Sadhana Diwas 2023
Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
(Vice-President)
The Voice of Youth
Sadhana Diwas 2023
Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
(Vice-President)
Nari shakti
V.V. Balasubramanian
YB-ET
VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM
(Manava Dharma or Market Forces?Udaracharitanamtu, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
– Men with narrow vision divide the world into mine and thine whereas the noble hearted look upon the world as one single family – one’s homestead. This was not just a poet’s fancy. But the result of an intense realisation of the Ultimate Truth –Sarvam KhalvidamBrahma – All that exists is only Brahma. The entire universe is an expression of that truth, one expressing as the many. The entire history of India has been an attempt to express this experience in the day-to-day life of every individual and the society. Variety and diversity of course were there but, at the base, there was unity as well. Hence the dictum – unity in diversity. This was reflected in every aspect of life right from the personal to the national level. But, our far-seeing and adventurous forefathers did not confine this wonderful experience within the frontiers of Bharat. Their love and concern for humanity was so intense that it took them to the farthest quarters of the world. The message of unity was spread through practice and example and the history of the world bears testimony to the fact that the imprint of Indian cultural ambassadors is visible in every part of the world, felt, and seen. That was probably the most sublime period of Indian history. Researchers who are committed only to truth have discovered through dedicated study that even the western civilizations like the Greek and Roman, the languages like Greek and Latin had their original home in India and gradually spread across the continents and reached those distant lands. It was not through military conquest but through the gradual spread of a vibrant culture. But later on, the colonial conquerors from the west made history stand on its head and propagated that the Indian culture and civilization were brought to this country by the invading alien conquerors. But, let us leave the conquerors alone, because the truth is slowly but surely emerging victorious and it is bound to establish itself on its own strength and validity.
P. Parmeswaran
(Late President of Vivekananda Kendra)
This whole function is to be organized to give the message of Universal Brotherhood properly. We have to see to it that proper understanding of the message of Swami Vivekananda given on 11 September 1893 takes place through our entire program - the speech by the chief guest, the geet, the demonstration of Yogasana, a Pathanatya, the introduction of the Kendra activities, etc. The uniqueness of the message of Swami Vivekananda and its relevance of the Universal Brotherhood - is to be presented and projected very effectively.
The Parliament of Religions was organized at Chicago in 1893 to proclaim how Christianity alone was a true religion. In Parliament of Religions, everyone while addressing was stressing as to how his religion alone is the only true religion. This exclusive approach has led to clashes and violence in the history of mankind. Therefore, the whole history of exclusive religions is written in blood and extermination of communities all over the world. The terror attack on WTC on 11 September 2001 also proved the same thing in recent years. The world is diverse. No two men or two leaves of the same tree are exactly the same. The mental, attitudinal growth of each person is different so there cannot be only one path to pray to God.
Swami Vivekananda stressed that peace for world is ensured with the approach, which says that each religion is valid for its followers. This approach is the inclusive approach. It is inclusive because it understands the creation as the manifestation of One and everything in it as its parts. Therefore, each nation or religion, man or woman, family or community should accept others (not just tolerate) and contribute for the well-being of all. Each soul is potentially divine. Getting rooted in one’s own divine nature makes a person realize the Oneness of existence and brotherhood of human society. This is a message that Sanatana Dharma has given to the world and has to continue to give to the world. It is to remind ourselves of this mission of India and also to give this message, that we celebrate Universal Brotherhood Day.
But India had forgotten her mission. To awaken us to our ordained mission Sri Ramakrishna took birth in 1836, exactly in the year when Macaulay introduced his ‘Minutes on Education’ to enslave our minds completely and permanently. The Macaulay education was deliberately designed to ridicule certain aspects of our Dharma like
●
Hindus are idol
worshippers,
●
They worship
devils,
●
Their languages
are very crude and unless they learn English they cannot develop,
● India can be
saved only if Hindus give up their Dharma and accept Jesus as the only son of
God and Christianity as the only true religion.
