So many religious and ethnic groups, so much cultural diversity… over 350 languages; more than 1600 dialects; nearly 650 different tribes. A different food habit every few kilometers… and yet, one country!
With Independence, we just didn’t become free from British rule; we regained the freedom to be what we are, to live the way we want to. And that freedom has been the hallmark of this great region.It’s not a coincidence that India has never invaded a country in her long history. It’s her unwritten mission statement to be a giver, not a taker. She gave the concept of zero to the world; the game of chess, algebra, trigonometry and calculus; she gave the world its first university, the earliest school of medicine, and she gave four religions to the world. She nurtures hundred of mosques, churches, temples and gurdwaras, to name a few; she gave asylum to more than 300,000 refugees who fled religious and political persecution. The list is endless and unparalleled. But all this will pale in front of one gift she has given to the world: prayer.
Take for example the most popular Gayatri Mantra. It doesn’t invoke God for any small individual comfort. Instead, it calls out for inspiration and guidance for our intellect. No polytheism, no segregation, no discrimination. Just a genuine cry for righteousness!
And that has been core of all common and popular prayers of this nation. A longing to move from untruth to truth; from darkness to light and from death to immortality is the spirit of “Asato ma sad gamaya…” Where else can we find a more inclusive wish for wellbeing than the meaning of “Sarve bhavantu sukhinah…”? This elementary prayer wishes happiness, goodness, and freedom from misery and pain for all.
There is even a prayer seeking not to hate each other. Add to it such simple but profound prayers like “Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu” (May peace and happiness prevail) and Satyam param dhimahi (Let truth, divinity and knowledge shine through me). They unite the entire creation into a bond of divine blessing. Another one-liner that is mind boggling for its exclusiveness came to my knowledge when I heard Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inspire a huge gathering to say the prayer “Annadata shukhbava” before eating. It was different from the more traditional mealtime prayers like the “Brahma arpanam…” But when explained how this wish for happiness covers the entire food chain from the farmer to the miller to the trader to the cook to the waitress… I was awestruck.
It made me wonder why we haven’t made such deep prayers a part of our national consciousness. Who can have objections to praying for such divine attributes? They nowhere limit whom you should pray to. Allah, Jesus, Krishna, Ganesh or Shiva don’t seem to matter. Then, why are our children not being taught the essence of these prayers? Those who protest such prayers in the name of secularism not only expose their ignorance of their meaning, but also do the biggest disservice to the ideals of secularism. If everybody is blessed with these attributes, the essence of secularism will be a fait accompli.
It’s time to turn to the last word of the Rig Veda, another gem from the Indic region. This word is the ultimate essence of unity. It’s a commitment, a call to move together, not just at the physical, but at the levels of thoughts, feelings and consciousness. Sanghachadwam! Let’s progress together! The author is an Art of Living volunteer. The views expressed are his own.
