THE INDIAN DHARMA TRADITIONS MUST GO GLOBAL

THE INDIAN DHARMA TRADITIONS MUST GO GLOBAL

The message of the sages must go global. The Indian dharma traditions must be patronised effectively for their spread across the world.

Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, despite some differences, have originally the same roots in Indian thought springing from the Vedas. Although, Jainism and Buddhism reject the Vedas as spiritual authority, they nonetheless, did spring as reactions to the prevalent spiritual aberrations of the day and, as such, have close ties to Vedic thought of liberation from the cyclical transmigration of the soul. They rely on the Theory of Karma as well and, so, have deep embedded Hindu roots. So does Sikhism in an even more closer kinship to the mother religion whence it arose.

Keeping this in mind, we should as a people promote the dharma traditions of India across the world. In it lies national welfare and in it lies the well-being of the world.

The present thrust on divisive secularism is eating into our vitals as an ancient race with a rich cultural heritage and is producing a nation of either imbeciles or mischievous intellectuals, ignorant thoroughly about all that is glorious in our spiritual tradition. This must go and it will only do so if from the governmental level measures are adopted --- despite opposition from quarters with vested interests --- that will educate the children in their national heritage, groom them in their national culture such that they grow up into fine human beings imbued with patriotism and a sense of sacrifice for the common weal that is at the heart of all genuine spirituality.

A rootless people can never become great and care must be taken that our children do not grow up to be so. Seven decades and more have passed and, yet, no such education system has been yet put in place in our country. The delay notwithstanding, it is high time to implement measures that will redress this imbalance and set the agenda of national development straight and in line with India's hoary tradition.

To that day we aspire for and with longing hopes linger in our gaze at the foggy future that ought to clear in the dawning sunshine of the morrow.

Written by Sugata Bose