Hindu View of life -6

Shri Guruji had solutions for every problem. Though his life was dedicated to the task of organizing Hindu society, people from every walk of life, approached him with problems of every kind ranging from personal to the international. Since Shri Guruji's philosophy and view of life was based on the sound and scientific principles of Sanatana Dharma, his view and vision were clear and unambiguous. That is not to say that his opinions were rigidly conditioned by principles enunciated ages ago. Unlike the Semitic religions, Hindu Dharma has always been flexible and adaptive.

Sanatana Dharma was basic and eternal. At the same time our sages had taken account of the inevitability of changes due to unceasing flow of time. So, principles of Sanatana Dharma had to be applied, not blindly and fanatically, but taking into view the requirements of changing situations. Shri Guruji understood this very well and gave guidance accordingly. Society is in continuous flux. No social order can remain unaffected by the flux. The wisdom of the leaders lies in evolving suitable norms without sacrificing the fundamental laws. This has to take into account the individual aspirations also.

Shri Guruji believed that the aim and object of the Hindu social order was to create perfected individuals – Poorna Manav – and then take them further up, lift Nara to Narayana. This could be achieved only if the entire social order is built up to create the environment suited to this. In-depth analysis of human psychology led Guruji to the same conclusion as envisaged by our ancient Rishis and scriptures.

Man is in search of happiness. But he does not know the real source of happiness. So, he goes about searching for it in the external world under the impression that acquisition of various objects will give him the happiness he is seeking for. But, after innumerable trials and errors, he comes to the conclusion that after all happiness is a state of mind and it is within oneself to seek for. The temporary joys he gets from outside objects are not only evanescent but also produce reaction and revulsion. Unalloyed Bliss is lodged within one's own soul. Along with this realization comes another realization that this soul is the same in every human being. So, he realizes the essential unity of all. The limited 'I' becomes unlimited and engrosses everything. It is this broadening of the ego and its identification with the 'All' is really what is called liberation or Moksha. That is the ultimate objective of every human being. Such a liberated soul is a Poorna Manav.

Hindu view of Life -5

Shri Guruji had solutions for every problem. Though his life was dedicated to the task of organizing Hindu society, people from every walk of life, approached him with problems of every kind ranging from personal to the international. Since Shri Guruji's philosophy and view of life was based on the sound and scientific principles of Sanatana Dharma, his view and vision were clear and unambiguous. That is not to say that his opinions were rigidly conditioned by principles enunciated ages ago. Unlike the Semitic religions, Hindu Dharma has always been flexible and adaptive.

Sanatana Dharma was basic and eternal. At the same time our sages had taken account of the inevitability of changes due to unceasing flow of time. So, principles of Sanatana Dharma had to be applied, not blindly and fanatically, but taking into view the requirements of changing situations. Shri Guruji understood this very well and gave guidance accordingly. Society is in continuous flux. No social order can remain unaffected by the flux. The wisdom of the leaders lies in evolving suitable norms without sacrificing the fundamental laws. This has to take into account the individual aspirations also.

Shri Guruji believed that the aim and object of the Hindu social order was to create perfected individuals – Poorna Manav – and then take them further up, lift Nara to Narayana. This could be achieved only if the entire social order is built up to create the environment suited to this. In-depth analysis of human psychology led Guruji to the same conclusion as envisaged by our ancient Rishis and scriptures.

Man is in search of happiness. But he does not know the real source of happiness. So, he goes about searching for it in the external world under the impression that acquisition of various objects will give him the happiness he is seeking for. But, after innumerable trials and errors, he comes to the conclusion that after all happiness is a state of mind and it is within oneself to seek for. The temporary joys he gets from outside objects are not only evanescent but also produce reaction and revulsion. Unalloyed Bliss is lodged within one's own soul. Along with this realization comes another realization that this soul is the same in every human being. So, he realizes the essential unity of all. The limited 'I' becomes unlimited and engrosses everything. It is this broadening of the ego and its identification with the 'All' is really what is called liberation or Moksha. That is the ultimate objective of every human being. Such a liberated soul is a Poorna Manav.

..... Sri P Parameswaranji....contd

The Hindu View - 4

Shri Guruji was of the firm view that neither communism nor capitalism could ever unite the world. The reason he gave is fundamental. Materialistic philosophy which considers man as basically a physical animal and which considers the fulfillment of material desires and wants as the supreme need of man can only generate competition and conflict and not Unity and Harmony. The reason is simple.

