U n iv e rs ity - a s c ie n c e re s e a rc h s c h o la r a t C h e n n a i a n d th e n a la w y e r a t N a g p u r, a v ib ra n t m a n o f a c tio n w h o to u re d th e w h o le c o u n try tw ic e e v e ry y e a r, a m a n o f o rg a n is a tio n w h o w ro te a la rg e n u m b e r o f le tte rs in h is o w n h a n d w ritin g , a n a s c e tic e m b e d d e d w ith s p iritu a lis m , h a v in g b e e n o ffe re d th e to p c h a ir o f S h a n k a ra c h a ry a b u t w h o re fu s e d to a c c e p t it s o th a t h e c o u ld s e rv e th e n a tio n th ro u g h h is s o c ia l a n d c u ltu ra l w o rk - a s a n y a s i th o u g h n o t c la d in s a ffro n ro b e s - e v e ry in c h a s a in t o f th e V e d ic o rd e r, a n o ra to r fo r w h o m

th e s c h o la rs w a ite d to lis te n , a g re a t h u m a n b e in g w h o s e id e n tity m e rg e d its e lf w ith h is id o l - th e B h a ra tm a ta . M a n y o f u s w e re fo rtu n a te to s e e S ri G u ru ji la u g h in g , p la y in g a n d s p e a k in g o n th is e a rth . S ri G u ru ji h a d s a id th is a b o u t D r. K e s h a v B a lira m H e d g e w a r, th e firs t S a rs a n g h c h a la k , u n d e r w h o s e g u id a n c e h e h a d w o rk e d fo r s o m e y e a rs a n d h a d re a lis e d D r. H e d g e w a r \u2019s g re a tn e s s a n d v is io n . W e c a n d e fin ite ly s a y s o a b o u t S ri G u ru ji, a g re a t s o n o f B h a ra tm a ta .

W e c a ll a p e rs o n\u2018P ra g n y a P u ru sh \u2019 w h o , w h ile liv in g in th e p re s e n t, c a n v is u a lis e th e fu tu re ra m ific a tio n s o f h is c u rre n t th o u g h ts a n d d e e d s . S ri G u ru ji w a s o n e su c h \u2019P ra g n y a P u ru sh \u2019. H is th o u g h ts, w h e n re n d e re d th ro u g h h is le c tu re s , w ritin g s , in te rv ie w s o r le tte rs , w e re n o t c o n fin e d to th e tim e b e in g b u t w e re a ls o b e a c o n s o f lig h t fo r a fu tu re w h e n h e w o u ld b e n o m o re . T h e n a tio n w a s fa c in g m a n y c h a lle n g e s in a ll th e fie ld s o f life . N a tio n a l in te g ra tio n w a s a t s ta k e , d e fin itio n s o f c u ltu re a n d n a tio n h o o d w e re v e ry h a z y, e c o n o m y a n d se c u rity w e re a t p e ril, e d u c a tio n a n d s tu d e n ts w e re a t a lo s s o f fo c u s ; in th is s c e n a rio S ri G u ru ji\u2019s g u id a n c e w a s o u ts ta n d in g . N o t th a t th e n a tio n a c c e p te d th e m in to ta lity, b u t n o w lo o k in g b a c k , w e fin d th a t w h e n w e h a v e e n te re d in to a n o th e r c e n tu ry h is th o u g h ts a re

S ri G u ru ji liv e d h is life w h e n o u r c o u n try w a s p a s s in g th ro u g h tu m u lto u s c o n d itio n s , b e fo re in d e p e n d e n c e , d u rin g th e p e rio d o f tra n s itio n a n d th e re a fte r. B e in g th e h e a d o f a v a s t o rg a n is a tio n , h e c a rrie d a g re a t b u rd e n o n h is s h o u ld e rs . H is c o lle a g u e s lo o k e d u p o n h im

