Acharya Tulsi
An Atharved maxim reads, “O man! May you blossom! May you ever move upwards and attain salvation!" May you not go hell wards, to degradation?" If Terapanth Dharam Sangh be taken as a symbol of man, we are required to determine the path of Progress for the entire body of religious organisations. The talk of treading the upward path to salvation is very interesting and attractive. The only question that arises is how to get there.
The period of five decades is before us. What distance has our religious organisation covered since? How high has it risen? Where, and what obstructions has it overcome, what path perfected? lf these points are objectively considered, one fact stands out: that our pilgrimage has not been pre-planned or deliberate. To move was our destiny. And as we went along, the path got cleared. Neither there was before us no path already perfected, nor had we any preconception of the path we would make for ourselves, and which might be frequented by many other people. The urge of destiny, our diligence, and the help of some invisible power! What was to happen, happened? Where there was dense fog, sometime ago, the sun of new possibilities rose and the faltering current of thought was revitalized.
Anuvrata was conceived on a small scale, as a reward for the devotion of the sharavak samaj. But in a short time it assumed the shape of a moral movement on the national level.
The idea of pilgrimage to far-off regions was not the result of any sudden impulse, but there was no elaborate planning either. The pilgrimage started. Its results were there for all to see and the utility of the trip was increased thereby.
Thirty years ago, there was not thought of Preksha Dhyana at all. There was an inward stirring up. A decision was taken to move in the direction of meditation and a path evolved of itself. Today it seems that Preksha Dhyana is the need of the age. Without it, it would have been very difficult to keep pace with the times.
The creation of literature in the contemporary environment. The day we dreamed of it, we never thought it would become a reality so soon. At the moment, it seems that without the literary flowering, it would have been impossible to rid Terapanth of inane did acticism.
If the editing of the Agams had not been taken up, we would have lagged behind in the knowledge of the Agamas. In the course of this work of editing, we gained new insights in spirituality and knowledge, and our experiences in both fields deepened.
Many other works were executed like that. lf these had remained undone, the Terapanth Dharam Sangh would not be where it is today. Whenever the necessity of doing something arose, it almost called out to be done, and it was a call which could not be ignored. Even if it was not held to be paramount, it was certainly recognized to be important. The path which seemed so long at the outset got shortened by determination. Success came, despite protests and obstructions. The dreams had a new lustre, and the moon of reality rose higher and higher in the sky of aspirations.
The approach to the 21st century is the principal topic of discussion these days. For our religious organisation, the "Welfare year itself is the 21st century. We wish to enter the 21st century with new probabilities. This is possible only when we put in our best efforts, instead of merely relying on fate.
The question arises as to what this "Welfare year" is meant to achieve. In this context, a saying from the Mahabharata is very apt: "The Company of a man of profound knowledge, noble descent, and good deeds, is better than the study of the scriptures. “And l, too, say that, freeing oneself from the duality of what might happen or how, the effort to become something in itself constitutes becoming. When will this effort begin? In the Welfare year"? No, today and right from this moment. If it does not begin now, it will never begin. One need not wait till the "Welfare year“. The effort to become something must start here and now.
What kind of future the monks and nuns are going to create for themselves? For this, they need not wait for directions. Rather they must realize their own interest and capacity and start work. By doing so, they will be cooperating in our work, and sharing the responsibility for a continuing development of their organisation. Time is not going to stand still. Let us make use of our opportunity before it slips from our hands. Let us think it out whatever is to be thought, and let us do whatever requires to be done. Only by being fully alert, shall we be able to bequeath to the coming generation the legacy of treading the upward path of salvation with a new vigour, courage and determination.