● Sri Ramakrishna's
whole spiritual Sadhana starts with ‘idol' worship. He showed through his
Sadhana that we Hindus do not worship idols but worship God and realize Him
through these idols as other religions do through one or other symbols. Thus,
in all his Sadhanas, he saw Only God everywhere and even after the highest
realisation his worship through idols continued. The worship of God in idols is
the necessity of the beginner and is also the understanding of the realized.
Because once the Truth is realized, one finds God in all that is around.
●
The chosen deity
of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa for the ‘idol’ worship was Kali whose terrible
form may appear as devil for those who are in the nursery of spirituality. But
he, by his Sadhana, realized She as Mother of the Universe.
● Sri Ramakrishna
did not know English and yet the educated scholars like Keshava Chandra Sen,
Narendranath Dutta sat at his feet to get the knowledge. He showed that
ultimate knowledge to be acquired is beyond senses and languages, beyond Nama
and Roopa or beyond time and space.
● Sri Ramakrishna practiced various sadhanas including praying to Jesus and Allah and yet he remained in the Hindu Dharma nurtured by the Rishi tradition. He realized by his spiritual practices that Jesus was a son of God but not the only son of God. By his Sadhana of these exclusive religions he proved that the exclusive claims of Christians and Muslims are incorrect. After undergoing all types of spiritual practices he said, "The Hindu religion alone is the Sanatana Dharma. The various creeds you hear nowadays have come into existence through the will of God and will disappear again through His will. They will not last forever. Therefore, I say, "I bow down at the feet of even the modern devotees." The Hindu religion has always existed and will always exist." (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna 6 Ed, P. 610) Sanatana Dharma is not about many Gods or One God but is based on the vision that there is only God. The whole creation is only an expression of God and God alone. This vision leads to inclusive and universal approach as everything becomes sacred and divine.
Swami Vivekananda was a disciple of such a person. Therefore, it was very natural that when Swami Vivekananda went to America to participate in the Parliament of Religions he stressed that all religions are valid. The whole Sadhana of Sri Ramakrishna was behind his words. And, therefore, it created such an everlasting impact on Western audience.
Romain Rolland puts the effect in the following words. " On Monday, September 11, 1893, the first session of the Parliament was opened...but it was the young man (Vivekananda) who represented nothing – and everything – the man belonging to no sect, but rather to India as a whole, who drew the glance of the assembled thousands...his speech was like a tongue of flame, it fired the souls of the listening throng.... Each of the other orators had spoken of his God, of the God of his sect. He – he alone – spoke of all their Gods, and embraced them all in the Universal Being. It was the breath of Ramakrishna, breaking down the barriers through the mouth of his great disciple... During the ensuing days he spoke again ten or twelve times. Each time he repeated with new arguments but with the same force of conviction his thesis of a universal religion without limit of time or space, uniting the whole Credo of human spirit from the enslaved fetishism of the savage to the most liberal creative affirmations of modern science. He harmonised them into a magnificent synthesis, which...helped all hopes to grow and flourish according to their own proper nature. There was to be no other dogma but the divinity inherent in man and his capacity of indefinite evolution... The effect of these mighty words was immense. Over the heads of the official representatives of the Parliament they were addressed to all and appealed to outside thought. Vivekananda's fame at once spread abroad, and India as a whole benefited..."
Swami
Vivekananda, who completely surrendered himself to his most wonderful Master
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, could have easily given in to the temptation of
talking about him. But then he was there to represent all Hindus, the whole
Rishi tradition. So in the true spirit of a Hindu, his speech gave the common
principles of Hindus of all sects. In Sister Nivedita's words, "Of the
Swami's address before the Parliament of Religions, it may be said that when he
began to speak it was of 'the religious ideas of the Hindus', but when he
ended, Hinduism was created…. For it was no experience of his own that rose to
the lips of the Swami Vivekananda there. He did not even take advantage of the
occasion to tell the story of his Master. Instead of either of these, it was
the religious consciousness of India that spoke through him, the message of his
whole people, as determined by their whole past...Others stood beside the Swami
Vivekananda, on the same platform as he, as apostles of particular creeds and
churches. But it was his glory that he came to preach a religion to which each
of these was, in his own words, 'only a traveling, a coming up, of different
men, and women, through various conditions and circumstances to the same
goal".
