Dr Kalpana Bora
It appears that the identity and existence of Asomiya Jati is passing through a sensitive phase, due to various threats like land, economy, love, demography, drugs, and jihads. Many of these are due to illegal immigrants (Bideshis). It is high time the Asomiya Jati understood and fulfilled its responsibility in protecting our pavitra Ai Asom, Bharatbhumi, her Dharma and Sanskriti. It is written in Van-Parva of the Mahabharat - "Dharma Rakshati Rakshitah" (Dharma protects one who protects Dharma). For that, Hindus must unite, taking pride in the thousands of years of old Asomiya and Sanatani Sanskriti, parampara, rich legacy, knowledge and wisdom imbibed in the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Ramayan, Gita, Mahabhagwat Puran, Kalika Puran, Yogini Tantra, and Hastirayurved. Hindus must take pride in our great ancestors, warriors and heroes like Bhagwan Ram, Bhagwan Krishna, Guru Srimanta Shankardev, Bhagwan Gautam Budha, Guru Nanak Dev, Bhagwan Mahavir Jain, Maharaj Prithu, Bir Lachit Barphukan, Bir Chillarai, Mata Hidimba, Birbala Kanaklata, Shivaji Maharaj, Vir Savarkar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and thousands more.
To bring this awareness that we must take pride in our Bharatiya parampara and Sanskriti, in Bharat being an ancient nation, and in Bharat being a Hindu Rashtra, and to achieve Purna Swaraj (total independence from the British), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) was established by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgwar on Vijayadashmi of 1925. Many of its swayamsevaks went to jail several times during Bharat's freedom struggle and later have always been doing sewa during wars, natural calamities like earthquakes, COVID, etc.
As RSS celebrates the completion of a hundred years of its establishment, its Sarsanghchalak, Dr Mohan Bhagwat, has shown the spiritual path of Panch-Parivartan to unite the whole Hindu samaaj - to awaken Hindus and to make Bharat Vishwaguru again - by bringing transformation in the society and by bringing the acharan of Hindutva into our lives to bring ekatva and harmony into our lives. So, let's understand what this Panch-Parivartan is and what the role of mothers is in it.
Panch-Parivartan
1. Kutumb Prabodhan - Hindutva means ekatva ("Atmwat sarvabhuteshu") of ourselves with all the living beings and nonliving objects of the srishti. The beginning of this chetna starts from within the family. Until all members of our family become awakened, contributors and givers, and do acharan of Hindutva in our daily lives, we cannot move to the next step of Panch-Parivartan. Hindutva means worshipping mother Earth, trees, rivers, hills, the Sun, Agnidev, and Akash; our great ancestors; respecting and giving freedom to followers of all religions and Panth (Dharma and religion are not the same); and "ekam sat viprah bahudha vadant" (the same truth can be told in many ways). Dedicate lives for Bharatmata and Dharma. All the family members must sit together, eat together (bhojan), do bhraman (teerth yatra), and do bhajan together. Impart our Bharatiya sanskars to children - to do more tyaag for smaaj, Ai Asom and Bharat Mata. Our next generation must be 125% more developed than us - who will do tyaag and contribute 125% more than us to Rashtra. Go to Naamghar, temples with children, and celebrate festivals together the traditional way. Touch the feet of elders when we meet them.
We need to impart Bhartiya Sanskar and values to our children from their very childhood and tell them stories from Ramayan, Gita, Mahabharat, and Mahabhagwat Puran. Mothers have a crucial role to play in this. The character of Kaushalya in Ramayan teaches the swa-dharma of a mother. Swa-Dharma of students is to study well. Mothers should spend maximum time with their children. Teach children that there is no shortcut to hard work-"Udyamen hi sidhyanti karyani n manorath," and all works have their own dignity. Youth should come out for entrepreneurship. Mothers themselves should stay away from mobile and social media, should educate their children not to indulge in online gaming addiction, drinking, and drug abuse, and should question children if they are not home till late in the evening. It is the Swa-dharma of mothers to see that our daughters wear Bharatiya, traditional attire, keeping maryada with the situation and surroundings.
When we assimilate this ekatv and aatmiyata and bring awareness and chetna of Hindutva (ekatva, daan, tyaag, karuna, nayay, and honesty) among our family members, then we move to the next step of this awareness - to bring ekatva with smaaj (society) by following samajik samanoy (social harmony) - the next Panch-Parivartan.
