Not Exclusive ideology but Experiential Spirituality is required:Yuva Bharati May 2026

 

While the historic bill providing 33% reservation for women in Parliament is being tabled on one side, we also receive the news of the recent ‘forced religious conversion’ allegations on the accused employees of a BPO run by a Multi-national company in Nashik, which has created shockwaves across the country. Several complainants stated that apart from sexual harassments, the accused employees made derogatory remarks about Hindu deities, cracked offensive jokes about Hindu beliefs, and used abusive language referring to religion, and attempted religious conversion by coercing them to do namaz and consume beef, gave pressure to adopt specific religious practices etc. Vulnerable employees, especially those facing financial and personal difficulties are targeted. Definitely, this forced religious conversion has to be seen as a threat to the national integration as it has entered the corporates too as a pattern. But such Muslims should remember that a bigger law of spirituality and Karma in action. By resorting to such practices might appear as a victory now but in long run they are destroying themselves.

Let us see how and why other religions are trying to convert Hindus and the way ahead to protect sanatana dharma by not only Hindus but also Muslims and Christians.

All the legitimate aspirations of man, which help him ultimately to realize the Aatman, are classified into four as Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha (Chaturvidha Purushaarthas). Artha (All those that lead to security and shelter) & Kaama (all legitimate desires) are natural in all living beings. Animals become quiet after satisfying their basic hunger and other needs but man wants more and more. To temperate this, our Rishis revealed that Artha and Kaama are natural aspirations and requirements of life but the basis of it has to be Dharma. If we follow Dharma while striving for Artha and Kaama we would become worthy of striving for Moksha (Final liberation, Eternal Bliss) in due course. Thus, Dharma becomes the primary Purushaartha. Unfortunately, today our understanding about Dharma is clouded. When we think of Dharma, the word religion comes to mind. But Dharma is not religion.

Dharma is also called Sanatana Dharma because it is based on the Sanatana, eternal principles such as everything is imbued with the Divine; existence is interconnected, interrelated, interdependent; the Divine has manifested as family, society, nation and whole existence; we are part of these various collectives and therefore our duty is to nurture our larger self, if need be even by sacrificing the smaller entity. Why is it also called Hindu Dharma? How did the word Hindu come? People from the other side of the Sindhu river called the people who are following this sanatana dharma (people living in India) as ‘Hindu’ (Sindhu became Hindu for them).

In the practice of Dharma, one may choose any name or form of God or may not, but in religion, the follower of that religion has to affirm his faith in a specific god. Dharma gives the norms for behaving and interacting with others, with nature, with the expanding self. Whereas, religion gives rules and dogmas for prayers to specific God. Now coming to the actual issue, Islam and Christianity are not Dharma. They are religions. Religion means there is a specific god, a specific book, a specific way of worship or prayer and some religious hierarchy which guides the believers. Generally, a practitioner of Dhaarmic tradition is not a fanatic. But the followers of especially Abrahamic religions generally say that only their book is true, only their book should be read, everything else is false, only their god is true and others gods are false which leads to fanaticism. This is what is seen in the recent allegations on the accused employees of a BPO, who made derogatory remarks about Hindu deities.

In Sanatana culture, the vision of life is of Oneness (Ekaatma Jeevan Darshan).  But for the cultures that are based on Christianity and Islam, the vision of life is a vision of division or separation. These cultures are exclusive in nature. God is separate from creation. Man is separate from nature and God. The vision of division is seen in the division of people as ‘chosen and heathen’; as ‘faithful and Kafirs’, ‘we’ and they’, ‘God and Satan’, etc. Thus Nature is not sacred. It is created for the enjoyment of man and so it can be exploited. Converting others by all means, exterminating others who do not follow ‘our true god’, becomes the religious duty in these cultures. For them, the brotherhood is the brotherhood of all Muslims and is against non-Muslims. As Christians also have the same vision of division, the meaning of brotherhood gets restricted to the denomination of the proclaimer. Heaven is assured only for those who follow that particular denomination.

The insidiously defined secularism in constitution also became the biggest stick to beat. Secularism unfortunately has become minorityism and minority appeasement. Hindu society is not monolithic that it can take care of itself, nor does it have any international monetary support as do Muslims and Christians, nor is it aggressive in conversion for increasing its numbers. It is the other way round; other religions poach on the Hindu society through conversion. If Hindu society does not survive, India will not be India. What the Indian culture has nurtured for thousands of years for the good of humanity would be lost forever.

Macaulayan education also has confounded our problem. We have lost our capacity to think. We need to change our text books. After independence, our academic bodies were mainly governed by the missionaries and the leftists. Shivaji was a great empire builder but we do not teach that to our children. Why can’t the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Gita, the Upanishad-s, Yoga become essential part of school curriculum? The whole world admires it and it is the birth right of an Indian child to learn it.

