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Bengaluru, Nov 9 (IANS) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat has stated that Bharat must rise and establish itself as a nation of Dharma.
Addressing a lecture series to commemorate the centenary of the RSS in Bengaluru on Saturday, he said nations across the world define their own ‘Swadharma’. They strive to create prosperity for their people and contribute to the well-being of humanity.
Delivering his lecture in the second session, he said, “This has to happen. What does this have to do with the completion of 100 years of the Sangh? The first step towards building a Hindu society is to create awareness. It is still incomplete. We have to expand our reach. Therefore, in this centenary year, our first concern is to take our work to every village and every section of the society.”
Bhagwat said, “We see Hindu society as a homogeneous unit. We have to reach out to every section of diversity and organize Hindu society – all 142 crore people, with so many religious sects, some of whom have come from outside in the course of history.”
He said, “We have started a dialogue with people who do not consider themselves Hindu. Some say they are not Hindu but Hindavi. Others say they are Indic people. We know these are all synonyms.”
“The word ‘Hindu’ is used because it denotes the essence. ‘Hindu’ is not in any way restricted; it can apply to anyone. We have to carry forward the work of the organization and create individuals who can live up to these ideals. Ideals alone are not enough – they are like the stars: we can look towards them but can never reach them,” he said.
He said, “We have enough role models, but we need examples. We want to create a network among people who are contributing in their own way to the country. Our country is vast, and we often don’t know what is happening in different areas. The media does not inform us about all the good things that are happening.”
He said, “At least forty times more good than bad is happening in our country. So, it is time for the good – the time for the bad has passed.”
He stressed, “The India of our dreams has to be realized – but for this, the right thinking must first take place. We want to initiate nationwide deliberations and discussions. From the individual level to policy making, this thinking and long-term planning must be present.”
He said, “We have all been brought up in the same colonial mentality. As a society, we have to work collectively to overcome it. The society should work with goodwill, goodwill and positivity. There are too many negative things happening.”
He said, “We are taking this message to caste and religious leaders at the block level, encouraging them to think about the upliftment of vulnerable groups within their communities. No one should be able to create conflict within the society. This is part of our plan.”
He said, “Unfortunately, there was no segregation in India before the British invasion. Islam came with the invaders – that’s fine – the invaders went back, but the Muslims who stayed here were Indians. Assimilation took hold and progress took place.”
“But during Aurangzeb’s reign, he tried to reverse that process. Ultimately he failed, and the process of assimilation began again. In 1857, Muslims and Hindus fought together against the British. To bring about solidarity, cow slaughter was banned,” he said.
He said, “Ram Janmabhoomi was not a dispute. The Hindus and Muslims of Ayodhya together decided that it should belong to the Hindus. The British were horrified to see this unity. They identified all the fault lines in our society and tried to widen them. They did permanent damage so that this discord could continue.”
He said, “Now we are free. But the remnants of those times still play a negative role. The echoes of those differences are wreaking havoc. We must sit together, talk and resolve them.”
He said, “All this should come to the mind of those who have been filled with the feeling of separation for two centuries. This was done deliberately to divide us. If we forget this, the division will continue.”
He said, “Why do these conflicts happen? Either because the Hindu population is decreasing or because the Hindu bhava (spirit) is weakening. We have to educate these sections also. We have started such dialogues.”
He appealed, “What’s done is done. We are one people – let’s start afresh.”
“What is the life mission of Hindu Rashtra?” Bhagwat asked. “Swami Vivekananda said that every nation has a message to give and a mission to fulfill. India too has a mission – to give religion to the world.”
He said, “We have been described as a religion-souled country. Dharma has been wrongly translated as dharma. Dharma is different; it has dos and don’ts – ways to reach truth or God.”
“The truth is vast and magnificent, and naturally, there are many paths to reach it. Dharma is the nature of things, our duty. It is also described as the middle path – extremes are not allowed in dharma. All extremes are avoided in dharma,” he said.
He said, “Dharma is also translated as discipline – living a life without disturbing others, looking within oneself – that is the essence of the Buddha’s dharma. Dharma also means that which sustains.”
He said, “As an Indian, I say that if our country has to prosper, we need religion. But who really wants religion? For this, we have to understand the present situation of the world. The world has progressed a lot, especially with the advent of science.”
He said, “The aim of every human endeavor is to create happiness. In ancient times there were wars and wars continue. The First World War destroyed many things. The League of Nations was created to prevent wars, yet the Second World War happened.”
Bhagwat said, “The United Nations continues to exist, but wars also continue. Conflicts continue. The world’s arsenal could destroy ten such worlds. This narrowness of vision – seeing difference as separation – is the problem. There is a lot of thinking, yet old problems persist and new problems arise.”
He said, “There were some who denied God and there were some who said God was supreme. Every ideology was tried and now people realized that something was missing. When society is kept under strict discipline, individual freedom is suppressed.”
He said, “Where the world stopped, we did not stop there. Because of the Himalayas we did not have to face any war or aggression.”
He said, “Dharma is balance – for everyone and everything. Man must learn to live and let go. The world must be taught the path of Dharma once again, because the world is tottering.”
Mohan Bhagwat said, “We are one of the oldest nations. We must educate humanity – not by preaching, but by practice. Our ancestors did this. They traveled on foot across the world. They did not plunder or convert; they shared knowledge and received knowledge in return. It is time for us to do so again.”
–IANS
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