Indian History

Revolt Of 1857

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The Indian public had been suffering under an oppressive foreign rule for almost a century by now and the discontentment had been rising. The revolt of 1857 which although broke out in a sudden and spontaneous manner had deeper reasons.

Economic Ruin of the Country Since India was ruled as colony by the British, their economic policies were formulated accordingly. Once the British were in control of a certain area they began implementing their oppressive colonial market policies. They would force Indians to sell cheap and buy dear. This over time had completely destroyed the Indian economy and had sent millions in poverty. Such a massive change in the economic status of Indians had never taken place in its entire history, and the people resented this injustice inflicted upon them.

Displaced People

British rule brought drastic changes to the lives of many Indians. Land lords who had for long enjoyed land and social privileges found themselves stripped of their land and left impoverished. Artisans who were patronized by the Indian rulers now had no patrons amongst the new British rulers, and were out of work. The subsidiary alliance had forced many kings to disband their armies in order to meet the costs of maintaining the mandatory British troops and this resulted in large scale unemployment. These displaced people became major enemies of the British rule in India

Religious influence and social reform

The British besides conquering India were also keen to spread their religion, Christianity. Missionaries were actively encouraged and laws allowing only Christians to inheritproperty were passed. The army maintained a chaplain at state cost. Indians serving in the army did not have their religious views respected and were often made to violate them. The British egged on by social reformers banned sati and legalized widow marriage. While these were progressive steps viewed for the betterment of Indian society, they were received by the conservative sections of society as a direct attack on their culture.

Since the British had remained a foreign alien ruler for over a hundred years, and made no effort whatsoever to integrate into Indian society, the people opposed it strongly. Earlier foreign invaders had always integrated into Indian society and there had been a synthesis of ideas. In the case of the British, the British were simply trying to impose their ideas and beliefs on the Indians. This did not go down well with the Indian people.

Western Education

The British had been promoting western education and laying emphasis on the education of girls. This was also mis-interpreted by the conservative sections of the society as an attack on Indian culture. More importantly western education exposed Indians to the new thoughts of liberty and equality and they realized that the British were treating them like second rate citizens in their own country.

Policies of Annexation

The British in order to gain control of India had adopted some devious annexation policies which illegally displaced many Indian kings. The British also refused to recognize the titles of the sons of the kings. The British humiliated the Mughals, by proclaiming that after the death of Bahadur Shah II, his sons would be known as mere princes and would have to vacate the Red Fort.

One particular annexation that the British made proved to be a major mistake. A large part of the English East India Company's army was from a kingdom known as Awadh, a loyal ally of the British. Since the soldiers lacked any nationalistic feelings they had helped the British conquer the rest of the country. However, when the British annexed their kingdom, Awadh, on flimsy grounds, they were angered and revolted.

A few other minor factors had also been brewing. The British power had come across as invincible after they successfully overran a once mighty country. This myth was shattered when the British were defeated in Afghanistan. This gave Indians a new found confidence to revolt. Finally all that was needed was a spark, and this came with the greased cartridges controversy. The British introduced the new Enfield rifle which had a cartridge greased with the fat of a cow or pig. The soldiers before they could load the cartridge into the weapon had to bite off the cover, which was coated as mentioned above. This violated the religious feelings of Hindus as well as Muslims, for they are forbidden from eating the meat of a cow and pig respectively. The soldiers perceived this to be a direct and deliberate attack on their most sacred beliefs and refused to use these cartridges.

On 8th May 1857, the soldiers of the third Native cavalry were sentenced to ten years in prison for refusing to use the new cartridges. Their imprisonment angered the other Indian soldiers based at Meerut and the next day they freed their comrades and killed the British officers. After this they set off for Delhi at sunset and reached by the next morning. The local infantry of Delhi assisted them in taking over the city and killing many European officials. The rebels instated the aged and powerless Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah II to the post of Emperor of India. The Mughals had for long been considered the symbol ofpolitical unity in India, and this development transformed the rebellion into a revolutionary war. Bahadur Shah II was pressured into organizing a movement, and he sent letters to all the important Indian kings to organize a confederation of Indian states, which collectively could drive the British out of India. A Court of Soldiers was established with General Bakht Khan heading it, and this body became the real command centre for the revolt. Soon the revolt spread to many parts of the country with several Indian kings attacking British positions. Notable personalities of the revolt were people like Nana Sahib, the Rani of Jhansi, Tantia Tope and Kunwar Singh amongst many others.

The revolt met with some early successes but was eventually suppressed by the British within a year. The revolt had failed in its objective of overthrowing the British power, although it did result in some far reaching changes. The revolt of 1857 failed because it suffered from weak leadership and was hardly organized. This proved a major handicap when dealing with the well trained and equipped British troops. Also the revolt failed to extend to all parts of the country, and large sections of the population did not support it. In fact the British were able to use many divisions of the Indian unit of their army in suppressing the revolt. The revolt however did however make an impact on the British power, the English East India Company would be replaced by the British crown The revolt had created a sense of a nation amongst the Indians, and these nationalistic feelings would eventually result in the freedom struggle.

divisions of the Indian unit of their army in suppressing the revolt. The revolt however did however make an impact on the British power, the English East India Company would be replaced by the British crown The revolt had created a sense of a nation amongst the Indians, and these nationalistic feelings would eventually result in the freedom struggle.

Swami Vivekananda : Life and Teachings

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Swami Vivekananda, known in his pre-monastic life as Narendra Nath Datta, was born in an affluent family in Kolkata on 12 January 1863. His father,Vishwanath Datta, was a successful attorney with interests in a wide range of subjects, and his mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was endowed with deep devotion, strong character and other qualities. A precocious boy, Narendra excelled in music, gymnastics and studies. By the time he graduated from Calcutta University, he had acquired a vast knowledge of different subjects, especially Western philosophy and history. Born with a yogic temperament, he used to practise meditation even from his boyhood, and was associated with Brahmo Movement for some time.
With Sri Ramakrishna
At the threshold of youth Narendra had to pass through a period of spiritual crisis when he was assailed by doubts about the existence of God. It was at that time he first heard about Sri Ramakrishna from one of his English professors at college. One day in November 1881, Narendra went to meet Sri Ramakrishna who was staying at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar. He straightaway asked the Master a question which he had put to several others but had received no satisfactory answer: “Sir, have you seen God?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Sri Ramakrishna replied: “Yes, I have. I see Him as clearly as I see you, only in a much intenser sense.”
Apart from removing doubts from the mind of Narendra, Sri Ramakrishna won him over through his pure, unselfish love. Thus began a guru-disciple relationship which is quite unique in the history of spiritual masters. Narendra now became a frequent visitor to Dakshineshwar and, under the guidance of the Master, made rapid strides on the spiritual path. At Dakshineshwar, Narendra also met several young men who were devoted to Sri Ramakrishna, and they all became close friends.
Difficult Situations
After a few years two events took place which caused Narendra considerable distress. One was the sudden death of his father in 1884. This left the family penniless, and Narendra had to bear the burden of supporting his mother, brothers and sisters. The second event was the illness of Sri Ramakrishna which was diagnosed to be cancer of the throat. In September 1885 Sri Ramakrishna was moved to a house at Shyampukur, and a few months later to a rented villa at Cossipore. In these two places the young disciples nursed the Master with devoted care. In spite of poverty at home and inability to find a job for himself, Narendra joined the group as its leader.
Beginnings of a Monastic Brotherhood
Sri Ramakrishna instilled in these young men the spirit of renunciation and brotherly love for one another. One day he distributed ochre robes among them and sent them out to beg food. In this way he himself laid the foundation for a new monastic order. He gave specific instructions to Narendra about the formation of the new monastic Order. In the small hours of 16 August 1886 Sri Ramakrishna gave up his mortal body.
After the Master’s passing, fifteen of his young disciples (one more joined them later) began to live together in a dilapidated building at Baranagar in North Kolkata. Under the leadership of Narendra, they formed a new monastic brotherhood, and in 1887 they took the formal vows of sannyasa, thereby assuming new names. Narendra now became Swami Vivekananda (although this name was actually assumed much later.)
Awareness of Life’s Mission
After establishing the new monastic order, Vivekananda heard the inner call for a greater mission in his life. While most of the followers of Sri Ramakrishna thought of him in relation to their own personal lives, Vivekananda thought of the Master in relation to India and the rest of the world. As the prophet of the present age, what was Sri Ramakrishna’s message to the modern world and to India in particular? This question and the awareness of his own inherent powers urged Swamiji to go out alone into the wide world. So in the middle of 1890, after receiving the blessings of Sri Sarada Devi, the divine consort of Sri Ramakrishna, known to the world as Holy Mother, who was then staying in Kolkata, Swamiji left Baranagar Math and embarked on a long journey of exploration and discovery of India.
Discovery of Real India
During his travels all over India, Swami Vivekananda was deeply moved to see the appalling poverty and backwardness of the masses. He was the first religious leader in India to understand and openly declare that the real cause of India’s downfall was the neglect of the masses. The immediate need was to provide food and other bare necessities of life to the hungry millions. For this they should be taught improved methods of agriculture, village industries, etc. It was in this context that Vivekananda grasped the crux of the problem of poverty in India (which had escaped the attention of social reformers of his days): owing to centuries of oppression, the downtrodden masses had lost faith in their capacity to improve their lot. It was first of all necessary to infuse into their minds faith in themselves. For this they needed a life-giving, inspiring message. Swamiji found this message in the principle of the Atman, the doctrine of the potential divinity of the soul, taught in Vedanta, the ancient system of religious philosophy of India. He saw that, in spite of poverty, the masses clung to religion, but they had never been taught the life-giving, ennobling principles of Vedanta and how to apply them in practical life.
Thus the masses needed two kinds of knowledge: secular knowledge to improve their economic condition, and spiritual knowledge to infuse in them faith in themselves and strengthen their moral sense. The next question was, how to spread these two kinds of knowledge among the masses? Through education – this was the answer that Swamiji found.
Need for an Organization
One thing became clear to Swamiji: to carry out his plans for the spread of education and for the uplift of the poor masses, and also of women, an efficient organization of dedicated people was needed. As he said later on, he wanted “to set in motion a machinery which will bring noblest ideas to the doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest.” It was to serve as this ‘machinery’ that Swamiji founded the Ramakrishna Mission a few years later.
Decision to attend the Parliament of Religions
It was when these ideas were taking shape in his mind in the course of his wanderings that Swami Vivekananda heard about the World’s Parliament of Religions to be held in Chicago in 1893. His friends and admirers in India wanted him to attend the Parliament. He too felt that the Parliament would provide the right forum to present his Master’s message to the world, and so he decided to go to America. Another reason which prompted Swamiji to go to America was to seek financial help for his project of uplifting the masses.
Swamiji, however, wanted to have an inner certitude and divine call regarding his mission. Both of these he got while he sat in deep meditation on the rock-island at Kanyakumari. With the funds partly collected by his Chennai disciples and partly provided by the Raja of Khetri, Swami Vivekananda left for America from Mumbai on 31 May 1893.

