Hindus are most Suited to Promote Spirituality the World Needs Today
(Compilation for a discourse by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, July 2016)
With the growing thought of One Life to Live as many religions believe in, this responsiveness to the needs and suffering of the myriad individual lives also must grow rapidly. This can be postponed in a Hindu Thought as a Hindu believes in repeated births and deaths and so a Hindu can move at a slow and steady speed to better himself after each birth without choosing the alternate. But a rare few among them decide to achieve the same in this very life. Spirituality is not merely a balm for the individual soul or a feeling of peace and harmony but for all others as well. It promotes all round peace and happiness. Spirituality exceeds the individual. This is a problem, but only in the sense that was expressed in the Holy Bible "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." A sense of responsibility for the suffering of others is the hallmark of spirituality.
http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2016/05/vedanta-religion-everlasting-universal.html
Spirituality and patriotism
(Compilation for a discourse by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, July 2016)
Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many
perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger
than ourselves and it typically involves
a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human
experience—something that touches us all.
We come across people
who are fed up with blind belief and faith of religion say "I am
spiritual, but not religious" as a way of identifying their approach to
the divine. Now-a-days in USA in Inter-faith meetings we come across more
people referring to their spiritual practices. We meet Spiritual leaders exposed to Jain,
Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Kabbalistic, Gnostic, Native American, Druid, Mayan,
and a host of other forms of spirituality in such meets. All these cross currents
of spiritual thinking can easily confuse a person
attending such meets to get to know about Spirituality.
Spirituality gives a
general feeling that it is something like religion but for most people the
meaning of the word is unclear. The ordinary view is that spiritual things are
directed towards higher worlds removed from what is regarded as the "real
world." in which we feel pain and pleasure. Various definitions given in the dictionary
do not help us either. The dictionary
defines "spiritual" as "incorporeal," "affecting the
soul of man," "pertaining to God," "sacred or
religious," etc. While all of this gives different kinds of meaning, it
does not lead us much to our own inner call and approach to our inner
spirit. We do not have an etymology for
the word God. But, the etymology of the
word Spirit however gives us an idea. The root for the word "spirit"
is spiritus, the Latin word for "breath." At the most basic
physiological level the breath sustains life. In much religious symbolism it
is the breath (spirit) that actually brings life into being. In the Bible God
"breathed the breath of life" into Adam.
The word God is not
based on any root or etymology in English. It is coined after three
English letters G, O and D. Here G stands from Generation or Creation which
Hindu scriptures call as Srishthi or Creation. O stands for Operation which
Hindu Sastras mention as Sthithi or Sustenance. D stands for Dissolution
which Hindu scriptures call as Laya or Destroyer. This meaning is given in the
Webster Dictionary and is not my creation. These are the three acts of
Supreme Being in his emanation as Brahma, the Creator, Vishnu the Sustainer and
Siva the Destroyer. Hinduism further says Srishti, Sthiti and Laya are of
cyclic nature and perennial.
Hindu pundits claim everything has a Hindu
Origin and dig deep into the very rich and ancient Sanskrit language. The
English term God was originally a Sanskrit word taken from Vedas and mentioned
several times in Bhagavad Gita and also in Pranaahuti Mantra (MNU) as Hutam. Hutam means smoke arising from an
offering made into sacred fire ceremony, Homam. Hutam became “Gutam” in
German, Goot in Dutch and God in English from Got. Now the word GOD that stands
for the One and only stands for Supreme
Reality in English. It does not have a special root meaning in English.
But how did Dharma concept was visualized by
the civilized world then which resorted to Homa. The smoke arising from the
Homa was a minor irritant. It needed to be set right by looking into the
fagots. So this smoke is the one that drives or inspires to do things right. So
they called the smoke as God (one that sets things right). You know from
MNU how Ghee was considered as Vyahriti (emanation) of Supreme Being.
This was considered as a large irritant for open air theological
discourse (Aranyaka). The smoke rises high and covers everything from
sight as Maya. God was called Yogamaya. As the smoke is ever
expanding it was visualized as brihat in Sanskrit that which is expanding and so
they called the unknown as Brahman. Svadha the word used in offerings
stands for: Sva=one’s own and Dha=intention or offering. Also
Swaha: swa=self ha=yes. Therefore they searched this prompting from within. Therefore
they concluded Yagna is God and so called him Yajnapurusha (Tvam
Yajnastvam Brahmastvam--MNU). So
they called this Right Act (Truth or Sat) or Dharma is arising out of
Consciousness (Chit) to bring Ananda (Happiness) and so they coined the word
Sacchidananda (Truth-Conscientiousness--Bliss). So Hutam gave birth to God or
the Yajna was the motivator to know the unknown. So the word God is Universal
which the English has taken pride as their own and also talk of their own God
as if all others refer to different Gods--(Do not bow unto any other
God--Ten Commandments)
The most convincing
explanation for spirituality can be found in Upanishads which are often
referred as Vedanta. In Vedanta universes
are breathed out and breathed in. It is cyclic in nature. Swami Vivekananda referred to it in his
speech in Chicago a century back as Vedanta—Religion of the Future. It even
gives a convincing explanation of what God is.
“Is there something
beyond right and wrong?” Nachiketa, the teenager hero of Kathopanishad asks
Lord Yama. As the third boon, he rejects countless material prospects and
insists on getting spiritual wisdom. “Is there some truth that you behold,” he
continues, “which defies time and causation?” This question is a fine example
of the heights of philosophical contemplation that the Upanishads are known
for. The webinar of Swami Chidanada Mission has examined the significance of
this amazing query and has thrown light on the connection between
Self-knowledge and the leap beyond virtue, time and causation.
I have often talked
about how our worship should focus on Spirituality. The progress from religious practices to
spiritual concentration is progressive. When
I want to become religious, what do I really mean? The meaning is I have
immediately differentiated between the kind of life that I wish to live, and
the kind of life that I have been accustomed to. All that is necessary to
enable us to perceive Truth behind the curtain is the discipline spoken of, as
anything that will give us a temporary satisfaction through the sense organs
and the body is that which has to be abandoned for the time being. When you are
after something, you have to pursue it. When you are an investigating scientist
in a laboratory and you are pursuing a course of tremendously important
investigation into the structural pattern of certain subtle things, you will
not remember whether it is lunchtime or breakfast time, or whether it is
daytime or night time, or whether anybody is there around you at all. An
automatic discrimination takes place in the laboratory because of the
concentration of the mind on what is there before one’s aim, and all other
things become redundant.
