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I consider it a privilege to present a paper in this international
conference, representing Hinduism and also Vivekananda Kendra - a spiritually
oriented institution and a dynamic movement established to commemmorate the
memory of Swami Vivekananda and to translate his world-vision into practice.
During the last decade of 19th century - in the year 1893 to be more
precise - Swami Vevekananda addressed the World Parliament of Religion at
Chicago, which turned out to be an epoch making one. The message of Universal
Brotherhood and Harmony of religions which he conveyed, became part of the
mainstream thinking of mankind in the 20th Century. Similarly, just on the eve
of the third millenium, I am sure, this conference is also bound to make an
indelible mark on the psyche of mankind and influence the course of history. I
am confident that this conference will proclaim to the world that all the
suppressed and submerged ethnic religions and cultures will once again regain
their place of honour and enrich the world by their many sided contributions.
Lithuania which hosts this conference has the distinction of being the
last European country to be subjected to the onslaught of Christianity. India
too has the distinction of being the country which held Christianity at bay, at
a mere 2.5% of the population, notwithstanding more than 200 years of Christian
imperialist rule. But, Christianity is still posing a severe threat with the
slogan "Evangelisation 2000 and beyond". Organised moves, supported by foreign
powers, and foreign funds are afoot to Christianise the people of India,
particularly those simple folk from the tribal belt. Political overtones are
also evident since the Churches are openly playing their political card in the
current elections in India to achieve the above objective. Islamic
fundamentalism is another factor trying to subvert India. They were more
successful than the Christians though not to the extent they were in other
countries of the world. But they won a major victory about 50 years ago when
they carved out one third of India into a separate Islamic, theocratic state,
from where the original religion of Hinduism has been practically wiped out. The
efforts are still on The motto of this 'World Congress of Ethnic Religions' -
"Unity in Diversity" - sounds almost like an echo of the Vedic hymn "Emam sat
Vipra Bahudha vadanti" - Truth is one; sages call it by various names. India has
been a land of diversity and religious pluralism. There had never been any
religious persecuted from all over the world. From the point of view of
language, religion and culture, Lithuania and India have much in common. Both
have been worshippers of Divinity manifest in Nature. For us, God is not merely
transcendantal or extra-cosmic, but is immanent in nature itself.Sun is looked
upon by both as a great Divine manifestation. Gayatri - the most potent and
popular mantra - is an invocation to the Sun. Similarly, Fire is worshipped as a
great power of the Divine and is invoked in all the Yanjas. It is significant to
remember that the very first mantra in Rig Veda invokes the God Agni. The same
tradition continues unbroken to this day. All extraordinary manifestations in
the World are imbued with the Divine essense. Bhagavad Geeta, the most popular
sacred scripture, held in the highest esteem by all Hindus, mentions the
Himalaya Mountains, the river Ganga the Ashwatha tree and a host of other
special expressions in Nature as God himself. Hindu religion and the land of its
origin are inseparably connected by these divine links. The land itself is
sacred.
The dividing line between sacred and secular is unknown to Hindus. It is
an import from West. This was so in the case of all Pre-Abrahamic religions,
sometimes contemptuously called 'Paganism'. Every sect in Hinduism shares this
common perception. For all of them, the relation with the Motherland is sacred
and inviolable. Devotion to Motherland is part of their religion and
spirituality. Hindu concept in this regard is well brought out in the Vedic
dictum - 'Mata Prithvi Putroham Prithivya' Earth is our Mother and we are all
her Children. Similarly Hindus were global in outlook from very ancient times.
One of the Vedic Mantras says: "Let noble thoughts come to us from all over the
world". (Aa No Bhadra Kruthavo Yanthu Vishwathaha). Modern globalisation and the
Hindu concept of 'world as a family' are qualitatively different. For the
Hindus, Earth is a temple where people come to offer worship. To the modern
West, Earth is a market where sellers and buyers meet to exploit each other. For
the Hindu, Culture is vital. For the modern West, Commodity is all important.
Whereas the West looks upon nature as an object of exploitation, the Hindu
considers Nature as an expression of Divinity.
With the advent of the Abrahamic religions Divinity was banished from
the earth. As Sri Aurobindo, one of modern India’s greatest philosophers points
out, "The Divinity had abandoned the earth and lives far aloof and remote in
other worlds, in a celestial heaven of Saints and immoratal spirts". Sterile
modern rationalism has only reinforced this separation!
What we should strive for is to annul this forced partition between
heaven and earth, God and Nature and rehabilitate heaven on this troubled and
strife-torn planet of ours.
The present trend of globalisation is inherently a move towards
homogenisation. It is already destroying the charming varieties in life, of
language, costumes, food-habits, and even values and modes of worship. Whether
one wants it or not, globalisation will bring in its wake a monotonous
uniformity. It goes against the very grain of our common objective - Unity is
Diversity.
This threat is inherent in the modern concept of globalisation because
its very core is 'global market', - with its attendant evils of competition,
exploitation, natural degradation, environmental pollution and sensuous and
vulgur consumerism, cutting at the root of sustainable development. Future
generations will have to pay a heavy price if we allow this trend to dominate.
The Hindu alternative to global market is the 'global family' - 'Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam' - a world family where variety will be cherished and all the peoples
of the world will live as members of the same family; each caring for the other,
each concerned with the other, and not exploiting each other, contributing to
the total welfare and enriching and ennobling humanity as a whole. At the dawn
of the new millenium, the vibrations of a promise of a regenerated humanity,
with all the suppressed and submerged cultures and religions taking up their
place in the community of nations is felt at the heart of humanity. But that is
not going to be a mere revival. It will be a renaissance, drawing fresh energy
and life-sap from the roots, re-inventing its manifestations in accordance with
the changing situations and their demands. Secondly, against the background of
all the advanced means of modern communications, they will also forge a bond of
strong and healthy unity to work together in the common interest. Hinduism,
which has been able to sustain itself through all these ages uninterrupted will
lend a helping hand and play a positive role in the creation of such a new world
of Spiritual unity and Cultural diversity.
Related articles and
links:
WCER2 / The 2nd WCER Conference - a complete report
by Denis Dornoy
WCER2 /
Ethnic religions - reality and future - speech by Koenraad Loegghe
WCER2 / Paganism as a Metagrid of the Future - paper by Prof. Lokesh Chandra
The Adolfas Gedvilas manor - the host and location of the conference
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