trie d to b lo c k h is w a y. H e w a s m is c h ie v o u s ly ja ile d a fte r th e m u rd e r o f M a h a tm a G a n d h i, fo r w h o m h e h e ld v e ry h ig h re s p e c ts , fo r n o rh y m e o r re a s o n a n d w a s la te r re le a s e d w ith h o n o u r a n d d ig n ity. It w a s o n ly S a rd a r P a te l in th e g o v e rn m e n t w h o v a lu e d h is o p in io n a n d p a trio tis m . P a n d it N e h ru b e h a v e d a s if h e w a s h is e n e m y. T h is d id n o t ta k e a w a y a n io ta o f th e e n e rg y a n d th e in b u ilt s tre n g th o f S ri G u ru ji. H is v ie w s w e re c ry s ta l c le a r o n d iffe re n t is s u e s b e fo re th e c o u n try a n d th e w o rld . H e d id n o t m in c e w o rd s w h e n h e e x p re s s e d th e m in m a n y w a y s , th ro u g h h is le c tu re s , h is le tte rs a n d h is in te rv ie w s . B y G o d \u2019s G ra c e , a ll o r m o s t o f th e m a re o n re c o rd a n d g iv e u s a n a m p le o p p o rtu n ity to re fe r to th e m fo r g u id a n c e in s im ila r c irc u m s ta n c e s . N o e v e n t o r is s u e e s c a p e d h im . W e a re in d e b te d to h im fo r h is v ie w s o n a ll th e re le v a n t is s u e s b e fo re th e c o u n try, b e it th e c u ltu re , s o c io lo g y, p o litic s , e c o n o m y, d h a rm a , d e fe n c e , in te rn a l s e c u rity o r a n y th in g th a t y o u n a m e it. H e h a d d e fin ite a n d c le a r c u t v ie w s o n a n y is s u e th a t p re s e n te d its e lf b e fo re h im a n d h e d id n o t h e s ita te to p ro n o u n c e th e m s in c e h e h a d o n ly h isP ra b h ua n d h is B h a ra tm a tato a n s w e r to . H e s a w

th e s itu a tio n in its to ta lity a n d n o t p ie c e m e a l a n d in fra c tio n s . A c o m p e te n t d ra m a d ire c to r d o e s n o t s e e th e o n e s c e n e th a t is b e fo re h im , b u t h e s e e s it in te rm s o f th e to ta lity o f h is p ro d u c tio n , w h e re a s th e a c to rs o n th e s ta g e a re c o n c e rn e d w ith o n ly th e p re s e n t. S ri G u ru ji h a d th e w h o le w o rld s ta g e b e fo re h im

W h e n a c h ild is b o rn , h e is b o rn a s a c o m p le te e n tity. A ll h is lim b s a n d s e n s o ry o rg a n s a re b o rn to g e th e r. H e h a s h is h e a d , h a n d s , le g s , e a rs , n o s e a n d e y e s e tc . a ll a p p e n d e d to h im

at h is b irth itself. It is n o t th at th e s e o rg a n s a re a tta c h e d to h im a fte rw a rd s o n e b y o n e o v e r a p e rio d o f tim e . W h e n w e s e e a n e w ly b o rn c h ild , w e s e e h im a s o n e s in g le liv in g h u m a n b e in g k ic k in g a n d w a ilin g . T h is fa c t a p p lie s to a n a tio n to o . T h e e v e n ts a n d c iru m s ta n c e s h a p p e n in g in th e n a tio n a t a p a rtic u la r tim e s h o u ld b e v ie w e d in th e w h o le c o n te x t o f th e c o u n try a n d n o t a s a s e p a ra te is s u e d e v o id o f a ll c o n n e c tio n s . S ri G u ru ji c o u ld fe e l th e p u ls e o f th e n a tio n a t a n y g iv e n tim e . H o w e v e r, w h a t w e s e e in m o d e rn tim e s is th a t th e re is a c h u n k o f p e o p le w h o e ith e r d o n o t s e e th e n a tio n in its to ta lity o r e v e n w h e n th e y s e e , th e y p re te n d n o t to . N a tu ra lly, th e ir v is io n is lo p s id e d . W h e n th e y s e e th e e a s t, th e y a re o b liv io u s o f th e w e s t a n d v ic e v e rs a . W h e n th e y h e a r s o m e th in g , th e ir e y e s re fu s e to s e e th e a c t. E v e n w h e n th e y a re d o in g s o k n o w in g ly, th e y y e ll a t th e to p o f th e ir v o c a l p itc h to a n n o u n c e to th e w o rld th a t w h a t th e y h a v e h e a rd is th e tru th a n d th e o n ly tru th o f th e w o rld . M a n y b e lie v e th e m