A few years ago Boyd
Tim of American Theosophical Society wrote that
the word Spirituality was being overused and predicted that at this rate soon "spiritual" would become a
marketing term. There would be spiritual clothing, spiritual gym shoes and spiritual
spas. He is not wrong. You all know how YMCA has successfully uses this
catch sentence as motto in its membership drive: “A world-wide charitable fellowship united by
a common loyalty to Jesus Christ for the purpose of helping people grow in spirit, mind and Body”. Yoga speaks of it in reverse order—“Grow in
Body, Mind and Spirit”. You can turn around YMCA and see the signs for a local
business in bold letters —"Spiritual Boutique" and similar names.
This beats even the cluster of shops around Hindu temples in Pilgrimage
centers with no signs selling things for
worship and prayer aids including books.
Boyd Tim explains
what he means being spiritual as follows:
“In the human body there are an
estimated 75-100 trillion cells. It is an astounding number, beyond our
comprehension. It is a number larger than the number of galaxies in the
universe, and even greater than the amount of the U.S. national debt. The cell
is the basic building block of all living organisms. From the perspective of
biology, it is the smallest living thing. Although we think of these cells as
being a part of that greater something we each call "me," to the
individual cell that "me" is irrelevant. Each of these 100 trillion
cells that make up our bodies has needs and activities of its own. The cell
needs nutrition. It is looking to reproduce. It seeks an environment that will
be hospitable to its growth. Whether I have a good day at work, or enjoy
the movie I am watching, or I am mad at my daughter is of little consequence
to the cell.
If somehow one of these cells
began to sense that it was a part of something greater, and felt an urgency to
connect with or more consciously participate in that greater something, that
would be a cell with a dawning spiritual awareness. If the cell began to
inquire into the workings of that greater something, this would be spiritual
study. If from the information that the cell acquired, it developed a
discipline that enhanced its awareness of the greater whole, this would be its
spiritual practice. if the cell became aware of other cells who had this same
awakening and who had pursued it to a point where they actually were in harmony
with the energies and patterns of that greater something—cells who could say,
"I and the 'greater' are one" —those cells would be spiritual
teachers. You get the idea. Unity is the basis of spirituality, and all movement
in the direction of a deeper experience of oneness can be called spiritual.
The cell example,
although impossible, makes a point. We, like the cells, "live, move, and
have our being" within a greater life. The various ways that we describe
that life indicate both the extent and the limits of our perception. In
Shakespeare's Hamlet the statement is made, "There are more things
in heaven and earth...than are dreamt of in your philosophy." This applies
as much to our individual musings as to contemporary scientific opinion or the
formulations of the world's religions. Each of these attempts at knowing has a
certain merit to it, but is at best partial. It could not be any other way”.
Let us turn our
thoughts from Science to Vedanta which also in a way is science of life. The capacity in us to distinguish
between path what is redundant in this world and that which is essential for
making ourselves fit to tread the of Truth is a discrimination called Viveka.
When you know what is necessary and what is unnecessary, what is proper and
what is improper through this exercise of Viveka, you also know
what is to be rejected and what is to be caught hold of. That which you reject as unnecessary,
redundant, meaningless, an interference – that process of rejection is
called Vairagya. The meaninglessness of certain things in the
pursuit which we are after is that which will enable us to abandon it from our
considerations in daily life. When we turn our thoughts of Viveka toward Vairagya,
a process of rejection our thoughts are focused on spirituality. We try to get
rid of Dushkarmas or bad actions of Kama (lust), Krodha (anger), Moha
(infatuation), Lobha (greed), Mada (pride) and Maatsarya (Jealousy). With this
you enter into the spiritual field educated by the religious field and start
your spiritual exercise called Sadhana.
The initial steps of
Sadhana are Viveka and Vairagya. While you discard what is to be rejected you
are allured to six virtues that you
continue to practice –Dama, Sama, Uparti, Titiksha, Sraddha, and
Samadhana. Dama is restraint of sense
organs. Sama is restraint of internal organs. Uparti is cessation of worldly
longings. Titiksha is endurance and toleration. Sraddha is faith in which you
seek God. Samadhana is concentration of mind.
With this you reach a stage of intense longing for Liberation called
Mumukshatva to enjoy Eternal Bliss or Ananda.
Any action is bound
by a purpose that it wants to accomplish. The spiritual practice is also a
committed action driven by a purpose. Spiritual practice, traditionally called
'Sadhana' has a purpose of Liberation.
The word 'Liberation
becomes meaningful only in context of Bondage. What is that Bondage from which
an individual seeks to be freed? This desire to be free from this bondage is
called 'Mumuksha'. By understanding, what the bondage is the necessary means to
be free from the bondage can be adapted. Not knowing this, many of us are
confused about the spiritual practices.
What is mistakenly
called Hindu Religion (which Hindus do not want to correct even after knowing
it is wrong but pride on it) refers to Vedic Sanatana Dharma culture reminding
basically that they are involved with a body-Self learning which attempts to
describe things that are always true. It is not just a book or rules, a blind
faith club to join or aggressive conversation based. Dharma the sages
visualized as Right Act as we discussed in Easopanishad. What is not Dharma was
also defined as Adharma, a pair of opposites.
With the growing thought of One Life to Live as many religions believe in, this responsiveness to the needs and suffering of the myriad individual lives also must grow rapidly. This can be postponed in a Hindu Thought as a Hindu believes in repeated births and deaths and so a Hindu can move at a slow and steady speed to better himself after each birth without choosing the alternate. But a rare few among them decide to achieve the same in this very life. Spirituality is not merely a balm for the individual soul or a feeling of peace and harmony but for all others as well. It promotes all round peace and happiness. Spirituality exceeds the individual. This is a problem, but only in the sense that was expressed in the Holy Bible "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." A sense of responsibility for the suffering of others is the hallmark of spirituality.
“Fortunately our
level of control over this process is minimal. We are much like a gardener. Our
role in all of this is not to manipulate the sunshine, or cause the sky to
rain, but to nurture and provide the conditions for the seed to grow. As we
wisely fulfill this role, within ourselves we witness the stirrings of new
life. The seeds of compassion, kindness, and responsibility, which ultimately
yield the fruits of the spiritual life, come alive and flourish. May this time
soon arrive for all of us” says Boyd Tim.
