HINDUTVA

Nature has programmed Man to always seek for the highest. Goals and Ideals are natural allies in this human search. There has always been a human tendency to grasp the highest generalization and seek unification - in every sphere AND of all spheres of existence-THAT which is above all conditioning THE FIRST CAUSE - The search for THE Ultimate Truth and Universal Freedom. Simply put - TRUTH is that which is not contradicted under all conditions, FREEDOM is that which is unhindered under all conditions. Man innately knows that - the Truth will set him Free. Truth and Freedom have thus been the twin quests of humanity since ages in its search for the highest-joy, existence, knowledge, freedom, truth... Yet it is also true that - Certain defining ideas dont submit to cold scientific definition. We have to take recourse to intuition and higher intellectual extrapolation. Bharat has had the unique privilege of recognizing Truth and Freedom as the Ultimate Human goals since the Upanishadic times. Upanishads are the cream of the Vedas. Scholars have called the Upanishads - the breath of the eternal. There were many other ancient civilizations like Egyptian, Chinese, Mayan but none came close to conceiving of the goal of human existence as the Indians did in defining the above two ideals.

Truth alone triumphs; not falsehood.Through truth the divine path is spread out by which the sages whose desires have been completely fulfilled, reach where that supreme treasure of Truth resides.-Mundaka.Upanishad.3.1.6 Rishis, discoursing on Brahman, ask: Is Brahman the cause? Whence are we born? By what do we live? Where do we dwell at the end? Please tell us, O ye who know Brahman, under whose guidance we abide, whether in pleasure or in pain. -Svetasvatara.Upanishad.I.1. Joy is brahman.For from joy beings are born; by joy, being born, they live; into joy they enter when they pass on.-Taittriya.Upanishad.III.6
Yet - Quest for Freedom alone may enslave and lead astray. May result in slavery to dogma, senses. Truth, the Good is hence placed at the highest.

The Katha Upanishad II (Up. I. 2.& 3.) reads: "The good (Sreyas) is one thing, the pleasant (Preyas) is another. These two having different purposes, bind a man. Of these two, it is well for him who takes hold of the good; he who chooses the pleasant misses his end.The good and the pleasant approach a man; the wise man considers and distinguishes the two. Wisely does he prefer the good to the pleasant, but a fool chooses the pleasant for its worldly good."

Utilitarian standards cannot explain the ethical relations of men, for, in the first place, we cannot derive any ethical laws from considerations of utility...Without the struggle towards the Infinite there can be no ideal...Why should we do good? Doing good is a secondary consideration. We must have an idea. Ethics itself is not the end, but the means to the end. If the end is not there, why should we be ethical? Why should I do good to other men, and not injure them? If happiness is the goal of mankind, why should I not make myself happy and others unhappy? What prevents me? In the second place, the basis of utility is too narrow.... there is always the necessity of spiritual religion for mankind. Man cannot always think of matter, however pleasurable it may be. - Swami.Vivekananda , Jnana-Yoga.
This individualistic and inquisitive search for truth is found in the Upanishads. The Story of Nachiketa in the Katha Upanishad where he dared even to have a dialog with the God of Death to know the Truth is a case in point. All of Democratic & Scientific temper follows from this search for truth and freedom. This eternal search by successive generations for Truth and Freedom is the elixir-So, Bharat keeps aging but never grows old - Leave alone dying. These two ideals may well have diffused and suffused to the far east and far west. Only historians can accurately trace fully. Its obvious that all noble scientific/secular/spiritual/social/economic.. thought follows from the above twin ideals. The twin ideals work everywhere -Universal/Individual, Spiritual/Secular, Infinite/Immediate, Global/Local, Absolute/Relative, Eternal/Temporal, Subjective/Objective.... The search for ultimate truth & freedom lead the Vedic Seers to ABSOLUTE EXISTENCE KNOWLEDGE BLISS (SAT CHIT ANANDA) - beyond name and form , beyond space/time/cause. Within & Without. Trascendent & Immanent. The very ground of being. The one infinite. If all of existence is ONE, then the scene changes dramatically and to apply the abstract in the actual we need recourse to practical enablers For the individual the enablers suggested were -Vivek/Vairagya-dispassion and detachment. For society they were translated into renunciation and service. Renounce -the lower for the higher. Serve -ever more bigger goals. Popularly the above thoughts have been labelled as - Hindutva or Bharatiyta or Hindustaniyat or Indian-ness or South Asian thought or even a Universal way of life/Perennial philosophy. Strictly speaking-it is the Upanishadic thought. Yet- the etymological, socio-political or historical connotations are not what we are discussing. In Ancient/Medieval India From the above thought Ocean alone - arose the orthodox/heterodox systems of philosophy( Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa and Uttara Mimamsa/Vedanta) / (Jain/Buddh/Carvaka).The Satyam-ShivamSundaram idea.Ritual and Philosophical commentaries.Schools,Streams,Tributaries and Rivulets of thought.Codified rules,Myths,Parables,Secular Sensory Sciences,... BUT NEVER ANY DOGMA.Because Thought & Ideal was Supreme not any book or prophet. The Pinnacle was the Ashokan/Cholan Age - the Golden Age of Bharat.But maybe due to cyclical nature of societies or failure to maintain eternal vigilance- apparent stagnation set in, althou no one can truly say whether decay set in or not. Even in Modern India - We have achieved our freedom thru Satyagraha and Ahimsa.Satyamev Jayate derived from Mundaka.Upanishad quoted at the start is the national motto of India.