As has been seen in Indian culture, one has freedom of choice to decide whom to pray to. So, our Christian and Muslim communities of course can follow their religious practices. Just because they pray to Jesus Christ or Allah they do not get excluded at all from Indian culture. The deciding factor is: whether they accept the vision and values of Indian Culture, whether they revere the great persons born here like Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Sri Ramakrishna, etc. They need not worship them but they should at least respect them. If not, then they are rejecting Indian culture. If yes, then they are very much part of Indian culture.

 But what is wrong in religious conversions? If a person feels peace praying to Jesus should he not spread it, to others? One may ask. The answer is: When Gandhiji was asked the same question, he replied, “Because, you cannot possibly say that what is best for you is best for all...And again, is it not super arrogance to assume that you alone possess the key to spiritual joy and peace, and that an adherent of a different faith cannot get the same in equal measure from a study of his scriptures? I enjoy a peace and equanimity of spirit which has excited the envy of many Christian friends. I have got it principally through the Gita.” Coming to the obstinacy of Christians about their mission, Gandhiji added, “Your difficulty lies in your considering the other faiths as false or so adulterated as to amount to falsity. And you shut your eyes to the truth that shines in other faiths and which gives equal joy and peace to their votaries.”   (History of Hindu-Christian Encounters, Goel, 1984, pp. 199-200). Same thing applies to the case in question 

Secondly, conversion means the person is asked to reject his God as either false or inadequate. A person has many identities but his deepest identity is his God and if that is attacked, it is violence against him and also the millennia of evolved consciousness. Conversion is violence.

Thirdly, it is fine if you want to tell people about how to pray to Allah but then why are people told to reject their traditional Gods and Goddesses? That is why many Janajaati areas oppose construction of Churches or mosques but not Mandirs. If a Church or mosque is constructed in their area, they are always prey to converting religions and thus stand in fear of losing their culture.

Fourthly, if praying to Allah brings peace then why is there so much violence and terrorism where Islam goes or in several Islamic countries? And lastly if the ultimate aim is to bring people to One God, why are there so many denominations and peers amongst Islam and why do Muslims of one denomination try to kill Muslim of other denominations? It indicates that in the guise of religion and so called peace, Islam works more as a political agenda.

As seen before in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, Muslims and Christians are citizens of this nation but just because they are in India does not change the Hindu character of India or her mission. Christians and Muslims in India also have a very big role to play in the service of humanity. They are born in India. Thus, they have inculcated and can imbibe Indian Culture if the forces from outside do not interfere with them. Christianity and Islam are facing problems the world over. Human spirit is born free so it cannot be bound to dogmas for too long. The Church tried that for centuries in the medieval period but the result is, today many reject religions in Europe and America. The number of Church-goers have dwindled from 30% to 10%. They reject not only going to church, they reject religion itself. In the name of individual freedom or materialism or progressivism or post-modernism, many have drifted from values of life into a spiritual vacuum.

Islam is a few steps behind to what is happening in Christianity. Muslims are controlled with various fears and in some places with threats by religious terrorists. Thus, we see that many Muslim countries are not at peace with themselves. Killings take place. The affluence of Petro-dollars has eased the life-style in some countries but the women long for freedom. Debauchery afflicts the very rich. Huntington says that the borders of Islam are always bloody. It is as if the society is imploding from within. To keep that in check, the anger of the ordinary Muslims is directed towards other religions or Dharma-s or towards Muslims of different denominations. Thus militancy is promoted. Many Muslim families are worried about this radicalization of their children. When and how their sons or daughters fall prey to terrorist propaganda, parents too do not know.

Unless the spiritual content, the experiential dimension of religion is stressed, dogmatic religions will always face the possibility of radicalization or rootlessness that comes out of loss of faith. With their grounding in Indian culture, Indian Muslims and Christians can contribute to harmony by infusing true spiritual content and the experiential dimension.    The human spirit cannot be permanently controlled with fear of hell or some other fear. The human mind has to evolve. Our Christian and Muslim brethren have a great role to play as they have had the good fortune of being born in the Indian civilization. They know both Dharma and their religion. These Abrahamic religions have to get Dharmicised if they have to live longer.