Hinduism has no traditional
ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no governing body,
no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic,
pantheistic, monistic, or atheistic. Within this diffused open structure,
spirituality in Hindu philosophy is an individual experience of a Kshetrajna
(field Controller). It defines spiritual
practice as one's journey towards Moksha awareness of self, the discovery of higher truths, true
nature of reality, and a consciousness that is liberated and content called
Bliss or Aananda. Hinduism prescribes
four paths of spirituality. These paths are called paths of Yoga—Jnaana Yoga,
the way of Knowledge; Bhakti Yoga, the Way of Devotion; Karma Yoga, the Way of
Selfless Service and Raja Yoga, The Way
of Contemplation and Meditation. According to Hinduism all people can be classified
into four distinct groups: 1) The Emotional individual; 2) The Rational Person;
3) The Meditative Individual; 4) The Habitually Overactive Individual. Bhakti Yoga is suitable for emotional person.
Jnaana Yoga is meant for the rational
person. Raja Yoga is suitable for meditative person. Karma Yoga is suitable
for the person naturally inclined towards activity.
In earlier scriptures
we find the first three Yogas only being mentioned as three-fold path. But
later in the 19th century Vivekananda in his Neo-Vedanta Synthesis
of Hinduism added Raja Yoga as The King of all Yogas or “The Royal Path” ably
supported by later saints like Aurobindo. Jnana Marga is a path often directed
by a Guru who is a teacher followed by saints and men of wisdom. It
resorts to austerities, sacrifices and penance. Bhakti Marga is a path of devotion which
often resorts to Moorti Upaasana or worship of Deva, Devatas and Upadevatas or various
deities. Their spiritual approach here is through the worship of their Ishta
Devata (Chosen deity)
as well as other deities assisted
by chanting hymns, singing Bhajans and
Keertans in front of idols or images regarded
as devotional symbols. Karma Yoga
is the path of one’s own work, where diligent selfless service become a spiritual practice and work in daily
life perfected keeping spiritual liberation as the goal in mind and not
focused on any material reward.
Raja Marga is the royal path of cultivating necessary virtues, self
-discipline, penance, meditation, contemplation and self-reflection with seclusion
and isolation of the world to reach a pinnacle state called Samadhi or
Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Chandogya Upanishad
says those who engage in ritualistic worship of devatas guided by priests will
fail in spiritual practice while those engaged in austerities and penance will
succeed in their objective of spiritual progress
toward liberation. Svetasvatara Upanishad
says that a successful spiritual practice requires a longing for Truth (knowing
Brahman), but warns of becoming 'false ascetic' who go through the mechanics of
spiritual practice without meditating on the nature of Self and Supreme Spirit.
Bhagavad Gita has the following advice for Spiritual Seekers (Jnaana Marga): Yaanti
Devavrataa devaan pitrun yaanti
pitruvrataah, bhootaani yaanti bhootejyaa
yaanti madyaajino api maam)--Worshippers of the celestial controllers go to the devas, the
worshippers the ancestors go to the ancestors, and the worshippers of the
ghosts go to the ghosts, but my devotees come to me (and are not born again). Modern Saints like Vivekananda leave
the option to choose any one of these paths.
Others feel that these paths are not mutually exclusive but are overlapping
and feel Karma directed by Jnaana should end in Bhakti and absolute surrender
to the will of the Supreme. These four
spiritual paths are also known to Hindus outside India for example Chatur Marga
of Balinese Hinduism.
Different schools of
Hinduism encourage different spiritual practices. In Taantric school for example, the spiritual
practice has been referred to as Saadhana. It involves initiation into the
school, undergoing rituals, and achieving Moksha or liberation by experiencing
union of cosmic polarities.
Advaita school spiritual practice emphasizes on Jnaana yoga in progressive
stages: Sanyasa (celibacy), Sravana (hearing or Adhyayana), Manana (turning
inwards) and Dhyana (contemplation). We have discussed in detail on Jnaana yoga
in the discourse on Meditation—Meditation is to go beyond Thinking into Higher
Consciousness. ISKCON Hare Krishna School of Thought and
Bhakti Vedanta emphasize on Bhakti yoga as spiritual practice.
It is worth going through the philosophical
discussions in various chapters of Bhagavad Gita related to the subject matter
of discussion:
vyavasayatmika
buddhirekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-shaka hianantashcha buddhayo ‘vyavasayinaam || 2-41 ||
bahu-shaka hianantashcha buddhayo ‘vyavasayinaam || 2-41 ||
Those on the path of spiritual
advancement are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. The intelligence of
those who are irresolute is many-branched.”
We
must focus our intelligence on definite aim in one direction otherwise all of our endeavors will result
in failure. One whose mind is diversified and
branched in many directions fails to concentrate on anything and is simply
left in confusion. Human mind is like a
monkey and its nature is to drift. We must learn to control the
mind with our spiritual knowledge
otherwise the mind will be the cause of our own bondage.
Mind can either be our best friend or
our worst enemy says Gita sloka 6-6:
Bandhur
atmaat manah tasya yena-atmaiva atmana aa jitah |
anaatmanah tu satrutve vartet aatmaiva satru-vat || 6—6 ||
anaatmanah tu satrutve vartet aatmaiva satru-vat || 6—6 ||
Mind alone is one’s friend as well as
one’s enemy. The mind is friend of those who have control over it, and for
those who do not control it, it is an enemy.
The
mind is the repository of all sensual perception. Through our five senses of perception we experience the
world, and the resultant experience is transmitted to the mind, where it is
classified as either delight or distress. The uncontrolled mind begins to dwell
on the desires and fears created by these experiences. The result is a
whirlpool of thoughts making it unable for us to think, concentrate, and focus
our selves.
To
control the mind, we need to utilize spiritual knowledge. A controlled mind will keep the senses in
check. When the senses are in check, the craving for lust and desire stop and
we become peaceful. When there is peace, the natural happiness is restored and
we focus on Self and turn inwards. That
leads to knowing the Unknown or Brahmajnaana.
Gita also guides us as to how to
acquire this spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is possible only for
those who wish to connect themselves with the Supreme Being. Without a connection to Supreme Spirit
(Paramaatman) one cannot acquire
spiritual knowledge—“naasti
buddhir ayukatasya “ says Gita.
We
need to focus on Supreme Spirit (Paramatman) in order to develop spiritual
knowledge. With that spiritual knowledge we can control our mind. With a
controlled mind all the ten senses of
perception and action can be kept in check.
When the senses are kept in check, we will experience peace. When we are
peaceful, the happiness of the Self or inward peace will be realized
automatically:
How
then can we connect out thoughts to Paramaatman? Gita says here:
Tesham
satata-yuktanambhajatam peeti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te ||
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te ||
The
knowledge and understanding of the metaphysical science (Brahmajnnana) is given
to those who are ever lovingly connected to the Supreme Spirit and united with
it. This is true to all religions that
echo the same thought. The Holy Bible in John 1.12 says: “Those who receive Him
and believe in Him (Jesus Christ), he makes them come to the Father in heaven.
