There is a difference between Dharma and religion. Dharma embraces
all aspects of existence, where as religion only binds again oneself
unrepellingly with the Love-Lord. Sri Sri Thakur defines Dharma and religion
as—
“To uphold
one’s own life and growth
with that of others
is
Dharma,
and to bind oneself
with the Love-Lord
through
sacred devoutness
and
to follow Him accordingly
is religion.”
( The Message, Vol. IX, P-6 )
An eminent thinker of west Mr. R.W.
Emerson said—“The whole state of man is a state of culture, and its flowering
and completion may be described as religion.”
Sri Sri Thakur has explained more
clearly. He hailed Dharma as the source of all that exists. He called it a
super-science. He said—
“Dharma bijnaner Hota,
Bardhanar Brahma,
Byaktitwer
Ritwik,
Jiban-paricharyyar Purohit,
Kriti-deepanar
Udgata,
Sattar dharon-paloni Sambeg,
Sabishes
o nirbisheser.
Ekayita artho o bhumi,
Swarther
sarbbaswa,
Paripalon o paricharyyar
Atmaprasad,
Biswer
ya kichhu astitwer
Kalyan-probaha—
Jiboniya
kalasrota managal –sankhadhwani,
Tai jibanke balo—
‘Dharmake
toomi ekchoolo tyag korona
Banchito
hoyona.”
(Dhriti-Bidhayana, Vol. II, No. 211)
(Dharma invokes science,
Originates
adjusted becoming
Initiates
integrated personality,
Welcomes
existential service,
Announces
glowing action,
Represents
the urge of existential
Uphold
and nurture,
Is
the unified meaningful ground
of
the particular and the absolute,
Constitutes
the totality of real interest,
Is
the self-complacence of
upkeep
and nourishment,
The
glowing well-being of all that exists—
Trumpet
of auspicious dynamic go of life.
So
command life—
‘Forsake not Dharma even in the least,
Be
not deprived.’)
Sri Sri Ramkrishnadev said—“As
many are the views so many are the ways.”
Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra has
advanced a step further. He has made it simpler by saying—Views may be many but
the way is only one. That is follow the ideal with adherence and devotion, to
realize Him and to attain a personality in which the urge of upholding and
protecting others is firmly established.
In the Satyanusaran Sri Sri Thakur
said—
“The stay of all existence is Dharma,
and He is the Supreme Fulfiller.”
“Dharma never becomes many. It is
always one. There is no variety of it.”
“Views may be many—even as many as
there are people. Still, Dharma cannot be many.”
“In my opinion, to speak of Hindu
Dharma, Christian Dharma, Mohammedan Dharma, Buddhist Dharma, etc. is wrong;
rather, they are so many views.”
“In fact, there is no opposition in
the views—different views, the same way—feeling one in many forms.”
“Each faith is for the expansion of
avowed activity. That can be in many forms and as much as is gained by the
expansion, so much the realization—wisdom. So Dharma is based upon
realization—to be ‘real’ in nature.”
In course of conversation Sri Sri
Thakur said—“…..I hold the view that there cannot but be internal agreement
among a true Hindu, a true Muslim and a true Christian despite the presence of
external differences. Because all of them are the followers of the same path.
In whichever name man may invoke God, in whichever form he may worship Him
there is an influence of worshipping God. When a man advances towards Him, he
becomes loving and wise, at the same time he also grows to be compassionate and
serviceable to people and learns to earn people by bearing and forbearing all.
It is the character of a man that proclaims if he is following the path of
dharma or not. A Hindu Sanyasi is crying aloud in the streets invoking
Gouranga, but if you see that he does not believe in Rasul and Christ, then you
may conclude that he is not properly adjusted, he is not fit to be followed,
because he does not love all the prophets with a single eye and so he is a man
of incomplete knowledge. It is dangerous to follow him, who has not attained
perfect harmony,” (Alochana-Prasange, Vol.XI, P-118).
Sri Sri Thakur again said—“Dharma is
the real politics. The root meaning of politics denotes fulfillment and
nourishment. That which protects, nurtures and fulfils the uphold of existence
in all respects is politics. So Dharma fulfils the real purpose of politics.”
