|
To Impart Samskars
It is necessary, therefore, that our Hindu brethren there, who have imbibed the right samskars here, should meet regularly with a view to rekindling among all our people there the spirit of national pride, the awareness of our all-round achievements in the past and our mission while abroad. It will not be enough if we congregate on certain occasions and for some special programmes only. Even in our shastras, nritya (dance), geeta (music), and vadya (instruments) are mentioned, but these were useful only if used with the definite purpose of imparting samskars. Mere music and dance by themselves do not constitute culture. If the entertainment aspect alone is taken up and the cultural value ignored, it would surely lead to social degeneration. If the awareness of reviving the Hindu values in our daily chores is to be made intensely and continuously alive, regular assemblage with suitable samskar-imparting programmes is a "must".
Apart from their regular assemblage, there should be daily singing of bhajans and shlokas at home. Especially the children should be taught to recite the same with due devotion and earnestness. And wherever there are our temples the Hindus should cultivate the habit of congregating on certain holy occasions and conduct programmes like satsangs and havans.
Keeping close contact with the learned men and spiritual teachers who visit those countries from time to time and arranging suitable programmes would be of great help in furthering the above-mentioned objective.
Assimilate the Good
It is said that our people who go abroad are carried away by the superficial attractions there and do not try to go deeper to find out the really good points in the life of those people. No people on the face of this earth are entirely without some abiding virtues, nor will they be endowed with all the necessary noble qualities. We should be able to discriminate and make a dispassionate assessment of their virtues and vices, and so also, of our own strong points and weak points. We shall then be able to achieve a harmonious blend of the elements of excellence in both the systems. Our intelligent young men who are staying abroad should take up such a comparative study and enlighten our other brethren there with the results of their findings.
There are indeed very pious people worthy of emulation in all countries. We should do well to emulate their examples. There is the recent example of a great and saintly American, who was so full of piety and love for all living creatures that when he would sit with his hands immersed in a tank, fish would swarm and play around without the least fear or hesitation. Such was his spirit of identity with the entire living creation.
|
