Indianness

ESSENCE OF INDIANISMBy Deepak Dasgupta

We, the Indians should convey the message to the world that we can convert this fighting world into a peaceful living abode. Rabindra Nath Tagore dreamt and foresaw that India will lead the world. We must wait to see the day when India will lead the world and we are sure that the day will come soon.
Indianism is a feeling of being an Indian. Irrespective of caste, creed or religion, when we feel ourselves to be the members of a single family, we feel oneness and that is Indianism. It is also part of national integration. Even those who live abroad claim that they are Indians and mainly they claim themselves as Hindu. But what qualities they should have to prove their claim? Let us discuss those factors: In India, there is unity in diversity.

There are people whose languages are different, wear dresses differently, eat with various food habits and above all, living style is also different, but all of them feel and think alike and are proud of being Indian. Even the Non-Resident-Indians (NRI) staying all around the world are proud of being Indian origin. Sometimes when they come to India or come across the people from India or gather in any Indian festival, fair, seminar or assembly, they feel like an Indian. It has been noticed that during their social rituals like marriage, upanayan (sacred thread ceremony) and sradh (post death ceremony), they want that every step be performed according to the Vedic rituals. This means, whether they stay elsewhere scattered around the world, they have not lost their identity as being Indian. We appreciate and salute them. If we want to measure the openness and broadness in Indianism, it is no doubt unparallel. About the word ‘Hindu’, it is defined as Hinan Dushayati iti Hindu, which means that the virtue by means of which the heinous or mental lowness of a person is refined to purity is called Hindu. So, by the word Indianism, it also includes Hindu culture. India is not only a geographically bounded land, it is an idea. Our seers and saints have pronounced, “Ayam nija parovti ganana laghu chetasam, Udaracharitanam tu Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, which means ‘low minded people think that this is mine, that is of yours, but broad minded people always say that people of whole the universe are our kith and kin, our own relatives and everything on this earth is for our mutual benefit. It is also quoted, “Bhrataro manuja sarve, swadesho bhubanatrayam.” This means, all human beings are my brothers and sisters and the universe is my own country. Here we find the extent of feeling oneness with the universal traits. During tarpan, (a ritual by means of which we offer our respect or tribute to our forefathers) we pray to the almighty with the mantra, “Abrahma stamba paryantang Jagat tripyantu.” This means, let all the souls from the biggest to the smallest creations of the universe be free from any bondage, let them get salvation of body, mind and soul. Here, not only we pray for our forefathers but we also pray for all souls. This reveals the extent of broadness of our morality. In Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Ch.V, Sloka 18) Lord Krishna says that to a truly learned person, there is no difference among an educated humble Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a low profile shudra. Our saints, sages and mahatmas have taught us to think for all, to share their well and woe and pray to God to root out their sorrows and to work for all to bring prosperity in their lives. Kaamaey dookhya taptanang praninam arti nasanam,” which means that I don’t want the happiness of being a king of a kingdom, nor the heaven, nor the boon of complete salvation, but I pray for wiping out the sufferings of the poor and the destitute beings. This reveals that a truly devotee of God can not desire for earthly or heavenly happiness, even he refuses the desire of complete salvation or mokhsa or freedom from the cycle of rebirth, but he prays for all and desires that the sufferings of the multitudes be rooted out. Lord Gautam Buddha refused his kingship and preferred to work for the cause of the sufferings of all. From the above quoted versions, I have just tried to establish the truth that in Indianism there is no scope of hatred against anybody. We fight on the streets with each other or in the communities between men to men to get minor interests but we should not forget that we are the descendents of the eternal souls or Amritasya putrah. We should not act or behave in any such manner that the credit of being born as the supreme creation in the universe goes in vain. Man is supreme of all creations in this mortal world. We are born with the theological and theosophical brain and with an eternal soul. We only have the capacity to understand the difference between good and bad, between just and unjust, between right and wrong. We, the Indians should convey the message to the world that we can convert this fighting world into a peaceful living abode. Rabindra Nath Tagore dreamt and foresaw that India will lead the world. We must wait to see the day when India will lead the world and we are sure that the day will come soon. The thought of Mahatma Gandhi, which is based on Gita, has already spread all over the world. He has become a symbol of liberation in the world. He advocated not only to get rid of foreign rule but also to get rid of economic disparity between rich and the poor and administered mantra of social reforms. He taught us to win with truth over falsehood. He has become the symbol of Indianism. He sits above all international barriers showing the path of liberation to all at large. Once, when the Europeans and Americans were rushing to send missionaries to India to civilise our people and to transform them by religious conversion, Swami Vivekananda opposed this foreign idea and stopped their move by saying, “Don’t send missionaries to India, rather, send machineries to India.” At that time India was weak in technology, so we required its development and machine could do that. But from very olden days, India is rich in spiritual and philosophical thoughts and it is the seat of high moral values. At present, India is passing through a traumatic stage to identify its identity. All the people of the world should know about our identity. We should not forget that we are the Amritasya Putrah or the children of the eternal soul. Whether an Indian residing in India or abroad, whether he or she is of Indian origin, it is immaterial but who believes in Indian thought or culture will think about the above guidelines and will live life accordingly. (The writer can be contacted at 16/23 W.E.A 1st Floor, Karol Bagh, New Delhi-110 005.)