Swamiji who was proud of his religion and nation, which he unequivocally proclaimed there, could have stressed the greatness of his religion alone. But then he was there to represent the 'inclusive' and therefore, the universal aspects of Hindu Dharma so as to guide all other religions on the path of Universality. Though he never mentioned the name of Sri Ramakrishna or any other Rishi in his speech, it was only their teachings that he spoke. In one of his letters he wrote, "But there is one thing to know: Great sages come with special messages for the world, and not for name; but their followers throw their teachings overboard and fight over their names-this is verily the history of the world. I do not take into any consideration whether people accept his name or not, but I am ready to lay down my life to help his teachings, his life, and his message spread all over the world."
Thus, if anyone insists on the specific name and form of God as the only true name and only true form then it would lead to clashes. The insistence on name and form brings divisions. If we stress on the ‘message’ alone then Brotherhood is possible, because any realized soul is inclusive and therefore, Universal in approach. A really spiritual person has to be inclusive. If someone claims spiritual status but is exclusive in his religious approach, then his claim of spirituality is false.
To make whole celebration meaningful and looking forward, we can focus on the message of Swami Vivekananda which Romain Rolland quotes as 'the divinity inherent in man and his capacity of indefinite evolution… ' What does it mean? To explain it in Sri Aurobindo’s terminology – it is the inner centre that holds each individuals highest evolutionary calling. It is the seat of what he called ‘true being’, and it is from here, he maintained, that a power and wisdom arises that sees perfectly in every instance what is, what must be done, and by what means to realise it's ultimate purpose. These cues, he says, are typically muffled in layers of ego, conditioning, and negative tendencies. But through persistent aspiration and effort one can encounter the presence of true being and increasingly dwell in it to evolve further.’
For
India to rise and even after rising, more and more Bharatiyas have to be rooted
in one's true being. In deeper layers of meditation, when we are rooted in the
inner being we feel one with it and that strengthens the basis of brotherhood.
Can our celebrations of Universal brotherhood day, focus on these both aspects?
Outwardly, clarity of thought and inwardly rooted in Atman which frees us from
our petty ego.
Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
(Vice-President)
The Jayanti
of Maharishi Veda Vyasa is celebrated since time immemorial in our country as
Gurupoornima. His whole life was to organize the Vedas and our Vedic heritage
in such a way that its continuity and purposefulness is maintained. The message
of Oneness given by Vedas is essential for the well-being of the world which is
getting disintegrated because of excessive materialism and individualism. The
humanity for its further spiritual evolution needs this Vedic Vision of
Oneness. It is the work of Ishvara. But to be able to do that we Indians need
to shake off our confused understanding of Dharma which is limited at present
only to religious practices; we also need to shake off whatever lethargy,
jealousy and selfishness that has entered due to the invasions and the colonial
rule.
Since the
testing times of invasions and more since the time of Swami Vivekananda,
various organized efforts are being taken up, for establishing Dharma.
Vivekananda Kendra is also one such effort. While explaining Swami
Vivekananda’s message, Mananeeya Eknathji used to tell that, “Intense practice
of Dharma 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.” Being
aware of the need of the society, Eknathji envisaged a thought movement which
would take into account the natural god-wardness of our people and channelize
it in man-wardness for practicing Dharma which helps one manifest one’s
divinity and also propels him to work for the society.
For
Eknathji, the Memorial for Swami Vivekananda was not limited to the one at the
Rock but he wanted a vibrant memorial to Swami Vivekananda ‘in an organized
efforts’ so that India becomes capable in delivering her mission. Therefore,
Eknathji founded Vivekananda Kendra, a spiritually oriented service mission.
