Sadhana Diwas :Yuva Bharati November 2026

 

19 November, the Birth Anniversary of Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade, the founder of Vivekananda Kendra is celebrated as Sadhana Diwas .

 

This motherland of ours has been charting her course to guide the humanity despite hundreds of years of persecution and almost thousand years of foreign rule and oppression in some or other part of our country. At every time of need, the deep conscience or the ethos of our Motherland responded to the peculiar situation or problem by bringing up a great personality or an organisation. Therefore, each national, cultural, and spiritual organization of this land stands for a specific response of Mother India. Hence, to carry out the purpose of each organization, its Karyakartas have to understand what role they have to play and what ‘need’ they must fulfil. 

 

In this respect, it would be worthwhile to see how Eknathji understood this need and how he placed the same before the Karyakartas of Vivekananda Kendra. He said, “People of our country are, by tradition, Dharmik and this country is therefore described as a land of Dharma and spirituality. Swami Vivekananda used to say that the soul of our country is in Dharma. The highest and the ultimate goal, or Purushartha, aspired for by the people of our country is Mukti…

 

“If going to temples, visiting places of pilgrimage, participating in Bhajans, Yagnyas and as also listening to philosophical and religious discourses by millions of people, or the presence of numerous teachers, gurus and such other men of God all over the country are the manifestations of a growing Dharmikta, our country is, perhaps, more Dharmik today than it ever was at any time in the past.”

 

“But, unfortunately, the natural impact of this apparent God-wardness of the general society is little in evidence today. Purposeful living, discipline, character, truthfulness, fellow-feeling, fearlessness, subordination of the self and a zest for works of public good, which are some of the traits that develop in a God-ward society and which, we have enough evidence to say, existed in good measure in our country in the past, are seen fast disappearing from our midst. Ironically enough, with the apparent Dharmik  fervour presently on the increase, general corruption, indiscipline and other kinds of moral degradation are also in the ascendant. How is this paradox to be explained?”

 

"…Any discerning mind will be able to see that a distorted conception of Dharma is the root cause of most of our ills for the last several centuries, which persist even today. It is rightly said that Dharma is the soul of our country. But, as that itself is blurred, we have the sorry spectacle of deterioration all round.”

 

“Spiritual awakening means experiencing the presence of God in one’s own self and in the world. That makes one conscious of the divine within and urges him to work for its unfoldment and enables him to grow spiritually. Simultaneously, it generates in him a sense of oneness with God’s creation and, consequently, an intense fellow-feeling for the members of his own species – the human race – and prompts him to work with zest for human welfare and progress…  If, and as long as, the spiritual awakening intensifies on these lines, it is dynamic and full of tremendous potentialities for the transformation of humanity into higher and higher planes of existence. But, if it remains limited to rituals, forms of worship and offerings to God, or prayers and praises addressed to Him, it becomes static and has hardly any role to play in human advancement.”

 

"Swami Vivekananda was the foremost among the modern spiritual teachers who strove to take out Dharma from that static condition into which it had degenerated over the centuries and drew the attention of the people to its real role. He pointed out in no uncertain terms that ceremonies and forms are not the essence of Dharma but that it lies rather in the realization of a higher life. He said, 'We may study all the books that are in the world, yet we may not understand a word of Dharma or of God. …Dharma is not in doctrines or dogmas, nor in intellectual argumentation. It is realisation in the heart of hearts; it is touching God; it is feeling, realising that I am a spirit in relation with Universal Spirit and all its great manifestations.' To those who lost themselves only in forms and rituals, turning their back on the people and the misery that had befallen them, he said, 'What vain gods shall we go after and yet cannot worship the god that we see all around us, the Virat(Janata Janardan). When we have worshipped this, we shall be able to worship all other gods.”

 

A Two-pronged Movement: The Need of the Hour: The remedy for the ills of our country, therefore, lies in launching a mighty movement of right thought sweeping the entire country. It has to be a two-pronged move. On the one hand, it is to be aimed at (1) transforming our people’s inherent God-wardness into the right spiritual urge rising out of the teachings of the Upanishads, namely, (a) each soul is potentially divine and (b) faith in God, in turn means faith in one’s self, i.e. in one’s potentiality to rise to divine heights. On the other hand, it is (2) to convert the spiritual fervour thus released into works of national reconstruction”. (In the whole quotation the word religion is replaced by Dharma, as the intended word was Dharma but in those days Dharma word was not used in English.)