2. Samajik Samrasta (Samanoy) - We need to incorporate the principles of samajik samanoy into our daily lives by treating all Jati, Janjaati, and Barga (sections) of samaaj without any Bheda-Bhedi (difference). Nowhere in the Veda is there mention of caste. In 1966, at the Prayagraj Kumbha, from the platform of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, all Hindu Dharma Gurus and the Shankaracharyas declared collectively that "Hindava Sodara Sarve, Na Hindu Patito Bhavet". It means all Hindus are children of the same mother (created from one Brahm "Ekoaham Bahusyam"), and no Hindu can be fallen, degraded or downtrodden. This Sanskrit shlok promotes unity and harmony among Hindus of all castes, Jatis and Jan-Jatis. Invite all of them to your house, go to their house, have food together, and celebrate festivals together. We need to respect people of all sections of society and should not show pity for them. Only then will all Hindus become progressive and united, and Bharat will flourish even more. Because of oppression, people of some sections of Hindus easily get converted to other religions - by lucrative and charitable tactics. The British created differences among us - telling us, 'You are from the hills, so you are not Hindu; you have a flat nose, so you are not Hindu; you live in forests, so you are not Hindu; your eyes are small, so you are not Hindu,' etc. They implemented divide and rule and named some of us as 'scheduled caste' and 'scheduled tribe', who in reality have always sacrificed for and contributed immensely to Bharatiya smaaj. Today, Hindus need to unite against all these divisions.
And when we bring this awareness and chetna of Hindutva and unity among all sections of society, then we move to the next step of this awareness - to bring ekatva with Rashtra (Nation). This can be done by following Nagarik Kartavya, the next Panch-Parivartan.
3. Nagarik kartavya (Civic duty in constitution): After doing Samajik Samnoy, next we must dedicate ourselves to samaaj, Maatribhumi, and Rashtra. Obey laws, obey traffic and all rules, stand in a queue, wear a helmet (even when police or concerned authority are not watching), and don't indulge in corruption. Don't misuse/waste government resources. Whatever we do, it must be dedicated to Maatribhumi. A mother can teach the dayitva-bodh to her children by following it herself.
We should feel that if we don't obey rules, we are committing a mistake. Given the opportunity, will you take some responsibility or make excuses? Will you obey rules or violate them? Come out of homes to vote in the election.
Next we move to the next step of this awareness - to bring ekatva with non-living objects of the srishti. This can be done by following conservation and protection of the environment, the next Panch-Parivartan.
4. Conservation and Protection of Environment: The same ekatva, when extended to non-living things around us, makes us start caring for water, air, agni, Akash and Mother Earth (Panch Mahabhut). Don't waste water. Don't pollute the water of rivers (the Ganga River is also Mata). Plant and nurture trees, adopt trees (just planting a tree won't do). Don't cut trees. Don't hurt the environment; nurture it and conserve it. Try to save electricity as much as possible in homes and offices, because our industries need it. Use less petrol/diesel, and use carpooling. Don't use plastics - take a cloth bag from home while going for shopping. Take less water in a glass for drinking. Don't use plastic/paper cups, plates, etc., in social gatherings and functions - rather use utensils. This will save us from the waste of plastic plates, glasses, etc., and will also give some employment to the needy people who will wash utensils. Use banana leaves as plates. Don't burn the waste and garbage. Follow - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. All such sustainable and eco-friendly practices begin at home, and a mother can play an important role in teaching this to her children by following them herself.
5. Swa-Bodh: After this awareness of ekatva, Hindutva, we come to the last and fifth Panch-Parivartan - Swa-Bodh - in all the above four acharans of Panch-Parivartan. Speak our Maatribhasha in homes, wear our own vesh-bhusha (saj posha), and cook and eat swa-bhojan. Mothers should teach our daughters how to cook traditional Asomiya and Bharatiya food. Celebrate our festivals in the traditional way. Swa-bhasha, swa-bhusha, swa-bhojan, swa-bhajan, and swa-utsav (festival). Encourage children to learn and speak maatribhasha and devbhasha Sanskrit. Use Swadeshi products, made in Bharat by Bharatiya companies, be it soap, toothpaste, washing powder, fruit juice, tea leaves, biscuits, chocolate, or other commodities. Avoid videshi products as much as possible. Our youth should endeavour to make high-quality products in Bharat itself.
When all of Panch-Parivartan becomes acharan of our daily lives - that is Hindutva. Hindus will teach the lesson of Manavta to the world - this is the responsibility given to us by our Rishi-Munis. We must fulfil this responsibility to make Ai-Asom even more progressive and to restore Bharatmata as Vishwa Guru, who always prays for the peace and welfare of all (Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah).