SECULAR, RELIGIOUS, PATRIOT ET AL

SECULAR, RELIGIOUS, PATRIOT ET AL

They who are the votaries of secularism in India are not secular, though, in any sense of the term, neither from the standpoint of the European definition of the term where to be secular is synonymous with absence of faith in the spiritual as was so aggressively embodied in the French Revolution nor from the standpoint of keeping the State clear of religious affiliation in electoral and executive functioning nor also from the perspective of the peculiar subcontinental definition of maintaining equal sympathy for all faiths. They are opportunists quite as much as political protagonists of patriotism and the Sanatan Dharma are today who have no clue about the principles or historical evolution of the Dharma but are full of articulate exhibition of their allegiance to the nation thus.

Ignorance either way never pays. What pays however holds all who thrive on achieving cheap popularity at the expense of gullibility of a polity gone progressively weak through proliferating ignorance of our deeper national culture. Leaders are ignorant and so are their garrulous followers even as the nation progresses precipitously to its regressive doom.

What is needed is earnestness in self-education rather than engaging in frivolous exercises masquerading as patriotic activity. Science and spirituality must complement each other instead of fools complimenting each other in the form of perverse messages and comments. The history of the land dating millenia must be studied instead of validating the Shakespearean statement in 'Julius Caesar' -- 'When old men fool and children calculate' where the archaic and obsolete may be interpreted to be the 'old men' and the reasonable and rationalising, innovating and inventive, scientific and philosophical may be deemed as the 'calculating children' -- and due evolutionary progress achieved along the line of its past development.

Mere mockery does not help, mere sarcasm seldom fructifies into anything worthwhile. Our patriotism must be illumined by the light of love, reason and realisation by at first rejecting all frivolous tendencies in us that so exhibit themselves as its articulate, senile sibling, I mean, perverse parochialism. Patriotism is a human quality and patriotism is a divine attribute as well that makes us shed individual selfish interests to embrace the larger interests of the national community en route to further expansion of our field of sympathy to embracing the whole world and the universe extending ad infinitum. Hence, what matters is our own commitment to this grand ideal and our actions thereof. The Svetashvatar Upanishad in trumpet voice brings forth this universal message before the whole of humanity and beyond by announcing 

'Shrinvantu vishvey amritasya putraah

Aa ye dhaamaani divyaani tasthuh

Vedaahametung Purushung mahaantung

Aadityavarnung tamasah parastaat

Tameva viditvaa atimrityumeti

Naanyah panthaah vidyatey ayanaaya.'

'शृण्वन्तु विश्वे अमृतस्य पुत्राः आ ये धामानि दीव्यानि तस्थुः

वेदाहमेतं पुरुषं महान्तं आदित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात्।

त्वमेव विदित्वातिमृत्युमेति नान्यः पन्थाः विद्यतेयनाय।'

[ Hear ye, O children of immortal bliss.

Even ye hear who reside in higher spheres. I have known the Great Being

Whose hue is of the radiant sun

And who abides beyond the pale of darkness.

Even ye shall have to know It

If ye wish to go beyond death.

There is no other way. ]

This is the message of the Sanatan Dharma and it must find practical application in the life of the polity for India to reclaim her position as Jagadguru (World Teacher) in the comity of nations. Here lies the task of national and global regeneration as set before us, the children of the sages, by the modern sage, Swami Vivekananda. If we can fulfil this mission worldwide, we will have passed the test of patriotism pure.

Written by Sugata Bose