Tuesday, August 12, 2008

A MESSAGE TO CHILDREN –THE NEW STANDARD BEARERS OF HUMANITY


The antiquity of Hyderabad, its rich historic past leads one to redefine one’s priorities with regard to religion. The greatest symbol of secularism in the city is perhaps the aestheticism of the statue of Lord Buddha amidst the Hussein Sagar. One wonders why people spoil the unity and integrity of such a vibrant culture. Should we still not adopt religion as a way of life?

The basis of human unity is the fundamental principle that man is the only godhead to be worshipped- all other identities that of nation, state, religious sect is artificial and man made. One of the global concerns today is religious fanaticism brought about by a distortion of history. India’s secularism is a religious duty interwoven into our daily life pattern. Man must be sacred to man regardless of any religious creed. This principal belief disqualifies any religious and political doctrine that denies the service and progress of the human spirit. The enemy of humanity is the human egoism that finds brutal expression in religious fanaticism. It is time to question ourselves as to whether we have truly achieved these aims or should we be satisfied with an artificial society. These ideals can only be achieved by the power of brotherhood of man – it is found in the human soul. We have to come out of our egoistic existence and reach out to our fellow beings. Only then shall we relive our glorious past, that of universal love and tolerance. The way to do this is by reorganizing our society on three cardinal principles of the Renaissance and the Age of Reason- liberty, equality and fraternity. Let us follow the path shown to us by Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi – the propagation and practice of universal brotherhood.