 

Vivekananda Kendra thus works with the twin ideals of Man – making and Nation-building. Man-making means giving confidence to a person to rise to divine heights and work for the nation with a feeling of Oneness. Nation building is possible only by creating teams of such men who would take up the work of national reconstruction to fulfil her mission of guiding the world in spirituality. Thus, the service activities of Kendra do not depend on the occurrence of cyclones, earthquakes, poverty etc. Mananeeya Eknathji says in 'Sadhana of Service', "If we are merely a service-oriented organization, we will have to pray to God to create cyclones, floods, famines and accidents to provide us opportunities of service. Service with a spiritual orientation results in man making, which is invariably and inseparably connected with nation building. It is the core of all our thoughts behind this organization.”

 

Real service is awakening a person to his potential divinity and making him realise the purpose of life. The purpose of life also has to be the fulfilment of the mission of this nation. The mission of this nation has been to evolve a society based on the vision of Oneness as the sages of our nation have been doing. This spiritually oriented service is what Kendra is doing.

 

When the objective is Man making and Nation building, the Karyakarta is very clear that the activities are the medium to reach out to the people and not the final goal. The final goal is ultimately to mould men with capital ‘M’ as told by Swami Vivekananda. That is - through activities to inspire, mould ourselves and others to give primary importance to nation, by contributing their time and energy; to become such self propelled who do not need others to remind them to work for nation, for whom dayitva is an arrangement and not a designation. The teams of such dedicated Karyakartas is the strength of any organisation and nation.

 

There is another dimension of spiritually oriented service too. Vivekananda Kendra is also a thought movement. Which thought does Kendra want to work out as an organisation? Dharma is the soul of this nation. But, if our understanding of Dharma gets limited to lifeless outer forms, then the nation declines and the society becomes callous and indifferent. Its assertiveness is affected. Therefore, the need is to stress the right meaning of Dharma, to imbibe the life-giving principles of Sanatana Dharma embedded in Upanishads, so that our life is transformed and our energies are channelised for rebuilding the nation. What are the sublime principles of  Sanatana Dharma? The whole existence is the expression of the Divine and hence, the family, society, nation and the whole creation – are ever expanding circles of Consciousness and are linked to each other. Each soul is potentially divine, and the goal of life is to manifest that divinity.  Spirituality means experiencing the presence of God in one’s own self and in the world.  Such practice of Dharma evolves a person.

  

As per  Patanjali Yoga Sutra – Total surrender to God - ईश्वरप्रणिधान is one of the ways of spiritual practice. Eknathji always gave stress on this. This continuous  Bhava  in Karyakarta  of surrender - of being the instrument of Divine - is the core of our work. Eknathji says in ‘Sadhana of Service’, “That service is the best and the noblest which is performed with the attitude of total surrender to God. …It is the divine design that I should render service on His behalf. He desires the betterment of the world and I am being used as a tool or a means to carry out His design. I am just an instrument in His hands …the action must be performed without any attachment but sincerely and honestly to the best of our ability with an attitude of being a tool only. We have been called upon to execute whatever is essential and possible as willed by God. This is SERVICE. We are doing His work. Such work elevates us and leads to Self-realization, which is the supreme goal of human life.” 

 

As the service rendered with this bhava of being the instrument in the hands of God leads to self-realization, it is termed as “spiritually oriented service”. Such surrender helps the karyakarta to merge with the organization and thereby strengthens him to carry out work of national reconstruction. To see Mother Bharat seated on her eternal throne, rejuvenated, more glorious than she ever was, the Sadhana needed at this hour is to render such "spiritually oriented" service.

 

May the collective thinking on this Sadhana Diwas elevate us and make us better instruments to continue doing Ishvara-Karya.

 

                                                                                                                        Nivedita Raghunath Bhide

Balakrishnanji-Inspirar & Impactor:Yuva Bharati October 2026

 

No  more  can be  seen  that exuding warmth, smiling face and kind eyes, which defined Shri  A.  Balakrishnanji  who impacted the first 50 years of Vivekananda Kendra. 

Swargeeya Sri  A. Balakrishnan ji President of Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Vivekananda Kendra left his mortal body on 26 August 2026, after prolonged sickness. Though, he was sick, he was still very active, taking full interest in the work in Vivekanandapuram, the headquarters of Vivekananda Kendra and also sending appeals all over the country for the developmental Works that kendra wants to take up. He was part of that vision of Swami Vivekananda of rebuilding new India from mountains and forests which Eknathji translated into action. 

"Let New India arise in your place. Let her arise — out of the peasants' cottage, grasping the plough; out of the huts of the fisherman, the cobbler, and the sweeper. Let her spring from the grocer's shop, from beside the oven of the fritter-seller. Let her emanate from the factory, from marts, and from markets. Let her emerge from groves and forests, from hills and mountains..." envisaged Swami Vivekananda. This vision of Swami Vivekananda inspired Eknathji Ranade the founder of Vivekananda Kendra. 

Seeing the immense potentiality and simplicity of the people of North-East, Sri Eknathji Ranade decided to start work in North East particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. The Lieutenant Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri K A A Raja also was in the search of an organisation which can take up the work in the field of education in Arunachal Pradesh. It was a Divine plan that both of them met in the early phase of Vivekananda Kendra in 1973 when the training of the first batch of Jeevanvratis of Vivekananda Kendra was going on. And they decided to take up the educational work extensively. But there was a difficulty. Arunachal Pradesh was in those days, inaccessible, full of forest, mountains, rivers but no roads, no bridges. Therefore, even to decide where to start the schools, one would have to do survey to decide the proper sites for the schools and for that would have to go from place to place in inaccessible areas where there were no roads and no basic facilities. Thus Eknathji required such a person who was not deterred by any difficulty and was ready to take up any physical work, who demanded no facilities and had unending source of enthusiasm. Sri Eknathji found such person in the very first batch of life workers in A. Balakrishnan.  

Really, it must be the God’s will that work in Arunachal Pradesh should take place that is why Sri Eknathji met Sri K A A Raja and Sri Eknathji found right Karyakarta for the work in Arunachal Pradesh in Balakrishnanji in the very first batch of Jeevanvratis.  

After his brief service in Air Force, Sri Balakrishnanji joined Vivekananda Kendra. After the initial training of nine months which was given by Eknathji at Kanyakumari for all those who joined Kendra, Shri Balakrishnanji was sent to Arunachal Pradesh, specifically and to Northeast in general. After the training of Jeevanvratis, Eknathji used to post at least 40 % of the Jeevanvratis from each batch to North East. 

Eknathji had a very practical and basic thinking in starting the schools. He did not want to start the schools immediately, first he selected candidates who were ready to become teachers in such far off areas where no communications were available. These teachers were first posted in various government schools as teachers. The idea was that they prove their metal by staying in such interior areas, they understand the people there and become one with them. Only then they would become worthy to work in Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas. As per the plan, Eknathji had selected many young candidates to join as teachers in far-flung areas. 

The very first work assigned to Balakrishnanji was to survey the areas and finalise various locations to start the schools and also to visit all the government schools in those difficult areas where these young men were posted as teachers. It was not an easy job at all. 

There were such interior areas in those days that people in those areas had neither seen the railway, nor the bus, but they had seen helicopter as in some difficult times, through helicopter, the food was dropped for them. That’s how they had seen the helicopter but not trains or buses. 

The teachers were from different states so unfortunately any news of demise of their parents, would not reach them immediately. The family members would inform the administrative office of Kendra which was earlier in Shillong and then in Dibrugarh. From there the message would be sent to the nearest military camp. From there army would make arrangements to inform the concerned teacher. And that teacher to travel back to his place would take at least few days by travelling by jeep, then by boats, at times by riding elephant, then by bus, then by train etc. Again, no certainty in it. If the water in Brahmaputra changes sometimes they would have to spend night in between two streams on sand. 

