A conversation with a friend inspired this post. He shared how he has chanted ‘शुभं करोति कल्याणं’ every evening for decades but he understood the real meaning of “शत्रुबुद्धि विनाशाय दीपज्योति नमोस्तुते” after hearing Mohan Bhagwatji’s Raksha Bandhan speech at Madison Square, New York.
Amidst the overdose of technology, materialism, self-centredness, warfare and manipulation, I feel the world has been lulled into a zombie-like state. At such a time, Bhagwatji’s speech came as a simple voice that awakened us, 133 years after Swami Vivekanandji’s speech in Chicago. Bhagwatji took a position for Bharat and its dayitva (moral responsibility) that our ancestors gave us, which most of us seem to have forgotten.
What resonated with me:
* Bhagwatji used a world stage like New York, USA, to deliver a simple message of humanity.
* He addressed Bharatiyas (Indians) about fulfilling their dayitva – transforming the world from ‘rakshasa mentality’ (destructive mentality) to ‘devatva’ – the belief that the soul is the same in all living beings and every living being is part of the all pervasive Parmatma (Universal soul).
* Given that humanity is the scarcest thing across the globe right now, Bhagwatji reminded us of our dayitva, cast upon all people from Bharat, which will make the world a better place.
* His speech aimed to awaken Bharatiyas in the audience, those in Bharat and across the world. The plea to the diaspora to be loyal to their karmabhoomi (land of work), the lesson taught by their janmabhoomi (land of birth), applies even to Bharatiyas in Bharat.
* Bhagwatji reminded his audience that Bharat’s ancestors and scriptures speak of removing enmity from the enemy and transforming the remnant into a good human being, because s/he is part of the same universal soul.
This concept of enemy reminded me of the पसायदान (Pasaaydaan), written over 700 years ago - a prayer by Sant Dnyaneshwar, a saint from Bharat, at the end of his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, in which he prayed: "जें खळांची व्यंकटी सांडो । तया सत्कर्मी रती वाढो ॥" – meaning, ‘may the evil thoughts and cruel nature of people vanish and the enemy without evil thoughts become acceptable for transforming him/her into a good human being. This strikes me: throughout Bharatiya scriptures, the focus has been on dissolving evil thoughts of enemies, without eliminating enemies themselves.
Through these thoughts, in his soul-stirring speech, Bhagwatji positioned Bharat as a Vishwaguru.
Now it is the responsibility of all we Bharatiyas to fulfil our dayitva consciously, if we are desirous that humanity survives.
Mr. Karve is a reputed, award-winning visionary educationist with over 30 years of experience in building world-class educational institutions.