The Parliament of Religions and After
His speeches at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in September 1893 made him famous as an ‘orator by divine right’ and as a ‘Messenger of Indian wisdom to the Western world’. After the Parliament, Swamiji spent nearly three and a half years spreading Vedanta as lived and taught by Sri Ramakrishna, mostly in the eastern parts of USA and also in London.
Awakening His Countrymen
He returned to India in January 1897. In response to the enthusiastic welcome that he received everywhere, he delivered a series of lectures in different parts of India, which created a great stir all over the country. Through these inspiring and profoundly significant lectures Swamiji attempted to do the following:
to rouse the religious consciousness of the people and create in them pride in their cultural heritage; to bring about unification of Hinduism by pointing out the common bases of its sects; to focus the attention of educated people on the plight of the downtrodden masses, and to expound his plan for their uplift by the application of the principles of Practical Vedanta.
Founding of Ramakrishna Mission
Soon after his return to Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda accomplished another important task of his mission on earth. He founded on1 May 1897 a unique type of organization known as Ramakrishna Mission, in which monks and lay people would jointly undertake propagation of Practical Vedanta, and various forms of social service, such as running hospitals, schools, colleges, hostels, rural development centres etc, and conducting massive relief and rehabilitation work for victims of earthquakes, cyclones and other calamities, in different parts of India and other countries.
Belur Math
In early 1898 Swami Vivekananda acquired a big plot of land on the western bank of the Ganga at a place called Belur to have a permanent abode for the monastery and monastic Order originally started at Baranagar, and got it registered as Ramakrishna Math after a couple of years. Here Swamiji established a new, universal pattern of monastic life which adapts ancient monastic ideals to the conditions of modern life, which gives equal importance to personal illumination and social service, and which is open to all men without any distinction of religion, race or caste.
Disciples
It may be mentioned here that in the West many people were influenced by Swami Vivekananda’s life and message. Some of them became his disciples or devoted friends. Among them the names of Margaret Noble (later known as Sister Nivedita),Captain and Mrs Sevier, Josephine McLeod and Sara Ole Bull, deserve special mention. Nivedita dedicated her life to educating girls in Kolkata. Swamiji had many Indian disciples also, some of whom joined Ramakrishna Math and became sannyasins.
Last Days
In June 1899 he went to the West on a second visit. This time he spent most of his time in the West coast of USA. After delivering many lectures there, he returned to Belur Math in December 1900. The rest of his life was spent in India, inspiring and guiding people, both monastic and lay. Incessant work, especially giving lectures and inspiring people, told upon Swamiji’s health. His health deteriorated and the end came quietly on the night of 4 July 1902. Before his Mahasamadhi he had written to a Western follower: “It may be that I shall find it good to get outside my body, to cast it off like a worn out garment. But I shall not cease to work. I shall inspire men everywhere until the whole world shall know that it is one with God.”

Chronology of Main Events related to Swami Vivekananda

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1863	January 12	Birth in Kolkata
1879		Enters Presidency College
1880		Transfers to General Assembly Institution
1881	November	First meeting with Sri Ramakrishna
1882-1886		Association with Sri Ramakrishna
1884		Passes B. A. Examination
		Father passes away
1885		Sri Ramakrishna’s last illness
1886	August 16	Sri Ramakrishna passes away
	Fall	Establishes Baranagar Math
	December 24	Informal vow of sannyasa at Antpur
1887	January	Formal vows of sannyasa at Baranagar Monastery
1890-1893		Travels all over India as itinerant monk
1892	December 24	At Kanyakumari, South India
1893	February 13	First public lecture, Secunderabad, South India
	May 31	Sails for America from Mumbai
	July 25	Lands at Vancouver, Canada
	July 30	Arrives in Chicago
	August	Meets Professor John Ft. Wright of Harvard University
	September 11	First address at Parliament of Religions, Chicago
	September 27	Final address at Parliament of Religions
	November 20	Begins mid-western lecture tour
1894	April 14	Begins lectures and classes on East Coast
	May 16	Speaks at Harvard University
	July-August	At Green Acre Religious Conference
	November	Founds Vedanta Society of New York
1895	January	Begins classes in New York
	June 4-18	At Camp Percy, New Hampshire
	June-August	At Thousand Island Park on St. Lawrence river, N.Y.
	August-September	In Paris
	October-November	Lectures in London
	December 6	Sails for New York
1896	March 22-25	Speaks at Harvard University, offered Eastern Philosophy chair
	April 15	Returns to London
	May-July	Gives classes in London
	May 28	Meets Max Muller in Oxford
	August-September	In the Europe for six weeks
	October-November	Gives classes in London
	December 30	Leaves Naples for India
1897	January 15	Arrives in Colombo, Sri Lanka
	February 6-15	In Chennai
	February 19	Arrives in Kolkata
	May 1	Establishes Ramakrishna Mission Association, Kolkata
	May-December	Tours northwest India
1898	January	Returns to Kolkata
	May	Begins North India pilgrimage with Western devotees
	August 2	At Amarnath, Kashmir
	December 9	Consecrates Belur Math
1899	March 19	Establishes Advaita Ashrama at Mayavati
	June 20	Leaves India for second visit to the West
	July 31	Arrives in London
	August 28	Arrives in New York City
	August-November	At Ridgely Manor, New York
	December 3	Arrives in Los Angeles
1900	February 22	Arrives in San Francisco
	April 14	Founds Vedanta Society in San Francisco
	June	Final classes in New York City
	July 26	Leaves for Europe
	August 3	Arrives in Paris for International Exposition
	September 7	Speaks at Congress of History of Religions at Exposition
	October 24	Begins tour of Vienna, Constantinople, Greece and Cairo
	November 26	Leaves for India
	December 9	Arrives at Belur Math
1901	January	Visits Mayavati
	March-May	Pilgrimage in East Bengal and Assam
1902	January-February	Visits Bodh Gaya and Varanasi
	March	Returns to Belur Math
	July 4	Mahasamadhi

Vivekananda’s contributions to World Culture

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Making an objective assessment of Swami Vivekananda’s contributions to world culture, the eminent British historian A L Bashamstated that “in centuries to come, he will be remembered as one of the main moulders of the modern world…” Some of the main contributions that Swamiji made to the modern world are mentioned below:

1. New Understanding of Religion: One of the most significant contributions of Swami Vivekananda to the modern world is his interpretation of religion as a universal experience of transcendent Reality, common to all humanity. Swamiji met the challenge of modern science by showing that religion is as scientific as science itself; religion is the ‘science of consciousness’. As such, religion and science are not contradictory to each other but are complementary.

This universal conception frees religion from the hold of superstitions, dogmatism, priestcraft and intolerance, and makes religion the highest and noblest pursuit – the pursuit of supreme Freedom, supreme Knowledge, supreme Happiness.

2. New View of Man: Vivekananda’s concept of ‘potential divinity of the soul’ gives a new, ennobling concept of man. The present age is the age of humanism which holds that man should be the chief concern and centre of all activities and thinking. Through science and technology man has attained great prosperity and power, and modern methods of communication and travel have converted human society into a ‘global village’. But the degradation of man has also been going on apace, as witnessed by the enormous increase in broken homes, immorality, violence, crime, etc. in modern society. Vivekananda’s concept of potential divinity of the soul prevents this degradation, divinizes human relationships, and makes life meaningful and worth living. Swamiji has laid the foundation for ‘spiritual humanism’, which is manifesting itself through several neo-humanistic movements and the current interest in meditation, Zen etc all over the world.

3. New Principle of Morality and Ethics: The prevalent morality, in both individual life and social life, is mostly based on fear – fear of the police, fear of public ridicule, fear of God’s punishment, fear of Karma, and so on. The current theories of ethics also do not explain why a person should be moral and be good to others. Vivekananda has given a new theory of ethics and new principle of morality based on the intrinsic purity and oneness of the Atman. We should be pure because purity is our real nature, our true divine Self or Atman. Similarly, we should love and serve our neighbours because we are all one in the Supreme Spirit known as Paramatman or Brahman.

4. Bridge between the East and the West: Another great contribution of Swami Vivekananda was to build a bridge between Indian culture and Western culture. He did it by interpreting Hindu scriptures and philosophy and the Hindu way of life and institutions to the Western people in an idiom which they could understand. He made the Western people realize that they had to learn much from Indian spirituality for their own well-being. He showed that, in spite of her poverty and backwardness, India had a great contribution to make to world culture. In this way he was instrumental in ending India’s cultural isolation from the rest of the world. He was India’s first great cultural ambassador to the West.