At the material plane, there is only diversity and difference. They foster concepts of separatism and exclusivism. For people who see only at the level of material reality there is nothing that unifies or integrates. There is no reason why they should think of cooperation. It is only when we look beneath the apparent diversities that we come to realize that there is an underlying unity though subtle which unites all these gross entities into one integrated whole. Shri Guruji stated: "From the materialist point of view we are all gross entities, each separate and exclusive in itself, who can have no bonds of mutual affinity or affection. There can also be no inner restraint in such beings, which can make them control their selfishness from running amuck in the interest of the humanity as a whole. "

After all, any arrangement evolved for achieving world welfare can be fruitful only to the extent the men behind them would mould their individual and national conduct in tune with the welfare of humanity. Without that supreme urge, any scheme, however good its purpose may be, will only provide one more alluring mask for the aggrandizement of power-drunk nations. That has been the uniform verdict of history right up to the present times.

"Our ancient Hindu philosophers, therefore, had turned their gaze to a plane higher than materialism. They delved deep into the mysteries of the human soul, well beyond the reach of material science, and discovered the Ultimate Reality which pervades all Creation, the one great common principle present in all beings whatever the name we may give it - Soul, God, Truth, Reality or Nothingness. It is the occasional realization of this common entity that inspires us to strive for the happiness of others. The 'I' in me, being the same as the 'I' in the other beings, makes me react to the joys and sorrows of my fellow living beings just as I react to my own. This genuine feeling of identity born out of the community of the inner entity is the real driving force behind our natural urge for human unity and brotherhood.

Thus it is evident that world unity and human welfare can be made real only to the extent mankind realizes this common Inner Bond which alone can subdue the passions and discords stemming from materialism, broaden the horizon of the human mind and harmonize the individual and national aspirations with the welfare of mankind." Shri Guruji was of the considered view that the Bharateeya system was the only one which ensured individual freedom without compromising social development "The West relies on two systems: democracy and communism. Democracy, as we see, has led to the growth of selfishness and set up man against man. There is no peace to man. Spirituality has no chance to grow there. The self-praise and the condemnations of others, which are normally indulged in during elections, kill spirituality. Communism on the other hand has led to the regimentation of mind; it destroys the individuality of man. But man is not a mere animal to be content with eating and procreating. He has an urge, which goes beyond that, which cannot be met merely by the material things. In our system individual liberty and social solidarity were both ensured. The individual was freed from the shackles of economic bondage, because he was assured of a profession from his very birth. Even in the West, thinkers have begun pondering on these lines. This system ensures a clear way to rise to Godhead, devoid of the worry for worldly needs. Thus it was that among all the castes, saints of the highest order were born. This is a wonderful democracy on the spiritual basis. All are one on that basis". 

.....by Sri P Parameswaran ji....contd

The Hindu view of Life -3

Many people falsely believed that the Hindu regeneration movement had nothing to offer to mitigate the distress or to resolve the dilemma faced by the world. To them, the approach of Shri Guruji was based on narrow Hindu sectarianism whereas the situation demanded an alternate worldview, which could provide hope and cheer for the future of all humanity. Shri Guruji unambiguously stated that much before capitalism and communism were even thought of, our forefathers in India had been thinking about the whole world and its all-round welfare. The prayer on their lips was "Lokassamasta Sukhino Bhavantu". Let the whole world be happy.

While the west based its philosophy on principles of competition and conflict, and envisaged survival only for the fittest, the Hindu paradigm visualized the entire world as one family. The highest that the west could promise was the greatest good of the greatest number. Bharat wanted to ensure that every one however small or insignificant had a proper and worthy place in the scheme of life.

According to Shri Guruji, the different western views were incapable of offering a way of life, wherein not only human beings but also the entire creation will find a safe and secure place to occupy. This is inherent in their philosophy whether it is capitalist or communist. Both are compartmental and not comprehensive, because they are based on gross materialistic approach. Neither capitalism, nor communism that came as a reaction to the capitalism, could provide a lasting and peaceful solution because both were essentially materialistic. It was only the Hindu approach based on a spiritual view of things that could provide the real alternative.

Spirituality does not compartmentalize. It does not reject material needs and requirements of man. It only locates and evaluates them in the total context. It gives a new view and vision of life, which includes both material welfare and spiritual enlightenment. Materialism does not ensure full growth of man. It indeed dwarfs him by abolishing the spiritual dimension altogether. For the materialist, whether a capitalist or a communist, man is essentially a body with or without a soul whereas spirituality envisages man as an embodied Divine spark or soul. It encompasses both the aspects and envisages a perfect or an integral man. Shri Guruji called him 'Poorna Manav'.

This concept of 'Poorna Manav', which Shri Guruji invoked, was the cornerstone of the philosophy of integral humanism elaborately propounded by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. "Integral humanism" was indeed a restatement of the Hindu social philosophy based on Sanatana Dharma in the context of the present situation which is posited not merely as another alternative or just a Third Way but as the real way ahead for humanity sandwiched between capitalism and communism in those days.

.....Sri P Parameswarn ji .....contd