Acharya Tulsi
I am quite happy that I have come to the capital of Gujarat. It is a historical and cultural city. I had come here some twelve years ago as well but I had stayed only for seven days. I then went to Mumbai for my ‘Chaturmas’ I had developed a strong desire since then that I would devote my time to Ahmedabad. Even you all wished me to spend a long time here but to accomplish a task there are four components that become the deciding factor matter, place, time and emotion. When all these components cooperate then only a task is accomplished. It happened likewise and I landed up amidst you all to perform my ‘Chaturmas’.
I Take Alms and Give It as Well
Today you have welcomed me. This hearty welcome does not belong to me or any particular person for that matter rather this welcome or greeting is of spirituality, truth, non-violence, Indian culture and of Anubrat. Had it been a ceremony of welcoming any specific person then it would merely have been a formality.
You all know that I am a poor saint. I have got nothing that I can call mine but I am a Bhikshu (beggar). I take alms and give alms as well. I accept food, water, clothes, house etc. as alms and teach you the art of living in return. It is a mutual transaction. I want that when I have come amidst you then I put some ideas of mine before you and also take something from you in return. This exchange of thoughts between us must go on. I would like to tell you clearly that I am not a Siddha (an enlightened one) but a seeker (Sadhaka). I am not a scholar but a student. My true welcome would be accomplished only when you accept my thoughts in your life and take an active role in spreading them among people at large.
Waves of Unity
This is India. We all are Indians. Its past has been glorious, but this country has witnessed many ages of change and has also borne the slavery down the ages. From time to time there had been many efforts put to set our country free from foreign subjugation. The dream came true at last. The countrymen thought that shortly after getting freedom India would tum into a paradise. Everywhere the flute of peace and harmony would be played, but the reality is somewhat different. Before independence the surging enthusiasm of integration that was prevalent in our nation, has almost disappeared now. Consequently the country only got politically free. The slavery of society, economy and spirituality is exactly the same as it was before.
Scarcity of Morality
Today the whole nation is concerned with eradicating poverty. The scarcity of food is making everyone worried but the main problem is that of morality and character. Therefore, the most important question before us is how to erase immorality from our nation. The nations that are incorporated in the category of developed nations have a long history of hard toil and morality. Indians on the other hand want to make progress without any hard labour, without moving hands they want to feed themselves, but how on earth would it ever be possible‘? They just want to climb the ladder of success by the aid of foreign loans and foreign companies. In my view by all these endeavours the apparent problems could be resolved but without a strong base of morality the wish of becoming self-reliant would ever be successful is replete with doubts.
Power of Prevention must Rise
The history of the world reports that there had been many violent revolutions in the past but they had not been able to last because they had no strong background. Drawing inspiration from such revolutions Mahatma Gandhi started non-violent movement. He also got successful in his mission. The environment of non-violence was established but it is a misfortune for this country that the citizens could not have a steadfast faith in non-violence so, as a result our country got affected by different problems. It is equally true that the faith that violent people have in their thoughts, is lacking among non-violent persons. The power of non-violent persons could not emerge together so the violent powers got strengthened by it.
A thinker had once said, ‘Violent values could not get success so in this situation the values of non-violence must be made active.’ In my view it would only be made possible when the power resistance of non-violence would be raised. Without it the grace of non-violence would never come on the surface and would never be activated. People would witness the evil deeds taking place but they would not be able to resist them. Without any resistance the evil forces would never be dethroned. In this kind of a situation how the society would be benefitted? It is a point worth contemplating.
What Kind of a Religion is it?