On the other hand, Swamiji’s interpretation of ancient Hindu scriptures, philosophy, institutions, etc prepared the mind of Indians to accept and apply in practical life two best elements of Western culture, namely science and technology and humanism. Swamiji has taught Indians how to master Western science and technology and at the same time develop spiritually. Swamiji has also taught Indians how to adapt Western humanism (especially the ideas of individual freedom, social equality and justice and respect for women) to Indian ethos.

Swamiji’s Contributions to India

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In spite of her innumerable linguistic, ethnic, historical and regional diversities, India has had from time immemorial a strong sense of cultural unity. It was, however, Swami Vivekananda who revealed the true foundations of this culture and thus clearly defined and strengthened the sense of unity as a nation.

Swamiji gave Indians proper understanding of their country’s great spiritual heritage and thus gave them pride in their past. Furthermore, he pointed out to Indians the drawbacks of Western culture and the need for India’s contribution to overcome these drawbacks. In this way Swamiji made India a nation with a global mission.

Sense of unity, pride in the past, sense of mission – these were the factors which gave real strength and purpose to India’s nationalist movement. Several eminent leaders of India’s freedom movement have acknowledged their indebtedness to Swamiji. Free India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote: “Rooted in the past, full of pride in India’s prestige, Vivekananda was yet modern in his approach to life’s problems, and was a kind of bridge between the past of India and her present … he came as a tonic to the depressed and demoralized Hindu mind and gave it self-reliance and some roots in the past.” Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose wrote: “Swamiji harmonized the East and the West, religion and science, past and present. And that is why he is great. Our countrymen have gained unprecedented self-respect, self-reliance and self-assertion from his teachings.”

Swamiji’s most unique contribution to the creation of new India was to open the minds of Indians to their duty to the downtrodden masses. Long before the ideas of Karl Marx were known in India, Swamiji spoke about the role of the labouring classes in the production of the country’s wealth. Swamiji was the first religious leader in India to speak for the masses, formulate a definite philosophy of service, and organize large-scale social service.

Swamiji’s Contributions to Hinduism

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1. Identity: It was Swami Vivekananda who gave to Hinduism as a whole a clear-cut identity, a distinct profile. Before Swamiji came Hinduism was a loose confederation of many different sects. Swamiji was the first religious leader to speak about the common bases of Hinduism and the common ground of all sects. He was the first person, as guided by his Master Sri Ramakrishna, to accept all Hindu doctrines and the views of all Hindu philosophers and sects as different aspects of one total view of Reality and way of life known as Hinduism. Speaking about Swamiji’s role in giving Hinduism its distinct identity, Sister Nivedita wrote: “… it may be said that when he began to speak it was of ‘the religious ideas of the Hindus’, but when he ended, Hinduism had been created.”

2.Unification: Before Swamiji came, there was a lot of quarrel and competition among the various sects of Hinduism. Similarly, the protagonists of different systems and schools of philosophy were claiming their views to be the only true and valid ones. By applying Sri Ramakrishna’s doctrine of Harmony (Samanvaya) Swamiji brought about an overall unification of Hinduism on the basis of the principle of unity in diversity. Speaking about Swamiji’s role in this field K M Pannikar, the eminent historian and diplomat, wrote: “This new Shankaracharya may well be claimed to be a unifier of Hindu ideology.”

3. Defence: Another important service rendered by Swamiji was to raise his voice in defence of Hinduism. In fact, this was one of the main types of work he did in the West. Christian missionary propaganda had given a wrong understanding of Hinduism and India in Western minds. Swamiji had to face a lot of opposition in his attempts to defend Hinduism.

4. Meeting the Challenges: At the end of the 19th century, India in general, and Hinduism in particular, faced grave challenges from Western materialistic life, the ideas of Western free society, and the proselytizing activities of Christians. Vivekananda met these challenges by integrating the best elements of Western culture in Hindu culture.

5. New Ideal of Monasticism: A major contribution of Vivekananda to Hinduism is the rejuvenation and modernization of monasticism. In this new monastic ideal, followed in the Ramakrishna Order, the ancient principles of renunciation and God realization are combined with service to God in man (Shiva jnane jiva seva). Vivekananda elevated social service to the status of divine service.

6. Refurbishing of Hindu Philosophy and Religious Doctrines: Vivekananda did not merely interpret ancient Hindu scriptures and philosophical ideas in terms of modern thought. He also added several illuminating original concepts based on his own transcendental experiences and vision of the future. This, however, needs a detailed study of Hindu philosophy which cannot be attempted here.

Selected Teachings of Swami Vivekananda:

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My ideal, indeed, can be put into a few words, and that is: to preach unto mankind their divinity, and how to make it manifest in every movement of life.
Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.
We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one's own feet.
So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them.
Whatever you think, that you will be. If you think yourselves weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you will be.
If you have faith in all the three hundred and thirty millions of your mythological gods, … and still have no faith in yourselves, there is no salvation for you. Have faith in yourselves, and stand up on that faith and be strong; that is what we need.
Strength, strength it is that we want so much in this life, for what we call sin and sorrow have all one cause, and that is our weakness. With weakness comes ignorance, and with ignorance comes misery.
The older I grow, the more everything seems to me to lie in manliness. This is my new Gospel.
Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success, and above all, love.
Religion is realization; not talk, not doctrine, nor theories, however beautiful they may be. It is being and becoming, not hearing or acknowledging; it is the whole soul becoming changed into what it believes.
Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity already in man.
Teach yourselves, teach everyone his real nature, call uon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity.
They alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive.
This is the gist of all worship – to be pure and to do good to others.
It is love and love alone that I preach, and I base my teaching on the great Vedantic truth of the sameness and omnipresence of the Soul of the Universe.

Samrat Vikramaditya

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'The creator of an era.'

In the history of the world only a few can be described in these words.

Vikramaditya the Sixth is one of them.

We must have some way of keeping count of the years, mustn't we? Otherwise, when we think of an incident, how can we explain when it happened?

Generally we follow the Christian era. 1947 means one thousand and nine hundred and forty seven years after the birth of Christ. (The Christian Era was followed only by the Christians of the West. It came to us with the dawn (British rule in India). This means Jesus Christ was the creator of an era.

The Government of India now follows the Shalivahana Shaka or Era. It started 78 years after the Christian Era. It takes its name from King Shalivahana. He was the creator of an era.

About 850 years ago the 'Chalukya- Vikrama Era' was in vogue in Karnataka. Vikramaditya the Sixth came to the throne on the 26th of February 1077A.D. The Chalukya-Vikrama Era commenced from that date.

The history of Karnataka extends to more than two thousand years. Many dynasties came to power during these centuries. The Chalukyas are one of the greatest of these. Twice in the history of Karnataka they were prominent. The first time they grew powerful Badami or Vatapi was their capital. After 250 years of powerful rule the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta defeated them. A thousand years ago, in 973, Tailapa the Second of the Chalukya Dynasty became independent. Kalyana was his capital. He was very powerful. He had to face many enemies but he defeated all. Many battles were fought between him and Paramara Munja of Malwa. Munja was defeated and died. Their battles were so terrible that poets have sung their heroism and glory in their poems. The valiant Tailapa ruled for the welfare of the people. Ranna, one of the greatest poets of Kannada, was in his court.

Ranna is famous for the power of his language. He has narrated the story of the duel between Bheema and Duryodhana who fought with maces, and the victory of Bheema and the defeat of Duryodhana. Ranna has compared his patron king Satyashraya, the son of Tailapa, to Bheema. Satyashraya was as powerful as his father was. He subdued all his enemies. For about 225 years the Chalukyas ruled once again in Karnataka. Vikramaditya the Sixth who proved to be a genius as a warrior and as a king belonged to this dynasty.

Vikramaditya’s greatness came to light even when he was still young. He said 'no' when the high position of the Yuvaraja was offered to him. Someshwara the First was Vikramaditya's father. He had three sons Someshwara the Second, Vikramaditya the Sixth and Jayasimha the Fourth.

From the very beginning Vikramaditya was very bright and bold. His father was very proud of him. When Someshwara the First ascended the throne he was surrounded by many enemies in the neighboring states. There was utter enmity between him and the Chola king Rajadhiraja. They fought repeatedly. In the end Rajadhiraja died. The other states, too, attacked the Chalukya kingdom. So, Someshwara realized that it was not easy task for any one whom ascended the throne to defend and to retain it.

Someshwara always thought that only a hero of heroes could keep the throne. Someshwara was watching his sons to decide which of them was fit to be his successor. His eldest son Someshwara the Second was not a strong man. Vikramaditya was a veritable lion. So the king thought that he was fit to be his successor. 'This boy can defend the kingdom and protect the people' thought the king.

King Someshwara was growing old. He thought it would be better if one of his sons became the Yuvaraja or the Crown Prince. He, the king, himself would have assistance in defending the state and also in the government; the subjects also would begin to respect him as their future king and the boy himself would get the training needed to rule the kingdom.

The boys completed their education. One day the king sent for Vikramaditya. He said, "My boy, you will be my successor. When I am alive I want you to be Yuvaraja. My burden will be less, and you too, will gain experience."

A lad just on the threshold of youth; the high place of the Yuvaraja had come to him, unsought.

How tempting! How overjoyed should he have been!

I do not want to be the Yuvaraja. Someshwara is elder to me. Give him the place," said the boy.

The king was astonished and overjoyed. He was all admiration for his son. He blessed his son.

The eldest son Someshwara Second became the Yuvaraja.

Though Vikramaditya was not the Yuvaraja he had to shoulder son responsibilities. The petty states in India were always fighting among themselves. The Paramara king, Bhoja of Malwa, died. Two persons, Udayaditya and Jayasimha, fought for the throne. The former sought the help of the Chola king. The latter requested Someshwara the First to help him. The Chalukya king sent an army led by Vikramaditya to assist Jayasimha. Vikramaditya entered Malwa, defeated Udayaditya and put Jayasimha on the throne. On his way back he camped on the banks of the river Krishna. There he received the sad news of his' father’s death. His father had been drowned in the river Tungabhadra. Vikramaditya was overcome with grief. He returned to Kalyana after the religious rites connected with his father’s death were completed.