Nowadays it has become fashionable to rhetorically ask - what is Hindutva? and on not receiving any reply, triumphantly say - "see, i told you - Hindutva is a fuzzy term!!" Actually the answer is very simple, Hindutva is at the core of Indian-Ness.India is a Upanishadic Core with 3 important timely adaptations/reformulations/infusions to application of that Core - Buddhism, Sufism, Modern European/American Thought. Hindutva IS -- 1.A Belief in oneness of all existence, and so-- Respect (not mere toleration!!) for Existence, Knowledge, Bliss (sat chit ananda- it may be read broadly as others opinions, practices, customs, technology, faith....) of all beings and their legitimate pursuit of it, not only respect in mind but practice in living also. 2.Perseverance on the above path and defending(passively if required- in peace/democracy, actively if required-in war/dictatorship) it against exclusivist, persecuting and narrow ideas.- Being open to change if there is a meritorius case(in tune with the Core 1.) for it. We can elaborate more, but suffice to say that ALL - traditions, rituals, myths, philosophy, customs, laws.. of the hindus derive from the above.This is the unique feature of Hinduism and long before anybody could dream of world thought leadership-hinduism did.If we confine ourselves to discussing of the ideals of thought only - No other thought can claim to be as inclusive as the above thought.Of course at the practical level no thought is perfect, which is another story.This is Hindutva.This is the Indian Core from Indus to Irrawady and from Tibet to Trincomalee. What is the basis of national identity?is it religion?-then all islamic(or christian) nations must be one.is it language?then all english speaking nations must be one.then what is it ?one reason can be geography & history.Another one very strong reason can be culture - shared values, customs, beliefs and practices.Nations may well be a phase in the evolution of man. The highest ideal for the world that nations can strive for are - truth and freedom.The truly great nations are born, held together and live just by adherence to these twin ideals. In the post-1857 history of Bharat we seen a renaissance of what is known as the core or essential Hindu thought.Luminaries like Swami Vivekananda, Savarkar, Golwalkar,Gandhi and Aurobindo to name a few have dwelt amply upon it.Yet i take the childish temerity to share my thoughts. The ideal is actualized in day to day action in India to this day by following the dynamic message of the gita-the song of god.Its beautifully summarized in a poster published by the Vivekananda Kendra, i take the liberty of attaching its text at the footnote.

Mandatory reading i. The Song of God - Swami Prabhavananda ii. The Upanishads - Swami Prabhavananda Recommended reading 1. The Complete Works of Swami.Vivekananda 2. a. The Life of Vivekananda b. The life of Ramakrishna - both by Romain Rolland. 3. a. The Web of Indian Life b. Footfalls of Indian History - both by Sister Nivedita 4. A sourcebook of Indian Philosophy - Dr.Radhakrishnan and Moore 5. Indian Philosophy - Hiriyanna 6. Methods of Knowledge as per Advaita Vedanta - Swami Satprakashananda

"The Message of Gita" Action is the core message of Srimad Bhagavat Gita. Arjuna is refusing to act. He justifies his inaction by noble words- a sure sign of confused mind. Krishna motivates him massively. Even condemns him as a coward for his refusal to act. He eulogizes Action is the very basis of life. Inaction is death. The uninformed act with attachment and the informed without attachement. Krishna takes Arjuna through the science of human life and beyond. He also reveals Himself as the Lord to infuse confidence in Arjuna to act. And finally Arjunas confusion is removed. Then- and then alone Krishna gives him the freedom to choose what to do-as only a free mind is fit to make a choice. Arjuna chooses to act. And wins.The Lord Krishna says :Yield not to unmanliness, Arjuna!Act!! Action is life. Inaction is death.Work! None can remain without work. But to work alone you have the right. Accept the fruit of it as your karma and My Prasad.I knit together everyone , everything as a thread knits a garland.Thus understand everyone, everything is inter-dependent.Contributing to the harmony of society and nature, work. Never be an example for inaction.Work done efficiently with Shraddha, and without attachment is your sadhana, your worship of Me.You are the instrument. I execute My work through you. Ever be united with Me in work.Your ordained work is yajna for common good..It nourishes you and other for supreme good. If you dont work, but enjoy others work, you are a thief.Be moderate in eating, sleeping, relaxing and working. That is real Yoga.Ever strive to elevate, not lower, yourself. Thus, be your own friend not your own enemy.I guarantee the wellbeing of you, My devotee.Follow this and be successful in life. Sanjaya says at the end :WHERE KRISHNA THE ULTIMATE DIVINE AND ARJUNA- THE HEROIC HUMAN TEAM UP, SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY, JUSTICE AND WELLBEING FOLLOW. THIS I KNOW.OM TAT SAT