Hindutva decoded for today’s youth: Key to happiness & peace

Kalpana Bora

(kalpana.bora@gmail.com)

Perception, thinking, attitude, and way of doing things by the youth today are changing very fast. Much of which is driven by technology! It is the responsibility of the elder generation to make youth understand and appreciate the essence, values, and ethos of the culture and civilization of our motherland, as they are timeless, transcending across generations. It seems we have been missing the bus, due to which our talented youth today appear to be confused, diffused, impulsive and anxious as far as comprehending Bharatiya Sanskriti and Hindutva is concerned.

The other day someone heard, a student asking her fellow friend, 'Why do you have so many gods in your Hindu Dharma?' Why do you have monkey-faced, elephant-faced gods? And the fellow friend could not answer! Reportedly, in tribal areas of Bharat, Hindus are being converted to other religions by luring and using false propaganda, like the idol of Bhagwan Ram being immersed in water (they made it with metal), while that of the god of other religions is not (they made it with wood). While trying to make oneself great, one need not prove others wrong. One should not demean and disrespect others but at least should respect and know well the self, deep inside-out: “Swa-Bodh” is a must, who and what we are. Then only we can lead our lives respectfully, filled with pride and self-dignity.

We were made to forget the essence of our Sanatana Dharma and ancient knowledge, wisdom and pragya that have been continuing for several thousand years because of about 1500 years of various invasions full of atrocities of all sorts on our Sanskriti, Dharma, lives and spaces that finally created colonial mindsets amongst us. If the parents themselves don’t deeply understand the core values of Sanatan Dharma (Hindutva) and take pride in it, how can they make their children understand and follow them? Children learn by following the ‘Acharan' of their parents in families. That is the reason why lakhs of Hindus are being converted to other religions using illegal practices. But, if we can make our children and youth understand the scientific reasoning behind our ancient Bharatiya Sanskriti, they would love to follow it. Today’s Gen Alpha and Gen Z need proof of everything – they don’t just want to accept anything blindly! The treasure of Sanatani Sanskriti, traditions, and gyan-vigyan was compiled into thousands of ancient scriptures and texts by our intellectual people, rishi-muni-sant, etc. – like the Veda, Upanishads, Purans, Samhitas, Gita, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Mahabhagwat Puran, etc. Now, in today’s fast-moving competitive world, is it possible for a child to read all these ancient scriptures? NO. Then, what to do?

In our Shaastras, the Swa-Dharma of each and every person and section of society is well defined.  Reading and composing the scriptures is the dharma of Rishi-Muni, any knowledgeable person, Sanskrit Pandits, Dharma Gurus, etc. The essence of these will be explained to sansarik people by these dharma gurus and sants. Even if one can’t read all of them, being in Kaliyuga, Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardev ji said, “Just chanting Hari Naam and reading Bhagwat Mahapuran will suffice and lead us to Moksha.” Every concept has a theory part and a practical part. We need to extract the essence of gyan-vigyan-pragya from thousands of ancient scripts and follow and apply it practically in our daily lives. For Sansarik people, chanting Hari Naam and reading the Ramayana and Bhagwat Mahapuran should suffice. However, if some devotee can read and understand the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Gita, etc., fully – ‘sone pe suhaga’!

But before that, parents and elders must comprehend some core values of Sanatana Dharma, the only Dharma of the world (the rest are religions, faiths or sects; Dharma and religion are NOT the same), which is worn by Bhumi, Vayumandala, Akash and Pataal – Santana Dharma transcends the boundaries of space-time, which prays for peace and welfare of the whole world. Hence, let us understand some core values of Santana Dharma/Hindutva, in an easy-to-follow system, imbibed from experiential learning and reading Ramayana and Bhagwat Puran in homes, as perceived in our daily lives:

1. Our Hanumanji is monkey-faced – one aspect of this is that earlier, Vanyamanav (Hanumanji) and dwellers of Nagars (Bhagwan Ram) used to live in perfect harmony with each other, and it teaches us to protect Van (forests). Also, one should admire the virtues of a monkey – agility and intelligence – and we should try to follow these in our lives. Our Bhagwan Ganesh is elephant-faced – elephants are very intelligent and aristocratic, and from him we should try to follow these virtues of elephants in our lives. We have so many gods that are created from one supreme god (Brahm); they all have their special virtues and are unique and distinct.

2. We worship Bhagwan Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Ganesh, Devi Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga and many other gods because we respect them for their teachings, NOT just because they will lead us to Moksha. Our Ganesh - symbol of wisdom, Krishna - karma and gyan, Ram - Maryada Purushottam, Lakshmi - devi of prosperity, Saraswati - devi of Vidya, Durga - devi who kills adhamrmis and others. Moreover, we never say that only our Bhagwan can lead to Moksha and hence never ask people of other religions to convert forcefully to our Hindu Dharma.