Balakrishnanji’s work was to keep up the sprit of these Karyakartas and teachers. Once Eknathji got information that one teacher posted in Anini was sick as he had lost his mental balance. Eknathji instructed Balakrishnanji to go to Anini and to bring the teacher to Assam for treatment. Anini was very interior. From Roing one had to walk and climb for seven days to reach Anini. Balakrishnanji went to Anini got the teacher and with local help brought him down to Roing and then to Assam. Such were the difficulties due to inaccessible terrain. Anini was such difficult terrain that only in 2021 Vivekananda Kendra could start Vidyalaya there. Balakrishnanji never hesitated. He could stay anywhere. He could spend nights many times if required, even in between the two streams of Brahmaputra. All this was done smilingly.

With all this initial preparation for three years, Vivekananda Kendra started  7 residential Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas in 1977. Within couple of years another five Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas were started. Naturally, the work increased manifold. Balakrishnanji, other Jeevanvratis and the teachers worked so hard in those difficult days that strong foundation was laid for more Vidyalayas and Arun Jyoti the multipurpose service project working through five forums.

The responsibilities of Balakrishnanji increased as be became Zonal organise. His travels in difficult areas continued. He must have faced many difficulties but he never narrated them as few others would do. He was always smiling, happy to travel. How could he do that?  Balakrishnanji himself shared the secret few times. He had immense faith in Ishvara. His Shraddha in Ishvara was total. He used to say, ‘I have immense faith in Ishvara thus nothing bad can happen. He takes care of me.’ It was that immense faith in him, which made him capable of facing any difficulties whether in personal life or in organisation. His military background had given him the strong constitution. Even when he was sick, his voice would be stentorian and booming. 

1981 he was given the responsibility of General Secretary of Vivekananda Kendra. Since then two decades as General Secretary another two decades as All India Vice President and since 2020 as All India President till his demise on 26 August 2026 he was in All India responsibility for 46 years and impacted the work of Vivekananda Kendra an organisation which is now 54 years old. 

Balakrishnanji courageously stood for whatever he thought was right but also had an open mind to choose at every step. He was a very warm person. Whosoever met him always remembered his warmth, his kindness, and also his smiling face.  He was very compassionate at times to the fault with all including animals like cows, dogs and birds.  Organisations grow when it has such Karyakartas at the helm of affairs who are one with the work and who do not hesitate to take up what is required to be taken up in the context of changed times. He would sail with the team and with very few exceptions aligned with their plans. It is this quality of Balakrishnanji, which contributed for the growth of Vivekananda Kendra as it stands today. He is no more around physically, but his blessings will continue to help the Kendra to move forward on its path of Man -Making and Nation-Building as envisaged by Swami Vivekananda and as translated into action through Vivekananda Kendra by Sri Eknathji Ranade. 

                                                                       Nivedita Raghunath Bhide

 

Universal Brotherhood Day 2026:Yuva Bharati September 2026

We celebrate Universal Brotherhood Day on 11th September to commemorate the message of Universal Brotherhood given by Swami Vivekananda to the Western audience in the Parliament of Religions at Chicago. As such, the festivals of organization are for Shaktipradarshan, Shaktiparikshan and Shaktisamvardhan. In certain festivals we focus more on Shaktisamvardhan. But the function of Universal brotherhood Day includes all three.

The search for strife-less society, was and is going on all over the world. It was felt that the differences lead to clashes, so if there is Oneness then it can bring about brotherhood. But this search for oneness in the West led to insistence in uniformity of god, declaring one’s own god as the only true god, whereas in India it led to the principle that every form or name of god is true and valid and is called differently as per the evolution, situation or needs of the people.

Swami Vivekananda explains this in detail in his speech "The Mission of Vedanta". He says, "We observe in the histories of Babylon and among the Jews an interesting religious phenomenon happening. We find that each of these Babylonian and Jewish peoples was divided into so many tribes, each tribe having a god of its own, and that these little tribal gods had often a generic name. The gods among the Babylonians were all called Baals, and among them Baal Merdoch was the chief. In course of time one of these many tribes would conquer and assimilate the other racially allied tribes, and the natural result would be that the god of the conquering tribe would be placed at the head of all the gods of the other tribes. Thus the so-called boasted monotheism of the Semites was created. Among the Jews the gods went by the name of Molochs. Of these there was one Moloch who belonged to the tribe called Israel, and he was called the Moloch-Yahweh… In time, this tribe of Israel slowly conquered some of the other tribes of the same race, destroyed their Molochs, and declared its own Moloch to be the Supreme Moloch of all the Molochs. And I am sure, most of you know the amount of bloodshed, of tyranny, and of brutal savagery that this religious conquest entailed. Later on, the Babylonians tried to destroy this supremacy of Moloch-Yahweh, but could not succeed in doing so.