What is it that will have to go and what is it that should remain? In Christianity and Islam, the exclusive approach would have to go, the dogmatic basis has to go and they would have to become experiential in nature that is, giving importance to being and becoming and not believing. As quoted earlier, Swami Vivekananda had said that Truth does not pay homage society ancient or modern, but society has to pay homage to Truth or die. Oneness is the Truth of existence. Thus, operating from the vision of division would bring only unhappiness. The vision of Oneness and values of Indian civilization would have to be adopted while Jesus or Allah or various religious practices which are in tune with Dharma would continue. The Muslims should not fall prey to the nefarious designs of the terrorists and try to hurt Hindu society. Today, they might think that they can take advantage of mild nature or ignorance of Hindu society but the law of Truth of existence is going to destroy them if they refuse to give up conversion and exclusive approach. The Muslims and Christians of India can play a great role of saving their co-religionists all over the world from becoming either irreligious or fundamentalist. Dharma can be practiced here in India by them and that would charm their co-religionists and the whole world to follow them.

                                                                                                                  A.P.Sundar

                                                                                                                     YB-ET

Cultural and National Integration; Yuva Bharati April 2026

Swami Vivekananda declared India to be the land of introspection and  pirituality, where sages and spiritual giants trod. All the great saints and philosophers of this land traveled the country by foot and had the opportunity of seeing different people speaking different languages, wearing different types of dress and having different cultural backgrounds. In spite of the apparent differences all the people are one in spirit. We are certainly good children of One – Immortality (Vayam suputra amritasya noonam). Thus, it became easier for the saints and philosophers to realise this truth and achieve cultural and national integration among the masses.

Having gone through the articles on ‘Jnana Yoga’ by N.Krishnamoortiji published regularly in Yuvabharti, we are confident that by this time, the readers must be well aware of all the three philosophical systems: Adwaita, Visishtadwaita and Dwaita. The saints Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya have established and expounded these systems respectively through their practical work and by their untired pilgrimages throughout Bharata Varsha for cultural and national integration.

In fact, Shankaracharya has reconciled these systems during his period by accepting all the three systems at different levels of human philosophical understanding in their path of attaining Mukti (the final liberation, eternal bliss). This month we are celebrating the Shankara Jayanti and Ramanuja Jayanti both on the same day, 22nd April. Kanchi Paramacharya insists us to celebrate the birthdays of these saints in a grand manner. For, he says ‘Without saints like Adi Shankara, we would not have been in a position to start celebrating any of the other festivals like Deepavali, Makarasankranti,

Navaratri, Akshaya Tritya etc.’. Let us see how these systems and these great saints have helped us, helping us and will help us in following this Sanatana Dharma. During the Past During their period, the country was infested with lot of factions, each having its own champions, quarrelling incessantly with all other factions.

By their pilgrimages and teachings, these saints have enumerated more than 8 / April 2026 / Yuva Bharati seventy of such sects. They have reformed them and awakened the people to the higher vision of Unity as proclaimed in the Upanishads.

One of the great tasks under taken by both Adi sankara and Ramanuja in their lifetime was to renovate the old and dilapidated temples throughout the country, streamline the age-old worship practices there without violating the given Agamic traditions.

The followers of Ramanujacharya established lot of resting places for the pilgrims and distributed Prasad to them. As Swami Vivekananda rightly observes, one cannot preach religion to hungry stomachs.These saints have established various mutts all around India to pass down the eternal wisdom of the scriptures to next generations. After their period came the foreign invasions.

Though we were severely affected culturally, we stood as one and were able to follow our dharma to this day. Because, it was the teaching of the saints and their shishyas through these mutts, that gave strength to all of us to annihilate the forces of ignorance and disruption, of establishment of the unifying forces of universal brotherhood and mutual understanding, culminating in the intimate experience of theeternal bliss; and ultimately gave us freedom in 1947 as predicted by Swami Vivekananda even 50 years before freedom. In a lecture in 1897 at Madras (Chennai) he urged his fellow countrymen to wake up and live for the nation for the next fifty years and India became free exactly after fifty years in 1947. "Shall India die? Then from the world all spirituality will be extinct," proclaimed Swami Vivekananda, asserting that India's survival is essential for the world’s spiritual and moral health.

Present scenario

Coming back to today’s world, let us see how these saints are helping us. Today we can see the global war situation because of which all the countries are struggling to meet even their basic needs like gas, petrol etc. But, as Bharatavarsha believes the concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The whole world under one roof) and universal brotherhood, we always propagate the message of unity, peace and happiness throughout the world and act according to it with all the countries through the foreign policies based on this Oneness. The effect of which is well seen by the release of Indian ships in the ‘Strait of Hormuz’ by Iran, though it threatened most of the other countries not to pass through the strait. Adi Shankara has also done a lot of work for Sarvadharmamaitri, i.e., for the fostering of a spirit of friendship between the followers of different religions. That is why he is called “Loka Shankara”. “Sham karoti iti Shankarah”, it means one who does well to the world. In fact, our dharma gave space for atheism also. But, when terrorist attacks took place in the name of religion, India stood firmly against them through its operations following Gita verse “Yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ” - "fight without mental fever/agitation".