Again Luke 18.17 says: “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a
little child shall not enter therein”
If
a person sincerely worships the Lord with love and devotion, then Supreme
Spirit from within his heart gives that person
instructions so that the individual may ultimately come to it without
difficulty. This is metaphysics and
spiritual knowledge. Material knowledge may depend on many external factors,
but spiritual knowledge is inherent in one’s Self. It is simply covered by
Maaya (illusion) just like a mirror covered by dust. As we clean the mirror of
the mind that is as we get rid of the clouds the shining reflection from within
gradually becomes visible to us.
To
accomplish this linking with the Paramatman we must take up a serious Sadhana,
or daily spiritual practice of resorting to Yoga and meditation. Those who follow Bhakti Marga resort to
self-purification by murmuring the name of their Ishtadevata repeatedly getting
rid of all other thoughts and resort to
meditation (Japayoga).
\All Religious Rivers
end up in the Spiritual Ocean, losing their individual identity, that
symbolizes Brahman. Whatever may be our
religious following it should all culminate in Spirituality to focus our
thoughts on the Supreme! That is why Vedanta is called Universal Religion or
unifying Spirituality.
Hinduism is blessed with learned Gurus to lead people through spirituality,
though plagued with dogma, priests and monastics
and influence from other religions with no spiritual focus where they
are in minority.
India’s spiritual
heritage is ancient and legendry. Over several Millenniums India has been
blessed with more Gurus— holy persons who during their lives on earth have
merged their Self with God—than any other country in the world. I have conveyed
to you well documented stories about them.
For over 2300 years travelers from the most powerful countries on earth have
gone to India in search of her well defined spiritual wisdom guided by Vedas
and Upanishads. When Alexander the Great returned to Persia after his
unsuccessful invasion of India, the most valued treasure he took back with him
was not rich material bounties like gold,
jewels, silk and spices but his Guru , the Yogi Kalyana, called Kalanos by
Greeks.
Why there is so much
dis-contentment and frustration among even Hindus today let alone others? It is
because majority have disconnected
themselves with spirituality over long years.
They must Arise, Awake and Move
Forward (Uttishthata Jaagrata; Charaibeti Charaibeti). Dissatisfaction
and the sense of incompleteness mark the life of everyone. Even the very
accomplished people are not at peace with life, strictly speaking. Whether we
like it or not, we have to accept the fact that humanity, by and large, is
caught in some form of attachment or prejudice. Numerous dimensions of ‘egoism’
hijack us at different times. Spiritual
awakening frees us from such a psychological bondage. The person who
facilitates such a waking up in us is GURU. The Geeta (chapter 4, verse 34)
advises us to reach men (or women) of wisdom, serve them, ask them our doubts.
They will then surely open our eyes to the spiritual reality. That is
enlightenment. If we are highly mature, ready to receive the highest knowledge,
the journey to freedom takes no time. Otherwise we receive from the GURU such
guidance that prepares us for the leap beyond d the shell of ego:
Tadviddhi
pranipaatena pariprasnena sevayaa |
Upekshyanti tay Jnaanam jnaaniastattvadarsinah ||
Upekshyanti tay Jnaanam jnaaniastattvadarsinah ||
This wisdom
(Brahmajnyaanam) is to be acquired by reverentially approaching the teachers, questioning
with humility the learned masters and by offering service to the sages. The
wise men that see things as they really are will no doubt instruct and
enlighten.
“Hinduism is not a bunch of ancient
mythological concoctions extraneous to rational thought. It is true that just
like any other ancient philosophy Hinduism also presents its thoughts with some
mythological coating, rather than resorting to outright deliverance, despite
the fact that these thoughts are rational in essence. Those with credulous or
antagonistic dispositions take the coatings as the essence and get themselves
deceived. Hinduism is not a collection of myths, superstitions, rituals,
observances and expiations, as assumed by both the types of people. Hindu
scriptures, especially the Principal Upaniá¹£hads and Bhagavad GÄ«ta, offer a
rational philosophy concerning the ultimate cause of existence of the universe
and of life therein. Hinduism does not demand blind faith for its acceptance,
since it expresses itself through pure rational thinking and coherence. It is
also the most ancient rational philosophy of the world and therefore ancestral
to all such philosophies ever dawned in history” says Karthikeyan from India.
Hindu Religion and
The equivalent word to religion does not exist in Sanskrit language. It
is today a conglomeration of heterogeneous
traditions and plurality of beliefs and worship with a long history of
development from the Vedic sacrificial tradition and spirituality through the
worship of epic and Puranic heroes and personal deities, cults and sects, as
well as philosophical systems rather than to a monolithic tradition or a
structure based on single system of beliefs and worship or single text as
scripture. It has today become very complicated as practiced in India. It is recognized as the third largest religion
of the world whose nearly 95% followers live in India. In India itself 80% of the total, population are Hindus. Unfortunately Hindu immigrants wherever they
are settled only look to Hindu majority from India for their religious pursuits
as is practiced today instead of going back to
the wisdom of Vedas that
promoted Sanatana Dharama, Universal
Oneness and Spirituality which Swami Vivekananda marketed at the World Religious Congress in Chicago impressively as Vedanta,
the Religion of the Future. Hinduism is a more
recent nomenclature given to Sanatana Dharma, a way of life common to all
mankind that was practiced during Vedic days.
Hinduism does not
consist in visiting temples, prostrating before idols, performing rituals and
begging for fulfilment of desires. It consists in visualizing and realizing the
unity existing among apparent diversities in the world. A Hindu worth that name
should therefore endeavor to practice equality among themselves and also
towards other religious identities. The more the Hindus practice discrimination
among themselves, the more they alienate their own fellow beings by straying
them away to other religious holds. India’s history is the prime testimony to
this.
Among church goers in
USA today more than 30% whose number are
increasing are bored with the belief based religion they are following and are
uninterested in any religion at all. Many from them say they are spiritual but
not religious (SBNR) not knowing what it is to be so or with no sense of direction. In
a vast secular democratic country like America Hindu migrants from South East
Asia, Africa, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago who have had lost touch
with India over centuries have joined the main stream of Hindu migrants
from India in Temple worship in USA where they have One temple for all Hindus
drawn from multi traditions and
religious practices. Simultaneously we find lot of Gurus well settled in USA in
spiritual Institutions like Ramakrishna Math, Dayananada Mission, Chinmaya
Mission, ISHA Foundation, FOWAI Forum, VHP, HMEC etc. catering to the spiritual
and religious needs of these global Hindu Migrants. While this is happening there are many
interfaith weddings taking place whose number is ever increasing which is
mainly because of the love attraction between migrant Hindus and major culture
Christianity with sporadic attraction from other religious groups.
