NATIVE CHARM
UNITED EFFORT- POWER OF NUMBERS
United we stand
'Union is Strength', 'United we stand' are sayings we all learnt as children. And in our younger days, we might have also read the stories of Mitrabedham and Sukhirlabham from the Panchatantra.
A painting on panchatantra executed for the Raja of Golconda, Tani Sahib, in 1610. Public domain from Wikimedia commons.
In the olden days, people lived in individual dwellings, but there was enough fellow-feeling for them to conduct many events in common, and to participate in each other's affairs, rather freely. Now they mostly live in aggregations like huge residential complexes, but in most cases, the neighbours hardly know each other! Physical proximity has not removed the emotional walls.This is especially so among the younger generation. A so called 'techie' hardly ever mixes with a non-techie! One can notice that in any apartment complex, it is the senior citizens and the young children who freely join together in small groups. Today, no one can visit another without invitation, or fixing an appointment! Informal contacts even among neighbours are disappearing.
Group action: politics and religion
Where do we see the practical effects of group effort? The political arena easily comes before us. Ironically, most such effort further divides the society at large on many issues. It is often groups agitating for special privileges, or specific agendas; they often succeed, not on the merits of the issues, but because of their muscle power. In India, we see united action only on the cricket ground! But with a difference: the spectators root for the team to win, but the team itself may be riven by dissension or ego clashes! It is rare in the modern day to witness any purpose which unites the people as a whole- on any level. We have carried the idea of individual freedom rather too far.
Religions are supposed to unite people in the name of God. The two major religions of the world, Christianity and Islam have one Holy Book. One Saviour or Prophet. Yet they have hundreds of divisions within them, with separate theologies. The different denominations do not even pray together, or in each other's places. When they are not fighting others, they are fighting among themselves.
Congregational Worship
But I have noticed one remarkable fact, studying history. For the last 2000 years, Christianity as a whole has been spreading throughout the world, through commerce, by war or by other means. In Europe, Catholics and Protestants have been fighting violently. Catholics, like Jews, were excluded from certain professions and public offices in Protestant nations. But on the whole, they colonised many nations. And together, they have been converting people.
Again, Muslims have been on the ascendant for the last 1300 years. They expanded by war and conquest and once they entered a land, they converted it. They occupied the Jewish and Christian Holy lands; they divided and destroyed the old Byzantine empire. The Christians waged a holy war for nearly 200 years- called the Crusades- to recover their places, under the orders and blessings of the Pope (who was also their emperor then) but did not succeed fully, and had to settle for whatever they could recover and manage to hold.
Today, Islam is associated with intolerance and extreme violence. But history reveals that they- especially the Arabs- were more tolerant in the past, and highly intellectual, doing remarkable work in mathematics, sciences and medicine. In fact at one time, the Jews of Spain got refuge from Muslims, escaping from Christian persecution!
Commerce and conquest were the chief instruments of their expansion. But there is another remarkable fact. Both Christians and Muslims have congregational worship! Whatever the denomination they belong to, they pray together- and they have common prayers! Especially the Muslims- millions of them pray together at the same time all over the world. How many of us realise the tremendous spiritual, psychical, psychological and even occult power released by such common prayers! No wonder, they have been always successful, wherever they went.
Muslims saying their namaz in the canals of Venice.
Picture taken from www.jewsnews.co.il/2014/05/15. Copyright status not stated.
Contrast this with our Hindu performance. In spite of all our so called lofty philosophy, the galaxy of saints and sages, Hindus have been losing steadily.
Hindus losing steadily
There are many Hindus who believe that the Muslims did not succeed in India- in spite of having first invaded in 711 AD. They could not convert India fully, though they divided the country. But this is only partly true. If we take the old, original India- that is, the present India+ Pakistan+Bangladesh, the Muslim population is about 60 crores, against a Hindu population of 96 crores. (Hindu population has declined as a percentage of total population since 2001.) And this is the largest Muslim population in the whole world! Yes, the old, original India now has the largest Muslim population in the world- more than Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia put together! Pakistan is exporting extremism, and Bangladesh is exporting refugees through a porous border! And the original Hindu population in those countries has been decimated. Given the demographic trends, the Muslim population is the fastest growing segment in the whole world! ( It is estimated that according to current trends, India will have the largest Muslim population in the world by 2050.)
Hindus are powerless against this phenomenon. But more disturbing, they are also thoughtless. Christians and Muslims live in more than 100 countries in the world. In many countries, they are the majority, ruling groups. But Hindus have only India, and it is a secular country, not a Hindu country. Nepal which was a Hindu kingdom has also become secular. TODAY HINDUS HAVE NO COUNTRY TO CALL THEIR OWN! The problem is bound to get worse and more acute as the populations of other religious adherents grow, and our administration and even judiciary become more 'secular' and minority-oriented. Even Hindu temples are taken over by the secular govt!
Hindus are divided
Within India, Hindus are not at all united on any basis or standard. Apart from political ideology, they are divided by language and local interests. Only Hindus are divided by language, and shamelessly fight over it. They are also divided by religion- they have innumerable sects, and they fight each other, even today. Well, the fight is verbal, but it is intense, never the less. There are modern gurus who preach unity, but they are all independent. There is no overarching figure or arrangement which brings all together.
