कुन्वंतो विश्वम आर्यम ! We will make the whole world noble. This idea of teaching nobility & gentleness to the whole world is not of a person, but of a nation – Yes it is India.
India is the only nation which has survived through cultural & religious changes, preserving its Sanatan Dharma along with integration of the positive attributes of others. It is this religious tolerance of the nation, that even after being under Mughal rule for many centuries and under Christian flag for a couple, still the majority of people here are Hindus. Indian Culture has survived through this turmoil only because it is based on strong roots of Vedas, Shashtras & Spiritual thoughts. The principles of religion here are based on strong spiritual research by various intellectual & God realised sages, who spent lives in search of truth & thus laid foundation of Indian Culture on the truth they found.
It was this quality of India, that blossomed the dream of ‘Jagatguru Bharat’ in the heart of Swami Vivekananda. Sitting in deep meditation on the rock amidst the sea, swamiji had a vision of west, which was full of glandeur & prosperity but lacked spirituality. On opening his eyes he saw before him the land full of spiritual insight & higher energies. It was a mission of taking these positive energies of thoughts, that took him to the west. During his entire life, swamiji preached the spiritual abundance of India. He always advocated that India & only India has the capacity to conquer the world. Not by hatred, but by Love, not by war but by peace.1 The world is in utter need of truth & only India can disseminate the great truths of Vedanta. The world is on a volcano, which mat burst tomorrow. Only spirituality can save it, and Indian spiritual ideas may penetrate deep into the world & bring joy.
These thoughts of Swami Vivekananda happen to be correct & valid in today’s’ world as well. However we have forgotten out mission & swayed away from the path of realisation of this dream. Post independence, the nation all of a sudden lost its mission. Till the eve of 15th Aug 1947 every Indian had a mission & a vision of Free Nation. On the Independence Day, this mission was accomplished & a big question arose in each & every mind. What Next ? India was suffering from many disease such as poverty, illiteracy & like. To add to this coming years saw more material disorders in terms of social & political aspects. Till date we are fighting these issues & trying to bring social, political order amongst ourselves. But in this race to achieve material superiority we have forgotten our basic intrinsic quality which forms our greatest strength, Our Spirituality !
Swami Vivekananda once said, “Our life blood is spirituality. If it flows clear, if it flows strong & pure & vigorous, everything is right; political, social, any other material defects, even the poverty of the land will be cured if that blood is pure.”2
India today is facing many such defects – regionalism, terrorism, economical crisis & like have been added to the defects India suffered. We have become so busy in fighting these evils, that we have forgotten the very dream of ‘Jagatguru Bharat’. Today we are contended & happy about being the fourth nation to land on the moon, but have forgotten that we worship Moon as God. Spiritual values are fading the btight lights of success and in the utter darkness of failure.
As we try to clear the external defects & beautify externally, we are slowly loosing sight of the internal power. Today if any or our present leaders or aspiring leaders are asked about their vision for India, the answers would be to see India as a Social, Economical or to that extent even a Military Superpower. But hardly any of us thinks in terms of becoming what India already is or shall I say was – A Spiritual Superpower.
Swami Vivekananda in the last interview with his monks, spoke about rise and fall of nations. “India is immortal”, he said “if she persists in her search of God. But if she goes in for politics & social conflict, she will die” 3
This leaves us with a question as a nation, Is India marching towards its death ?
—————————————–
1. Complete Works
2. Complete Works
3. Life of Swami Vivekananda : Romain Rolland