Er.Rajesh Pathak
Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat of RSS says : ‘Where we went wrong during the last 1000 years is that we got to have Dharma confine into Bhojan gruh (Dining-room ), and into Pooja gruh ( Prayer-room ). Whereas in sheer explicit manner Dharma is described to be standing on four pillars of Satya- Karuna-Shuchita-Tapas (Righteousness- Compassion- Impeccability- Penitence). Whatever you consider to be the part of Dhrama that should be accommodative of these four. And if it appears to be surpassing the four-cornered boundary of that , know it as Adharma. No matter you have been following that traditionally. If you follow untouchability traditionally, thinking it to be acceptable. Then it is Adharma , as it is devoid of Karuna . For this leads to hurt one’s sentiments, one’s self- dignity. It is also in the contravention of Satya. For Satya defined in Dharma propagates, ‘ Ishwar sarvbhootanaam’, means ‘God dwells in all the beings’ (18-61, Shrimad Bhagwat Gita) . And it dwells equally, ‘Samanam sarvbhooteshu’(13-27&28, Gita).’
Notably, in Jammu a Schedule caste Hindu Valmiki youth took the refuge of Church for his wedding. As the Padre used to visit his house; and in the temple he faced problem in carrying out ceremony, besides. And he yet then continued to be a Hindu. The things could not prevail so any more , today there are many Vedic institutions in the country where the seekers of all castes interested in performing religious rites could get the training. VHP(Vishwa Hindu Parishad) has trained over 5000 such priests in rituals of Hinduism belonging to SC-ST communities , over 2000 of them being hailed from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh alone. Along with the performing prescribed religious rituals required for different occasions, they also contribute in putting curb on conversion in their localities, which otherwise infested with too many proselytizers. In this field one of the most pioneering of the works was done by Shankracharya Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi Kamkoti shrine by the initiative of RSS pracharak, Madhawan. Jayendra Saraswati for the first time made the provision in Guruvayur of imparting the training of priesthood to 29 people belonging particularly to the so-called lower castes. At the end of the training they were given the certificates with the seal recognized by the shrine before the council of dignitaries of different hues. Now such kind of works are being frequently done through Dharam Raksha Nyas on different places all over the country in big ways.
In 2022 on the occasion of ‘ Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham’ ( 1000th birth celebration year) the 216 ft high ‘Statue of Equality’ in Hyderabad was unveiled by Narendra Modi in the divine memory of Shri Ramanujacharya. Though remembered more for the great work he did in realm of spirituality, in the field of social- equality the initiatives he took were no less notable. Born to a Brahmin family , Ramanuja was kind to all – the poor, rich and all the castes . Going far ahead , he made mandatory to sing in the temple the devotional-songs created by non-Brahmin Tamil saints. He had the gates of famous Tirunarayan Perumal Vaishnav temple opened to give entrance to all irrespective of one’s caste . It was because of divine influence of Ramanuja, Gollas, backward community of South India, were granted the right of first darshan of Shri Balaji.
Likewise regarding the entry into Minakshi Puram temple once there prevailed a persistent tussle born of castes and sects consideration. Like Ramanuja , the guru of Yogi Aditya Nath , Mahant Awaidhanath of VHP , one day came to firm decision to resolve the issue . And he came to sit before temple observing protest against the practice weakening Hindu community . He left not the place until temple authority agreed to soften their stand, allowing the entry to all.
At the local level also people has begun to engage into bridging the social-gap through utilizing religious occasions. Near the capital Bhopal of Madhya Pradesh lies a city Sehore, the headquarter of district also. Adjoining the Dhobhi-ghat (washermen-bank )of Sewan river of the city there is Swadesh Nagar mainly resided by semi-literate, self -employed communities living on the marginal income . Here a rare event of its kind came to notice that could be inspiring to well-to-do section of society. The local unit of Akhil Bharitya Marwadi Mahila Sammailan came forward to celebrate Hanuman Jyanti this year among the small children of the Swadesh Nagar. They utilized the occasion by distributing materials required for the study among the children coming organized daily in the Sanskar-kendra already running by International organization , ‘Sewa Bharti’, in the basti. Since with the education , sanskaras or social virtues are also indispensable likewise , Children were made to sing the bhajanas ( religious songs). The event than came to an end with the recital of Hanuman Chalisa by all, to be followed by the distribution of prasad , notably !
