aatmano mokshaartham jagat hitaaya cha

[Guest guest]

Swami Vivekananda set the motto of Ramakrishna Math and Mission as

" aatmano mokshaartham jagat hitaaya cha " , which means

" For one's own liberation and the world's welfare " .

 

This is a very wonderful concept. These words can be understood

from two stand points. From the stand point of the goal, this

motto indicates the symbiosis between " peace " and " prosperity " .

From the stand point of the means, this motto indicates the

symbiosis between " spirituality " and " service " .

 

Peace and Prosperity

 

Indian Philosophy defines four goals of human life, called

Purushaartha. They are

Artha - Security - What is necessary for the very survival

Kaama - Pleasure - All other pursuits

Dharma - Law - Restrictions on Artha and Kama to ensure that

they are sustainable and well distributed to everyone

Moksha - Liberation - Permanent freedom from sorrow, which can

come only through renunciation of desire

 

The first three - Artha, Kaama and Dharma - are together called

" Hita " . They indicate sustainable and well distributed prosperity

in the society.

 

The last one - Moksha - indicates the unshakable internal peace

of the individual. The Upanisads and Bhagavad Gita stress time

and again the idea " tyaagainaike amrutatva maanushuhu " -

" Immortality comes to man only by renunciation " . Renunciation

means renunciation of desire for pleasure, possessions, power, etc.

 

Thus, Swami Vivekananda adds a clarification to these goals of life.

The clarifies that " Hita " is for the sake of the society and

" Moksha " is for the sake of the self.

 

The professional job we do, the wealth we earn, the charity we give,

the house we build, the food we cook, the prayer we make, the

knowledge we seek and all other pursuits should be for the

prosperity of the society and spiritual upliftment of ourselves.

These two goals complement each other and give the overall results.

 

Prosperity is an external goal for the sake of the society.

Liberation is an internal goal for the sake of the self.

Our entire life is the means to these.

 

Spirituality and Service

 

Another way to look at this is as " spirituality " and " service " .

Service to the society is the means for spiritual progess of the

individual.Spiritual progress of the individual in turn becomes the

basis for his service to the society.

 

The scriptures advice that spiritual knowledge should be given only

to a person who approaches reverentially and specifically for the

knowledge. Spiritual knowledge should be given only to a person who

comes asking for peace of mind. On the other hand, prosperity should

be given to people without asking. We should go voluntarily and help

people to become prosperous.

 

Social service should be rendered by going out in search of the

needy, without waiting for them to come and ask. Spiritual knowledge

should be given only to people who come in search of it.

 

Thus Swami Vivekananda gives a very interesting line of thought by

the words " aatmano mokshaartham jagat hitaaya cha " .

gokulmuthu narayanaswamy <gokulmuthu