(Alochana-Prasange, Vol. IX, P-45)
So one of the main duties of man is to
follow his faith with constancy and inspire others to actively adhere to there
own faith. As he should be conversant with the fundamental doctrines of his own
faith so also he should seek to be acquainted with the fundamental principle of
other faiths. The more this sort of reverential culture of different theologies
grows among people the more does communal harmony develops spontaneously. Every
well-meaning citizen should see that misinterpretation of any scripture may not
misguide the public. And if there arises any conflict in regard to any
interpretation relating to any scripture then it should be referred to the
latest distinctive-nurturing, all-fulfilling fulfiller the best and the
consistent solution he offers should be accepted. Because He is the living
embodiment of all scriptures, centering around him people of different
communities may be tied by a bond of deep amity, maintaining their own
individuality in tact. It does not matter to which community a genuinely
religious person belongs. In any case, he invariably becomes a true friend and
servant of every other man. Wherever he may live, his consciousness, character
and conduct automatically give rise to healthy integration amongst the people.
As this integration promotes national integration, so also does foster a
universal integration embracing the global human society. He may be said to be
the most progressive man, in as much as at every step he moves in rhythm with
the design of the creator and the cosmic order. He builds the bridge of union
by eliminating the difference arising out of struggle, conflict and discord.
All the same, he never compromises with evil. This supreme development of
personality can not be achieved by liquidating Dharma.
Sri Sri Thakur said—“The word Politics
(Purtaniti) is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘pur’. There is also ‘pree’ in
‘pur’, that is, there are fulfillment and nourishment in politics. The place
where individuals live being fulfilled and nourished is called ‘pur’ and the
arrangement by which this fulfillment and nourishment proceeds unabated is
politics. I see nothing more fulfilling and nourishing than devotion. So I
speak of devotion in so many ways. Those who are devoted to parents become
devoted to Guru. Those who begin their life with this capital of devotion
become really great. Devotion to parents is essential but if it does not
fulfill the Ideal, it fails to accelerate becoming.”
On 24th September, 1947 the second
officer of Deoghar came to Sri Sri Thakur. He was a non-Bengali religious
Muslim. He can not speak Bengali. So he began to speak in English. Sri Prafulla
Kumar Das worked as an interpreter. In course of conversation the second
officer mentioned the peculiarities of Indians.
Sri Sri Thakur said- “The Aryans of
India recognizes every past prophets, forefathers and their culture. Moreover,
they accept the present fulfiller the best. Aryanism embraces all communities.
In their opinion God is one, Dharma is one, prophets are the same, the Quoran,
the Geeta and the Bible also speak the same truth. There can never be any
difference, because these are the sayings of One. Conflict between brothers
arises when they disown the father. It does not matter if one man constitutes
one community if he has a tendency to recognize the forefathers and their
culture, past prophets, present prophet and the prophet to come. I love God, I
love prophets but I bare malice against other communities-it is absurd. As God
is not two but one, so also the prophets are essentially one. Because they are
the messengers of one. To ignore any prophet is to ignore one’s own prophet. To
bare malice against anyone is to bare malice against God. Because there is no
man in whom there is no sign of life and no life has emerged without the power
of God. No man is contemptible whatsoever he may be. I love the supreme father
but I hate his creation-this will not enable me to love God. Is it possible
that I love you but cannot tolerate your son? Will it please you? So, if we
love God and his prophets we are compelled to love all irrespective of caste,
creed and sect. Where there is no such love, there is no love for God. But we
should not give indulgence to the evil in whatsoever community he may belong
to. And this sort of act is the sign of love.
The Second Officer said-Conflict arises when
we want to take advantage of this religiousness for fulfilling our selfish
political end.
Sri Sri Thakur replied-Politics fulfils
life and growth. That which disintegrates and deteriorates life and growth is
not politics. There may be so many communities in a society, but if they are religious
then they must be interested to one another physically and with heart. Nothing
but religion can save us. As much we are adhered to God, so much we are tied
with other nations, countries and communities with an unbreakable knot. None
will be able to untie that knot.
(Alochana-Prasange, Vol.IX, P-207)
Sri Sri Thakur said more-
“Beloved the Great
is not a political lead,
but the lead of all policies,
for the life and growth
of everything,
He- the emblem of love;
and unless they serve
the pilot of life
all policies are defective,
rather
they are the ravenous crave
of passion
that discharges
the potion of disintegration.”
(The Message, Vol.IV, P-28)
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