India has adopted the democratic system of governance. In this system, the government in power is expected to plan & arrange for people to get education & other basic necessities of human life namely - adequate Food & Clothing, availability of decent Shelter & drinking Water coupled with an assurance of safety & security in daily life. 
 

For the different parts of country, these necessities are being tried to be met through different schemes run by the government. In India, the democratic system of governance has been organized in the form of a Central Government at Delhi focusing down gradually to a “Gram Panchayat” in a village through different steps/grades with specific roles & responsibilities at each level. A government which is a sponsor & representative of Socialism along with its aforementioned organization is responsible for planning & execution of the schemes. This is a fact, which cannot be denied.

 

Along with Public Education another key area of concern is the Public Health. Some efforts are seen being made to secure gains in this area. However, in a country the size of a continent like ours, some of our countrymen have started getting doubts on whether a government claiming to represent the society and with proclaimed socialist leanings can meet all the basic necessities of life for all the people.  

 

In addition to securing Public Health, this socialist government is also responsible for making available opportunities for trade/business to those willing. 

 

Our Indian Government has declared itself “Secular” i.e. without any religious leanings. As a result, it would be difficult to expect this government making any efforts towards inculcating the basic values of humanity in the fellow human beings and strive towards developing the mental/physical faculties of the citizens for them to practice these values on a continuous basis. This thought arises as all these activities are closely linked to the teachings espoused by religion.

 

“Shree Sant Sitarambuwa Walawalkar Charitable Trust” is being formed in such difficult times. Though the trust has a strong spiritual basis, the Saint whose name it carries i.e. Shree Sant Sitarabuwa Walawalkar,was a selfless crusader in the area of public service. He made efforts towards inculcating spiritual values in people through public service.
 

The current “Secular” government wants to distance itself from religion. This raises a question that who would be responsible for preserving & spreading the eternal & original values of humanity in the society as the Secular, Socialist, and Democratic Government whether in the form of Central Government at Delhi or as the “Grampanchayat” at village level is finally run by people.

 

Thus these people who are currently running our government or would be part of it in future should not only have completely understood these values but also should be practicing them continuously.
 

These people running the democracy should also be completely acquainted with the ideas about Justice, Values, Religion, Selfless work, Laws for achieving a stable society, Knowledge of various disciplines related to Statecraft, Social Sciences etc. for successfully running Public Affairs & Public Administration. But are there government sponsored schools/colleges offering this knowledge? Since the answer to this is not affirmative, religious bodies involved in improving life of people & making them aware of the true humanity, would be expected to carry out this work.
 

The original values of humanity are eternal & should not be tempered with. These values should be protected from the effects of the power bestowed by the Government, as there is a danger of the later (Power) diluting the former (Values).
 

The world today is full of hedonistic & temporal pursuits. We have to aggressively combat both to preserve the original & eternal values of humanity. In the world today, there are a number of different religions. Every human being should follow his/her own
religion to the extent possible in today's times. Shree Bhagwan Gopalkrishna in his discourse “Shreemad Bhagwat Geeta” assures us that "svaQamao- inaQanaM Eaoya: prQamaao- Bayaavah:È'' which means one would acquire merit if one perishes while performing one's “Dharma” (duties) rather than deviate from the Dharma” (duties) in any manner.
 

This should be inculcated in every individual. Once this happens, the individual would perform his duties with devotion. This devotion would then lead to the realization that all the religions in the world were created by the one & only god at different times & at different places for the benefit of the mankind and the final purpose of all the religions is to seek & achieve the eternal truth which would lead to the greatest joy for a human being. This realization would thus increase the individual's belief in the spiritual path. Leaving behind a narrow, parochial view of the world the individual would attain oneness with the whole world resting on the firm basis of his spiritual experiences. In this way, the individual who has encountered the true meaning of human life & understood true humanity would identify with all the human beings & religious doctrines in the entire world.
 

Indian philosophical/spiritual tradition describes four different paths - namely “Karma Yog”, “Bhakti Yog”, “Dnyan Yog”, “Hath Yog” - leading towards the realization of the Supreme being. These paths, called “Yog” expect intense commitment. Paths like the “Raj Yog” involving restraining the mind & its activities are difficult to master for an individual leading a normal family life.

 

Such an individual naturally seeks more enjoyment in the material world. For the welfare of the whole world, Lord Gopalkrishna elucidated Shreemadbhagwat Geeta when he preached the same to Arjun ostensibly to convince him to shake off inertia & perform his duties. In the 18th chapter of the same, the Lord has prescribed the path of action (“Karma Yog”) for the individuals leading a
normal family life. 

 

svao svao kma-NyaiBart: saMisaiQdM laBato nar:È
svakma-inart: isaiQdM yaqaa ivandit tcCRNau È È

The Lord assures that “merit is acquired by those individuals who devote themselves to the duties which come to them based on their role in the society” (Shree Madbhagwat Geeta 18:45)

It is very important to ponder over & reflect on the meaning of this couplet which states that a person devoted to his duties gets detached from the worldly affairs & such a dedicated person progressively attains oneness with the Supreme being. A commentary on the same by Sri Sant Dnyaneshwar goes like this:

hMo ivaiht kma- paMDvaa ÈAapulaa Ananya vaaolaavaa È
AaiNa hoica prma saovaa È maja savaa-<makacaI ÈÈ

“Performing our duties is the best way of serving the Almighty & achieving his grace” – (Dnyaneshwari 18:906)

Agaa jayaaisa jaoM ivaiht È toM [-XvaracaoM manaaogat È
mhNaaOina koilayaa inaBa`aMt È saaMpDoica tao ÈÈ

“The Lord himself has chosen you for your duties. Hence performing them would lead you to him” (Dnyaneshwari 18:911)

yat:p`vaRi<aBaU-tanaaM yaona sava-imadM ttma\ È
svakma-Naa tmaByacya- isaiQdM ivandit maanava: ÈÈ

Lord Krishna further assures that “The almighty is the origin of this universe & is omnipresent. Individual can attain oneness with him by serving him through performing one's duties” (ShreeMadbhagwat Geeta 18:46).

On this Sri Sant Dnyaneshwar elaborates:  “The omnipresent Lord is pleased with the individual who prays to him through the performance of one'sduties” (Dnyaneshwari 18:917).

 

tyaa savaa-%maka [-Xvara È svakma-kusaumaaMcaI vaIra È
pUjaa kolaI haoya Apara È taoYaalaagaIM ÈÈ

Considering all these teachings, it is apparent that the path of action (“Karma Yog”) needs to be indoctrinated into & exemplified to individuals leading a normal family life. However for practicing this path with or without specific gain/reward in mind requires the individual to be sufficiently comfortable in his daily life. Only then his mind would be free & stable to practice the path leading to his being ready & willing for acquiring spiritual knowledge.
 

To this end, with the society being made up of millions of individuals grouped progressively in increasing numbers, each individual needs to be instructed about right behavior, right thinking/thoughts, right knowledge, right expression leading to the right activities. Hence, the individual should be the primary focus. Once all the individuals imbibe the right behavior, right thinking/thoughts, right expression and understanding of values, principles and duties leading them to perform appropriate actions, the society as a whole acquires these qualities.
 

However to guide the society about all these, secular & Selfless organizations are needed which would then develop individuals who are selfless, believe in the path of action (“Karma Yog”) & oriented towards serving humanity. “Sree Sant Sitarambuwa Walawalkar Charitable Trust” has been formed with this thought process. Service to humanity & commitment to the path of action without seeking any specific gain/reward are the objectives of this organization.

Our countrymen today are seen to be confused, infirm, timid and without any direction. Majority of them do not have access to sufficient food, potable water, decent dwelling, adequate clothes, medical treatment, quality education and even work/ business opportunities to earn their living and lack awareness of their own duties & responsibilities. If we don't try to help these inert, inactive & supine countrymen achieve the abovementioned things, it is feared that the Indian society will degenerate & eventually be extinct.
 

Bhagwan Vyasmahrishi has elaborated this path of establishing “Dharma” i.e. making people aware of their duties & responsibilities long back. He proclaims, the”Dharma” gets established in an individual's heart first but its base is the individual's stomach. Today we have forgotten “Dharma” as preached by Bhagwan Vyasmaharishi, of serving humanity with right behavior & right thinking. (However, through the work at Dervan, Shree Sadguru Digambardas Maharaj has demonstrated to the world, the establishing of this true “Dharma”.)

Bhagwan Vyas maharishi explains that

ASanaM vasanaM vaasa yaoYaaMcaOvaa vyavaisqatma\ È
magaQaona samaa kaSaI gaMgaaPyaD\gaarvaaihnaI ÈÈ

This couplet means, in the society where people do not have access to sufficient food, potable water, adequate clothes &decent dwelling, for them there is no difference between holy place like Kashi & the kingdom of Magadh (an unholy place). Similarly they will not be able to distinguish between cool water of the river Ganga & hot water. The lesson to be drawn is that human beings living a wretched life cannot be expected to imbibe any doctrine. This is the foundation for all Temporal, Religious&Spiritual matters& “Sree Sant Sitarambuwa Walawalkar Charitable Trust” has taken it upon itself, the important work of strengthening this foundation through its commitment to serving humanity.

-- Shreesadgurucharanaraja
(Vithal Ganesha Joshi)

 

Vaishakha Vadya 4,

Shaka 1895;

Monday, 21st May 1973

(Translated by Shri. Kamalesh Ashok Joshi)