Irrespective of their modus operand every genuine attempt toward National Awakening meet somewhere and bound to have parallels. The National life of Baharatvarsha or India witnessed such innumerable endeavors in her unbroken history of more than 5000 years (as proven by modern historical research). “National Regeneration: The Vision of Swami Vivekananda and The Mission of Rashtreeya Svayamsevak Sangh(RSS)” is an attempt elegantly accomplished, expositing the Vision of National Renaissance of a missionary monk, Swami Vivekananda, getting materialized as the successful mission of RSS since its inception. No one can be better qualified to author the book than the Sri Suryanarayan Rao, known as ‘Suruji’ in Sangh circles, having devoted to Sangh work for more than six decades and having close relations with Sri Ramakrishna Mission; who humbly refers himself as ‘compiler’.
As Pujaneeya Sarasanghachalak of RSS Sri Mohanji Bhagvat write in his message, Swami Vivekananda who needs no introduction, “…gave Bharat a purpose to live; a world mission to fulfill and inspired her to rise above and out of murk of slavery and decay she had fallen into”. This being his 150th year’s birth anniversary he continues to inspire many.
After the demise of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Narendra who became Swami Vivekananda travelled length and breadth of India as Parivrajak or a wandering monk. He got firsthand exposure to the contemporary India which has fallen from her fast glory to a disgraceful slavery; before meditating on rocks of Kanyakumari where he had the ‘Vision of India’ also commonly called ‘Kanyakumari Resolve’. He later writes “…sitting on the last bit of Indian rock—I hit upon a plan..…We as a nation have lost our individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to raise the masses”[1]. Later his triumph at the Parliament of Religion held in Chikago, subsequent tours in America and Europe rightfully exposed his intellectual caliber to the world and pulled in many disciples both in west and east.
Later on his return in 1897 he laid the foundation stones of Sri Ramakrishna Mission with the motto ‘Atmano mokshartham jagadhitaya cha’, meaning ‘For one's own salvation, and for the welfare of the world’. Why a dhyanasidha sanyasi Vivekananda would start an organization or a movement whatever we call, not only to attain one’s own Moksha but also for the cause of jagadhita? His addresses from Colombo to Almora in return to glorious welcome felicitations received from fellow countrymen, elaborate his vision. Bhagini Nivedita in her book ‘The Master as I saw him’ writes “Swamiji’s main mission in his life, as expressed by often by himself, was to make Hinduism aggressive and uplift the country it’s ancient glory finding out the common bases of Hinduism… … ..Man making, character building, discipline and organization are the need of the hour…”.[2]
Here lies a parallel in the genesis of Rashtreeya Svayamsevak Sangh or RSS which started on the Vijayadashami day of the year 1925 in Nagpur by Doctor Keshav Baliram Hedgewar with bunch of young boys. Doctorji was a born patriot, a revolutionary, worked in Anusheelan Samiti a revolutionary movement in Calcutta, also a Congress worker having participated in its independence movement and went to jail. The social activist Doctojee deeply deliberated on the cause for degradation of our national life, having such resplendent history and vast size. Being worked as a revolutionary as well as political worker in Congress he was aware of their limitations. He recognized certain truth and concluded that ‘our Nation’s basic malady did not lie in the invader’s strength but it lay in its own disunity…two pronged attack of British domination and Muslim separatism has to be met. The only effective course was to awaken and organize the Hindu people and imbibe them with the intense spirit of Nationalism. It is only on the bed rock of such National strength that the British power could be humbled and Muslim made to realize that their interests are better served by merging into the National mainstream rather than siding with the foreign masters. It is this realization of this basic fact of our National life formed the ideological base of RSS.[3]
The practical method devised by Doctorji for awakening the National consciousness of people, and for bringing all together & organize them of divisions of religion and sect, caste and creed, language, province or political barriers, is Shakha. Sangh Shakha is group meeting of Svayamsevaks – a self motivated selfless servant of society; regularly, an hour a day where simple programs like physical exercise, plating game like kabaddi, singing patriotic song are conducted; which impart discipline and train body & mind in an atmosphere of love, affection and trust. Since inception of Sangh the roots of Sangh Shakha are spread throughout India and abroad (in the name Hindu Svayamsevak Sangh) pursuing Vyakti Nirman building patriotic men ready for selfless service of Nation.
In this 150th birth year (2013) of Swami Vivekananda, service rendered by both Ramakrishna Mission and RSS in National Renaissance is in evident in front of us. This book gives a glimpse of the circumstantial and ideological basis of RSS work, its activities in service of Nation and the Vision of Swami Vivekananda carried in the mission of RSS.
References:
[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swami_Vivekananda
[2]: The Master as I saw him by Bhagini Nivedita
[3]: The Epoch Maker