In 1068 AD, his brother Someshwara the Second ascended the throne and assumed the title of 'Bhuvanaika Malla' (The Matchless Wrestler of the World).

The new king was no much experienced in wars. The enemies thought it was the most favorable time for them to attack his kingdom. Veerarajendra, the Chola king, led an army against him. The Chalukya army pushed back the Chola army; Veerarajendra ran away. Someshwara the Second divided his kingdom into many zones. He appointed his brothers to look after these regions. The Yuvaraja, Vikramaditya, went to Gangavadi and Jayasimha the Fourth to Nolambasindavadi as the representatives of the king.

Do you remember that Vikramaditya had helped Jayasimha of Malwa? In the second battle Udayaditya defeated Jayasimha and became the king of Malwa. Jayasimha again sought the help of Someshwara the Second. This time he did not send his brother because he did not trust him. Someshwara was afraid that Vikramaditya would gain the help of the king of Malwa and would became more powerful; he feared Vikramaditya would be a danger to him. So Someshwara himself led an army to help 'Jayasimha, but in vain. Udayaditya defeated Someshwara who returned in shame.

The Chalukyas had already defeated Virarajendra, the Chola king. He thought he could capture the Chalukya kingdom in the absence of the king, who was in Malwa. So he marched at the head of an army and captured a town called Rattepadi. But he had completely overlooked the prowess of the Yuvaraja. Vikramaditya, with an army, challenged the Chola army. Instead of fighting, the Chola king entered into negotiations with Vikramaditya and gave him his daughter in marriage. He also gave him the Karnataka region, which was under his control. Vikramaditya knew that his brother did not trust him. Thinking his Chola alliance would be an asset against his brother, he gave consent to the marriage.

There is a saying 'Man proposes but God disposes.' Vikramaditya found that his alliance was no longer an asset but a liability. Instead of the Chola king helping him, Vikramaditya himself had to help the Chola king. After the death of Virarajendra, the subjects revolted against Vikramaditya's brother-in-law Adhirajendra. He could not suppress the revolt. Vikramaditya helped him in securing the throne. (But Adhirajendra lost the throne soon, because the Eastern Chalukya king, Rajendra the Second, defeated him.)

The king, Someshwara the Second, continued to distrust his younger brother, Vikramaditya. Because of this distrust, he had not sent his brother to help the king of Malwa but, instead, himself led the army, but came back defeated. It was a period of incessant wars. So many kings were waiting to snap up the Chalukya kingdom. If the king was not powerful, there was every chance of his losing the kingdom. The people were not happy in such times. They had to live in the shadow of danger. They wanted a powerful ruler to protect them. Someshwara the Second was neither powerful nor interested in his duties. But Vikramaditya, unlike his brother, was interested in the welfare of the people. Things went from bad to worse 'in the kingdom. Vikramaditya thought' of taking charge of the kingdom.

But this was not easy. After all Someshwara was a king. Even he had his supporters. Vikramaditya had to act thoughtfully and cautiously.

Some chieftains were loyal to the king, Someshwara. Vikramaditya thought winning over these persons to defeat brother. He married the daughter Kadamba Jayakeshi of Goa and won support. He made friends with some others. Then he assumed the title of 'Tribhuvana Malla'.

The title 'Tribhuvana Malla' (Meaning, 'The Wrestler of the Three Worlds) was used by emperors. The king, Someshwara, was upset when his brother assumed the title. The king thought that the friendship of his brother with his vassals was a sign of danger. He made friends with Kulottunga the First, the Chola king. Now if there was a conflict, Vikramaditya would find himself between two enemies-his brother Someshwara the Second at home and Kulottunga the First, the Chola king.

Kulottunga laid seige to Kolar, which belonged to Vikramaditya. So the war began. The Chola army was defeated. Vikramaditya wanted to make his position strong before Kulottunga could recover and come to the help of his brother. So he declared war against his brother and defeated and imprisoned him. What happened to Someshwara thereafter we do not know.

By this time Vikramaditya had gained good experience by taking part in many wars for about twenty years. He had fought for his father and his brother, and defended the kingdom. He had never known defeat.

The unexcelled, valiant Vikramaditya was crowned king on the first day of the bright half of the month of Chaitra in the year Pingala, corresponding to the 26th of February 1077. On that day began the 'Chalukya--Vikrama Era'.

During Vikramaditya's reign there were constant wars between states. He, too, was not without enemies. Some kings were jealous of him. But the people enjoyed peace and prosperity during the greater part of his reign. Kulottunga tried his best to undermine his prosperity. And Vikramaditya, too, tried hard to weaken him. After some time they gave up such attempts. So they lived for forty years without meddling with each other's affairs, But in the last days of Vikramaditya's rule, peace was disturbed and he had to use force. A small kingdom called Vengi belonged to the Chola king- Kulottunga. After the death of Kulottunga, Vikramaditya sent his army and captured Vengi.

Jayasimha the Fourth was Vikramaditya's younger brother. Vikramaditya treated his brother with affection even after he became the king. Jayasimha, too, was a great support to his brother. The king installed Jayasimha as the Yuvaraja and sent him to Banavasi as his representative. He had full faith in his brother. Some of the territories conquered by the king were added to his province and the king made his brother the governor of this bigger province. The king Jayasimha behaved like a worst dictator; and he used his power absolutely in corruptness. He never used it for the welfare of the state or for the use of his own people. This proved true in the life of Jayasimha. He was at first good and loyal. But his ambition grew with the increase of power. He envied his brother and conspired against him. So he forgot his duty as the representative the king. He forgot that he was there to look after the welfare of the people. He began to harass the people and looted the rich. He strengthened his army. He entered into an alliance with the cruel tribal people living in the forests. He-tried to bring about quarrels among his brother's friends.

Those who loved Vikramaditya and were loyal to him reported to him what was happening.

Vikramaditya could not believe that his beloved brother was working against him. Though Vikramaditya had been faithful to his elder brother, he had been suspected. The brothers had fought. The king did not want to fight with his younger brother, too. Someshwara had misunderstood Vikramaditya and had suspected him without reason. Vikramaditya did not want to commit the mistake Someshwara had committed. He sent some officers to find out the truth.

The spies returned with the information that Jayasimha was working against the king.

The king was very unhappy. He did not like to use force against his brother. So he sent a message to Jayasimha. He reminded him that, though he aid not have the title of a king he had all the power and the work of a king. He told him that it would be foolish for brothers to fight, and advised him to be affectionate and loyal to his brother.

Jayasimha could not understand the love of his brother. He thought his brother was weak and, therefore, had sent such a friendly message. He thought he could defeat the king and set out with an army. He reached the banks of the river Krishna without any opposition. A few chieftains who were under Vikramaditya joined him and this gave him added hopes. He harassed the people of the territories that came under his control. He sent an insulting message to his brother.

Vikramaditya himself led his army and marched towards the Krishna. Even then he did not have the heart to fight with his brother. He tried to make peace with him, but in vein. The arrogant Jayasimha called his brother weak. The battle commenced. At first Jayasimha had the upper hand. The king's soldiers ran away from the battlefield. The king moved on an elephant. He collected his scattered soldiers and encouraged them to fight. Jayasimha's army was frightened. The defeated Jayasimha ran away from the battlefield and tried to escape into the forest. The king captured Jayasimha’s horses and elephants. His wives were imprisoned and in the end the king’s soldiers, too, captured him.

Jayasimha was brought in chains before the king. He was so ashamed that he could not look at his brother. He stood with his head bowed. He thought of the past. Vikramaditya had made him the Yuvaraja; he had added what he had won to his brothers territories and made him the governor. But Jayasimha, instead of fall being grateful, had conspired against him. He harassed people. In spite of this the king had sent a message of affectionate advice. But how had Jayasimha behaved? He had called his-brother weak, and sent an insulting message. Jayasimha felt I deserved any punishment the king gave him, because he had committed so many offences, not one or two. Would not the king naturally punish him?

Jayasimha bent down his head in shame, and trembled in fear.

Vikramaditya gazed upon his younger brother. He felt great pity for him. He got his chains removed. He spoke to him with affection. "Do not be afraid, you are not in danger," he assured him.

To some people power is like wine. Without power they are wise and behave sensibly. But once they get power they behave like mad men. Jayasimha was one such man. Before he got power he loved and was loyal to his brother. With the increase of power he behaved like a drunken man.

Vikramaditya pardoned his brother. But he did not give him again the wine of power. He appointed Mallikarjuna, the son of Jayasimha, in his place. This was in 1082.

It would be interesting to contrast the three brothers - Someshwara, Vikramaditya and Jayasimha, and to study how they behaved when they got power. Someshwara forgot that Vikramaditya could easily have become the Yuvaraja; he had refused, and had requested his father to make Someshwara the Yuvaraja. Someshwara was suspicious of Vikramaditya. As a result, he brought trouble upon himself. Jayasimha, too, had become foolish and overambitious once he got power. Vikramaditya remained sane and merciful even when he had power, and had been victorious.

Vikramaditya had to fight many battles. The three sons of Udayaditya" Jagaddeva, Lakshmanadeva and Naravarma quarreled among themselves. Vikramaditya the Sixth helped Jagaddeva and made him king. But a little later Naravarma usurped the throne. Again the Chalukya king went to the help of Jagaddeva and gave him back the throne. He loved him as his own son.

Jagaddeva was moved by his affection. He gave up his throne and lived as courtier of Vikramaditya. Jagaddeva was entrusted with the task of looking after the territories, which the king had won from the Paramours. Jagaddeva fought many battles for the king.

Vikramaditya and his vassals had to fight against the Hoysalas. Vishnuvardhana was a king of the Hoysala dynasty. Within five or six years of coming to the throne he extended his kingdom and earned the title 'Tribhuvana Malla'. With his army he crossed the river Tungabhadra. By than Vikramaditya had ruled for over forty-five years and was quite old. But when the state was threatened, he grew young in spirit. He defeated Vishnuvardhana and his allies in 1122. He assumed the title 'Vishnuvardhana'. In addition to this he had to fight many battles.