It seems to me, that such an attempt at tribal self-assertion in religious matter might have taken place on the frontiers of India also. Here, too, all the various tribes of the Aryans might have come into conflict with one another for declaring the supremacy of their several tribal gods; but India’s history was to be otherwise, was to be different from that of the Jews. India alone was to be, of all lands, the land of toleration and of spirituality; and therefore the fight between tribes and their gods did not long take place here. For one of the greatest sages that was ever born found out here in India even at that distant time, which history cannot reach, and into whose gloom even tradition itself dares not peep – in that distant time the sage arose and declared, Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudha Vadanti – "He who exists is one; the sages call Him variously." This is one of the most memorable sentences that was ever uttered, one of the grandest truths that was ever discovered. And for us Hindus this truth has been the very backbone of our national existence….Therefore the world is waiting for this grand idea of universal toleration. It will be a great acquisition to civilization. Nay, no civilization can long exist unless this idea enters into it. No civilization can grow unless fanaticism, bloodshed and brutality stop. No civilization can begin to lift up its head until we look charitably upon one another; and the first step towards that much needed charity is to look charitably and kindly upon the religious convictions of others."

The religions like Christianity and Islam which are the further developments in Semitic religion of Jews also followed the same suit. Their search for unity became exclusive claims that there religion alone is true. This exclusive approach led them to work vigorously and violently to wipe out any dissenting voice, idea or way of worship. But though it all started with the search for brotherhood or in the name of brotherhood, actually instead of brotherhood it led to more bloodshed. This search for unity based on the person or ideology is such an illusive thought that even the variations in their own religion are not tolerated. Thus the wars between Catholics and Protestants or Shia and Sunni continue. The universal brotherhood is missing even amongst these particular exclusive religions. The conversion of each other within the religion also goes on. The Protestants want to convert the Catholics and vice versa. Once I had met a foreign catholic Christian father who was working for nearly 50 years in Ranchi area. I asked him, ‘why do you convert?’ He said, ‘if I have something good with me should I not share it with others. When I know that believing in Jesus alone would give salvation, it is my duty to tell that to others.’ I asked him, ‘but then why do you convert the Protestants? They are following the same Jesus’. He said, ‘They have to take to Jesus through our Church only.’ Swami Vivekananda says, "I have found out by experience that all evil comes, as our scriptures say, relying on differences and that all good comes from faith in equality, in the underlying sameness and Oneness of things. People in the world can be brought together only on the basis of these principles."

In many of the Christian countries they do not allow the Church of the other countries to work in their own country though the god that they follow is the same! People cannot be brought together in the whole world in the name of one god. Our sages gave the principle to rally the people around, "Ekam Sat Viprah bahudha Vadanti" Once an Arunachali commented, ‘ The Christian missionaries have divided us not only as Christians and Non-Christians but also in amongst Christians there are divisions like Catholics, Baptists etc. So they keep on fighting and converting each other, where as when we were not converted we all used to celebrate our festivals together, we used to even till each others’ lands, help each other in building their houses.’ Thus the forcing of exclusive religion for universality, for brotherhood has led to more blood shed and hostility than brotherhood. It is this internal strife within exclusive religions which made Swami Vivekananda comment that "It is in vain we try to gather all the peoples of the world round a single personality. It is difficult to make them gather even around eternal and universal principles. If it ever becomes possible to bring the largest portion of humanity to one way of thinking in regard to religion, mark you, it must be always through principles and not through persons."

