RSS Sarsanghchaalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat while addressing a massive gathering at the "Hindu Vishwa Bandhu - Embrace the World in Friendship" event in Toronto, highlighted Bharat's civilizational ethos of "Vasudaiva Kutumbakam", saying diversity is an expression of unity and serving humanity is the nation's enduring tradition.
Key takeaways
1. Whenever there was crisis anywhere in the world and help from Bharat was sought, Bharat has
never said no.
2. And without calling for help, it helps.
3. This is the tradition. This is the DNA of Bharat.
4. Everything created by the Divine has one job : express beauty and piety of Divine in various forms,
shapes, colours and because everything is Divine, everything is one.
5. When Hiuen Tsang was crossing the Ganges with three Nalanda students, a storm hit.
* The boatman said to shed weight.
* Tsang wept for his books - a lifetime's knowledge for China
* The three students jumped into the river one by one, giving their lives so his wisdom could reach
China.
6. In Bharat, there have been many castes, creeds, languages.
* Everything is many. Nothing is alone, nothing is single.
* But it is all one.
* We don't say all are one, we say all is one.
7. Our ancestors earned global prestige by sharing knowledge.
* Now we must live up to it.
* The world today faces conflicts, ecological crises and dilemmas of progress.
* Our role is to offer balance again.
8. Long before roads or planes, our ancestors travelled from Mexico to Siberia - on foot across the
Himalayas, by small boats to Southeast Asia.
* They conquered no country, converted none.
* Wherever they went, they gave Mathematics, Ayurveda, Astrology and Civilizational values.
9. We can bring everyone together without destroying anything.
* Ancient Bharatiya agriculture kept soil fertile even after 10,000 years of ploughing, using home-
made pesticides.
* Our core truth is oneness of existence hence ahimsa - never harming anyone by word or deed.
10. Our rishis tell if you want to have successful, meaningful, worthwhile life,
* don't go after Artha, Kama in that mad, mad, mad race.
* you need not run; you pay attention to this sustenance, this balance,
* that will come automatically.
11. A Hindu must blossom like a flower, spreading fragrance to all.
* He thrives not for himself but to serve.
* An individual must benefit his family, a family its village.
* Only those who serve larger humanity are considered ideal.
12. Humans alone have buddhi.
* Animals eat only when hungry and never save tiffin for tomorrow.
* Men can snatch food or share it with the hungry.
* But without direction, man lives like an animal - not knowing why he is born or when he will
die.
13. Even 8,000 years on, every village child remembers our ideal kings and donors like the
billionaire who funded Maharana Pratap.
* We must upgrade ourselves to be worthy inheritors and fulfill our God-given duty -
* Hindi Vishwa Bandhu - by serving troubled humanity everywhere.
Courtesy. CHORD - Canadian Hindus for Outreach, Relations and Dialogue.
