Acharya Tulsi
Indian culture is an amalgam of religious beliefs and spiritual traditions. People born and brought up in this culture believe that religion or spirituality alone can light up the dark corridors of life. The public consciousness here has evolved a new way of living on the basis of religious and humane values as ideals. Here, the system of government, too, has functioned so as to properly guide the spiritually-minded. Since long, however, this system has undergone a change. The environment of this country, too, has altered. It requires deep research to determine whether the factor behind this change is the need of religion and spirituality, or something else. Because such a change has not been witnessed in India alone; the whole world seems to be affected by the changing values. In this context a Rajasthani proverb sounds apt:
Sometimes the cart is in the boat; at other times, the boat in the cart.
A change in the value—standards of a country according to time and circumstances are not something new. But our greatest problem is that in today’s environment, despair and frustration are widespread in the country. Despite the fact that man's life is far more valuable than any particular disappointment or sense of suffocation, the public life in India continues to be in the grip of deep despondency. Both the people and their leaders seem desperate. What, after all, is the cause of this pessimism? It requires serious consideration since frustration is life’s greatest defeat.
The king sat in his palace, submerged in sorrow. The Queen asked why he was sad. The King said that he had received bad news.
The Queen asked what kind of news it was.
The King said, “My army has lost the battle."
The Queen thought for a while and said,"l have heard of a far worse news."The Queen said. “My country’s sovereign has lost hope. He has bidden good-bye to his valour, courage, self-confidence and workmanship. He is sitting forlorn in his palace."
These words of the queen roused the King’s sleeping consciousness. Filled with a new vigour, he once again strode to the battle-front and when he returned from there, his face wore the smile of victory.
On any battle-front of life, it is necessary to conquer despair and March ahead. ls there a condition of life in which there is no problem? Whether it is sociological, political, financial, professional, educational, and familial or cultural-problems abound in every sphere. And not only in India alone. In the whole of the world, civilization is faltering. To provide a firm base for civilization to flourish, a lot of work needs to be done. Religion, politics, and spirituality are vital parts of culture. If these are kept alive and healthy, problems in other fields would be resolved of themselves.
The most prominent issue confronting us today is whether it is possible to awaken a world—consciousness transcending national, religious, linguistic, racial and political parochialism,. As long as man is dominated by individualistic or essentially selfish mentality, is it possible to stimulate positive thinking with respect to one's country or the world? And why is religion, which all-differences and is a great unifier, it caught in petty divisions? How is it that an atmosphere of violence and terror is being created in the name of religion? And can the lament that provokes violence be ever religious? Why is religion lost in the thickening fog of suspicion? ls there any likelihood of bringing into existence a liberal platform such as the propagation of a truly religious culture requires? Will our cultural heritages, surrounded by these live questions, be able to protect our public life?
A religion that confines itself to the talk of salvation and the other world, may project certain partial truths, but it can never win the glory of vitalizing a whole civilization. Only a religion which identifies itself with national and social problems and seeks to resolve them, can establish its primacy, and prove its utility.
Anuvrata is not the whole truth. It is only a little footpath leading to the truth..It seeks to teach a man how to live religion, how to activate it in one’s life. Any man subscribing to any faith or religion may adopt the ideals of Anuvrata. In order to become an Anuvrati, it is not necessary to accept any particular method of worship. All that is required is honesty. If each honest man who himself lives a pure life, can persuade five other fellowmen to follow the path of uprightness, it would be a great accomplishment, indeed. What is required is individuals who will implement the Anuvrata programme with a new vigour and determination.