Because of the rich religious and Spiritual
background of the Hindu partner of the two, their children are more attracted
to Hindu Temples than others. Thus here is an opportunity for Hindu Americans
to lead the country in religious following more focused on Spirituality. For
that hey should be trained first and be prepared to lead by turning inwards. There
are many Gurus, Neo-Hindus and Authors in USA born in Christianity who are
totally attracted to Hinduism and are dedicated to spread the message of Sanatana
Dharma. There is an impressive Hindu Temple and Himalayan Academy in Hawaii
under the spiritual and religious guidance of Velan Sami (adopted name of an
American Saint), who has adopted Hinduism and dedicates his life to spread the
message of Sanatana Dharma. To the contrary we find many commercially oriented
Gurus and fake Gurus in India some of whom are even running International
noodle business in India as was reported and made fun of in Economist, a
reputed Journal. Here the wise advice from David Frawley is worth considering. He is a practicing Hindu
who has changed his name to Vamadeva Sastri.
He is totally engaged in spreading the message of Sanatana Dharma
(Eternal Tradition) in USA. It is worth
recalling here his wise advice on “How Hindus can better promote their Religion
in Non-Hindu Countries”. It is also worth going through my concluding remarks
of my discourse, “Vedanta-Religion— Everlasting, Universal and Unifying
Spirituality” in this context.
“First it is a matter
of communication. Hindus must make it known who they are and what they really
believe, so common negative stereotype about their religion—which breed so much
misunderstanding and intolerance—are countered. They must organize themselves,
not as a dogma but as a community with the common interest to promote a deeper
spiritual knowledge in the world.
They must recognize the
value of the Hindu Religion for World and its great treasure of spiritual and
yogic knowledge that are very rare, and sometimes almost unknown in other
religions. They must teach Hinduism, particularly Yoga and Vedanta to
non-Hindus, whether such people want to become Hindus or not. Like the ancient Vedic
sages said they should seek to make the entire world spiritual. They must
become expansive, open-hearted, fearless, creative and compassionate, not in
allegiance to a belief but out of contact with the Divine Self within that is
greater than World.
Hindus need not try
to remake Hinduism in the image of militant Islam, the Catholic Church or
Evangelical Christianity. That will be a wrong approach. Hindus should create
educational movements all over the world promoting Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda,
Jyotisha, Sanskrit, Indian Fine Arts, and all aspects of the greater culture of
Sanatana Dharma. They should set up teaching centers, schools and universities,
retreat centers and service organizations.
While maintaining the diversity of Hindu groups should support one
Another and also work with any group that accepts dharmic principles and is
willing to live according to them”.
Hindu Americans can successfully lead
the country towards Spiritualism with their background and culture if they plan
well. The multi-cultured country like USA is moving towards atheism
having been fed up with walled religions, beliefs and pagan practices.
Here the major religious group of Christianity leads all others, almost one
third among them being atheists. Hindus’ Inter-Racial attraction in
wed-locks is to this major religion which number is alarmingly
increasing. Inter-culture marriages are good marketing promoters for
Inter-faith propagation that are steadily increasing in USA. This is a very
interesting turn which gives scope for Hindu Americans to lead the country to
Spirituality having got an entry into the major religion by physical relationship. Hindus take pride in saying they are pioneers in
following spirituality and always care for the world quoting conveniently from
their concluding worship prayer in Hindu Temples. They also say they are secular and firm
believers in Unity in Diversity living in a multi-cultural society. They do not
fail to quote from Vedas when Convenient to show how they are promoters of Universal peace and
Universal Oneness--Eko viprah bahuda vadanti; krinvanto
Viswamaaryam; aatmavat sarvabhooteshu; Sarve janah sukhino bhavantu sarve Santih etc [The One Pundits call Many;
Let us ennoble the World; Look upon all beings as Yourself: May all people live
happily in the world; May there be all round Peace etc.] We should not stop merely raising these
slogans but also act accordingly and lead the world spiritually for all round
Peace, Spiritual Progress and Prosperity in the disturbed world.
Here are few thought
provoking quotes on Spirituality:
1. Rumi
“Knock, And He'll open the door
Vanish, And He'll make you shine like the sun
Fall, And He'll raise you to the heavens
Become nothing, And He'll turn you into everything.”
Vanish, And He'll make you shine like the sun
Fall, And He'll raise you to the heavens
Become nothing, And He'll turn you into everything.”
2.
Miguel Ruiz
“a)
Be Impeccable with Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
b) Don't Take Anything Personally
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
b) Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you.
What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream.
When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim
of needless suffering.
c) Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
d) Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.”
c) Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
d) Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.”
3. John Lennon
“I believe in God, but not as one
thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is
something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and
all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.”
4.
Carl Sagan
“Science is not only
compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.”
“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”
“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light‐years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. So are our emotions in the presence of great art or music or literature, or acts of exemplary selfless courage such as those of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”
5.
T. D. Jakes
“No woman wants to be in submission to
a man who isn't in submission to God!”
6.
Mother Teresa
“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or
leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical
diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and
hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of
bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West
is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but
also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”
“A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt,
and must empty ourselves. Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to
accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in his love
than in your weakness.
7.
Francis Assisi
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy
peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
“We are not human
beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human
experience.”
9. Amit Ray
“It does not matter
how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered or how
much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you
have radiated in life that matters.”
10. Albert Einstein
“My religion consists of a humble
admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight
details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”
11. Dalai
Lama
As long as there is a lack of the inner discipline that brings calmness
of mind, no matter what external facilities or conditions you have, they will
never give you the feeling of joy and happiness that you are seeking. On the
other hand, if you possess this inner quality, a calmness of mind, a degree of
stability within, then even if you lack various external facilities that you
would normally consider necessary for happiness, it is still possible to live a
happy and joyful life.
REFERENCES:
1) David Frawley,
Hinduism, Voice of India, New Delhi.
2) Swami
Bhaskarananda, Essentials of Hinduism, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.
3) Karthikeyan S.,
Ancient Western Philosophy and The Hindu Wisdom, IndiaDivine.Org
4) Boyd Tim, Problem with Spirituality, Theosophical
Society of America, Ken Foundation.
5) Srinivasan N.R.,
Vedanta Religion--Everlasting, Universal and Unifying Spirituality.
6) Wikipedia and other Internet Sources.
