Yuva Bharati / March 2018 / 19Editorial is the famous Vaikom Satyagraha,
a great social reform movement launched
in Kerala in the year 1924. Sri Narayana
Guru, a great saint and social reformer in
Kerala, and Mahatma Gandhi were the two
mighty leaders behind the Satyagraha. The
movement got the support of the entire
Hindu society. E.V. Ramasami Naicker
from Tamil Nadu also lent his support
to the movement. A large number of
Akalis from Punjab also took active part
in it, expressing their solidarity with the
movement. The movement took up the
cause of the low caste and oppressed
Hindus.
‘Hindutva’ is a comprehensive term for
the all-embracing, all-inclusive approach
of Hindu system of life and thought. The
Purusharthas (Dharma, Artha, Kama and
Moksha), for example, present the ideal
Hindu view of life. The Varna Dharma,
the Ashrama Dharma, the concept of
Yajna, etc. in their pristine forms (not in the
corrupt and perverted forms as obtained
today), are all a part of the Hindutva ideal.
The Editorial on ‘Hindutva and Other
Ideologies’ in three parts is a must read for
all and sundry. In what ways Hindu religion
differs from the Semitic religions? What are
the various facets of Hindu religion? etc.
find lucid exposition under this heading.
For a wholesome understanding of Hindu
religion and Hindutva, this Editorial in
three parts is a classic piece of work.
Volume III of the Compilation has for its
contents Parameswaranj’s contributions to
Vivekananda Kendra Samachar, a journal
devoted to information on Vivekananda
Kendra’s service activities. In the Kendra
Samachar Shri Parameswaranji has written
on various topics relating to Hindu religion
and philosophy. Concepts such as Seva,
Shraddha, Purusharthas, Yajna, Prarthana,
etc. are discussed. In the topic on Seva, the
author says: “Why did Mananeeya Eknathji
think it necessary to describe the activities
of the Kendra as spiritually oriented?....
Man. Eknathji thought differently. Not
only there should be a living and dynamic
organization to carry out the message of
Swami Vivekananda, but the activities
carried on by the organization should
also be qualitatively different from those
of other organizations which claim to do
service to the people. It is to bring out
this difference that the adjective ‘Spiritually
Oriented’ is prefixed...”
“A famous anecdote from the life of Sri
Ramakrishna illustrates this. He chided
some of the Vaishnava devotees for saying
that we should be compassionate towards
the suffering. He gave a complete twist to
the perception by saying that those who are
suffering are really representations of God;
they are before us to give us an opportunity
to serve. It is we who are blessed. The right
word is not Compassion. It is Worship.
“This must have also been at the back of
Man. Eknathji’s mind when he said that the
Kendra activities must have a spiritual i.e. a
worshipful orientation. Then only it would
be unselfish and pure.”
The next Section in this Volume is titled
Vivekananda Kendra Patrika. ‘Child in
India’, ‘Sri Guruji’, and ‘Expressions of
Christianity’ are the contributions. This