Editorial

The Unique Power Source of National Integration

We have all repeatedly read and heard that the greatest feature of Indian culture is its spirituality. What is the meaning of this statement? Is an average Indian more spiritual than an average American or Chinese citizen? No, to think so would be wrong. We Indians are as good or bad as the citizens of other countries. Yet, there is a remarkable thing about an average Indian: no matter what he himself is like, an immense, spontaneous reverence arises in his mind for a saint or a Mahatma. For powerful politicians or wealthy people, no genuine and spontaneous respect arises in his heart. The saint and the Mahatma are his ideals. These and similar other ideals that are ingrained in our conscience or mind are our cultural values. The renowned historian Dr. Shivaji Singh has expressed the above thoughts in the words of Swami Vivekananda as follows –

Have you heard of a country where great kings feel more pride in calling themselves descendants of semi-naked ascetics living in the forest? If you have not, then listen – our motherland is that country. In other countries, great religious leaders try hard to call themselves descendants of some king, but in India, great kings try to prove themselves as descendants of some sage.

These cultural values of India are the nature of our nation. This very nature is the natural stream of thought of the nation, which is called Chiti. A deep analysis of the concept of Chiti by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay is worth observing. Chiti is the unique power source of national integration, in which the clear form of the nation is manifested. For the historical consciousness of the nation, the consciousness of Chiti is essential.

Vivekanandamritam

In Helping Others, We Help Ourselves

Swami Vivekananda

Before considering how dedication to duty helps us in spiritual progress, I also want to briefly tell you what the other side of what we call Karma in India is. Every religion has three parts. The first is philosophical, the second is mythological, and the third is ritualistic. The philosophical part is indeed the essence of every religion. The mythological part explains this philosophical part through more or less imaginary biographies and stories and tales related to supernatural subjects. Ritualism gives this philosophy an even more concrete form, so that it can be understood by the general public. In reality, ritual is a more concrete form of philosophy. This ritual is Karma. It is necessary in every religion because until we are very advanced in spiritual life, we cannot understand subtle spiritual principles.

Our duty towards others means helping others, doing good to the world. Why should we do good to the world? Because in appearance we are helping the world, but in reality, we are helping ourselves. We should always try to do good to the world, and this should be our highest goal in performing actions. But if observed carefully, it will appear that the world has absolutely no need for our help. This world was not made for you or me to come and help it.

Analysis

Challenges and Solutions in Indian History Writing

Prof. Shivaji Singh

Indian history has been and is being written from many perspectives. Consequently, its various versions, in which anti-traditional voices and conclusions are available, are also prevalent. This has created a confusing situation and is obstructing the proper formation of historical consciousness essential for national progress. The question is, why is this so? Why is the historical reality one, but the interpretations many? Pondering this question, we will find that the variations in historical interpretations have arisen in two ways. One category is of those variations that are unintentional or inadvertent. The second category is of those variations that are intentional, that is, created deliberately.

Inadvertent Diversity of Historical Interpretations

Historical reality takes the form of written history only after passing through the historian's mind. In this process, the historian's role is like that of a mirror in which the reflections of the real world are formed. The more flawless the mirror, the clearer and more identical to the object the reflections are. Whereas, if the mirror is flawed, the reflections become distorted. The historian's responsibility is also to depict the historical reality as authentically as possible, but in this context, his task is much more difficult than that of a mirror. Because the historical reality that the historian wants to reflect is not tangible like an object placed in front of a mirror.

Deliberate Historical Interpretations

History is a discipline. It has its own established and universal research methodologies and procedures. It has its own standards or norms. A well-established global belief of this discipline is that the historian's job is to reach a conclusion after a thorough investigation of facts and evidence, like a judge. He is neutral in the determination of his conclusions.