Universal Brotherhood Day 2024
The exclusive approach considers one’s religion as the only true religion. Once this exclusive approach is adopted then others’ religions are not tolerated. This intolerance impels the followers of exclusive religion to set out on large-scale conversion of others even by fraud and force.
Swami Vivekananda was aware
that it is the exclusive approach of these Semitic religions like Christianity
and Islam, which was responsible for so much bloodshed and human massacre in
the human history. It is this exclusive approach which is the biggest obstacle
in the universal realization of brotherhood of man. We all know that when Swami
Vivekananda addressed the audience as ‘Sisters
and Brothers of
Swami Vivekananda not only addressed the audience as Sisters and Brothers of America but also for the first time to that audience which was used to the exclusive claim to religious truth he gave the message, “Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity…. But if anyone here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of others, to him I say, “Brother, yours is an impossible hope” ….If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity, and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance, “Help and not fight” “Assimilation and not Destruction” “Harmony and Peace and not dissension.”
The words of Swami Vivekananda electrified the audience of 10,000 Americans. As told by Swami Vivekananda, “The one characteristic of Indian thought is its silence, its calmness. At the same time, the tremendous power that is behind it is never expressed by violence. It is always the silent mesmerism of Indian thought.” The impact of Swami Vivekananda’s words was like this-mesmerizing the America on 11 September of 1893 as has been in earlier centuries the impact of Indians who had gone to various lands. They never denied or derided the local traditions but only enriched them with India’s spirituality. It is really a sad affair that today in our own country there are people who do not understand the nobility of Sanatana Dharma or the non-violent work of Hindus over the millenniums. Thus the message of Swami Vivekananda has to be taken to people in our own country too.
It was for the first time that the western audience heard the message of universal Brotherhood and its proper understanding from Swami Vivekananda. Therefore, Mananeeya Eknathji wanted this day to be celebrated as Universal Brotherhood Day. Variety is the plan of nature. Homogenizing the humanity or bringing uniformity in the human society will not usher in Universal Brotherhood but it will only bring further dissentions and destruction. Integrating the various faiths and accepting, as ‘other’s faith also is good for them’ will bring in Universal Brotherhood. Because homogenizing brings destruction of the identity and also the traditional values in the society where as the integration – harmonizing keeps the identity of the communities intact but binds them in the bonds of oneness and fellow-feeling. Therefore, on this day the message is also for those who are very exclusive in their approach and are undertaking the conversions by destroying the faiths and culture of various tribal and other communities.
Hindus
by their philosophy and practice of inclusive approach are destined to give
this message of Universal Brotherhood to the humanity. But in order to do that
first Hindus will have to understand this unifying and integrating nature of
their Dharma. In this Parliament of Religions
Swami Vivekananda also gave us the unifying principles of Hinduism. As put very
beautifully by Sister Nivedita, “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 had been created.…These, then were the two mind-floods, two immense
rivers of thought, as it were, Eastern and modern, of which the yellow-clad
wanderer on the platform of the Parliament of Religions formed for a moment the
point of confluence. The formulation of the common bases of Hinduism was the
inevitable result of the shock of their contact, in a personality, so
impersonal. 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
Samuel
Huntington a topmost defense analyst and Director of John Olin Institute for
Strategic Studies,
In
order to avoid the future clashes and to guide the world towards brotherhood,
To
sum up- the focus of the Universal Brotherhood Day celebrations should be on:
a) Universal Brotherhood is possible in an atmosphere of inclusive approach with mutual respect that comes from vision of Oneness of existence
b) Hindu Dharma has the philosophy and practice of brotherhood by keeping intact diversities. Therefore, it is our duty to equip ourselves to give it to mankind
c) Conversion brings dissentions and not brotherhood.
d) Not ‘the only way’ but ‘also a way’-approach need to be adopted by exclusive religions.
e) To be able to give the message of Universal Brotherhood, we have to work for our people to equip ourselves as a nation.
We are supposed to celebrate Universal Brotherhood Day as a grand function and do Shaktipradarshan. This is also an opportunity for us to strengthen our vistars, to update our lists of Karyakartas including participants of various Vargas and satras, Well-wishers, patrons, donors, acquaintances and invite them all with their families.
Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
Vice President
