Washington, Aug 31: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said India’s civilisational traditions have always been guided by the principle of helping others without discrimination and the country has served the world as ‘vishwa guru’ and not as a ‘super power’.
Addressing the ‘Hindu Vishwa Bandhu – Embrace the World in Friendship’ event organised by Canadian Hindus for Outreach, Relations and Dialogue in Toronto on Sunday, Bhagwat said the Hindu world view was universal in nature and believed in the principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or the entire world is one family.
Bhagwat underscored service as the defining feature of ‘Bhartiya’ civilisational ethos.
“Whenever Bharat has been asked for help anywhere in the world, it has never refused and it extends a helping hand even without even being asked. This is our tradition, the DNA of Bharat. That is why you may have heard the saying–‘If Hindus awaken, the world awakens'.” Bhagwat said.
Bhagwat also quoted Sant Kabir’s couplets to assert that all the knowledge acquired by a person is meaningless if he fails to understand the message of love.
“Kabir Maharaj says, you may have read so many books, and you are such a vidwaan (scholar). It doesn't mean anything if you don't know those two and a half letters, prem, or in English, four letters – love,” Bhagwat said.
“Four-letter words are shunned in English. I know that. But there is one word, L-O-V-E. Love for humanity. We are all one. Our interests cannot collide. Because we are one, we have to act as we are one,” he said.
Bhagwat also called for embracing diversity while recognising the underlying unity of humanity.
“We have to serve, accept, and respect this diversity because it is an expression of unity. It beautifies it. It is the decoration. We celebrate it,” he said.
He said Bharat’s ancient ethos recognises diversity as natural while regarding unity as the fundamental reality.
“In nature, the expression of reality is diverse. Diversity is natural. Unity is the reality. That is the ancient ethos of Bharat,” he said.
Bhagwat said Indian spiritual heritage promotes oneness across humanity and nature.
“Those who are open-minded and knowledgeable embrace the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the belief that the entire earth is one family,” he said.
“While individuals in the material world may differ in body, shape, and complexion, in essence, we are all one. Therefore, serving others is our duty. We have gained this wisdom, which brings us enduring happiness and lasting contentment,” Bhagwat said.
He said Indians regard both the animate and the inanimate as their own.
“They have been taught to see unity in diversity. That is why diversity never poses a problem for unity in India; our tradition teaches us that not only is there unity in diversity, but diversity itself is a form of unity," the RSS chief added.
Bhagwat cited historical and modern examples where India stepped up to help during international humanitarian crises such as the plight of Polish refugees during the Second World War.
“One may call Bharat a superpower at that time, but it was not a superpower. It served the world. By its own character, it became Vishnu Guru, not Mahashakti. So the rise of Bharat means more united, more emancipated humanity,” he said.
Bhagwat is on a three-nation tour of the US, Canada and the UK.
