Hindu View of Life -10

Sri Guruji now tells us about the Problems of Hindu Society.

Apart form the philosophical framework of the Hindu approach to life and its problems, Shri Guruji had expressed his views on almost all aspects and problems confronting the contemporary world.  Here are few of them. 

Regarding the much misunderstood word "Hindu" Shri Guruji was of the view that 'the Hindu' denotes a society. It is a word that is found in our Shastras. It is formed with the letter Hi from the Himalayas and Indu Sarovar, conveying the entire stretch of our Motherland. Shri Guruji quotes from the Bruhaspati Aagama. Himaalayam samaarabhya yaavad-indu-sarovaram Tam devanirmitam desam Hindusthaanam prachakshate. Though the word Arya is an old and proud name, Shri Guruji was not in favour of using that word in view of the "Cooked-up Aryan-Dravidian controversy". The word Bharateeya, though very ancient and normally unobjectionable it has acquired a connotation slightly different and ambivalent and as such cannot be a substitute or equivalent to the word Hindu. 

Hindu Rashtra, according to Shri Guruji is not merely a religious concept. He defines Hindu Rashtra in the following terms. "Let me try to clear, at the very outset, one misconception about 'Hindu Rashtra'. The word Hindu is not merely 'religious'. It denotes a 'people' and their highest values of life. We, therefore, in our concept of nation, emphasize a few basic things: unqualified devotion to the motherland and our cultural ideals, pride in our history which is very ancient, respect for our great forefathers, and lastly, a determination in every one of us to build up a common life of prosperity and security. All this comes under the one caption: 'Hindu Rashtra'. We are not concerned with an individual's mode of worship".  

When he was asked the question whether he opted for a Hindu state, Shri Guruji explained his concept in very simple terms "The word Hindu state is unnecessarily misinterpreted as a theocratic one which would wipe out all other sects. Our present state is in a way a Hindu State. When the vast majority of people are Hindus, the State is democratically Hindu. It is also a secular state and all those who are now non-Hindus have also equal rights to live here. The State does not exclude any one who lives here from occupying any position of honour in the State. It is unnecessary to call ours a Hindu State or a secular state".  

Many people, supposed to be very intelligent and highly learned are confused about the fundamental unity of Hindu society on account of the multitude of faiths, sects, castes, languages, customs and habits. They look upon Hindu society as a conglomerate of disparate and even conflicting elements. But Shri Guruji disagrees. He says, "Well, this question stems from a superficial view of our Hindu life. A tree, for example, appears to be full of heterogeneous parts like the branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. The trunk differs from the branches, the branches from the leaves- all as if entirely different from one another. But we know that all these apparent diversities are only the varied manifestations of the same tree. The same sap runs through and nourishes all those parts. So is the case with the diversities of our social life, which have been evolved down these millennia. They are no more a source of dissension and disruption than a leaf or a flower is in the case of a tree. This kind of natural evolution has been a unique feature of our social life". 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                .....by Sri P Parameswaran ji