To solve any problem it is necessary that we peruse the life history of scions, listen to it and draw inspiration from it. I would like to mention an incident from the age of Lord Parshantanath. In those days hypocrisy and rituals were prevalent. Superstitions reigned everywhere. The recluses, saints and such other people would light a fire around them and observe penance. Sitting under the scorching sunlight they were greatly applauded and praised for that. Prince Parshawa was vehemently against such penance, replete with ignorance. He raised his voice against such violent rituals. He said in a lofty voice— ‘Penance is purgation of one’s self and to do so one needs to scorch one’s Karmas (actions), not to torture any innocent creature or kill it in effort of self-realization. On one hand violence is caused to living creatures and on the other expecting attainment of religion. How is it possible? Is it possible for the sunlight and shade to exist parallel? On one hand penance of Panchagni is sought and on the other innocent pair of serpents is being burnt. What kind of a religion is this? Whose religion is this?’ People did not believe Prince Parshawa. At the end the plumber was called and the wood was turned off. A pair of scorched snakes was taken out of it. All the people were speechless. They realized the secret of prince Parshawa’s protest.
What will be the Consequences?
Lord Mahavira also applied non-violent resistance. At the time the tradition of slavery was prevalent. The rich people would buy men from downtrodden class, make them slaves, would behave according to their mood swings and make them do their work. Lord raised his voice against it. He had to endure formidable opposition for it, bear insults and pain, but he did not pay any heed to all this and sabotaged the very roots of this tradition of slavery. In this era Mahatma Gandhi applied the same method and install realization among lakhs of young men and women.
Now-a-days the strikes, fast unto death, surrounding the officials to harass them and such other reactions are coming to the fore and the outcome of politics is being inspired by any political party. Seeing them it seems they are using the counterfeit of Gandhi’s philosophy and thoughts. His principle of non-violence is groping in the dark to find the way. What will be the consequences of it they only know? In my view the first condition of resistance through non-violence is to induce confidence among people. I accept that democracy has the power to resist any injustice. If the people believing in democracy get united and agree with one-another then the entire scenario of the world might change. The biggest hurdle before this is they lack confidence and along with that they do not have any mutual faith. In a situation like this, it is quite difficult to find a way to solution.
Nation is Helpless
In India the system of democracy is prevalent. According to it the Government is chosen by the mass. There is always an antagonist party against the ruling party that often examines and criticizes the work procedures of the government. This is quite an effective process. But at present seeing the activities of antagonist parties it seems they have only one activity left and that is to protest. To support any good activity of the ruling party is a far cry rather the loopholes are found in it and the proposal is blown into pieces. On the other hand the government also behaves quite stringently with them. From both the sides acquiring power and to preserve it has become important. No one is concerned with the welfare of nation. The nation is helpless. No one has the time to look in that direction.
There was a time when if a person committed any mistake in society, thousands of people would raise their fingers at him. Now even committing thousands of mistakes are overlooked because the self-confidence and social power that could protest against any injustice or crime have almost been destroyed.
Let us leave the topic of social and political leaders for a while. What role must be played by the religious masters? Shortly after having thought over this issue the factor that comes to the fore is that if they fail to show the right direction to their disciples then a question would be raised before the authenticity of religion. The religious masters and preachers must contemplate over its depth. This is their responsibility only. It would only be made possible when they will renounce the attachment with their monasteries, temples, synagogues and other such religious places and tum themselves poor to show the right direction to the devotees.
How should be the Behaviour?
All the religious people have considered counting beads, offering worship in a temple, visiting saints and such other rituals as religion. On the basis of such activities they have concluded that they have done or attained all that were worth doing or attaining. The world is least concerned about how much time do you devote in performing such rituals. It sees how you behave with your subordinates being an official or a businessman. It sees your reflection in the mirror of your behaviour and actions. Generally it is found that people worship in temples and it seems as if Prahlad himself is sitting before God, but the moment they step out of the temple it seems ‘that they are all Hiranyakashyap. This way by this dual role a person deceives himself as well as his God and others feel that religion has merely become a factor of show off.
Deterioration of Thoughts
This kind of people have thought that they have got the power by which they can become as they wish or visiting a place of pilgrimage they can wash all their sins. What deterioration of thought it is? The sins of lifetime, how is it possible to wash them off within ten minutes? I agree that places of pilgrimage, religious places, temples and monasteries have their own cultural or historical significance. People have a certain reverence for them in their mind, but they all become an aid in awakening only when a person’s soul is pure otherwise these so-called religious people become even more dangerous than irreligious people. In my view the harm that has been caused by religious people is far less than the harm caused by irreligious people.
