Sant Nirankari Mission is Gandhian thought in action”Gandhi in New Era”

C.L. Gulati

1. Distinguished historian, Arnold Toynbee, found that 19 of 21 human civilizations declined when the religious foundations that sustained them had become corrupted: “Each time, the people had lost faith in religion, its civilization succumbed to social disintegration. The civilization that had fallen as a result of the loss of faith in God had then been replaced by a new civilization inspired by true religion through spiritual awakening.”

2. True religion essentially means Knowledge of God. When Fatherhood of God is realized, its spontaneous by-product is the cherished achievement of love, peace, and universal brotherhood of mankind – epitomized as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. This has been the meaningful subject of the webinar ‘Gandhi in New Era’ hosted by Harijan Sewak Sangh on 20th September 2020.

3. Presided by Prof. Dr. Sankar Kumar Sanyal and President Harijan Sewak Sangh, this well-attended webinar was a revealing exposition by H.H. Acharya Shri Roopchandra Ji Maharaj, Founder and President of Manav Mandal Mission, Dr. A.K. Merchant, National Trustee, Lotus Temple and Bahai Committee of India and Shri C.L. Gulati, President, Sant Nirankari Mission, Delhi.

4. The Vedas states that, “Those of you, who have attained higher, middle or lower status, in your respective field of work, enjoy the wealth thus gained together as one, with the resources for the production of material goods at your disposal, dedicate your life to eradicate the evils of society and strive at all times for the well being of people.” (Rigveda: 5:60:6) Vedic tenant “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” captures the roots of equality through spirituality. Several global spiritual leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi ji, endorse this view to see all humans as a family for their peaceful existence.

Gandhi in New Era

5. Whenever there is decline of righteousness (light) and the forces of Matter (Maya) tighten their stranglehold on the human mind (darkness), it becomes a cosmic compulsion (spiritual necessity) to retrieve the situation to normalcy and re-establish the law of Dharma through the instrumentation of Revelation (Brahamgyan). Within literature pertaining to spirituality, we can very easily identify all the prophets who embodied the Mainstream of Spirituality, and passed on these messages to their successors: “Prophet is said to be the oldest and the newest on earth, like day and night which have followed each other down the ages, and are still ever new.” (Atharva Veda 10-8-23)

6. Enlightened Mahatma Gandhi campaigned for universal brotherhood of mankind, and was against violence and the caste-system: “There is enough in the world for every one’s need but there is not enough for anyone’s greed.” He created Harijan Sewak Sangh (H.S.S.) in 1932 having networking pan India to spread his message. Prof. Dr. Sankar Kumar Sanyal, President, Shri Laxmi Das, Vice President and their team are taking an absorbing interest in its growth. Gandhi Global Family (G.G.F.) is also spreading the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi ji globally. GGF awarded Gandhi Sewa Medal to Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh ji Maharaj in 2014 during Annual Nirankari Sant Samagam in Delhi. Mrs. M. L. Kerpalman, U. N. Information Officer India, and Rev. S. P. Verma, Vice-President, Gandhi Global Family, presented the Award to Baba Ji. Harijan Sewak Sangh organized Nirankari Samagams in their Head quarter’s spacious premises of Gandhi Ashram, in the presence of His Holiness Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh ji Maharaj. All three organizations exchange visits on their respective functions, like members of the same family.

   

7. For the 150th Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi ji, the Harijan Sewak Sangh organized a 9-day “Ram Katha” in Gandhi Ashram Delhi by Pujiya Morari Bapu ji. It was inaugurated by Rev Ram Nath Kovind, the Hon’ble President of India. I was asked to speak on their mega platform on 1st October 2019 about Gandhi ji. It was highlighted that “Sant Nirankari Mission is Gandhian Thought in Action. Both the Gandhian Philosophy and Nirankari Philosophy are votary of Prohibition and Cleanliness.” Gandhi ji rated “Cleanliness more important than independence” and Nirankari Baba ji emphasized, “Pollution both inside and outside is harmful for the mankind.” The Govt. of India declared the Mission as “Brand Ambassador of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”.

8. Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji’s message “Life gets a meaning if it is lived for others” combines the theory of mutual relationship through spiritual awakening with the innate spirit of living for others. This Mission represents how our love and worship of God is directly proportional to our relationship with mankind: “Sant Nirankari Mission is an all-embracing worldwide religious, Socio-spiritual charitable organization which preaches the concept of one formless God (Nirankar) and believes that God can be realized through the grace of the living Satguru (True Master).”

9. The Mission’s principle of “Sara Sansar, Ek-Privar” is similar to Vedic concept “Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam”, Islamic dictum “Makhlook Sari Hai Kunba Khuda Ka”, and Biblical advice “Love thy neighbor as thyself, love thy enemy too”. As such, “Man is human when the entire mankind is his family. Mankind is his family when the all-pervading God is his home. God can be his home when he actually knows Him and blissfully identifies himself with Him by living up to the teachings of the True Master (Satguru)”. Thus, the Sant Nirankari Mission represents the present milestone in the mainstream of spirituality.

10. The Mission consists of Sant Nirankari Mandal (organizational setup spreading Divine Knowledge globally) and Sant Nirankari Charitable Foundation (for socio-charitable activities). It serves humanity irrespective of caste, creed, color, culture, religion and nationality while maintaining, “Service with Humility”. American organization devoted to multi-dimensional Human and Global Development, “We Care for Humanity”, also recognized Nirankari Baba Hardev Singh Ji at UN Hqrs on 20.10.2017 as “2017 Supreme Spiritual Icon of the Year” and Satguru Mata Savinder Hardev Ji as “2018 Supreme Spiritual Icon of the Year” in Kolkata, India on 29.07.2018, aiming to honor the Greatest Humanitarian of the World with G.O.D. Awards.
11. Her Holiness Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj, the present Spiritual Head of Sant Nirankari Mission, gives a clarion call: “The world needs to be united as a family, tolerating, accepting and loving each other, keeping in mind the watchword, ‘God-fi-dence’ having complete faith and confidence in God, truly proving our image of God.”