All these happenings show how, in those days, every state was constantly in danger of attack and had to be always ready to fight for survival. Vikramaditya was a hero of heroes, and never tasted defeat.

He was not eager to fight or to shed blood. But, from youth to old age, he was forced to fight again and again. He extended the kingdom upto Hassan, Tumkur and Kadapa in the south, Khammammet in the south-east, and the Narmada in the north. He himself led his army. He was a model to his soldiers and his example inspired them. He led his army with great skill. On the whole he 'Vikramaditya' and justified his titles 'Tribhuvana Malla'.

A king may be very powerful, but is that enough? What is the use if he is rich and powerful without doing any good the people? The main interest of the rulers must be the welfare and the happiness of the people.

The man who, when he has wealth and power, does not think of his pleasures and pomp, and who tries to do good to the common man is truly great. As a man's power and money increase, as he rises higher and higher, his own pleasure and pomp may become important to him; if that does not happen, he deserves to be honoured. Those who rule should seek to become kings of their subjects’ hearts

Even during his military campaign Vikramaditya did not forget the safety his subjects. Naturally, during wars people are worried and anxious. In those days the army marching from place to place used to trouble the people. The soldiers used to destroy the crops and carry away the belongings of the poor villagers. The victorious army, of course, would enter the houses of the defeated people and plunder them, set fire to houses and kill people mercilessly.

Vikramaditya maintained good discipline in his army and saw to it that the conquered were not troubled. Even during their march, the soldiers did not trouble the people. Usually those defeated would run away for fear of the victorious army and the city would be destroyed. But Vikramaditya took care to see that in the territories he captured there was not much trouble or confusion. The routine went on undisturbed. Agriculture, trade, travels and business went on as usual. People were not afraid of the victorious army. In fact, quite often it was only when the soldiers marched through their place that the people came to know that a war was going on. There was no cause for confusion or anxiety otherwise.

The welfare of the people was the cornerstone of Vikramaditya's rule. He visited different parts of his kingdom enquire the welfare of his subjects. He stayed in different towns for a few days so that he could find out for himself how the people fared and what their problems were. He gave them the opportunity explains their difficulties. Kalyana was capital. Yetageri, Vikramapura and Vijayapura were sub-capitals. He spent few days in each of these towns during his travels.

However capable a ruler may be, he cannot himself attend to all the work, can he? The ruler has to choose officers for different types of work and to be in charge of the different parts of the kingdom. They must be given some power; they cannot run to the king for every decision. But the officers must be loyal to the king; they should be made to feel that they will be punished if they do not use their powers justly and if they do not take proper care of the people. So any ruler should-1) choose the officers with great care, 2) give them as much power oil as their work requires and 3) watch with care how they conduct themselves. Vikramaditya had sincere, efficient and able ministers and generals.

The most astonishing fact is that many of his officers were scholars; they were interested in literature, music and other fine arts; but they were also excellent soldiers. In times of war they went to the battlefield. In times of peace they helped the king in his administration and encouraged the development of education. They encouraged men of letters. The emperor himself governed certain provinces. The rest were under the control of chieftains obedient to him. The king appointed his brothers and his sons, governors of the provinces, which were under his direct control. He gave the enough powers. He punished those who did not use their powers justly and wisely. He rewarded those officers whom though of the good of the people. Ananthapa who was his representative in Vengi was, loyal to him and loved his subjects. In return for his good administration the king made him master of Puligere, Belwal Banavasi and other places.

Among Vikramaditya's subjects were followers of different faiths--Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Jainism. The king himself was a follower of Vaishnavism. But he respected at the three faiths equally. The subjects were at liberty to choose any of the faiths. The king was god-fearing and generous.

In Vikramaditya's, days women held high places and took part in the administration.

There is an impression that in India women did not have much freedom and were practically imprisoned in the kitchen. But this is not true. Even in ancient India there were women famous for their learning. It is clear from the pages of Indian history that many women were efficient rulers and even led armies on the battlefield and fought valiantly. The place accorded to women in the days for Vikramaditya is truly surprising. Women enjoyed all the necessary facilities education. They excelled in music, dancing and other fine arts. Besides, they helped the king in governing the state. His queen Ketaladevi ruled over Shiraguppe, Kolanoor and other cities. Dronapura was under the rule of Lakshmi, another queen. Yet another queen, Chandralekha, did much in the field of education. Mailala Mahadevi built a temple for the god Malleshwara.

The matchless warrior Vikramaditya was also a very generous patron of education and the fine arts. There were many scholars and poets in his court. The poet Bilhana came from Kashmir and stayed in his court. The king honoured this poet with the title 'Vidyapati'. Bilhana wrote 'Vikramankadeva Charita' in Sanskrit. The poem reflects his grandeur and the system of administration of Vikramaditya and the social life of the people. Vignaneswara was another great scholar of his court; he wrote the famous book 'Mitakshara'. Vikramaditya built a city called Vikramapura and constructed a magnificent temple there.

Vikramaditya means the Sun of Valor, that is, one who is powerful as the Sun. Vikramaditya was indeed powerful; and he brought the light of security and peace too.

The people enjoyed peace and prosperity under this valiant king, who loved his subjects. The capital Kalyana was rich and prosperous; splendid palaces and beautiful temples and grand trunk roads made it a magnificent city Vikramaditya became a model for the rulers of all countries and ages. He showed how powerful a king should be and how the king should use his power for the welfare of the people. He showed that the hand that holds the sword should also offer justice and protect the good. He respected all faiths equally. He encouraged poets and artists. He gave all facilities for the education of women. So he ruled for about fifty years in power and wisdom, and won for himself a highly honored place in the history of India. Who if not so wise and great a ruler can inaugurate a new era?.

Asoka

2011-08-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

Asoka was one of the most powerful kings of the Indian subcontinent. A ruler of the Mauryan Empire, Ashoka ruled over the country from 273 BC to 232 BC. The reign of Emperor Asoka covered most of India, South Asia and beyond, stretching from present day Afghanistan and parts of Persia in the west, to Bengal and Assam in the east, and Mysore in south. However, the Battle of Kalinga changed King Asoka completely. From a power hungry emperor, he turned into a Buddhistfollower and started preaching the principles of Buddhism throughout the world. Read on this biography to know more about the life history of 'Ashoka the Great':
Early Life
Asoka was born in 304 BC, to Mauryan Emperor Bindusara and a relatively lower ranked queen, Dharma. The legend associated with the emperor goes that his birth had been predicted by Buddha, in the story of 'The Gift of Dust'. BuddhistEmperor Ashoka had only one younger sibling, Vitthashoka, but, several elder half-brothers. Right from his childhood days Ashoka showed great promise in the field of weaponry skills as well as academics.
Accession to the Throne
Asoka quickly grew into an excellent warrior general and an astute statesman. His command on the Mauryan army started growing day by day and because of this, his elder brothers became suspicious of him being favored by Bindusara as the next emperor. The eldest son of Bindusara, Prince Susima, convinced him to send Asoka to Takshashila province (in Sindh) to control an uprising caused by the formation of different militias. However, the moment Ashoka reached the province, the militias welcomed him with open arms and the uprising came to an end without any fight. This particular success of Asoka made his elder brothers, especially Susima, more insecure.

Susima started inciting Bindusara against Ashoka, who was then sent into exile by the emperor. Asoka went to Kalinga, where he met a fisherwoman named Kaurwaki. He fell in love with her and later, made Kaurwaki his second or third wife. Soon, the province of Ujjain started witnessing a violent uprising. Emperor Bindusara called back Ashoka from the exile and sent him to Ujjain. The prince was injured in the ensuing battle and was treated by Buddhist monks and nuns. It was in Ujjain that Asoka first came to know about the life and teachings of Buddha. In Ujjain, he also met Devi, his personal nurse, who later became his wife.

In the following year, Bindusura became seriously ill and was literally on his deathbed. A group of ministers, led by Radhagupta, called upon Ashoka to assume the crown. In the fight that followed his accession, Ashoka attacked Pataliputra, now Patna, and killed all his brothers, including Susima. After he became the King, Ashoka launched brutal assaults to expand his empire, which lasted for around eight years. Around this time, his Buddhist queen, Devi, gave birth to Prince Mahindra and Princess Sanghamitra.
The Battle of Kalinga
The battle of Kalinga (now Orissa) became a turning point in the life of 'Asoka the Great'. The exact reason for the battle is not known. However, it is believed that one of Ashoka's brothers took refuge at Kalinga and this enraged Asoka, who launched a brutal assault on the province. The whole of the province was plundered and destroyed and thousands of people were killed.
Embracing & Spreading Buddhism
It is said that after the battle of Kalinga was over, King Asoka went on a tour of the city. He could see nothing except burnt houses and scattered corpses. This was the first time in his life that Emperor Ashoka realized the consequences of wars and battles. It is said that even after he had returned to Patliputra, he was haunted by the scenes he saw in Kalinga. Even his queen, Devi, who was a Buddhist, left him after seeing the brutality at Kalinga.