We celebrate the festival of Universal Brotherhood to give this message through the totality of programs which include songs, speeches and other programs, that the brotherhood is possible only if we respect others’ religions, way of life and do not resort to convert them, to destroy it. As long as such actions of deriding others religions as false and converting others by force or fraud continue, there would be clashes and restlessness. Diversity is the rule of nature. But that need not lead us to differences if we accept everything as legitimate and valid for each other. This mutual respect for all traditions, cultures and religions alone would bring universal brotherhood, would help all the local traditions in the world to survive. It is an admitted position that there is no tradition outside of the Hindu tradition, which is founded on respect for all traditions, cultures and religions. The western and middle-eastern traditions are smeared in blood. Thus the foundation for Universal Brotherhood is in the Hindu tradition which respects all the traditions. In convention organized for the Vanvasi communities of North East India, Sri David Frawley, a well known American Scholar said that ‘Hindu is a common name given to all the local traditions in India.’ In a World Congress at Delhi organized by Swami Dayananda Saraswati for the non-converting indigenous traditions of the world, many leaders of indigenous traditions from America, Africa etc said that their hope is in India, in one billion Hindus, who have protected various traditions over the ages.

The British historian E. P. Thompson wrote, ‘India is perhaps the most important country for the future of the world. All the convergent influences of the world run through this society…There is not a thought that is being thought in the West and East that is not active in some Indian mind."  Someone had said, ‘If India dies, who lives and if India lives who dies!" How true it is. The survival of strong India, awakened to her purpose of existence is very much the need of the hour as humanity seeks universal brotherhood.

Only when the diversity is recognized, all can follow their traditions unhindered and with respect to each other without denouncing the others. Thus celebrating of Universal Brotherhood day is very important for cultural continuity of indigenous traditions, local traditions all over the world.

For establishing the brotherhood of humanity every religion of the world, the sampradays have to be functioning as Dharma. In Dharma, no specific Upasana is insisted upon; or no exclusive claims to Truth are made; or no other Upasana and their followers are derided or destroyed; and no religious conversions are undertaken. In practice of Dharma, there is mutual respect amongst the followers of various religions and sampradays, to whatever path of Upasana one may belong he interacts with everyone including nature with feeling of Oneness; he fulfils his duties towards family, society, nation and the whole creation; he is rooted in his Upasana path but is friendly towards followers of other Upasana. Therefore, it is evident that practice of Universal Brotherhood is rooted in practice of Dharma. Thus, Bharat has to fulfil her destined duty as Dharmabhoomi.

The celebration of Universal Brotherhood Day should serve this purpose of giving conceptual clarity about brotherhood, the bloodshed due to exclusive approach and understanding of Dharma.

गत वर्षसे हमने प्रत्येक उत्सव का प्रयोजन, किसके लिए कैसे मनाए इसपर चिंतन किया था। उसके अनुसार विश्वबंधुत्व दिवस की लक्षित इकाई – समाज के होनहार बच्चे और युवा है। उनको ढूंढना और उनको उनके परिवार सहित केंद्र कार्य से जोड़ना, इसमें नए संपर्क पर ध्यान देना है।

उत्सव का स्वरूप – स्वामी विवेकानंद ने 11 सितंबर को सर्वधर्म परिषद में हिंदूधर्म और भारतीय संस्कृति को प्रतिष्ठित किया, लोगों को बताया। इस पत्र में लिखा विचार लोगों तक ले जाना। इसलिए विश्व बंधुत्व दिवस में समाज के होनहार युवा और बच्चों को स्वामीजीके विचारों से प्रतियोगिता के माध्यम से परिचित कराना है, उनको राष्ट्र कार्य में जोड़ना है इसलिए प्रतियोगिताएं भी वैचारिक स्तर की होनी है। प्रत्यक्ष कार्यक्रम में सारे प्रतिभागी युवा और बच्चे उनके शिक्षक और अभिभावक बैठेंगे। उत्सव पत्रपर आधारित बौद्धिक, केंद्र परिचय उन सबको केंद्र में जोड़ने की दृष्टि से होंगे और पुरस्कार विवरण होगा। बाकी प्रार्थना, गीत अन्य जैसी अपनी पद्धति के अनुसार रहेगा ही। उन सबको केंद्र में जोड़ने का विस्तृत नियोजन पहले से होना है, और उत्सव से और उत्सव के बाद सबको गतिविधियों प्रारंभ में तात्कालिक दायित्व देकर जोड़ना यही अनुवर्तन है।

                                                                       
                                                                        Nivedita Raghunath Bhide

FREEDOM – What does it mean for India?:Yuva Bharati August 2026

History of India is not history of defeats as generally shown to us. It is true that because of India’s tremendous treasury of wealth, the nation had to undergo lot of foreign invasions, like Mughals, French, British etc.. But yet, she has not lost her identity. Initially we might have lost, but never accepted our defeat.  Countless people sacrificed their lives for freedom, they dedicated their entire youth, spent their lives in prisons, and embraced the gallows, not for personal gains but for freedom of India, for the freedom of crores of people. We fought back and won our freedom. Thus, Mother Bharat struggled – not defeated - till she emerged victorious.