7) Jahnava Nitai Das, Peace and
Happiness and the Perplexities of Life, IndiaDivine.Org
[This discourse
material is a compilation from the reference above as well as other sources for a prepared
lecture for delivering at Vedanta Class of Sri Ganesha Temple which is
gratefully acknowledged. I do not claim anything as original though I have
included my explanations and comments elaborately suitably editing. Anybody is
free to download partly or fully this discourse, modify and redistribute this
as well as other discourses from the
blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com> duly acknowledging for spreading the wisdom of Vedas and
scriptures further. These lectures are
posted on the blog for the benefit of those who are not able to attend
my lectures personally due to personal reasons or due to not living in
Nashville or able to go through the various sources as I have done--
APPENDIX
HINDU AMERICANS OF GLOBAL ORIGIN
MUST SPREAD THE VEDIC WISDOM OF UNIIVERSAL ONENESS
(E-Mail sent to HR Participants in May 2017 by N .R. Srinivasan)
Please recall my two discourses on
the subject of understanding Sanatana Dharma and its role as World religion.
In this connection it is also relevant to go through my discourse on
Vedanta, the Religion Everlasting and Universal as well as Why I am
Called a Hindu. I often receive letters from various Hindu American
organizations deeply concerned about only Hindus in India and anything
happening to Hindus in America is always related to Indian context. But who
takes care of other Hindu migrants from all parts of the globe who are one with
Hindu Americans? Even Canadian, British and Australian Hindus
want to come to USA and find it a better place to practice Hinduism Some
Hindus are even thinking of migrating to Latin America of late but citizenship
is a problem if they are not Hindu Americans!
After having migrated from India to
USA due to frustration and discrimination or seeking greener pastures to enjoy
better life we have to focus on Hinduism as the World Religion
coming out of Ancient Tradition of Sanataana Dharma with its basic
principles “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam", Krinvanto
viswamaaryam ; Aatmavat sarvabhooteshu ” etc. We should not be
worried about what is happening to Hindus in India but should be focused on
what is going on with Hindus in America drawn from all parts of the
World—Viswa Hindus. If we are so concerned about our close relatives in
India after seeing what is happening in Puri Jagannatha Temple
restricting temple entry. We should either get them here or get back and share
their miseries and fortune with them. Indian Government is a secular
government and they know what is best for them. Indian Government has not even
granted dual citizenship to migrants and consider them as prodigals though
recently recognized their origin to grant permanent Visas.
We should be able to welcome all
cultures in USA to Hindu-fold and spread the message of Universal Oneness of
our Ancient Tradition to spread Spirituality, Peace and Harmony unlike India
where they say a Hindu is recognized only by birth.Did Vedas say it? In this
context I draw your kind attention to the thought-provoking article by David
Frawley (Vamadeva Sastri). It is heartening to note that
Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs and Arya Samajists bound by common culture,
migrated from India though walked out of Hinduism in the ancient
past are having a second thought and are aligning more with World Hindus
in USA than any other religion of USA often compelled by the universal
binding force of love culminating in wedlock. Of course there are also
vested interest pockets who want to remain independent and boost their parent
religion ill advised by their Gurus and politicians in India. Hinduism is
slowly gaining grounds in USA due to its universal appeal, added attraction of
Yoga, Spirituality and religious freedom of worship attracting people from
Western Religions including rare few from atheist Chinese, Buddhism and
Islam. Many Christians are fed up with their regimental faith and monotony
looking for spiritual direction and progress and are influenced by Hindu
Americans.
|
Many nations have
changed the name of their country and consequently people who live in that
country—Russia to Soviet Union back to Russia; Ceylon to Sri Lanka; Burma
to Myanmar; Siam to Thailand; Persia to Iran. But India does not even
want to correct the wrongly pronounced word Hindu which should be
Sindhu. Sindhu is a generic name for river and Sanatana Dharma is the Universal
Spiritual Following that was developed on River Banks (Indus and Ganges) and
forests (Aranyakas). Before English language coined the word Religion only
Dharma existed to denote one’s following. Modern Hinduism is a
conglomeration of many walled beliefs, faiths and practices practiced over a long
period influenced by Puranas and history though draws its basics from
Sanatana Dharma theoretically but practices as walled religions (shanmathas)
differently. American Hindus lead a caste-less society attending one temple
part-taking in all rituals and worships with inter-faith and inter-racial
wedlock and so are more united than Hindus in India. They should go back
to their correct name Sindhus and the religion to Sidhuttva (Sindhu
Tattva) or Sanatana Dharma. Words like Dharma, Pundit, Avatar etc. are now
well-defined English words found in dictionary. Hindus in India being copy-cats
of American culture will soon change their name also and even India to Sindhia.
It is the Greeks that wrongly pronounced Sindhu to Indu and called the country
India land of Indus. It also shows that in ancient past there were only Sindhus
in India and so they called their country Bharat which name was
retained after gaining independence from British India. They only removed the
word British, made the country secular theoretically like USA and did not
declare any one religion as Religion of the State like Germany which is also
democratic.
The Universal Relevance of Sanatana Dharma
Hinduism has always
been a universal tradition and India has been its geographical center, not its
limiting location.
As a western
Hindu, I have sometimes been told that I can’t truly be a Hindu because I
wasn’t born one. One encounters this opinion not only in India but throughout
the world, where many non-Hindus think that being a Hindu is by birth only.
Recently, an
Indian writer on mythology stated that Hindus should not look to the books of
white Westerners for their study of Hinduism – even the books of Western Hindus
– because they weren’t born Hindus. This kind of reverse racism, understandable
to some degree because of biased anti-Hindu attitudes from the colonial era, is
contrary to the deeper truth of Hindu Dharma that does not circumscribe its
teachings in any historical, geographical or ethnic boundaries. That Hindus do
not proselytize does not mean that Hindu Dharma is limited to a community of
birth and is not of any universal relevance.
Ever since Swami
Vivekananda brought the teachings of Yoga and Vedanta to the world in 1893,
Hindu-based teachings have been spreading worldwide. This extends to all
aspects of Yoga – not only asanas but also pranayama, mantra, and
meditation, and now kirtan is a popular musical movement in the West.
Ayurveda is similarly gaining a global following as a profound system of
mind-body medicine. Sanskrit, Indian music and dance are expanding their
influences as well. A global tradition now exists of numerous Hindu gurus
travelling and teaching before millions of followers from all levels of society
and relative to all aspects of life.
The Hindu
diaspora is another important component of the new global Hindu movement.