It was during this time that he embraced Buddhism under the Brahmin Buddhist sages, Radhaswami and Manjushri. After adopting Buddhism, Asoka started propagating its principles throughout the world, even as far as ancient Rome and Egypt. Infact, he can be credited with making the first serious attempt to develop a Buddhist policy.
Policy
Buddhist Emperor Asoka built thousands of Stupas and Viharas for Buddhist followers. One of his stupas, the Great Sanchi Stupa, has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNECSO. The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath has a four-lion capital, which was later adopted as the national emblem of the modern Indian republic. Throughout his life, 'Asoka the Great' followed the policy of nonviolence or ahimsa. Even the slaughter or mutilation of animals was abolished in his kingdom. He promoted the concept of vegetarianism. The caste system ceased to exist in his eyes and he treated all his subjects as equals. At the same time, each and every person was given the rights to freedom, tolerance, and equality.
Missions to Spread Buddhism
The third council of Buddhism was held under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka. He also supported the Vibhajjavada sub-school of the Sthaviravada sect, now known as the Pali Theravada. He sent his missionaries to the following places:

Kashmir - Gandhara Majjhantika
Mahisamandala (Mysore) - Mahadeva
Vanavasi (Tamil Nadu) - Rakkhita
Aparantaka (Gujarat and Sindh) - Yona Dhammarakkhita
Maharattha (Maharashtra) - Mahadhammarakkhita
"Country of the Yona" (Bactria/ Seleucid Empire) - Maharakkhita
Himavanta (Nepal) - Majjhima
Suvannabhumi (Thailand/ Myanmar) - Sona and Uttara
Lankadipa (Sri Lanka) - Mahamahinda

His missionaries also went to the below mentioned places:

Seleucid Empire (Middle Asia)
Egypt
Macedonia
Cyrene (Libya)
Epirus (Greece and Albania)

Death
After ruling over the Indian subcontinent for a period of approximately 40 years, the Great Emperor Asoka left for the holy abode in 232 BC. After his death, his empire lasted for just fifty more years.

Chandragupta Maurya

2011-08-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire in India. He is credited with bringing together the small fragmented kingdoms of the country and combining them into a single large empire. As per the greek and Latin accounts, King Chandragupta Maurya is known as Sandracottos or Andracottus. During his reign, the Maurya Empire stretched from Bengal and Assam in the East, to Afghanistan and Balochistan in the West, to Kashmir and Nepal in the North and to the Deccan Plateau in the south. Read on this biography cum life history of Chandragupta Maurya to know more about the great king:

Conflicting Views about His Lineage

Chandra Gupta Maurya was born in 340 BC. However, there is not much information about his ancestry. Some of the historians believe that he was an illegitimate child of a Nanda prince and his maid, Mura. Others believe that Chandragupta belonged to Moriyas, a Kshatriya (warrior) clan of a little ancient republic of Pippalivana, situated between Rummindei (Nepali Tarai) and Kasia (Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh). Two other views are that he belonged either to the Muras (or Mors) or to the Kshatriyas of the Indo-Scythian lineage. Last but not the least, it is also claimed that Chandragupta Maurya belonged to the Assakenoi or Ashvaka Kshatriya clan of Swat/Kunar valley.

Early Life

There is not much information about the childhood days of King Chandragupta Maurya. As per the traditional records, Chanakya, a teacher at Takshila University, found him in the Magadha kingdom. Thereafter, Chanakya brought Chandragupta to Takshila, where he took him under his guidance. Further reports state that Chandragupta once met Alexander the Great and told him on his face that the ruling of the Nanda Empire was faulty.

Foundation of the Maurya Empire

A major part of the credit for the building of the Maurya Empire goes to Chanakya. He was a teacher at the Takshila University when Alexander started invading India. Since the King of Takshila and Gandhara had surrendered to Alexander, Chanakya sought help from other kings to unite and fight against him. Porus (Parvateshwar), a king of Punjab, challenged Alexander at the Battle of the Hydaspes River. However, he got defeated in the battle. Chanakya also sought help from Dhana Nanda, the ruler of Nanda Empire, but was refused. After this incident, he started instilling the idea of building an empire that could fight against foreign invasion into his disciple, Chandragupta. Chanakya became his chief adviser or prime minister.

Conquests

Chandragupta Maurya defeated the Macedonian satrapies in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent in 317 BC. Thereafter, he turned his attention towards Northwestern India. Chandragupta allied with the Himalayan king Parvatka and launched an attack against Dhana Nanda of the Nanda Empire. The battle ended around 321 BC, with the siege of the capital city of Kusumapura and the conquest of the Nanda Empire. Thus was born the powerful Maurya Empire in Northern India.

Conquest of Seleucus' Eastern Territories

After the conflict with Seleucus in 305 BC, Emperor Chandragupta Maurya extended his empire towards Seleucid Persia. Through a treaty sealed in 305 BC, Seleucus gave up the country around the Indus River to Chandragupta, including the Hindu Kush, present day Afghanistan and the Balochistan province of Persia. In return, he received five hundred war elephants, increasing his military strength.

Southern Conquests

After annexing the eastern Persian provinces Seleucus, Chandragupta's empire stretched across the northern parts of Southern Asia, from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea. Thereafter, began his conquests in south, beyond the Vindhya Range and into the Deccan Plateau. Most of the Southern Asia got united under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya.

Death

It is believed that in the last days of his life, King Chandragupta Maurya gave up his throne and adopted asceticism under the Jain saint, Bhadrabahu Swami. He breathed his last in 298 BC at Shravanabelagola (in present day Karnataka), ending his days of self-starvation. A small temple marks the cave (called Bhadrabahu Cave) where he died.

Successors

Chandragupta Maurya's son Bindusara succeeded him to the throne. He gave birth to Asoka, who went on to become one of the most powerful kings of the Indian subcontinent.

CHANAKYA-THE FIRST ARCHITECT OF MODERN INDIA

2011-08-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

India in it's history of 5000 years has given to the world some of the best personalities ever born.People of any country can never match the charismatic persona that are provided by this land of diversities.One such character was Chanakya.It is almost impossible to believe that his theories found an important place in the following years with no amendments and are relevant even today as their original form.

Chanakya(c.350-283 B.C.) was an adviser and prime minister of the great Mauryan king Chandragupta Maurya(c. 340-293 BC).This was perhaps the toughest couple of power in the history of world.Infact,Chanakya was the main source of rise of power of Chandragupta Maurya.His other names were Vishnugupta and Kautilya as referred in his political saga Arthashastra.Some considered him Pioneer economist,others said him Indian Machiavelli,but truly he was the architect of the first Indian empire.

Chanakya was born with a complete set of teeth(an identification of kings) but due to his cast of Brahmin his teeth were broken,but rule was in his destiny,although he achieved it through Chandragupta Maurya.At a very early age little Chanakya started studying Vedas.He was proficient in religion,politics and economics. Chanakya had his education at a famous school in a city well known in those days as Takshashila (corrupted later into 'Taxila').

The Nanda king disrespected him and threw him out of his court,thus making a feel of revenge in the heart of Chanakya who met later a young Chandragupta and eventually formed a team with him and after some time dethroned the Nandas and made Amatya Rakshasa(a very intelligent minister of Nandas)the Prime minister of Chandragupta Maurya.

The great book 'Artha-shastra' written by Chanakya is world famous. Even European politicians, sociologists and economists study this book with interest. t begins with a narration of how to bring up royal princes and how their education should be. How to choose ambassadors and how to use spies is then explained. How to protect a king against dangers and risks is also dealt with. Law and order, the duties of the police, how to control the wealthy citizens and motivate them to make gifts for charitable purposes, methods of preventing wars, duties of the astrologer, the priest and others, tricks to be employed to eliminate enemy kings, ways of inducing sleep in human beings and animals-these and numerous other subjects are discussed by Chanakya in the treatise. The wide range and variety of the subjects is itself surprising.

Some of the quotes of his Niti shastra are

"A person should not be too honest.

Straight trees are cut first

And Honest people are screwed first."

"Even if a snake is not poisonous,

It should pretend to be venomous."

"The biggest guru-mantra is: Never

share your secrets with anybody. !

It will destroy you."

"There is some self-interest

behind every friendship.

There is no Friendship without

self-interests.This is a bitter truth."

"Before you start some work, always ask

yourself three questions - Why am I doing it,

What the results might be and Will I be

successful. Only when you think deeply

And find satisfactory answers

to these questions, go ahead."

"As soon as the fear approaches

near, attack and destroy it."

"Once you start a working on something,

Don't be afraid of failure and

Don't abandon it.

People who work sincerely are the happiest."

"The fragrance of flowers spreads

Only in the direction of the wind.

But the goodness of a person

spreads in all direction."

"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."

"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years.

For the next five years, scold them.

By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend.

Your grown up children are your best friends."

"Books are as useful to a stupid person

As a mirror is useful to a blind person."

"Education is the best friend.

An educated person is respected everywhere.

Education beats the beauty and the youth."

Chanakya The Legend

2011-08-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

Son of rishi Canak, Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was born in Pataliputra,Magadh (modern Bihar), and later moved to Taxila, in Gandhar province(now in Pakistan). At a very early age little Chanakya started studying Vedas. The Vedas; considered to be the toughest scriptures to study were completely studied and memorized by Chanakya in his infancy. He was attracted to studies in politics. In politics Chanakya’s acumen and shrewdness was visible right from childhood. He was a student of politics right from child hood. Known as a masterful political strategist, He knew how to put his own people in the opposite camp and spy the enemy without his knowledge before destroying him forever. Chanakya was an ace in turning tables in his favor irrespective of the circumstances. He never budged to pressure tactics by the ruthless politicians. In this way after studying religion and politics, he turned his attention to economics, which remained his lifelong friend. "Nitishastra", a treatise on the ideal way of life shows his in depth study of the Indian way of lifeHe was a professor (acharya) of political science at the Takshashila University and later the Prime Minister of the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. He is regarded as one of the earliest known political thinkers, economists and king-makers. He was the man to envision the first Indian empire by unification of the then numerous kingdoms in the Indian sub-continent and provide the impetus for fights against the Greek conqueror Alexander.