What could be the reason that India is able to keep its culture vibrant and intact, despite of these numerous invasions, when other old civilizations like Greeks, Romaniyan and African could not? It is the feeling of Oneness – despite the diversity spanning from Kanyakumari to Himalayas – that lies deeply rooted in the heart of every Indian. It was then the time that our freedom of speech and writing freedom – even to express this Oneness - were suppressed, selfless sacrifices and struggles of our freedom fighters secured our independence.

In the seventy-nine years since gaining independence, the question is whether we are truly making proper use of this freedom for our individual growth and the development of the nation. What should be this freedom be like? As we already know, each nation has a destiny to fulfill. Swami Vivekananda gave a rousing call, “Up, India, Conquer the world with your spirituality”. True spiritual conquest is not about dominion; it is about selfless service and elevating humanity by taking up the message of ‘Oneness’ throughout the world. Each individual has the power to be a beacon of light wherever they are to spread this message of ‘Potential divinity’ within us. “I shall inspire men everywhere, until the world shall know that it is one with God” declared Swami Vivekananda. The freedom that we got has to help us to achieve this Goal.

But today, as we are immersed in Western culture, we are thinking that freedom is for our self-enjoyment. Freedom is not for sense enjoyment or for an individualistic life at the cost of harmony to other collectives. That is no freedom at all. It turns out ultimately as being a slave of senses resulting in addiction, selfishness, non-contributory life. The freedom we are talking about is that freedom in which all freedoms are inherent and that is the freedom to choose the path by which a person can express best, contribute his/her best in the interest of the collectives like family, society, nation and universe.

Ours is neither political independence nor social independence like other countries, but spiritual independence i.e Mukti, becoming one with God. But, being immersed in the Western culture, we think that our freedom lies in individual freedom like eating whatever we want, dress in anyway, becoming addict to drugs, spending endless time with Mobiles, exploiting nature etc.. It is extremely dangerous to continue with this kind of freedom, even after witnessing the hardships ordinary people endure under regimes like the Taliban, including restrictions on education, imposition of religious doctrines, dress codes etc.. Similarly, it is extremely dangerous to continue exploiting nature without restraint, even after witnessing the sudden earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, storms and cyclones occurring in all countries due to climatic change, which in turn is due to the exploitation of nature.

So, let us see the tasks we must undertake by properly utilizing the freedom, through which the vision of oneness and values are internalized and practiced and Mother Bharat becomes “Viswa Guru”:

·       Eliminating harmful foods and consuming traditional and organic foods which fosters a ‘Satvik’ state.

·       Both men and women should understand the concept of freedom in attire and avoid cloths that leads to cultural degradation.

·       Not becoming addict to TV, Mobile, Computer etc.. and use them solely as instruments for our mundane and spiritual progress.

·       Maintaining self and environmental cleanliness; Disposing garbage and wastes properly.

·       Preserving the family system and caring for parents. We have to understand that in no way our personal freedom is getting affected. In fact, the family system enables us to save on essentials such as food, clothing and housing. Studies confirm that the family system is the very backbone of our economic growth. The savings generated within joint families determine our nation’s overall economic progress.

·       “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man” says Swami Vivekananda. True freedom lies in shaping our lives with the realization that we can achieve success in any chosen field, that luxury individual greed are not the goals of our nation, and that living for others is truly a means to bring out our divine nature. We must have freedom to choose our education accordingly.

·       In India, we have more than 7000 Castes (Jathis) and people from various religions. While we observe our own caste and religious identities, we also must refrain ourselves from interfering with the religious freedom of others or engaging in activities such as religious conversion etc..

If we utilize the freedom in the manner that is described above, there is no doubt that our culture will be preserved for ever and our country will soon become the ‘Vishwa Guru’, while simultaneously imparting the message of ‘ Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family) to humanity.

            

                                                                                                    A.P. Sundar

                                                                                                        YB-ET