S ri G u ru ji\u2019s life s p a n o f 6 7 y e a rs w a s a p a rt o f th e 2 0 th c e n tu ry. H e w a s b o rn o n 1 9 th F e b ru a ry 1 9 0 6 a n d p a s s e d a w a y o n 5 th Ju n e 1 9 7 3 . Tw o w o rld w a rs a n d th e p a rtitio n o f o u r c o u n try h a p p e n e d d u rin g th is p e rio d . F ro m th e re c o rd s , w e s e e th is p e rio d a s e v e n tfu l a n d o u r a n a ly tic a l m in d lo o k s fo r e x p la n a tio n s o n v a rio u s is s u e s . S ri G u ru ji\u2019s v ie w s o n s u c h is s u e s a re b e fo re u s . B y lo o k in g a t th e m , o n e c a n s e e th a t th o u g h th e y w e re e x p re s s e d in th a t p a rtic u la r tim e fra m e , th e y a re s till v a lu a b le a s a lig h th o u s e in th e o c e a n o f tim e . C irc u m s ta n c e s a n d e v e n ts re p e a t th e m s e lv e s in o n e fo rm o r th e o th e r in e v e ry a g e a n d th e g u id a n c e o f S ri G u ru ji is v a lu e le s s s in c e it is b a s e d o n th e tim e te s te d H in d u w a y o f life , c a lle d th eS a n a ta n D h a rm a. S ri G u ru ji firm ly b e lie v e d in th e p ric ip le s o f

T h e 2 0 th c e n tu ry s a w d iffe re n t e x p e rim e n ts b e in g m a d e in th e w o rld p o litic s a s w e ll a s in th e e c o n o m y. T h e tw o c o u ld n o t b e s e p a ra te d fo r o b v io u s re a s o n s . C a p ita lis m

in s o m e p a rts o f th e w o rld . S ri G u ru ji p o in te d o u t th a t b o th th e \u2018is m s \u2019 w e re b o rn a s re a c tio n s to p re v io u s ru le s . B o th w e re b a s e d o n a s in g le g o a l fo r th e m s e lv e s , to a c h ie v e m a te ria lis tic a c c u m u la tio n . T h e y c o u ld n o t e n v is a g e th a t b e s id e s m a te ria lis m , a h u m a n b e in g n e e d e d s o m e th in g m o re fo r h is p e a c e a n d tra n q u ility. H a p p in e s s c a n n o t b e h a d o u t o f c o lle c tio n o f g o o d s a n d s e rv ic e s . A n y h a p p in e s s is n o t in g ra in e d in th e o b je c t its e lf b u t d e p e n d s o n th e s itu a tio n a n d th e m o o d . A s w e e tm e a t c o u ld b e s a tis fy in g fo r a n o rm a lly h e a lth y m a n b u t th e s a m e w o u ld b e p o is o n fo r a s ic k p e rs o n . S ri G u ru ji sa id th a t c o m m u n ism

b o th w e re d e s tin e d to fa il a s b o th th e c o n c e p ts w e re b o rn o u t o f re a c tio n a n d w e re s h o rn o f th e e le m e n t o f s p iritu a lity. C a p ita lis m

d id n o t c a re fo r th e w e lfa re o f th e w o rk e rs a n d m a sse s, it o n ly b ro u g h t ric h e s, stre n g th a n d p o w e r in th e h a n d s o f a fe w w h o w e re to o s e lfis h to s h a re th e m w ith o th e rs . T h e m a n n e g le c te d th e m a s s e s . C o m m u n is m o n th e o th e r h a n d n e g le c te d th e m a n w h o b e c a m e a s u b s e rv ie n t to o l in th e h a n d s o f a fe w w h o ru le d in th e n a m e o f a g o v e rn m e n t. M a n b e c a m e a s la v e o f th e ru le rs . C o m m u n is m ta lk e d o f w ith e rin g a w a y o f th e s ta te in th e lo n g ru n b u t n o t a s in g le e x a m p le c o u ld b e a c h ie v e d s in c e it w a s n o t in th e in te re s t o f th e ru le rs . It w a s b o u n d to fa il. W e h a v e s e e n th a t S ri G u ru ji\u2019s p re d ic tio n s h a v e c o m e tru e . R e c e n t h isto ry n e e d n o t b e re p e a te d h e re . T h e p o w e rfu l c o m m u n ist R u s s ia h a s d is s o lv e d in to m a n y fra g m e n ts a n d s h e n o lo n g e r is c o m m u n is t. C h in a , a n o th e r s tro n g h o ld o f c o m m u n is m , is c o m m u n is t b y n a m e o n ly,

