Article from "The Hindu" - Saints brought about India's unity

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Date:15/11/2002 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/15/stories/2002111501140900.htm

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Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Saints brought about India's unity

 

CHENNAI NOV. 15. It is claimed that India's integration as a nation

happened only some decades ago, but long before that it remained

united culturally, spiritually and on the basis of Vedic expositions.

Bharat's saints who hailed from various parts of the country but who

were engaged in spreading the divine message that God resides in

everyone brought about this grand union. There were many kingdoms but

the nation was one. One such torchbearer from Maharashtra, who was

not spared of several tests, went about singing Lord Panduranga

Vittala's compassion and grace in his "Abhangs". His writings were

thrown into a river but they floated and were restored. "My early

life was embittered by calamities but God's grace gave me comfort,"

says Thukaram who declared in one of his hymns that the sky was his

pavilion and the earth, his seat.

 

Emperor Shivaji, who was so inspired by Saint Thukaram's teachings,

desired to enter the monastic order by getting initiated by him but

the former advised him "Bharat needs you; unite India and ensure the

continuance of its cultural glory". Thus he created an awakening

among people stating that culturally India was one country and it

should be strengthened. Duty, he added, was more important than

penance. Like many other great men, he was young when left this

world. He was earlier a successful businessman but was ever engaged

in spiritual activity, with his mind fixed on "Panduranga". Due to

family disturbances, he left his home, seeking solitude in a secluded

place. His principal message was "simple living and high thinking"

and he pleaded for control of the mind and development of detachment.

Possessed by God's love and armed with divine grace, the great saint

emphasised the glory of devotion and the efficacy of chanting the

Lord's name.

 

In his lecture on "Sant Smaram" series, Swami Mitrananda said

Thukaram had intuition about his going to heaven and, as he sat

singing on the banks of the Indriyani river, he entered the Lord's

abode. His stirring compositions lay stress on "faith"

and "surrender". "I was shy but you made me bold and why should I

fear anyone," was his attitude. In this universe all are creations of

God and the existence of different types of creepers, trees, wild

animals and singing birds reveal God's presence everywhere, he

explained.

 

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