So, we also tell to the world very clearly that we cannot be taken granted for such attacks. Even if it is our own body, we do operation by losing certain amount of blood, at sometimes even parts. Coming to the sustainable economy and developments, though the family culture is slowly vanishing in all other countries, mother Bharat is following the family values to this day from time immemorial. We can see this in the great epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata for which lot of saints have written commentary. This has given rise to the home savings and India ranks amongst the highest in the world.

When a child is born, we save. When parents are getting old, we save. It is only that society, which takes care of its relationships, that saves. That is the reason why we were able to survive during Y2K problems. That is the reason why we are able to have a stable economy and we are the fifth largest economy in the world. Soon we will become third. “No one size fit all” (each country will have its own cultural background) policy only made this possible. We compete with the world in AI also, which is shown in the recent summit held in India.

Future scope

Unlike old days, where our saints had to walk on foot to all the places to preach, we have lot of communication, media and travel facilities now. Along with that, these days, our country is beset with certain problems like terrorism, religious conversions, following western culture though we all took  irth in this great country that follows Sanatana Dharma from time immemorial. Though we are talking about Universal brotherhood, we see discrimination of high and low, here and there. But the reason for all this might have been the long invasion that took place in the recent 1000 years and divide and rule policies of foreign rulers.

The foremost aspect is to do away with this discrimination of high and low. We have to develop the Indian method of studying and understanding civilizational issues. We have to work to remove distortions at thought level, to support and serve the vulnerable parts of our society which are targeted by anti-cultural forces, to strengthen our traditional systems of life in the context of given challenges, to further the work of great visionaries like Shankara, Ramanuja, Swami Vivekananda and others to rouse the national consciousness and make the nation aware of its mission, to develop our family and social life with great balance between the spiritual and the mundane, between individual and social freedom.

Creative response is required not only for the protection of our culture but also for the evolution of humanity. Hence, we all have to take a sankalpa that we will insist people of Bharatavarsha to propagate the message of unity, peace and happiness throughout the world as preached by these great saints and philosophers. If there is any country in the world which can be a Spiritual Guru, it can only be our country.

Let us pray to these great Saints and Supreme Lord to shower Their blessings for success in this endeavor. Swami Vivekananda said, “If there is any land on this earth that can lay claim to be the blessed Punya Bhumi; to be the land, to which all souls on this earth must come to account for Karma; the land, to which every soul, that is wending its way Godward, must come to attain its last home; the land, where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness; above all, the land of introspection and of spirituality — it is India.”

A.P. Sundar

YB-ET

The Ideal Man and Woman:Yuva Bharati March 2026

Fortunately, this year, we have ‘International Women’s day’ (8th March) and ‘Sri Rama Navami’ (26-27th March) falling in the same english month, that enables us to praise the greatness of the ideal man and woman, Rama and Sita of this great country, mother Bharat. Puranas say ‘Ramo Vigrahavaan Dharma’—Rama is Dharma incarnate! Whereas Agni says, “Sita is purer than fire”! What else is needed for us, the bharatians to praise and follow these noble souls, Rama and Sita ?

Srirama moved with everyone with love, respect and kindness. At the same time, whenever his individual interests were to be sacrificed in the interest of the larger collective, like family, nation and world, he willingly chose a difficult life for himself. That is why Srirama continues to be embedded in the hearts of all people of this nation, keeping aside the caste, community and religion we belong to. In the same way about Sita, Swami Vivekananda said, “Mark my words: Sita has gone into the very vitals of our race. She is there in the blood of every Hindu man and woman; we are all children of Sita”. It is well known to this world about every Indian mother’s sacrifice! Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that Rama and Sita are the ideals before us. Then, what is that we have to learn from both of them?

Feeling of Oneness
Though Rama has taken birth as a human being, he did not exhibit himself anywhere as avatar. He saw everything as his brothers, sisters and friends. The Nishada king Guha, the monkey Sugreeva, the Rakshasa Vibeeshana and so many others were seen as his brothers itself. In fact, he has done final rites for the bird Jatayu (who fought with Ravana to rescue Sita) by treating Jatayu as his father’s brother. When Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, there are lot of verses in Ramayana that tells about the sorrow of Rama, and how he talks to the nature and feels the loss of Sita. He wanted to show to the world that the entire existence is interconnected, interrelated and interdependent and all is One.