p riv a te e n tre p re n e u rs h ip is n o t o n ly p e rm itte d h e re , b u t e n c o u ra g e d a ls o . T h e c ru m b s o f c o m m u n is m in o u r c o u n try lik e W e s t B e n g a l a n d K e ra la lo o k fo r m u ltin a tio n a l in v e s tm e n ts d a y in a n d d a y o u t. T h e y a re a ls o s h e llin g o u t th e ir h a rv e s ta b le la n d s b e lo n g in g to th e ru ra l m a s s e s to fo re ig n d is p e n s a tio n s . O n e c h ie f m in is te r h a s p ro c la im e d th a t th o u g h k n o w n b y n a m e a s a c o m m u n is t, h e a c tu a lly is a c a p ita lis t. S ri G u ru ji\u2019 s v is io n h a d s e e n th ro u g h a ll th e s e g a m e s in th e e a rly fo u rtie s a n d fiftie s .

S ri G u ru ji h a d s a id th a t e v e ry c o u n try h a s to d e v is e its o w n \u2018is m \u2019 b a s e d u p o n th e p e rc e p tio n , th e re q u ire m e n t a n d th e c u ltu re o f h e r p e o p le . H e s a id th a t o u r c o u n try a n d o u r c u ltu re d id n o t p a y o b e is a n c e to ric h e s b u t to re n u n c ia tio n .T h e th e o ry a n d p ra c tic e o f th is c o u n try h a s a lw a y s re lie d o n\u2018P u ru s h a rth a c h a tu s ta y a \u2019. T h e fo u r \u2018P U R U S H A R T H A S \u2019 are -

banks. The banks are D h a rm aa n d M o k sh a. T h e riv e r o f A rth aa n d K a m a m u s t flo w , fo r a riv e r is th e life lin e o f a n y c iv iliz a tio n . B u t flo w it m u s t b e tw e e n th e tw o s o lid b a n k s o fD harm aa n d M oksha. If th e b a n k s a re to o w e a k to s u s ta in th e flo w o f th e riv e r a n d it o v e rflo w s th e b a n k s , d e v a s ta tio n a n d m is e ry a re b o u n d to c o m e . T h e re fo re , h e a d v is e d re s tra in t in a ll th e w o rld ly m a tte rs fo r a ll th e p e o p le o f a n a tio n . P e rm is s iv e n e s s , s e lf in d u lg e n c e a n d s e lf c e n tre d n e s s h a v e b ro k e n th e fa m ilie s a n d th e s o c ie tie s o f th e w e s te rn w o rld . W h a t c o u ld h a v e b e e n th e \u2018M a tru sh a k ti\u2019, h a s b e c o m e a s a le a b le c o m m o d ity o n th e m a rk e ts . T h e c o n c e p t o f s p iritu a lity h a v in g b e e n a b s e n t fro m

th e ir d ic tio n a rie s , th e y a re d e v o id o f th e re a l\u2018S u k h \u2019 (H a p p in e ss) w h ic h th e y w e re se e k in g in w o rld ly p o sse ssio n s a n d th ro u g h th e ir p o litic a l d o g m a s . S o m e in o u r c o u n try a re s h a m e le s s ly fo llo w in g s u it w ith o u t re a lis in g w h a t h a rm s it c o u ld b rin g to o u r n a tio n a n d its c u ltu re . S ri G u ru ji s a id th a t th e o n ly \u2018is m \u2019 if it c o u ld b e c a lle d a n \u2018is m \u2019, s u ita b le fo r o u r c o u n try \u2019s p e a c e a n d p ro g re s s is \u2018H IN D U IS M \u2019.

T h e V e d ic c iv iliz a tio n h a s h a n d e d o v e r th e te n e ts o f H in d u is m to u s . T h e s a in ts a n d s a d h u s liv in g in fo re s ts a n d o n th e b a n k s o f riv e rs o b ta in e d th e\u2018g n y a n a \u2019(k n o w le d g e ) th ro u g h th e ir m e d ita tio n s a n d p e n a n c e s a n d h a n d e d o v e r th e ir te a c h in g s to u s . T h e y w e re\u2018M a n tra d ra sta R ish is\u2019 w ho d id n o t in v e n t a n d w rite th e m a n tra s a n d s u ita b ly th e y w e re n o t c a lle d \u2018M an trasrash tas\u2019,

th e u ltim a te re a lis a tio n a n d g a in o f o n e n e s s w ith th e D iv in e . S ri G u ru ji b e lie v e d th a t w h a t c o u ld b e tru e fo r o u r c o u n try, c o u ld b e tru e fo r o th e r c o u n trie s a ls o , h e n c e , le t u s p re a c h a n d g iv e to o th e rs w h a t w e h a v e -