Explaining about the need of such organization Eknathji said, “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."
To continue
with vigour such spiritually oriented work, a timeless source of inspiration
and guidance is required. A source which represents all that India has stood
for; a source to which Karyakarta has to surrender and also can draw succour
for oneself; a source which can motivate a karyakarta coming from any region
and tradition of India; a source which would link Karyakartas to the hoary past
of our ancient land and yet has the potentiality to embrace the whole world is
to be accepted. Obviously a personality howsoever great could not be chosen for
the same. In this Ishwariya Karya – God’s work -who should be our guide other
than Ishwara? Our Kendra prayer also focuses on Tavaivakaryartham Iha
Upajatah – we are born to do Your work only. Our guide in doing this work
of God is none other than God Himself. How is God understood? How will He speak
to us? Tasya Vachakah Pranavah says Patanjali. The God speaks to us
through Omkar. Omkar is verily the expression of God. Thus, Omkar Upasana is
necessary for those who work for the well-being of the whole universe.
Therefore, in Vivekananda Kendra, Omkar is our Guru.
Omkar
encompasses all the names and forms of God. When we say God is our guide what
do we mean? God is not going to tell us directly to do this or do that. The
whole universe has come out of Omkar, thus God has manifested as this universe.
Swami Vivekananda says, “When He is less manifested, it is called darkness,
evil; and when He is more manifested, it is called light. That is all. Good and
evil are only a question of degree: more manifested or less manifested. …The
difference is only in degree. It is all a manifestation of that Atman; He is
being manifested in everything; only, when the manifestation is (covered) very
thickly we call it evil; and when it is (covered) very thinly, we call it good.
It is the best, when all covering goes away. So everything that is in the
universe is to be meditated upon in that sense alone, that we can see it as all
good, because it is the best.”
Where there
is thought for others, service of others, absence of selfishness, absence of
jealousy; Ishwara is manifested more explicitly. Thus, Ishwara is manifested in
our Karya, our dayitva and also in the team of Karyakartas with whom we work. When
we worship our Guru, it means actually we are reiterating our resolve to be steadfast
to our goal, to work in an organized way. Therefore, Omkar as our Guru gives us
the understanding that individual opinions are to be submitted for collective
wisdom; the collective decisions are taken as the guidance of God; each
Karyakarta becomes precious to all; organizational functioning and discipline
is followed as sacred Sadhana.
Omkar means
affirmation, creation, inclusive approach and self-effacement. Thus, every
Karyakarta by Omkar Upasana strives for self-effacement and is constructive and
positive in his approach. Omkar Upasana has been followed in India since time
immemorial and thus India has been inclusive in her approach. To maintain and
nurture this all inclusive and all-embracing spiritual tradition of India many
Rishis, saints, warriors have lived and died for it. Thus, Omkar Upasana also
means all those personalities, incidents become the source of inspiration for
us to keep the flame of this spiritual land alive and vibrant.
In this 'Vishesh Prashikshan Varsha', celebrating Gurupurnima gives added significance as it enables us to inculcate the vision and values with which we should work. We can focus this year on the practice of self-enrichment as we celebrate Gurupoornima in our branch centers so as to strengthen ourselves as a right instrument in the hands of God.
Some of the quotes picked from different sources that we can ponder upon for self enrichment are :
The best way to change the world is in concentric circles: start with yourself and work your way out from there.
The other best way to change the world, start celebrating others' success, and learning to listen.
You're never ready for what you have to do. You just do it. That makes you ready.
Success is better when credit is shared with the team.
Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
The myth is that there isn't enough time. There is plenty of time. There isn't enough focus with the time you have. You win by directing your attention toward better things.
It's hard to remember that this day will never come again. That the time is now and the place is here and that there are no second chances at a single moment.
A happy life consists not in the absence of
hardships, but in the mastery of hardships.
Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
(Vice-President)