Advaita is supposed to be the philosophy which stands for unity. Sankara is supposed to have established Mutts to spread this message. But there is no agreement even among the orthodox whether he established 4 or 5 Mutts! Four of the Mutts do not accept the Kanchi Mutt as genuine. If we read the related literature, we will lose our faith in this whole Mutt business! They say, the darkest shadow is at the base of the lamp!
Can Hindus unite in common prayer?
Thinking on this matter, I imagined that I got a key. The only thing which is common to all Hindus is the Vedic Gayatri mantra. It is the one which cannot be altered or adulterated. No one can add a jot or tittle to it. Even the pronunciation cannot be changed. It does not belong to any sect. It suits all theologies. And all are agreed that it is the highest mantra of Hinduism, above all sectarian prescriptions. Then, why not use this to forge unity among the Hindus?
Hindus lack the congregational instinct. They never pray together. Even within a sect, the worship and prayer are individual. Even when they go to a big temple, each one prays for himself and his family. In all our religious sankalpas, we mention the 4 purusharthas and other special purposes, which are individual. Sometimes, some homas are performed ostensibly for public purposes like 'world peace'.
Do Hindus pray for the country?
Does any Hindu pray for the country? For Bharatvarsha? I know only one instance when someone prayed for the country. When (then) President Abdul Kalam visited Tirupati, he purchased puja tickets with his own money, and asked for puja to be performed in the name of the nation, not for himself!
Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, one week before his death.
By Bhaskar De (Own Work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 http:// cc.org.licences/by-sa 4.0] creativecommons via wikimedia commons.He as President prayed at Tirupati for the nation. We all can learn something from him!
According to me, history shows that collective, congregational prayer and worship have strengthened the Christians and Muslims. If their expansion is to be arrested and Hindus have to save themselves, and save their nation for themselves, they too have to resort to collective, congregational prayer.
Gayatri as Common prayer?
I think the Gayatri is ideal for the purpose. It seeks pure enlightenment. It does not harm anyone.
But there is no provision in our orthodox rules for either collective prayer, or prayer for the nation. This is something we have to invent now!
Thinking about it, I found a plausible solution.
1. All those who are competent to chant the Gayatri, have to resort to the recital of Gayatri mantra at a particular time once a week. The more earnest followers may do the recital a 1000 times. Others may do a minimum of 100. But it has to be at a standard time for all, so that it will generate collective, positive energy. For instance, it can be done beginning at 9.00 am every Sunday.
2. In the sankalpa, something has to be added for the welfare of Bharat Varsha. ( We usually say: parameswara preetyartham, chaturvida phala purushatha sidhyartham, sakala mangala avaptyartham, ishtakamyartha sidhyartham, duritopa shantyartham etc. We can easily add something for our nation, Bharatvarsha.)
3. We can congregate in a common place like a hall, temple etc. Friends can gather in some house by turns. But we can do it individually too in our own homes! Public show is not necessary. We can be united in purpose, even in different places. (There are many prayers groups operating in the world on this basis, for various purposes, where people do pray at a specified time, from their own homes.)
4. This involves no priests, no other intermediaries, no rituals.
5. This involves no money, no organisation, no hierarchy, no ego clashes!
But there is a big snag or hurdle. Gayatri is at present only confined to Brahmins, how can others participate? This is a serious shortcoming in our system- there is nothing which unites all Hindus! How to bring all Hindus together in a common prayer for the country?
I thought of this as this is the only prayer which is common to all Hindus, which is non-denominational, can be interpreted in theistic and non-theistic manner, etc. I only want all Hindus to realise the importance of congregational worship or prayer and use it for the sake of our country-Bharatvarsha. This will surely ensure Lokakshemam and Lokasangraha. As the Gayatri prays for Enlightenment, it benefits all and hurts no one in the Universe!
As an alternative, any group can use any prayer for this purpose. Only, it has to be done in groups without personal motive, purely for the sake of the country. And it has to be done with the appropriate statement of settled intention ie Sankalpa.
We have all been praying for personal and family welfare. Let us now pray specifically for the welfare of the Hindu nation- the ancient Bharatvarsha. Power of prayer alone can save our country.
NOTE:
The Gayatri is not only a mantra, but it is also a supreme prayer, as I.K.Taimni has shown in his book on Gayatri (published by Theosophical Publishing House ). But whether it can be used even as a prayer by the uninitiated is a big question. Nor is it clear if it can be taught as a prayer.
The matter of Vedic mantra is very important. It cannot be dealt with casually.
However, when one thinks about it seriously, one finds that there is no common element uniting all Hindus, whatever may be the claims made in some quarters. This does appear to be a serious shortcoming, especially in modern times, though how to overcome it is a problem. Orthodoxy has no answer, and those who do not follow orthodoxy also speak with a divided voice!
Islam is a large brotherhood. Muslims in India- in fact, in any country- are supported by Muslims world wide. So are Christians. They are world-wide movements. Who supports Hindus anywhere? Even Hindus do not support each other, even in India!