Hinduism is gaining respect owing to the success financially and educationally
of immigrant Hindus, as well as their peaceful and tolerant nature. Beautiful
Hindu temples can be found in the main cities of the West, which westerners are
also visiting. The number of westerners formally becoming Hindus is slowly
increasing through the efforts of organizations like Hinduism Today, Vishwa
Hindu Parishad and Arya Samaj.
Unfortunately,
there has been considerable distortion and commercialization of Hindu teachings
in the West, as with some Yoga groups downplaying or denying the Hindus basis
of the practices they follow. This needs to be addressed by a proper
presentation of the teachings, not by trying to limit these practices only to
those born in India. The new globalization of Hindu Dharma should be promoted
in an authentic manner for the benefit of all humanity.
Historical
Spread of Dharmic Traditions
We should
remember that Hindu, Vedic and Dharmic teachings have had a wide geographical
influence for thousands of years. Their modern impact is only a new phase of
the development of Hindu Dharma in its universal relevance.
It is well known
that Buddhism spread throughout Asia over the past 2,500 years, but people
forget that Hinduism also spread widely and from an earlier era. Hinduism was
prominent in Indonesia, where Bali remains a pocket of its former influence,
and in Indochina, where Cambodia’s Angkor Wat of a thousand years ago remains
the largest Hindu temple in the world. Hinduism along with Buddhism spread into
Central Asia along the Silk Route from China to Europe. The Hindu Ramayana
remains the most popular story of Southeast Asia.
Such
Hindu groups outside India were clearly not born in the Indian subcontinent.
The geographical idea of Hinduism as limited to India or Hindustan is a modern
idea coming from western invaders, not the actual history of Hinduism. Hinduism
has long shared its teachings with a wide variety of countries, cultures and
ethnic groups.
World
Vedic Heritage
There is yet a
greater world Vedic heritage extending through many cultures of the ancient
world, East and West.
Vedic related
teachings and traditions dominated Europe, West and Central Asia, as well as
India going back 5,000 years, including various Indo-European groups like the
ancient Germans, Slavs, Celts, Thracians, Greeks and Romans. The Hittites and
Mittani dominated West Asia 4,000 years ago, with Mittani dynasties with Vedic
names intermarrying with the pharaohs of Egypt.
Vedic teachings
spread north and west from India through the Scythians and Iranians, who
dominated West and Central Asia from the second millennium BCE to the later
period of the Roman Empire. These groups followed similar traditions as the Vedas,
with their sacred fire worship and honoring of the Sun. The Zoroastrians are
only one such group with Vedic affinities.
The ancient
Greeks and Romans had a religion that resembles Hinduism, with temples, iconic
worship of deities, and similar traditions of philosophy, medicine and
astrology. The ancient Middle East extending from Mesopotamia to Saudi Arabia
had similar deities and forms of worship as the Hindu, with gods, goddesses,
icons and temple worship in the pre-Islamic era, including an extensive trade
with India.
Hinduism
as Sanatana Dharma
We must remember
that the term Hinduism is only a modern designation of a tradition properly
known as “Sanatana Dharma”, the eternal or universal Dharma. Once we understand
Hinduism as Santana Dharma, its relevance for all humanity becomes clear. We
can easily set aside the misunderstanding that one must be born a Hindu, or
that Hindu is merely a geographical term. Anyone who truly follows the
principles and practices of Sanatana Dharma is a Hindu.
Hinduism has
always been a universal tradition and India has been its geographical center,
not its limiting location. Hinduism has shared the expansive nature of Indian
civilization with its great tradition of travel and trade by sea and land, such
as the terms Indonesia and Indochina reflect.
One must remember
the ancient prayer of the most ancient Rigveda, Krinvanto Vishvam
Aryam, “Make the Entire World noble”. Sanatana Dharma has the universal
vision to link all humanity together in a recognition of the One Self or
Paramaatman in all beings – the unitary consciousness behind and beyond all
time, space, karma and manifestation, such as the Upanishads and Bhagavad
Gita proclaim.
[*David
Frawley is an American Hindu teacher and author. He has written more than 30
books on the Vedas, Hinduism, Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology.]
INDO
AMERICAN SEVADHARMA FORUM
(E-Mail sent to HR Forum Participants, September 2019)
I was surprised to read through a
communication by JIVA that The program started with Guruvandanam by Netra Vidyalaya
Students. Later H H Swamiji hoisted the Indian National Flag. All the
participants saluted the Indian national flag singing the National Anthem. Why
this unusual flag hoisting ceremony by a Religious head and Vedanta Vijnaani unlike the normal
procedure by a politician or Desapremi or National Hero?
The students of JIVA campus have
celebrated India’s 73rd Independence
Day with great honor under the shade of Statute of Equality of Ramanujacharya,
an ambitious project also initiated by Chinna Jeer.
“A patriot has to be spiritualist, who understand the
concept well. Hence a spiritual person has to be a patriot first. When
patriotism and spiritual are seen different none can be achieved with the right
purpose” says the Jeer
“Jananee
janmabhoomischa patanadapii gareeyaci” is a famous quote of Ramayana which
also describes Ramarajya where there
was none unhappy and peace prevailed and was model rule for all times. This was
the result of wise-council from spiritualist sages. Motivated by this a number
of spiritualists Bankim Chatererji, Rabindranath Tagore, Suddhanada
Bharatii, Aurobindo promoted the
image of Bharat Mata and turned both politicians and social workers Mahatma Gandhii and Subhash Chandra Bose
spiritualists to achieve Independence with Vande
Mataram slogan.
”Patriotism when read in the thought of
spirituality is defined that the world is one family. And thus patriotism takes
a bigger form and would not just mean just love for your own country.
Patriotism would now mean love for entire humanity (Jagatah pitarau vande) and living in the world and contributing
towards the welfare of all and not only our countrymen. When you love the
entire humanity this also means love for your country as the world includes
your own motherland as well.” says HH Jeer again.
I was again surprised by a
communication from a group IAF (not Indian Air Force) which I rightly
understood as IASF (Indo American Sevadharma
Forum): motivated by a group of Hindu American Religious philanthropists
though preferred to call it Indian.
“We
want to have a review of charitable giving habits of Immigrant Indians and
explore ways to engage them in discussion about opening hearts and minds to
issues relevant for our neighbors, community, country of origin, and practicing
empathy/charitable attitude among ourselves. We want to share successes and
hurdles faced in their charitable efforts in our community and lessons learnt.
