DIBRUGARH: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday at the International Conference and Gathering of World Elders in Dibrugarh, Assam said that even after two thousand years of progress, the world is still in crisis.
“Despite two thousand years of progress and material prosperity, the world is facing conflicts. There is no peace outside or within. Children go to schools with guns and shoot people without any apparent reason. There is envy and ego and there are struggles due to the narrowness of minds where people are divided into “us and them, ours and theirs,” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said.
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The 8th International Conference and Gathering of World Elders has been organised by the International Centre for Cultural Studies (ICCS) with the theme “Shared Sustainable Prosperity”.
He congratulated the Elders of the ancient traditions and cultures, representing more than 33 ancient traditions from across more than 30 countries, that they could keep alive their ancient faiths despite the highly aggressive environment around them; because the world now needs their wisdom.
He pointed out that this gathering which came together two decades back was a beginning.
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He added, “It sustained itself over two decades together, that was progress and now with the theme of working together for a shared sustainable prosperity will spell its success.
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He noted that many theories and ‘isms’ came up – from “individualism” that didn’t consider society important, to “communism” that considered society as supreme, with no space for individual bliss and social peace.
“All theories focused on material prosperity. Religions evolved to find solutions but they too failed. At the most, they reached the ideal of maximum good for the maximum number of people. Because they did not look at the integral whole; they couldn’t discern the underlying element of oneness that connected all these human dimensions. They could not reach the ancient wisdom of sarve sukhinah santu – let all be happy. Their idea was competition for best results”, he said.
He further added, “We can have different forms and expressions, there is no point in viewing this diversity negatively; we need to respect diversity because that is the expression of oneness expressed in different forms. This wisdom says happiness is within, not only outside. Happiness is not in the consumption of an object, but consuming it because you are happy”.
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pointed out that in the current intolerant and strife-torn world, indigenous faiths have suffered the worst, and people must nurture them.
“We must preserve these belief systems as they are deeply committed to the environment. They have been living in harmony with nature from time immemorial,” Sarma asserted.
He mentioned many Assamese tribes and their connection with nature, which form the rich tapestry of ancient beliefs.
Sarma expressed his “pain” that these communities have been targets of conversion.
Education and health care are used as baits. The erosion of indigenous faiths is deeply worrying as it weakens the society.
He gave examples of various tribes across India who have faced this attack.
He quoted Mahatma Gandhi from his book – “Why I Am a Hindu” where he said that the demise of faith is the demise of its wisdom.
He informed that the Assam government has formed a separate department for preserving, promoting and nurturing the indigenous faiths of Assam.