Religious tolerance

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am posting this with a great sense of urgency and apprehension.
 The other day I found in my mailbox some literature which was directed against a Religion other than Hinduism.
 Please be patient to understand my views on the matter. It is quite alright to be proud of our great heritage which is without any parallel in human history.
 But the hallmark of a Brahmin is tolerance. We are Protected by Brahmatejo Balam and not Kshaatra tendencies and lower approaches.
Remember the battle between Vasishta and Viswamitra.
 Remember the concluding parts of Rigveda- Samgachadhwam, samvadhadhwam..etc., .(See the Aikamatya Sooktham.)

 Whosoever and wherever anybody pays respects to God in any way, the worship is accepted by Parmatma, Lord Krishna.

Let us view with respect our Muslim brethren doing Namaz five times a day extolling the glory of Allah(His name be praised always) or our Christian brothers taking part in their Holy Mass.
 They are also worshiping the same Almighty, whom we already call through thousands of names. 

If religious fanatics have perpetrated great injury to humanity in the name of Faith, it was because, and only because, they misinterpreted the Holy contents of their own great Religions. 

We may condemn such acts but we should not show disrespect to the other Faiths and the rights of our fellow human beings to follow their faiths. 

 Sarva Deva Namaskarah Kesavam Prathi Gacchathi.

 Remember what we chant at the beginning of every session of Gayathri Chanting. 
Namo Brahmanya Devaya Goh Brahmana Hitaya Cha, Jagat hitaya KRISHNAYA Sri Govindaya Namo Namah. 

 This Krishna was not a Brahmin, He is actually  a cowherd boy when He took His human form.
 If we have to learn toleration we need turn to no one other than Lord Krishna since Samadarsitwam is writ large in the teachings of His Gita. 

 Let us be aggressive in furthering our religious and cultural values but there should not be any place for rancour.

Let maturity and tolerance prevail in our thoughts and action.
Fraternally yours KVA

Vande Matharam

My dear Brothers and sisters

I quote Sir Walter Scott below

Breathes there the man with soul so dead

Who never to himself hath said, 

This is my own, my native land!

Whose heart hath ne’er within him burned, 

As home his footsteps he hath turned

From wandering on a foreign strand! 

If such there breathe, go, mark him well; 

For him no minstrel raptures swell; 

High though his titles, proud his name, 

Boundless his wealth as wish can claim

Despite those titles, power, and pelf, 

The wretch, concentred all in self,

Living, shall forfeit fair renown, 

And, doubly dying, shall go down

To the vile dust from whence he sprung, 

Unwept, unhonored , and unsung.

Sir Walter Scott

Watching the controversy over singing of Vandhe Matharam, I am reminded of the above immortal words of Sir Walter Scott.

 I fail to understand how singing of the song in praise of our Mother, Mother India can hurt any sentiment of any of our brothers? 

With the limited knowledge of Islam I cannot believe that the believers of Allah (may His Exalted name always be praised) could find any inconsistency in this issue.

 They are our own brothers being nurtured by the same Sindhu, Ganga and Kaveri, sharing the same heaven-like landscape and the mother is never partial in showering her immeasurable bounties to any of her children, let them profess a multitude of philosophies and follow different lifestyles. 

A landmark in the history of the great song in praise of our Mother India

Mother, I bow to thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams, bright with orchard gleams, Cool with thy winds of delight, Dark fields waving Mother of might, Mother free. 

Glory of moonlight dreams, Over thy branches and lordly streams, Clad in thy blossoming trees, Mother, giver of ease Laughing low and sweet! Mother I kiss thy feet, Speaker sweet and low! Mother, to thee I bow. 

The glory of Vandhe Matharam By Bankim Chandra Chatterjea

Is being celebrated and there is a call that this song should be sung by one and all on 7th September.

In this context, my brothers and sisters, if a situation arises in our great country that the fiats of the Government should govern the chanting of this glorious song, it is only the sign of the degradation of our own belief in the brotherhood amongst us, the Indians. So there should not be any compulsion. Let the response be voluntary, spontaneous.

Nobody need tell his brother to sing in praise of the mother. Let enlightenment and brotherhood prevail. Let us not vilify anyone on this issue. If we do this, we will be belittling the glory of our Mother. 

Let us remember 

Bharathi, who said “Vadhe Matharam enpom --- and continued to say “Onru pattal undu vaazhvu… 

and Vallathol “Bharathamennathu kettalabhimaan poorithamaakenamantharangam…’’ 

and Iqbal “Saare Jahan Se Achaa Hindustan Hamaaraa….”