We invite participation by charitably minded people who could potentially lead
our community in the future in working on projects that are relevant. This is
not for solicitation of funds, the purpose is for motivation, inspiration and
dialogue INDOAMERICAN FORUM is a non-profit group dedicated to having community
dialogue on issues relevant to Indian community, fostering community
development Program is open to public.” says the group
This appears to be a spiritual forum
mainly focusing on turning to our Inner-net (SELF) and not a mere social forum.
Vedas say aatmanaa vindate veeryam --one
gets strength turning to Self! Their objectives
seem to be “Vasudhaiva
kutumbakam” and “Krinvanto Viswamaaryam”
whole world in one family and let us ennoble the world. USA is a Mini-world
with its population and policy drawn globally and Hindu Americans are part of
it though somewhat disturbed at present. This occasional disturbance is due to
its main focus on material progress though well started by religious Pilgrim
Fathers but later people in their prosperity forgot to press the button of
their Inner-net engaged in Internet. There is a fatal attraction for affluent Hindu Americans to join that majority
for they have also forgotten their focus on patriotism except celebrating July
4 and August 15 for merriment and they think Hindu Americans are only Ex-Hindu
Indians. Fortunately this group is well aware of the location of the button
with hands on it. In due course they may merge their objectives with the main
stream and call it GSDF (Global Seva Dharma Forum).
So we cannot separate our spiritual life from
the country we belong to by destiny or choice.
As we have sought the country we have to
seek spiritual life also. In each
country there are some nice people and some bad people, some divine people and
some un-divine people. For now, we will mix only with the divine people and
work our way to gain strength to move forward to live in Peace but not in
pieces.so Vedas said--“aano bhadrantu
kratavah yantu viswatah; sanghacchadvam samvadadvam, sarvejanaah sukhino
bhavantu’
Whenever you need a recharge or respite, take
a few minutes to picture yourself there, receiving exactly what you need. It's
always within you. Push the button of
your Inner-net!
Spirituality and patriotism
National feeling, international feeling and
universal feeling.
National
feeling is good. National feeling helps us in our journey. If we did not have
national feeling, we would remain fast asleep in our limited egos. Then comes
international feeling. International feeling shows us that we belong to one
community on this globe. Last comes universal feeling. This world is not God's
entire creation. He has other worlds as well, and our world and those other
worlds are all one. This is universal feeling. From national feeling we go to
international feeling, and from international feeling to universal feeling —
not the other way around. We are all spiritual people, which means we have a
universal feeling. And if we have a universal feeling, this means that we also
have love for our country.
After
accepting the spiritual life, some people feel that if they sincerely love
their country in the purest sense of the term, they will be ridiculed or called
fanatics. But don't believe this. Patriotism is the supreme love and concern
for a particular place, a particular soul and a particular body-consciousness
of the world. To love one's country is of paramount importance. There are
millions of souls and there are hundreds and hundreds of countries and nations
on earth. How is it that your soul selected one country and not another? It is
your bounden duty to do something for the country that your soul has selected.
From the
spiritual point of view, patriotism is love of one's own country, love of one's
source. Your parents are your source; in the same way, your country is also
your source. As a soul, you were staying in the soul's region. Then you wanted
to take human incarnation and you needed a country. The place that invoked your
soul, the place that out of love, out of joy, out of kindness and concern
agreed to accept you as it’s very own, that place deserves your heart's and
soul's adoration while you are in the body. Patriotism is self-enlargement,
self-expansion and, at the same time, self-giving to the source. This
self-enlargement takes place in the divine way; it is not enlargement of ego.
The self-giving and self-offering of patriotism come from the feeling that
other countries can derive some light from your own country's awakening.
Patriotism is self-giving and self-expansion based on your conscious oneness
with all consciousness, your inseparable oneness with all. That is the meaning
of patriotism in the spiritual sense.
Patriotism
is un-divine only if there is no real sincere feeling behind patriotism, if in
the name of patriotism you just go and condemn or strike other nations and try
to lord it over them. It is fanatic patriotism if you say that you and your
country are by far the best, that there is no nation which is pure, divine and
spiritual except yours. If you feel that only you and your nation exist, that
others are all bad, un-divine and impure, that only your country represents
truth and God and that the rest of the countries are all bad — if you have that
kind of patriotic feeling, then it is really un-divine.
From
patriotism, from the feeling of nationalism, we go to internationalism. To a
child, his mother is his whole world. He discovers his whole world in his
mother and father. For a few years his parents are his main concern and then
his high school, his college and the town or city where he lives. Then he feels
that the nation is his whole world. All the time his vision is increasing. When
he widens his vision, he sees that the whole world belongs to him. Then he
hears the word "spiritual," and he feels not only the necessity of
progress inside his own house but also the necessity of world progress.
In this
way, starting with nationalism, one eventually progresses to an international
feeling. But if I don't love my nation, I am not going to love other nations.
One can and must go from the one to the many. In our case, to love other nations is, let us
say, obligatory because we have already started with an international feeling.
We feel that it is our bounden duty to offer our service to the entire world.
The length and breadth of the world is ours because we have realized that we
have a Source which is all-pervading, which is all-where, and because we would
like to be an emanation of this Source. To be all-where is to have an
international feeling and, after that, the universal feeling of inseparable
oneness. This is not only practicable, but in the course of time, inevitable.
Spiritual seekers are those who go to the highest and then, if they really care
for their friends, neighbours, relatives and dear ones on earth, they come down
and distribute the truth they got at the top of the tree. You know how to climb
up the tree of spirituality and you find some delicious fruits at the top. But
you see that there are others, your dear ones, who do not know how or who do
not want to climb up the spiritual tree. So you bring down the fruits and share
the fruits with them. If you share these fruits with them, then your
spirituality and their patriotic feeling will go together. In this way
spiritual seekers of the highest order offer light to those who love their
country.
So you
cannot separate your country from your spiritual life. As you have accepted the
spiritual life, even so you have to accept your country. You have to accept it
as your very own. In each country there are some nice people and some bad
people, some divine people and some undivine people. For now, we will mix only
with the divine people. We are seeking, but we ourselves are not strong enough
spiritually. If we mix with those who are receptive to our light, then they
will receive our light and become strong and our army will be enlarged with
more members. Then we can approach the undivine ones, not with the hope of
destroying them — far from it — but with the hope and determination to illumine
them. But first we have to get the message from within. The Supreme will tell
us when the hour has struck for us to try to illumine our brothers and sisters.
When we get the inner command, we have to go and be of service with
understanding, vision and illumination. But until the hour strikes, we have to
remain with those who are receptive. We can't go now to everyone, so we shall
gather only with people who are receptive.
Sri Chinmoy, I love my country: purity's body, Agni Press, 19