Chanakya is perhaps less well known outside India compared to other social and political philosophers of the world like Confucius and Machiavelli. His foresight and wide knowledge coupled with politics of expediency helped found the mighty Mauryan Empire in India. He compiled his political ideas into the'Arthashastra', one of the world's earliest treatises on political thought and social order. His ideas remain popular to this day in India. In Jawaharlal Nehru's Discovery of India, Chanakya has been called the Indian Machiavelli. Three books are attributed to Chanakya: Arthashastra, Nitishastra and Chanakya Niti. Arthashastra (literally 'the Science of Material Gain' in Sanskrit) is arguably the first systematic book on economics. It discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in details. Many of his nitis or policies have been compiled under the book title Chanakya Niti. Nitishastra is a treatise on the ideal way of life, and shows Chanakya's in depth study of the Indian way of life. According to a legend, while Chanakya served as the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya, he started adding small amounts of poison in Chandragupta's food so that he would get used to it. The aim of this was to prevent the Emperor from being poisoned by enemies. One day the queen, Durdha, shared the food with the Emperor while she was pregnant. Since she was not used to eating poisoned food, she died. Chanakya decided that the baby should not die; hence he cut open the belly of the queen and took out the baby. A drop (bindu in Sanskrit) of poison had passed to the baby's head, and hence Chanakya named him Bindusara. Bindusara would go on to become a great king and to father the greatest Mauryan Emperor since Chandragupta - Asoka. When Bindusara became a youth, Chandragupta gave up the throne and followed the Jain saint Bhadrabahu to present day Karnataka and settled in a place known as Sravana Belagola. He lived as an ascetic for some years and died of voluntary starvation according to Jain tradition. Chanakya meanwhile stayed as the Prime Minister of Bindusara. Bindusara also had a minister named Subandhu who did not like Chanakya. One day he told Bindusara that Chanakya was responsible for the murder of his mother. Bindusara asked the nurses who confirmed this story and he became very angry with Chanakya.

It is said that Chanakya, on hearing that the Emperor was angry with him, thought that anyway he was at the end of his life. He donated all his wealth to the poor, widows and orphans and sat on a dung heap, prepared to die by total abstinence from food and drink. Bindusara meanwhile heard the full story of his birth from the nurses and rushed to beg forgiveness of Chanakya. But Chanakya would not relent. Bindusara went back and vent his fury on Subandhu, who asked for time to beg for forgiveness from Chanakya. Subandhu, who still hated Chanakya, wanted to make sure that Chanakya did not return to the city. So he arranged for a ceremony of respect, but unnoticed by anyone, slipped a smoldering charcoal ember inside the dung heap. Aided by the wind, the dung heap swiftly caught fire, and the man behind the Mauryan Empire and the author of Arthashastra was burned to death. His main philosophy was "A debt should be paid off till the last penny; An enemy should be destroyed without a trace". He seemed to have lived - and died - by his philosophy.

Shree Narayana Guru

2011-08-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

1856 - 1928

August 1856 when a child was born in a humble cottage in the pretty hamlet of Chempazhanthi near Trivandrum, no one knew it marked the dawn of the most remarkable epoch in the social evolution of Kerala. This child was to blossom forth as the great sage Sree Narayana, the most revolutionary social reformer Kerala has produced. To have proper appreciation of the magnitude of Sree Narayana’s achievements, it is necessary to understand the background of the social conditions in which he was born and brought up. Kerala, reputed for its natural beauty and richness of life, was alas, the accursed land of caste tyranny at that time; to such an extent that it was really a "lunatic asylum" as Swami Vivekananda branded it.

Numerically Ezhavas or Thiyyas are the largest non-caste Hindu community in Kerala. Sree Narayana was born into a middle family of this community. His parents, ‘Madan Asan’ and ‘Kutty Amma’ endearingly called him ‘Nanu’. At the age of five, he began his education in the neighboring school in the old "Gurukula" model. After his elementary education in this school, he became the disciple of a great Sanskrit scholar ‘Raman Pillai Asan’ of Puthuppally in Central Travancore. Under his master’s tutelage, he became well versed in Sanskrit classics. For some time he too functioned as an ‘Asan’, a teacher of infant pupils. Thus he came to be known as ‘Nanu Asan’. Nanu, even from his boyhood had an ascetic bent of mind. When he was on the threshold of his youth, he had to undergo the ceremonial of a marriage due to parental pressure. But he never led a married life. Sree Narayana’s mind was always agitated by a spiritual urge that induced him along with a fellow-spiritualist renowned as ‘Chattampi Swami’, to become the disciple of a man named Ayyavu, the then Superintendent of the British Residency in Trivandrum from whom he learned Yoga.

At the age of twenty-three he left his family, renounced the pleasures of his world and wandered about as an "avadhutha" or mendicant, keeping his body and soul together by the alms he received from all sorts of people. Soon he went into seclusion and immersed himself in meditation, absolutely isolating himself from contact with the human world. The caves of "Maruthwamala" and "Aruvippuram" hills in South Travancore were his abode during this period.

Soon human eyes detected the "Sanyasin" and devotees began to gather around him at Aruvippurm, the seat of his meditation. They participated in his prayers and spiritual learning. In due course the sage emerged from his retreat and like Buddha, came out to shed light onto a world of darkness. Thus began his crusade to re-spiritualise the degraded society and fight against social inequality.

In those days, the foundation and consecration of a Hindu temple was the exclusive monopoly of Brahmins. Sree Narayana’s first revolutionary act was the consecration of temples. The first in this line was the temple dedicated to Shiva in Aruvippuram in 1888 A.D.

The people of the Ezhava community were the first to be awakened by the teachings of Sree Narayana and to be inspired into a spirit of mass militancy to eradicate their social disabilities. This was partly because the great Guru was born in that community and partly because the Ezhavas constituted the largest single community among the downtrodden masses in Kerala. Thanks to Sree Narayana, the Ezhavas came to have their own Hindu temples whereas they were previously denied even entry. Shree Narayana Guru also ensured that his own community, the Ezhavas themselves did not discriminate against others. It should be noted that it was not only "high castes" that discriminated against "low" but various low castes treated each other extremely badly as well. Shree Narayana Guru stopped this totally. Within a few years Sree Narayana established a multitude of temples all over Kerala.

It is significant that the history of founding of Temples by Sree Narayana was a process of evolution through which he slowly prepared the minds of the masses in the progressive realization of more and more revolutionary ideas. First he founded the temples dedicated to Shiva in the caste-Hindu pattern. Then in 1912 he made a temple dedicated to ‘Sharada’, the goddess of learning was founded at Varkala, thereby including the ideal of the worship of knowledge. Revolutionary changes were also introduced in the traditional rituals and ceremonials to be observed in temples. The next milestone in the path of his reform was the foundation of a temple in Murikkumpuzha near Trivandrum in 1922, where, in the place of a deity a bright light revealing the words "Truth, Duty, Kindness, Love" was installed. The climax of his temple reform was the installation of a mirror for worship in the temple founded at Kalavancode in Sherthallai. The mirror is symbolic of Sree Narayana’s teachings that man should find his salvation not in lifeless deities but in himself by the development and utilization of his inner self (atman) which is tremendously powerful and always pure and blissful. We have a portion of the Eternal Being within us, and we should learn to worship it in ourselves and others, and surrender to it. With such thoughts and practice, who can keep us down?

Sree Narayana was a true "rishi" who lived with the people and for the people. He knew that without providing material comforts, it is futile to hold out the illusion of spiritual happiness to the starving and suffering millions. So he conducted a veritable campaign to eradicate the material disabilities of the downtrodden sections of Hindus. In 1903, Dr. P. Palpu, a devotee of Sree Narayana, founded a social organization called S.N.D.P Yogam (Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam), the organization to promote the Dharma of Sree Narayana. This organization has done invaluable service in the epic struggle against caste system in Kerala. The organizers of S.N.D.P made Sree Narayana as its first President. The first General Secretary of S.N.D.P Yogam was Kumaran Asan, the peerless pioneer among modern Malayalam poets. He was one of the dedicated disciples of Sree Narayana. In fact the spiritual philosophy and the crusade against caste that illumine Kumaran Asan’s poetry were inspired mainly by association with and inspiration from the great Guru.

Sree Narayana never went about preaching. He was essentially a ‘Karma Yogi’, who served God and practised spirituality through works. But his ‘silence eloquent’, the inner light that emanated from his resplendent personality, inspired and enlightened all around him, wherever he went. Wherever he went, he earned disciples and devotees in large numbers. In 1928 he founded the "Dharma Sangha", an order of Sanyasins who were expected to be his true disciples. The members of this order were to propagate and perpetuate the teachings of Guru.

Early in 1921 an All Kerala Fraternity Conference was held at Alwaye, and in this conference was delivered his eternal message "One Caste, One Religion, One God for Mankind". Sree Narayana founded two famous Ashrams, one at Varkala and the other at Alwaye, with educational institutions attached to them. These Ashrams remain the centers of purity and universal fraternity, the ideals, which the Guru greatly cherished and nourished. Sree Narayana did not attempt to found a new religion, but he propounded a great creed, the creed of "Universal Goodness".

Like the great Shankaracharya (who was also from Kerala), Sree Narayana was a profound thinker, a great seer and a born poet. He was also a great scholar in Sanskrit and Tamil. He has been the author of many works in Malayalam and Sanskrit, particularlu well known of which are "Atmopadesa Sathakam" and "Darsanamala" which epitomize his great moral and spiritual precepts. He has also beautifully translated Tamil works like "Thirukkural" and "Ozhuvilotukkam" into Malayalam. In his works he has superbly expounded the ‘Advaita’ (non-dualistic) philosophy. 'Daiva Dasakam' a simple prayer written by Guru. Sree Narayana greatness was recognized even while they were alive. No better testimony is needed for this than the fact that Rabindranath Tagore (the poet who wrote what is today India’s National Anthem) and Mahatma Gandhi had visited and paid respects to him. Tagore, when he visited Kerala in 1922, interviewed the Guru and was deeply impressed that he remarked-

"Among the ‘Paramahamsas’ alive in India now, there is none who has lived such a life of purity as Swami Sree Narayana".

The great Narayana Guru attained Samadhi on September 20, 1928. Thus physically Guru disappeared, but spiritually he lives forever in the minds of millions.