Religion is our life, relief and refuge, but it becomes possible only when it is brought in our actions. Among such religious people some would quote Gita, some would draw analogies from Koran while others would try to establish their beliefs on the basis of some other religious texts and try to prove themselves balanced than others. As a result conflicts would take place on the basis of such religious texts and the poisonous vibes will get a chance to dwell in the atmosphere. While the life of people should be eloquent enough to spread the message of such religious texts. A person might testify to the ideals of these texts.
Whose Worry is it?
Today, in the atomic age, the security concerning religious texts is thought about in many ways. Even if atomic bombs destroy the nature, the preservation of culture is thought about. The point worth noticing here is that when human beings would cease to exist then who will use such texts and how‘? Today the concern is how to build temples and renovate the old ones but no one is concerned about humanity. If you just think over it that will they be praised by except human beings? In my view the life of a religious person is the most important place for religion. Everyone must think of keeping it pure.
The Necessity of Anubrat
To protect humanity I suggest you all to follow ‘Anubrat’. Anubrat is not a factor confined to any particular religious cult or commune; it belongs to every human being. In my view to protect humanity if any power is there to resist atomic power then it is Anubrat only, which is necessary everywhere at present.
A few days ago a Korean brother came to me. After listening about Anubrat he said, ‘Acharyshri! It is really effective. Its necessity is not merely confined to this place but equally applicable everywhere. If it is spread in all the western countries then it will really be good for man. I have understood Anubrat from you. Now I would create a village in Korea where everyone would be an ‘Anubrati’.
Anubrat never asks you to renounce your trade. It says that even while you keep yourself engaged in your daily activities you can be an Anubrati. Whether it is Anubrat or any other religion it can prove its worth by associating itself with life.
What will become of India?
In this context I would like to address the businessmen, that in the field of their business they must take a vow of getting rid of exploitation, black marketing, contamination, snatching one’s right and so on. If they do likewise then they would themselves live a peaceful life and also help others living a life of contentment.
What is the situation of students in India at present? lf the question paper in some exam is set difficult and someone makes a gesture to the students to leave the class then immediately a group of students would follow him without giving a second thought. Then they would create a chaos and protest employing wrong means.
In the aforesaid context it becomes clear that human beings do not want to live as human beings in the true sense of the term. Had humanity been clear to them then they would have never employed such means. My worry is one and that is if protest of such kind goes on then what will happen to India? There was a time when people from different parts of the world would come to India to seek education. They would be influenced by her culture. Many foreign tourists have depicted their experience of visiting India in an interesting way. They have become a precious heritage of history. They have described the lifestyle of Indians. They were very much impressed by the honesty and authenticity of the people here. They had also written that people would not lock their doors while stepping out because there was no fear of theft. But, what has happened to this country? What kind of virus has affected the brain that is blurring everyone’s perception? Now there is no value of the goods produced in our country but if the same product comes from abroad then its value becomes increasingly high. That’s why using foreign products has become a symbol of status. The imported goods are more relied upon.
Development of Individual: Development of Nation
It is desirable then that Indians must value Indian way of lifestyle and to establish a healthy life take some small vows. It is my gut feelings that with the development of individual’s prosperity, prosperity of nation would take place, mankind would be saved.
I have a soft comer for the land of Gujarat. This land has been a land of deep thinking. It has been a land of renunciation and sacrifice. That’s why I am quite delighted to come here. I have got many purposes in life. I am discussing the two main purposes here-
- I have to devote enough time to establish humanity in life.
- I have to reveal the true form or essence of religion.
People are confused about religion. The blurred and narrow minded definitions that religion has is the sole reason why intellectuals are gradually getting far from it. Seeing their activities and hearing their viewpoints people blame the present system of education and science. In my view religious people are more at fault. If the true essence of religion is presented before the mass then the young generation would certainly accept it, especially the intellectuals would be more influenced by it. That’s why I want that the true form of religion comes to the fore. If our mutual effort is put in this direction everyone would be benefited by it.
