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19 November the birth
date of Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade the founder of Vivekananda Kendra, we the
Karyakartas of Vivekananda Kendra solemnly celebrate as Sadhana Divas.
This year Sadhana Divas brings added importance as many of us have become more
aware about the work that we have to do and the importance of fulfilling of
Dayitva during Vishesh Prashikshan Shibir. It is also important that as Samitis
at three levels of Pranta, Vibhag and Nagar are constituted for coming three
years, we as a team at all levels have to take ahead the work for nation by
giving maximum time and fulfilling our Dayitva to the best possible way. This
is our spiritual sadhana also. This is what Mananeeya Eknathji had told us in
the light of teachings of Swami Vivekananda. It
was the Divine Destiny that led Eknathji to start Vivekananda Kendra. The
penance of Mother Kanyakumari and Meditation of Swami Vivekananda came to
fruition in the form of Vivekananda Kendra.
For
a nation builder,
the realties are to be taken into account to chalk out a path. Mananeeya
Eknathji understood the natural ethos of the Indian mind. The Indian mind by
nature is spiritual, it longs for Mukti, for God- realization, for eternal
peace. Society can be taken ahead on the path of the line of least resistance only. This
natural longing of Indian mind if given a deeper dimension in the present
context, it would make the people vibrant. Eknathji therefore focused on the
message of Swami Vivekananda: “Serve Man Serve God”. Swami Vivekananda had
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.’
Eknathji
felt that limiting God only to idols and temples and having no confidence in
oneself is degrading our people. He 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”.
The
realization of Sri Ramakrishna “Shivabhave Jivaseva” was given as a message
“Serve Man Serve God” by
Swami Vivekananda. Eknathji gave an opportunity to young men and women to
practice this realization of Sri Ramakrishna and message of Swami Vivekananda
in an organized way. Thus Vivekananda Kendra – a spiritually oriented service
mission came into being.
Eknathji
gave a higher dimension to service. So to do service we do not have to pray for
poverty around or famines, floods or earthquakes. Awakening man to his great
potential to his feeling of oneness with others and ultimately to realize the
divine within is essentially first part of service. To chanelise that awakened
power for national reconstruction, for helping others, awakening the confidence
in oneself is spiritually – oriented service. The spiritually oriented service
as envisaged by Eknathji can be summed up in “Man-making and Nation-building”
If
we see the history of mankind, God seem to have created each nation and culture
to contribute to the evolution of man. Thus, each nation has some destiny to
fulfill. The India, so to say, represents the soul of the human world. As long
as India lives the world is safe. So only, it was said “If India lives, who dies
and if India dies, who lives”. The very purpose of the existence of India is
for the spiritual evolution of man. For the good of the world, India has to
come up. Swami Vivekananda had said that one vision he saw clear before his
eyes and
that was, the ancient motherland of ours rising once again more glorious than
ever. Thus Eknathji said that it is God’s plan that this nation has to come up
to give light to the world, so Divine has chosen us as its instrument. When we
do work of national regeneration with this Bhava of instrumentality then it is
Sadhana. Thus,
he gave us the ‘Sadhana of Service.’ If this ‘sadhan -instrument’ bhava is
there then Karyakarta can never get disturbed by difficulties, nor will he
deviate from the path. Sadhana Diwas is the day to remind ourselves that we are
the instruments in His hands. Dayitva is not a designation or position but an
arrangement to conduct the work smoothly. Dayitva is also our connection with the
Divine. So what Dayitva one has is not as important as we have Dayitva and we
fulfil it in the best possible way by giving maximum.
Eknathji
was also insistent that Vivekananda Kendra should remain an apolitical
organization. We see that the politics has entered in all fields of
public and private life. In adversial party politics there is a system of a
ruling party and an opposition party. So if one party proposes something then
even if it is in national interest, the other party has to oppose it. Thus no
issues of national interest can be seen objectively. If an organization gets
associated in the minds of people with some political party then it cannot take
up any work of national interest. If it takes up, then others who are against
that party reject that work as well as that organization. Eknathji, therefore, insisted that
Vivekananda Kendra should steer clear of politics. That does not mean that we
should not harness for nation-building the good wishes and work of those who
are in politics. Actually he was of the opinion that Kendra Karyakarta should
have contacts with all, irrespective of their political or creedal colours.
Thus Eknathji expects from us a very difficult Sadhana of being in contact with
all without losing our identity or the interest of nation or without
compromising with our ideals. Eknathji himself achieved that by getting the
support of all the MPs of all the parties and all the state governments
irrespective of the party they belonged to, for the Rock Memorial and
Vivekananda Kendra.
This
is a very delicate balance of associating or maintaining good rapport with all
without losing our goal or interest of Bharat. But unless the Karyakartas of
Kendra learn this art, they would not be able to fulfill the mission. We have
to thus develop ourselves in reaching out to people. Thus we should have a very
wide contact base. We should also learn the art of awakening the love for nation and
activating the person to work for our culture and nation.
On
Sadhana Diwas can we remember these thoughts and work on it throughout the
year?
1. As
we are born in India, our mission of life cannot be different from the mission
of nation. Our life should be such that it helps nation in delivering its
message.
2. As
a nation builder, we have to dive deep into our Upanishadic teachings and also
see its deeper meanings relevant for the time. As Eknathji has done giving the
meaning of Seva, of seeing God in oneself and around and therefore having
confidence in oneself to rise to divine heights and offer that spiritual energy
for the regeneration of nation.
3. We
are the chosen instruments; we have to do our best, rest He would take care.
4. For
the well-being of the humanity, we work for the nation-rebuilding. For that we
have to bring people together, see their goodness and urge them to work for
nation. At the same time we have to steer clear of any sectarian views whether
in political, social or religious field.
5. Ultimately,
any philosophy boils down to what we are doing about it in our daily life. So
taking up a definite responsibility in Kendra Karya and fulfilling it is
required. The organizational responsibility can be discharged only if it is
done regularly. Thus the question that each Karyakarta should ask
himself/herself is ‘whether I give supreme most importance to organizational
obligations so as to fulfill my Dayitva? Whether Kendra work is my first
priority?'
Thus, Sadhana means doing definite work for nation regularly for higher
purpose.
6. To
fulfill our Dayitva, we should work hard. One is struck with the purposeful
hard work done by Eknathji all his life. And therefore, nothing was
impossible for him. He could mould himself as per the need of the work. He
created teams for each type of work and in each region. It requires a great
Sadhana to be a part of team as well as to mould ourselves and others to work
harmoniously.
7. We
have to work as part of a team and also as an instrument in the hands of Ishvara
means as instrument of the organisation. This requires great chiseling of the
unwanted impurities in us like casual approach, laziness, ego, jealousy, desire
for name and fame or power. This chiseling is to be done on daily basis. Thus, starting from this
Sadhana Divas can we spent
few minutes and
practice Atmashuddhi and Atmasamarpan every day before good night? Atmashuddhi is
analysing everyday as to what unwanted impurity was seen in me during the day and then cleaning ourselves of
that impurity with prayers to Ishvara. Secondly, Atmasamarpan is offering
ourselves to Ishvarkarya.
As
this year, the reconstituted Samitis would be doing Dayitvagrahan on Sadhana
Divas, it would be very fruitful if we have online swadhyaya for one week
either at nagar level or vibhag level or Prant level for all the Karyakartas
with Dayitva either starting on Sadhana Divas or culminating on Sadhana Divas.
We can take either Sadhana of service
book or the third and fourth part of the book Spiritualising Life. After this Swadhyaya, please also send a
brief report.
Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
Vice President