As Rama is dharma incarnate, this feeling of oneness stands first in following Rama. This feeling will be achieved, when we behave with others as we would like others to behave with us; i.e when we do not like others to cheat us, hurt us, humiliate us, ignore us, then, we too should not lie, hurt, humiliate or ignore others; When we want others to speak to us kindly, respectfully, truthfully, then, we should also be kind, respectful, truthful, considerate and helpful to others. Because, what we do to others is actually, what we do to ourselves and in real sense it comes back to us at some point of time.

As we are talking about Oneness, there is no gender difference. In fact, the ‘Ultimate’ is called as ‘Parasakti’. Saptashati says that all women are embodiment of Jagatjanani, the mother of the world. As Sita is also seen as mother itself in India, we can see in most of the places that we call women as ‘Sitamma’, ‘Sitabai’ etc.. Swami Vivekananda says : “Now, the ideal woman in India is the mother, the mother first, and the mother last. The word woman calls up to the mind of the Hindu, motherhood; and God is called Mother”.

In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says that the Divine is manifested in all women through the seven qualities which are called Saptashakti : i.e, Keerthi, Sri (Wealth), Vaak (Communicate), Smriti (Memory), Medhaa (Intelligence), Dhriti (Tenacity) and Kshaama (Forgiveness). As a mother to all of us, these Saptashaktis and the primary virtues of Sita like courage, penance, self-control, focused devotion etc. are not only admirable, but are also worthy of imitation by all of humanity in this world.

Performing our duty as per Dharma
As we all know, all the legitimate aspirations of man are classified in to four Purusharthas, Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha. Here, Artha and Kaama are natural in all living beings.  Artha is not only making money. It stands for all those material well-beings and body security needs, and all those means of enjoyment for fulfilment of our desires. Kaama stands for all types of legitimate desires such as one should get a good job, have name and fame, should be a respected teacher, should score good marks, should be a good parent, etc.

Animals become quiet after satisfying their basic hunger and other needs but man wants to accumulate wealth for the next coming generations. So, our Rishis revealed that Artha and Kaama are natural aspirations and requirements of life but the basis of it has to be Dharma, the righteous living (though it is untranslatable). If we follow Dharma while striving for Artha and Kaama, we would become worthy of striving for Moksha (Becoming one with Ultimate) in due course. Thus, Dharma becomes the primary Purushaartha.

Rama as Dharma incarnate, thus performed his duty as a son, by obeying his father and taking up Vanavasa for 14 years. He performed his duty as a husband by fighting with Ravana, killing him and saving Sita. At the same time, he performed his duty after coronation as a king, by sending the same pregnant wife away to the forest from palace. Because, as a king he wanted his people to be guided and inspired to move on the right path. He wanted to stop the gossips and maintain the morality of the society.

In general, without understanding what is Dharma, there is a political drama and wrong interpretation against Rama by saying that, “Just because that Shurpanaka expressed her love to Rama, how can he cut her nose, even without considering her as a woman?”. The fact was that, when Rama rejected Shurpanaka’s proposal to marry her, she got wild, became aggressive and threatened him by saying that she will attack Sita and kill her. At that time only, Rama instructed Lakshmana to punish her by cutting Shurpanaka’s nose and ears as it was his Dharmic duty to protect his wife. Again, after killing Ravana, Sita did Agni pravesh on her own to prove the world her purity. In fact, Rama did not ask her to prove anything as he knew that she is purer than purity.

In the same way, adharmic persons like Ravana is praised some times by saying that, “See, Ravana had great consideration for women that he did not force himself on Sita”.  The fact is : Ravana had a curse already that if he forces himself on any woman without concurrence, his head will be broken in to pieces. So, let us understand what Krishna said to Arjuna also here: “To treat one with dhaarmik rules, who does not follow Dharma, is Adharma.”

Coming to Sita on performing her duties, first of all, she took up Vanavasa along with Rama. In fact, she says to everybody that she is Rama’s Sahadharmini and she has got equal share in performing Rama’s duties as per Dharma. Again, after coronation of Rama, when she was sent to forest with her children in womb, she did not see any injustice in the decision of Sri Rama. Sita said to Lakshmana, “Let Rama do the duty of a king. I will do my duty as a mother.” She asked Lakshmana to inform Rama, not to get angry with the people of Ayodhya and to take care of them and love them as his own brothers. Thus she has done her duty as a mother to the people of her Kingdom and her sons Lava & Kusha. After fulfilling her duties as wife, as queen and as mother, after proper upbringing of Lava and Kusha and handing them over to Sri Rama, she gave up everything to attain Moksha, the ultimate purushartha. She prayed to Mother Earth to take her back.

A person has to understand that he is part of the family, the society and the whole creation. Therefore, he has a duty towards the family, the society, nation and nature and has to contribute for its development whether he believes in the “All pervasive truth” or not. That is, he has to practice Dharma in performing his duties for the fulfillment of Artha and Kaama and if need be, he has to sacrifice his self-interest.

