Divisive policies once again.
It was foreign invasions during the 17th century that sowed the contaminated seeds of disparity. These grew into warped trees and evil powers flourished with the policy of divide and rule.
Foreign rule has gone. Bharat is independent. But the stumps of the decomposed, poisonous trees of those days, have been well taken care of and nurtured in multiple ways by selfish people. Divide and rule continues to be the norm of the day. The concept of Equality is gathering dust in the minds of people.
The time for revival… NOW!
It is time to bring back this concept into the hearts of people and put it into practice. It is time to revive Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya’s ideology. It is time to expand the feeling of ‘mine’…. to make care and concern inclusive of everyone and everything.
What better time for this than the millennium of Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya’s birth? This is the time to root out the decomposed stumps of divisiveness and replant seeds of Equality.
This is the time to support the SRS project in every way possible.
If done at a micro level, the impact would be of a lesser degree. So, the project has been conceived at a macro scale to catch the attention of society by incorporating the latest technology in it.
Ra:ma:nu:jacha:rya’s vision was of such magnitude that, not only was it effective a 1000 years ago but is applicable even today. World leaders and scholars, not only appreciate his words and works but accept their applicability today and in the decades to come.
Giving credit to the influences….
How was Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya able to conceive such a revolutionary plan of action, the applicability of which, spanned the past, present and future? We need to understand this key point. There were strong influences on Ra:ma:nuja that led to the evolving of his universally applicable ideology…. 5 gurus and 108 places. In incidents with his gurus and in stories of these 108 places, he observed strong undercurrents of equality. Unforgettable impressions were engraved in his mind …. not only did his ideology propagate equality, he himself stood as an icon of equality.
If these 108 places, which scholars refer to as Divya desams, can influence and evolve Ra:ma:nu:ja into such an epitome of essential knowledge, an invincible scholar, a realized soul…. others can be influenced too.
Project SRS- Recreating a power house of inspiration
However, practically speaking, it is not feasible for everyone, even ardent seekers, to travel to these widely scattered places. This is the driving factor behind the SRS project…. to make Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya, as a statue, accessible to all…. at the same time create an aura of replicas of 108 Divya desams. Recreate for visitors, a power house of inspiration…. the person and the places that influenced him… the person who in turn influenced people to accept the concept of equality.
Labelling Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya… an exercise in futility.
The physical appearance of a person should not be the deciding factor to label him… conservative or socialist…. traditional or progressive… right winger or left winger. It should be his knowledge, message and actions that should speak for themselves. Going by this standard, Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya cannot be confined by any label, religion, caste, creed, colour, race or nationality. His message of Equality is universally applicable and beneficial.
Looking beyond nomenclatures…..
A similar standard should apply to places that have influenced such a personality like Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya .
When we view places with limitations in our mind, we see them as temples , churches, homes, schools etc. But, if some places have inspired someone to become a universally acclaimed social reformer, all limitations give way and those places become a source of inspiration, irrespective of their limited nomenclature.
Accepting sources of inspiration in their entirety…
If we want to enjoy the full vitality of such places, we need to go beyond our limitations and open ourselves to receive inspiration from them in their full entirety… with all their day to day activities. They need to be revered with all their glories. If even one glory is reduced, it is manipulation and a deprivation of their values. If viewed as a whole, one then gets the benefit of inspiration… beyond the confines of any one religion. It is the responsibility of the Wise to understand, accept and stand by such great thoughts.
If the end result is universally beneficial, it is worth adopting any means. Then, the power of that means, should not get condensed by our narrow minds. Of course when the same means are used for selfish or evil goals, they become subject to condemnation.
Hence it is of paramount importance that no means, being used for universal benefit, should be judged at face value for acceptance or rejection.
HH. Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji’s sankalpa…
“Though Project SRS is a gigantic task and tremendous effort is needed for its completion, we have taken a sankalpa to go through all hardships to actualise it with as much accuracy as possible. It is our fervent desire to sow the seeds of equality in every visitor’s heart, irrespective of their nationality or faith. Even if one visitor gets inspired to rise to the level of Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya, our efforts will be fruitful and our joy will know no bounds.”
Charity is ‘sharing’ equally …. then and now.
The word charity means sharing …… without any undertones of egoistic giving. Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya, in introducing the concept of equality, performed the most appreciable act of charity ever conceived. Anyone or any organisation which strives to revive this concept in its true sense, without any selfish motive, is performing a similar act of charity. Project SRS must be viewed as such an act of charity. The Wise should fully support this universally beneficial concept and help in removing hurdles placed on the path by narrow minded people.
Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya’s ideology…. eternally relevant…
Ra:ma:nuja:cha:rya’s virtue was universal compassion. His means was universal integration through the concept of equality. He and his ideology were relevant and successful 1000 years ago… they will be the same today …. and will remain the same in all tomorrows to come.
