By Swami Ram Swarupji
I wish to display the same honour and respect towards the pious slogan of Vande Mataram as was rendered by Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Jains etc. i.e. all the sections of society, in the struggle for freedom.
The slogan of Vande Mataram has been the symbol of unity, security, non-violence, brotherhood and several pious qualities during freedom struggle. Then why can’t it symbolize the same qualities at present also?
Now, it is our moral duty to find out the reason for not following Vande Mataram by all citizens; to destroy the same in the interest of unity of India. It may also be possible that most of the people do not know the meaning of such a beautiful poetry. So, it is mentioned below-
Vande= adore/worship/regard,
Mataram= mother.
In Sanskrit, there is a root word (dhatu) “Vand”. When it is applied for oneself then it becomes Vande, which means I bow, pay obeisance, eulogize, honour, respect etc. “Aham” i.e., “I” word automatically precedes Vande pad. Hence, it automatically becomes “Aham Vande” i.e., “I bow”.
The meaning of “Aham Vande” becomes I pay respect-give honour, as stated above.
Now, after the words “Aham Vande” any word can be added. For example-
(i) Aham Vande Pitaram i.e., I give respect to my ancestors.
(ii) Aham Vande Bhraataha i.e., I give respect to my brothers etc.
It should be kept in mind that words Aham and Vande are in singular number. Hence, when we say “Aham Vande Mataram”, it means I alone pay respect and give honour to my motherland.
Hence, when all the citizens thriving on the motherland, unitedly and with love recite Vande Mataram, then in this way we all citizens individually pay our heartiest respect and honour towards the motherland, who gives us shelter and bestows us with wealth, food grains, medicinal herbs, gold, silver, minerals etc.
In return, it becomes our selfless moral duty to always remain alert for her protection which would be the real Vandana (respect, honour). Is it not that in this way every Indian irrespective of caste, colour, creed, is doing the same and so he automatically fulfills the heartfelt requirement of saying Vande Mataram.
In Vedas, God states that at the time of beginning of non-sexual creation, the earth (motherland) fulfills the role of mother by giving shelter and support to her sons and daughters, devoid of parents at that time and nourishes them with herbs, food grains and vegetation. Even at present the earth provides food, wealth, flowers-fruits, medicinal herbs, pure water etc., bounties impartially to all sections of society including Hindus, Muslims etc. That is why, in Vedas, She is said to be equivalent to our mother because she discharges her duties in the capacity of a mother.
At present, the parents who give birth to their children, themselves, along with children derive life from earth-motherland and survive on it.
The meaning of Hindi word- “Pooja” is also paying respect, honour etc.
Now, if anybody, in the absence of knowledge of Vedas, distorts the meaning of Pooja in anyway, then he is free to do so in a secular country.
But when we look towards our eternal and everlasting culture i.e., Vedas then the meaning cannot be altered.
So, the eternal meaning of Vande will ever remain unchanged. To protect our motherland, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, i.e., all Indians, whenever the time has asked for sacrifices, they have not hesitated to surrender their lives, to serve the motherland.
Atharvaved mantra 12/1/12 also educates us that Oh! men and women say (Bhoomihi Mata) i.e., earth is my mother (Aham Prithivyaha Putraha) I am the son of motherland.
Hence, “Putra” means he who removes all the difficulties of his motherland, otherwise he is not a putra (son). So, God accepts only those as sons who remove the difficulties-sorrows of motherland.
In the same Atharvaved mantra, God even states that cloud (Megh) is like our father for the reason, he gives us the pure water to survive. Have we got any power to challenge this eternal and everlasting truth made by God?
That is, No. However, it may be a separate issue whether eternal and everlasting vedic preach emanates from God or not. The said matter may be proved by raising several debates of the learneds.
So, truly speaking that in the absence of Vedic knowledge, we have become unable to judge that this land is our mother, as a result, instead of protecting her, her innocent sons and daughters have been slaughtered with gunshots, bombardments etc., have broken the heart of motherland into several pieces.
More astonishingly, we see that through the bombardment by air, water etc. and using missiles, nuclear and Hydrogen bombs on the heart of motherland, her heart has shattered into several pieces.
Are we able to give assurance to motherland that Oh! mother, do not weep, we shall shed our blood on your sweat to maintain unity and to wipe your tears.
You see, vide Rigved mantra 10/18/10, our motherland gave us shelter in the crucial time when we were born without parents, at the beginning of non-sexual creation. That is why, in the said mantra, God has made unchangeable fundamental law to accept earth as motherland of all human-beings.
This was the time when no present sects had come into being and due to the influence of the vedic culture, not only human-beings but all living-beings used to live in a united, peaceful and brotherly manner.
So, we will have to think deeply that God in Rigved states that right from the beginning of the earth, i.e., in this earth from about One Arab, ninety six crore years ago, the earth is the motherland of all human-beings, which should be obeyed.
Now, whom do we blame that in the controversies between the sects, political fights between the politicians and the public, where the knowledge of Vedas has been made to disappear.
Even after dividing the heart of motherland into two parts, the selfish people were not satisfied but have been trying to hurt humanity, unity, brotherhood, peace, causing riots, fighting over petty issues and in this way are laying down more explosions on the heart of motherland to divide her into several pieces.
The above quoted Rigved mantra states-
(Bhoomim Mataram….) i.e., Oh! Soul, to take birth [without parents], obtain the shelter of motherland, who manifests several kinds of living beings in the nonsexual creation, under the administration of God. You see, at that crucial time, in the absence of parents, only the motherland holds the living beings on her surface and nurses then with her vegetation, herbs etc.
So, at that time, in the form of mother only the land exists.
In the next mantra God preaches that when the soul takes shelter of land as if he has entered the womb of mother then the upper layer of earth becomes soft / porous and rises up so that the body of soul grows up easily on the surface of the motherland.
Thereafter the earth nurses them with vegetation, flowers, fruits, food crops etc. [At that time there were no parents, creation being non-sexual.] So motherland performs the role of a mother. And at that time, the said creation is born young and innumerable living beings take the shelter of motherland.
That is why, in non-sexual creation the God has Himself declared this pious land as mother of all living beings.
So, in freedom struggle all brothers and sisters gave the slogan of Vande Mataram as a symbol of unity. As a result, we got freedom from British rule.
In view of the above if at present anyone does not want to recite Vande Mataram, then it is his own discretion. So, people should know the eternal truth first, its form, meaning and the idea and when such eternal truth will be taught to the citizens with love and affection then sure it would generate truth and brotherhood, which is the need of hour.
(Also published in the Speaking Tree)