3. ‘Ekam aham bahusyam’ (Chhandogya Upanishad): I (the Brahm, Supreme Prabhu) am one only, and from me all the creatures are created. All our gods are created from one Brahm and hence are one in that way – unity in diversity. This also explains the srishti of the world (Big Bang). Prabhu appears as ‘Nanatava’. ‘Nana’ means ‘no two are identical’; each one is unique. It is also written – ‘Ekamev Dwitiyonaasti’ – which means no two creatures are the same. We all are interconnected with each other biologically, like the branches of a tree can’t be separated from a tree. Hence, we should love and respect all our fellow people.

4. The meaning of 'Sanatan' – which is always there – is 'Shahswat', which is 'eternal'. The Valmiki Ramayana dates back at least 9,000 years (as per the positions of planets and stars as mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana). And our Sanskriti is much older than that. Sanatana Dharma is the way of life following Satya, Nyaya, Daan, Karuna and Tyaag. Hindutva is an evolution of ideologies and knowledge; it has NO single rule book. Hindutva is not just going to temple and putting on tilak – it is a flow of knowledge, vichardhara, wisdom, pragya, and gyan which unites everyone, respecting diversity (Nana).

5. Mata Bhumi, Putroaham prithivyaah (Bhumi Sukta from Atharveda): Means - Bhumi is my mother, and I am her son/daughter. And that’s why we must protect Mother Earth and her environment. Both Mother and Motherland are respected and given a position even higher than Swarg (Heaven), because we have never seen what Swarg looks like! And hence, it is rightly written by Sage Valmiki in Ramayan – ‘Janani Janmbhumish Swargdapi Gariyasi.’

6. Dharma and politics cannot be separated, and Dharma and development can also not be segregated. That is why we worship Bhagwan Ram, who followed the path of Dharma in all his actions and activities. In Ramayan, there are so many role models who followed their Swa-dharma. When we talk of how a son, a brother, a husband, a friend, or a king should behave, we look up to Bhagwan Ram. Mata Kaushalya, Ram, Laxman, Bharat, Mata Sita, Hanuman, and Sugreev all followed their Dharma. Such a Bhagwan Ram is our role model, who defines our Sanskar and Achaar (action, behaviour), and our character becomes like the role model we follow.

7. Bhagwan Mahavir talked of Sah-Jiwan. Bharatiya Sanskriti never teaches to exploit and encroach on others. We believe in co-existence and not competition. We believe in sustainability and contentment. We also believe in peace and welfare for all (Vishwa ka Kalyan ho, Vasudhauvam Kutumbakam, Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah).

8. ‘Aano Bhadrah kratvo yantu vishwato’ (Rigveda): Means – let good thoughts come to us from all directions. This openness to ideas is the core of Sanatan Dharm, our Sanskriti, and democracy.

9. Sanatan Dharm believes in Abhyudaya (welfare, sunrise, elevation), and through Abhyudaya, we can attain Moksha.

10. “Ahimsa paramo dharamah, Dharmah hinsa tathaiv cha” (Mahabharata): Non-violence is our Dharma (Bhagwan Buddha), but to destroy adharmis is also Dharma. On the one hand, our Gods bless, and on the other hand, they have some or the other Shastra for the protection of Dharma.

11. Today, the root cause of all conflicts in the world is that “everyone wants to enforce – my way is the right way.” That only I am correct; others are not. But Hindutva says, “Ekam sat viprah bahuda vadanti,” which means one truth can be told in different ways by different people. Viprah means those who have seen it, realized it, and understood it.

12. Swami Vivekananda said, “We are not tolerant. We don’t tolerate any other religion; we accept other religions as true.” There is helplessness in becoming tolerant.

13. “Udyamena Hi Siddhyanti Karyani Na Manorathah” (Hitopadesa): This means efforts, not mere desires, lead to success, and there is no shortcut to hard hardwork.

14. ‘Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam’ (Rig Veda):  Means - Let us make this world a noble place to live in. The meaning of the word 'Arya' is one who enhances her/his virtues, builds character and personality, becomes the best in mind and wisdom and then dedicates oneself to the nation. One who, being the best, also dedicates oneself in service of the nation is Arya.

This can go on up to Anant (infinity)… as knowledge is Anant in Sanatan Dharam.  This also leads to a path of continuous research and finding new knowledge and science. Thus, if our youth can assimilate the above-mentioned virtues and essence of Sanatan Dharm and follow it in their lives, it can really lead to peace, happiness and success in their lives and contribute to nation-building.