Sacrifice of the smaller identity in the interest of the Bigger collective
When performing our duty if there is a clash of interest say for example between the duty towards family and the duty towards nation, or clash of interest between personal well-being and the well-being of the family, then what should be done? When Rama was unjustly asked to go to forest, there was a clash of interest : Rama’s individual advancement was at cross purposes with the family values and oneness of the family. Sri Rama did not think of his personal interest and went to the forest to keep the family intact. Otherwise, the whole family would have been shattered. In order to keep the family together, in order to keep the mind of the family members together, with due respect to the entire family, Rama took the decision to go to the forest.

In the same way, family’s larger identity is society. Society’s larger form is the nation. When there is a clash between the interests of two identities or two forms, the interest of the bigger identity—Samashti—has to be chosen. In fact, it is Vishesh Dharma where, in a difficult situation a smaller entity is sacrificed for the higher entity, even if the smaller entity is put to difficulty and has to sacrifice its interests and comforts as Sri Rama had done.

So, whenever one is faced with difficulty that is, what is to be done and what is not to be done, then life of Rama and Sita will guide us : See whether there is feeling of oneness, Aatmiyata, concern for others, whether the ordained duty is being fulfilled, whether the decision is taken in the interest of the larger identity—that is, the extended form of oneself and not for a smaller identity—and whether some sacrifice—cheerfully giving up, cheerfully undergoing sufferings—is involved in it. Both Rama and Sita have touched our lives so deeply because they were historical personalities who sacrificed their personal and family life for the sake of the society. Sri Rama and Sita are worshipped inseparably because the divinity is fully manifested in them.

Swami Vivekananda said, “It is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing”. So, if the nation has to progress, both – men and women  - have to contribute to it. Let both men and women, make this nation, Viksit Bharat, by following these two ideal persons Rama and Sita.

Ref : “Indian Culture – Challenges and Potentialities” by Nivedita Raghunath Bhide
                                                            

                                                                Jai Shree Ram
                                                                            

                                                                                                                    A.P.Sundar

Guru Gobind Singh's message - Relevance to our time:Yuva Bharati February 2026

 

A nation survives not merely through geographical boundaries or military strength, but through the vitality of its culture and the moral courage of its people. When culture is threatened, the very soul of the nation is at risk. At such a critical juncture in Indian history, Guru Gobind Singh Ji emerged as a towering leader and visionary — a true guardian of the nation and its civilisational heritage. As we observe his birth anniversary in February, we are reminded that his life and message remain profoundly relevant to our times.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji lived during a period marked by political oppression, social injustice and systematic attempts to weaken India’s cultural and spiritual traditions. Rather than surrendering to fear or compromise, he awakened inner strength and self-respect among the people. Through the establishment of the Khalsa, he created a disciplined, value-driven community committed to righteousness, justice and the protection of society. The Khalsa was not merely a martial order; it was a cultural and moral revival that restored dignity, unity, and confidence among the masses.

For Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the protection of culture and the protection of the nation were inseparable. Culture, he showed, is not limited to rituals or symbols; it is a living force expressed through values, conduct, language, literature, and collective consciousness. Through his writings, promotion of heroic poetry and encouragement of classical Indian traditions, he ensured that courage was always guided by ethical and spiritual grounding. His life showed that spirituality and bravery are not contradictory but together form the foundation of a resilient nation.

The sacrifices associated with his life remain among the most powerful examples of commitment to national and cultural preservation. The martyrdom of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, for the defence of religious freedom, and the supreme sacrifice of his four sons, stand as eternal reminders that the protection of culture and human dignity often demands immense courage and sacrifice. These acts were not expressions of despair, but affirmations of faith in justice, truth and moral conviction.

For the youth of today, Guru Gobind Singh Ji offers a clear and relevant message: safeguarding the nation begins with strengthening cultural values within oneself. Pride in heritage, respect for diversity, commitment to service, disciplined living, and the courage to stand against injustice are essential qualities for national protection. In the modern context, defending the nation is not confined to the battlefield; it takes place in classrooms, workplaces and communities through ethical conduct and responsible citizenship.

As we commemorate Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s birth anniversary in February, Yuva Bharati calls upon young minds to draw inspiration from his enduring legacy. Let us embody his spirit — fearless yet compassionate, strong yet ethical, modern yet deeply rooted in cultural values. By doing so, we do not merely honour a great historical figure; we actively contribute to the preservation and strengthening of India’s nationhood and cultural identity.

May the life and message of Guru Gobind Singh Ji continue to inspire the youth of India to stand as vigilant guardians of the nation and proud carriers of its timeless cultural heritage.

 

                                                                                                              Dr Padmarekha

Samartha Bharat Parva :Yuva Bharati January 2026

Samartha Bharat Parva is celebrated from 25^th December to 12^th January by Vivekananda Kendra every year. Samarth Bharat Parva is more to focus on the youth of India so that they are inspired about the greatness of India, the relevance of India in the contemporary context and also they take a resolve to work for India. Various activities are organised for the youth during Samarth Bharat Parva like, exhibitions telling about the greatness of India, youth camps, conducting workshops for youth, and also involving youth to reach out to different people to take the message of Swami Vivekananda and also of Bharat.

 

Samarth Bharat Parva is celebrated to cherish the meditation of Swami Vivekananda on the mid-Rock at Kanyakumari on 25th, 26th and 27th of December 1892. It was not an ordinary meditation, but it was the meditation in which Swami Vivekananda meditated to know what role he has to play to raise his nation, to raise his people because before that meditation, he had gone round the country and he had seen the poverty and ignorance that was afflicting his people. So his meditation was more to know ‘what should I do for my nation’, and Swami Vivekananda had also seen that India in spite of so many invasions and vicissitudes of life, kept intact great principles of existence, like we are all interconnected, interrelated and interdependent, each soul is potentially divine, the aim of life is to manifest that divinity within, diversity is the plan of nature. So to cherish, respect, accept the diversity by seeing the One which is beyond many and thus practising diversified unity in life. After returning from the affluent and technologically advanced West, Swami Vivekananda emphatically said, - ‘If there is any land on this earth that can lay claim to be the blessed Punya Bhumi, to be the land to which all souls on this earth must come to account for Karma, the land to which every soul that is wending its way Godward must come to attain its last home, the land where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness, above all, the land of introspection and of spirituality — it is India. Hence have started the founders of religions from the most ancient times, deluging the earth again and again with the pure and perennial waters of spiritual truth. Hence have proceeded the tidal waves of philosophy that have covered the earth, East or West, North or South, and hence again must start the wave which is going to spiritualise the material civilisation of the world. Here is the life-giving water with which must be quenched the burning fire of materialism which is burning the core of the hearts of millions in other lands. Believe me, my friends, this is going to be.’

 

Swami Vivekananda felt that for the further evolution of human being for which all the civilisations of the world have contributed something or other, Hindu civilisation also has great many things to contribute, but for that India will have to first raise herself. In the past India contributed but she has a role even in contemporary as well as future world. We have to get back our confidence. We have to organise all that is good in us, in the service of the humanity. But to give that message, Swami Vivekananda needed a platform, a place, an occasion so that his voice can reach many. That is how sitting on the last bit of Indian Rock, Swamy Vivekananda took the momentous decision of his life that he would go and participate in the Parliament of Religions. He shall represent Hindu Dharma there, Hindu being a common name for all the spiritual traditions of India. Thus, his meditation of 25th 26th, 27th was a meditation in which decision was taken to raise India, to enable India to contribute to the whole humanity. 

 

Remembering that message of Swami Vivekananda and striving for applying it to our own life, Samarth Bharat Parva is celebrated by Vivekananda Kendra every year from 25th December onward till 12th January, which is the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

 

 Swami Vivekananda had meditated with this question that what is it that I should do to raise my nation.  In Samartha Bharat Parva, the youth, mainly and all the people in general are to be encouraged to contemplate and to find out in what way they can contribute for national resurgence. So Samarth Bharat Parva is a very important festival of Vivekananda Kendra, which culminates in Swami Vivekananda Jayanti on 12th January. During this Parva Bharatmata Poojan, Swadesh Mantra  and full Vande Mataramis organised. 

 

Swami Vivekananda not only awakened the nation and the national consciousness, but he united the nation by telling that it has destiny to fulfil, mission to accomplish, a message to deliver for the good of the humanity. Thus, the nation had a purpose, a larger purpose, not just for one’s own existence, but in the interest of the humanity. 

 

Swami Vivekananda gave a clarion call, ‘Arise, O India! Let all your energies be united for the great cause of the regeneration of India.’ Swami Vivekananda also united our nation by pointing out the commonalities. These commonalities are the basis on which the great diversities of our nation have flourished.

 

To raise the nation, Swami Vivekananda felt the youth of India have a great role to play. We know by nature the youth is not calculative, is not stuck up only in the past, but also has dreams for future. But if the noble dreams are not given to the youth, then dreams of youth get limited to their own career and comforts. Swami Vivekananda expected the youth to have muscles of iron and nerves of steel in which dwells the mind that is made of that material with which thunderbolt is made. But that is not all. He also reminded us that, ‘India will be raised not with the power of the flesh but with the power of the spirit.’ He wanted our youth to have unshakeable conviction and faith in themselves and in our nation. He said, ‘The idea of true Shraddha must be brought back once more to us, the faith in our own selves must be reawakened, and, then only, all the problems which face our country will gradually be solved by ourselves.’

 

We hear voices that say Gen Z should protest, get angry to destroy the old. But Swamiji said, ‘I fully agree with the educated classes in India that a thorough overhauling of society is necessary. But how to do it? The destructive plans of reformers have failed. My plan is this. We have not done badly in the past, certainly not. Our society is not bad but good, only I want it to be better still. Not from error to truth, nor from bad to good, but from truth to higher truth, from good to better, best. I tell my countrymen that so far they have done well — now is the time to do better.’ 

 

Sri Rabindranath Tagore used to tell youth to read the works of Swami Vivekananda to know about India, as he felt, in Vivekananda "there is everything positive and nothing negative."

 

Swami Vivekananda by giving a greater, positive and constructive vision to the youth of India, also saw to it that if youth want, they can make their life meaningful, purposeful for all. How India would be raised? He envisaged, “A hundred thousand men and women, fired with the zeal of holiness, fortified with eternal faith in the Lord, and nerved to lion’s courage by their sympathy for the poor and the fallen and the downtrodden, will go over the length and breadth of the land, preaching the gospel of salvation, the gospel of help, the gospel of social raising-up — the gospel of equality.” He wanted us to take whole responsibility on our shoulders: “Stand up! Be bold! Be strong! Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders.”

Swami Vivekananda was fearless like a lion. In the West he moved with them with all confidence and compassion for all. He was very fond of quoting the message of fearlessness of Upanishads. Though under British rule, he exhorted the youth, ‘Fear is the greatest sin. If you think yourselves weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you will be.’

 

Taking inspiration from Swami Vivekananda, many persons, dedicated their life to get freedom for India or to serve the neglected parts of our society or went in the interior regions for serving our people. Swami Vivekananda felt that the Vedantic truth of Oneness has to be the contribution of India to the whole world, but at same time it is also a basis on which we all can work for the good of our nation, for raising our masses which we have neglected for too long due to uncertain social conditions in the colonial and in the period of invasions. 

 

It was the intense love of Swami Vivekananda for India that touched the hearts of the people then, as well now. It is that intense love that we have to feel in our heart when we set out to work for our people and our nation.

 

Sister Christine once told— "Our love for India came to birth, I think, when we first heard him (Swami Vivekananda) say the word, "India" in that marvellous voice of his. It seems incredible that so much could have been put into one small word of five letters. There was love, passion, pride, longing, adoration, tragedy, chivalry, and again love. Whole volumes could not have produced such a feelings in others. It had the magic power of creating love in those who heard it."

When we are asserting as a civilisation there are powers that cannot tolerate this. Either by suppressing or by deviating us from our roots, they want to obliterate our nation. Even there are efforts to divide us. But we should never forget what we stand for and should not succumb to few crumbs of comforts being offered to us by these powers. Swami Vivekananda has inspired us with these fiery words, ‘O India! Forget not that the ideal of thy womanhood is Sita, Savitri, Damayanti; forget not that the God thou worshippest is the great Ascetic of ascetics, the all-renouncing Shankara, the Lord of Umâ; forget not that thy marriage, thy wealth, thy life are not for sense-pleasure, are not for thy individual personal happiness; forget not that thou art born as a sacrifice to the Mother’s altar; forget not that thy social order is but the reflex of the Infinite Universal Motherhood; forget not that the lower classes, the ignorant, the poor, the illiterate, the cobbler, the sweeper, are thy flesh and blood, thy brothers. Thou brave one, be bold, take courage, be proud that thou art an Indian, and proudly proclaim, "I am an Indian, every Indian is my brother." Say, "The ignorant Indian, the poor and destitute Indian, the Brahmin Indian, the Pariah Indian, is my brother." Thou, too, clad with but a rag round thy loins proudly proclaim at the top of thy voice: "The Indian is my brother, the Indian is my life, India’s gods and goddesses are my God. India’s society is the cradle of my infancy, the pleasure-garden of my youth, the sacred heaven, the Varanasi of my old age." Say, brother: "The soil of India is my highest heaven, the good of India is my good," and repeat and pray day and night, "O Thou Lord of Gauri, O Thou Mother of the Universe, vouchsafe manliness unto me! O Thou Mother of Strength, take away my weakness, take away my unmanliness, and make me a Man!"

                                                                                             Nivedita Raghunath Bhide