited Dr. Hedgewar when he stated that Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra by nature. Dr. Hedgewar stated that even if there is only one living Hindu who considers Bharat to be Bharat Mata, then Bharat is still regarded as a Hindu Rashtra. Dr. Bhagwat went into more detail on the four categories of Hindus. The first is the one who declares with pride that they are a Hindu. The second is the person who claims that I am Hindu and asks why it is so important to be proud of it. The third want to keep his Hindu identity a secret and will only identify as such within four walls. The fourth is someone who has lost sight of his Hindu identity.
We can interpret the aforementioned words as follows: If you tell a typical Bharatiya University graduate about the values of the Mahabharata, he will be eager to demonstrate his Shakespearean knowledge. When you discuss Sanatan Dharm philosophy with him, you discover that he is an agnostic of the uncivilized kind that was prevalent in Europe a generation ago. In addition to lacking Dharma, he lacks the philosophical knowledge of the typical Englishman. If you mention Bharatiya music to him, he will pull out a harmonium or gramophone and force one or both on you. Discuss with him Bharatiya jewelry or clothing. He will accuse them of being primitive and uncivilized. Discuss Bharatiya art with him; he is unaware that it exists. He doesn’t know his native tongue, therefore ask him to translate a letter for you. In fact, he is an outsider in his own nation. Why is this taking place?
By fabricating stories on social media and mainstream media platforms, as well as through Bollywood films, a variety of poisonous strategies are employed to make Hindus forget or despise their Hindu identity and culture. Those engaged in these vile activities must realize that discrediting Hindus weakens the nation and will eventually cause it to fall apart. Only a strong, united Hindu population can maintain the nation’s progress, unity, and acceptance of other religions and customs. If the Hindu majority is rejected, as is the case in Bangladesh and Pakistan, then Hindus and humanity have no place. Therefore, those who fabricate stories should realize that if the Hindu population shrinks as a result of conversion, murder, etc., they will also suffer greatly in near future. Our transgressions of working against Hindus and mankind can never be forgiven by future generations.
Hindutva is an in-depth understanding of our identity, which has been a part of our rich history for thousands of years. Those who reject Hindutva do not understand it. It is like opposing one’s own skin tone, hair color, etc. to oppose a Hindu, or more precisely, all Bharatiya, which means opposing Hindutva. No matter how hard you try, you cannot separate yourself from what is a part of you. In a social context, Hindutva refers to all that is Bharatiya. Hindutva is a symbol of the Bharatiya nationality. The Hindutva worldview sees all people as one, based on a common ancestry and motherland. Hindutva is the concept of Bharat’s national and cultural identity. It is contradictory with polarization and narrow-mindedness.
In a broader sense, Hindutva maintains that regardless of one’s religion, ideology, or style of worship, Sanatan Dharm is a universal way of life that anybody can adopt. In a liberal and progressive society, Hindutva is a systematic and comprehensive experience of spiritual growth that includes everything from rituals to idol worship, mantras and metaphysics, karma and moksha, meditation and yoga, and all of its recreational aspects like dance, music, and theater. Since Hindutva sees all individuals as equal, it does not discriminate on the basis of caste, language, gender.
Hindutva opposes all the evils, superstitions, and injustices that have grown throughout time and supports social reform programs. The solution to the separatist tendencies that have emerged in Bharat as a result of violence and propaganda is Hindutva, which can unite all Hindus. Hindutva combats the inferiority mindset brought on by the violent colonial ideology and instills a sense of self-respect in the Bharatiya psyche.
Hindutva teaches us Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is an ideology that promotes the notion that all individuals belong to a single family. Hindutva holds that Bharat is a vibrant, ancient civilization rather than merely a geography, which is why it is called Bharat Mata. In plain terms, Savarkar said, “Hindutva is a history, not a word.”
Hindutva sets the national Dharma, the constitution, and the Hindu Dharma as the official Dharma of the country while integrating the Hindu community with democracy and modernity to create a more just and efficient Bharat. People will receive a top-notch, religiously grounded education in all subjects, such as physics, math, ethics, and life skills, enabling them to develop into intelligent, helpful adults who are resistant to threats, terrorism, crime, and corruption. In fact, Hindutva inspires people to work together and improve infrastructure as a social ideal for people of all religions, even atheists.
Hindutva is an intuitive and comprehensive ideology of collective growth and collective self-preservation that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of self-conscious Bharatiya who are also aware of the inherent splendor of Hindu culture and its beautiful and shining past. Hindutva aims to make Bharat “Vishwaguru”, which will benefit not just the nation but also the environment and the rest of the world by fostering goodwill among all nations. Hindutva is against Bharat becoming into a superpower that destroys the cultures and subjugates other countries.
An educational system that fosters each person’s distinct national character is what Hindutva strives for. It aims to advance the nation and the world via research and innovation without putting the environment in jeopardy. A great approach to honor the values found in the Vedas, Upanishads, Gita, Thirukkural, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other significant Hindu texts is through Hindutva. If it involves going to, appreciating, and fixing temples, then it is fantastic. If it involves exploring spirituality using all the amazing tools available to us, like yoga and meditation, that’s great.
Hindutva literally translates to “Hinduness,” and like the Dharma it represents, it is incredibly inclusive and wide-ranging. If we were to search for commonalities with the rest of the world, we could find that everything comes under one philosophy. Only Hindutva is capable of such a high level of integration. Hindutva is more than a devotion to the community or a form of worship. Every community or religion follower in this nation shares this cultural idea.
The term “Hindu” describes a related lineage or heritage that shares its values, customs, and beliefs. Hindutva portrays itself as a cultural and nationalistic concept in an effort to establish itself as the identity of Bharat. It does not, however, require a theological classification. Hindutva, in its broadest meaning, maintains that suitable non-Hindu communities share and adhere to a common Hindu culture or way of life. In social contexts, Hindutva refers to all that is Bharatiya.
We hope that Dr. Mohan Bhagwat’s thorough analysis of Hindus and Hindutva can help people who are confused, hateful, or have formed false beliefs as a result of false narratives.