Madanlal Dhingra

2011-08-21T22:33:00.000-07:00

(1887-1909)

"I believe that a nation held down by foreign bayonets is in a perpetual state of war. Since open battle is rendered impossible to a disarmed race, I attacked by surprise. Since guns were denied to me I drew forth my pistol and fired. Poor in health and intellect, a son like myself has nothing to offer the mother but his own blood. And so I have sacrificed the same on her altar. The only lesson required in India at present is to learn how to die, and the only way to teach it is by dying ourselves."

Extract from speech in court, July 23rd 1909

---------------------------------------------------------------

Madanlal Dhingra was born in the holy city of Amritsar, the son of a well respected doctor, who was very loyal to the British. After some time as a civil servant, Dhingra went to England, to study engineering, in June 1906. In England, Dhingra enjoyed the "good life." He used to wear expensive clothes and fragrances, spend ages on his appearance and made many English friends and was very socially active. He was a charmer, but always loved his religion and Motherland as we are about to see.

There was a house in London that was known as India House, on Cromwell Street. This was set up by Shyamji Krishna Verma. The struggle for India’s freedom was under way, and at India house resided one of its great heroes, Veer Savarkar. He used to gather many Indian students, and give speeches and hold discussions to inspire them to serve the cause of the upliftment of India. Savarkar was a skilful orator and many heeded his message. Madanlal heard of India House and decided to pay it a visit. There he heard Savarkar speak, and as he listened, his blood began to boil. Strong feelings of anger and were aroused within him which were difficult for him to control. He became a great friend and devotee of Veer Savarkar, and took the oath of the Abhinava Bharat (meaning "Young India") revolutionary society founded by him.

A few incidents show Madanlal’s endurance and fiery patriotism. Savarkar organised a day in commemoration of the anniversary of India’s 1st war of Independence in 1857 (which the British dubbed as the "Indian Mutiny"). Hundreds of Indian youth went about for the day with a badge titled "1857 - Commemoration," to the annoyance of many English. An English friend of Dhingra tried to grab the badge of him. Dhingra slapped him, punched him to the ground drew a knife, saying "Don’t dare touch the symbol of my country’s honour." The Englishman apologised and fled. One day, at India House, a group was speaking of the bravery and prowess of the Japanese (who had just defeated Russia in a war), speaking of them as the pride of Asia. After a while, Dhingra got angry. "Enough of the praise of the Japanese, do you suppose we Hindus are in any way inferior to them?" In the eyes of many Dhingra was just a pretty boy and joker. Many of those present burst out laughing at his words, and taunted him. Dhingra was infuriated. This escalated, and led to a disturbing challenge being proposed to test Dhingra’s fortitude. Someone sugested in jest that a needle should be put through Dhingra’s hand. Dhingra absolutely insisted on the challenge, despite others now trying to discourage him. The needle was put all the way through the palm of his hand. Blood flowed, those present cringed, but Dhingra just smiled. The secret society started by Savarkar (Abhinava Bharat), were making bombs and procuring arms to send to India. In one bomb making session, the concentration of those present lapsed. Dhingra’s intuition and alertness prevented a serious calamity. He stopped the immanent explosion, but was burnt in the process.

Continually hearing the plight of Indians, and the increasingly oppressive measures that were being taken in the wake of the intensifying freedom movement, Dhingra was enraged, One day he appeared before Savarkar, saying he wanted to sacrifice himself, and asked if the time was right. Savarkar replied that it was nobody else’s decision, but that Dhingra himself would know when the time was right. A long discussion followed, and various plans were thought out. Dhingra’s anger against British occupation of his motherland increased day after day. To top it off, Savarkar’s elder brother was imprisoned and deported to the Andamans (a famous high security prison). Dhingra was determined to make the British taste a bit of revenge. He brought a revolver and practised shooting.

Dhingra began to look for India haters within his site. There was an association in London called the National Indian Association (NIA). Lord Curzon Wyllie was an important member of its committee. He had been a secretary of State in India, perceived to have been responsible for several ills against the Indian people, and the NIA was actively de-Indianising the Indian youth who were part of it, "turning patriotic young men into immoral useless traitors." Dhingra became friends with its secretary Emma Beck and became a member of the organisation, also getting to know Lord Curzon. Dhingra chose the night of 1st of July at a party of the NIA, at Jahangir House of the Institute of Imperial Studies, to be the date of his retaliation against the British. The music session was just over when Curzon Wyllie entered the hall with his wife. Dhingra approached him, and fired 5 shots killing Curzon. Dhingra fired a 6th bullet when Cowasji Lalkaka, a Parsi gentlemen, dashed towards and grabbed Dhingra. Lalkaka also fell dead. Dhingra stated in court that he had no intention of killing Cowasji Lalkaka. The police arrived, and Dhingra willingly allowed his arrest.

Needless to say, England was rocked by the murder of Curzon Wyllie. Dhingra had written a statement, but the police snatched it and it was never again seen. However, Savarkar had a copy in anticipation of the police action. The Indian freedom fighters were overjoyed, but many Indians openly condemned him. Unfortunately these included his anglophile father and brother, who disowned him publicly. A meeting was held in Caxton Hall in London on the 5th July 1909, as a meet up of the prominent Indians who were loyalists to the British Raj, to pass a resolution in condemnation of Madanlal Dhingra’s conduct. Word of this meeting reached Dhingra’s friends, and a band of them attended the meeting. The Aga Khan, who presiding over the meeting moved to pass a resolution unanimously condemning Dhingra. Savarkar’s voice interrupted loudly from the back of the hall. "No, the resolution is not unanimous." The whole gathering was silenced. "Who is that?" shouted the Aga Khan. "It is me Savarkar, and I condemn it" was the reply. A young British man dashed forward and punched Savarkar to the floor. Savarkar was bleeding, and his glasses smashed, but he continued, "Happen what may, I oppose the resolution." Then Thirumalacharya, a fellow revolutionary thrashed the Englishmen who hit Savarkar, forcing him to flee. The Abhinava Bharat would suffer no insult to their beloved Dhingra.

The court case, which followed, was held at the Old Bailey Court on July 23rd. The outcome was a foregone conclusion. But it was perhaps here that was Dhingra’s finest hour. He faced the ordeal calmly and gave a voice to the suffering of his beloved Mother India. Part of his statement (delivered on July the 10th) read as follows:

"I do not want to say anything in defence of myself but simply to prove the justification of my deed. As for myself I do not think any English law court has any authority to convict me or detain me in prison or to pass any sentence against me... I hold the English responsible for the murder of 8 million of my countrymen in the last 50 years."

Up to the date of his execution, many friends came to visit Dhingra. His only formal request was very simple - that his funeral should be done in the traditional Hindu manner. Savarkar was determined to do something for Dhingra. He activated his contacts in several countries. There were indeed several non-Indians, even Britishers, who believed in India’s freedom. Dhingra’s statement was sent to major newspapers across the world, all of who published it! This was a very key event in giving momentum to the freedom movement, as many foreign voices now raised their voices in India’s favour. Dhingra certainly didn’t die in vain. In Ireland and Egypt (which were both involved in a struggle against the British), Dhingra was a hero. Annie Besant rightly said of Dhingra "More Madanlal’s are the need of the time." Later on, Madanlal Dhingra’s deeds would inspire the great martyrs Bhagat Singh and Uddham Singh.

On the day of Dhingra’s martyrdom, he had the names of Ram and Krishna on his lips. His friends printed a handout and gave it out on the streets, praising Dhingra’s sacrifice and the injustices being perpetrated against India, together with a warning that the struggle will not subside. Dhingra died with the Bhagwad Geeta in his hands. His parting words were:

"My only prayer to God is that I may be re-born of the same mother and I may die in the same sacred cause till the Cause is successful. Vande Mataram!"

Ramana Maharshi

2011-08-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

(1879-1950)

His Significance

Ramana Maharshi is universally looked upon as one of the greatest self realised sages of modern times. He lived a quiet life with no interest in publicity, yet seekers flocked to him and today many centres bearing his name exist all over the world. He was renowned for his saintly life, for the fullness of his self-realization, and for the feelings of deep peace that visitors experienced in his presence. So many people came to see him at the holy hill of Arunchala where he spent his adult life that an ashram had to be built around him. He answered questions for hours every day, but never considered himself to be anyone's guru.

Early Life

Ramana was born on 30 December 1879 in a village called Tirucculi about 30 miles south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India. His middle-class parents named him Venkataraman. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended American Mission High School. At age 16, he heard somebody mention "Arunachala." Although he didn't know what the word meant (it's the name of a holy hill associated with the god Shiva) he became greatly excited. At about the same time he came across a copy of Sekkilar's Periyapuranam, a book that describes the lives of Shaivite saints, and became fascinated by it. In the middle of 1896, at age 16, he was suddenly overcome by the feeling that he was about to die. He lay down on the floor, made his body stiff, and held his breath. "My body is dead now," he said to himself, "but I am still alive." In a flood of spiritual awareness he realized he was spirit, not his body.

His Guru

Ramana Maharshi didn't have a human guru (other than himself). He often said that his guru was Arunachala, a holy mountain in South India.

His Teachings

Ramana Maharshi taught a method called self-inquiry in which the seeker focuses continuous attention on the I-thought in order to find its source. In the beginning this requires effort, but eventually something deeper than the ego takes over and the mind dissolves in the heart center. The seeker then experiences the truth off their being beyond the body, and beyond time and space. The goal of realisation of the divine within us and to merge back into the sea of consciousness where there is only pure bliss and awareness is the main ultimate goal of all paths within Hinduism. Ramana Maharshi taught one of the most structured and direct paths to it. He included the aids of worship of deities, Vedic chanting, reverence for the divinty in nature, action performed surrendered fully to God all as part of the progression to pure realisation.

Ganapati Muni

2011-08-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

1878-1938

Ganapati Muni was perhaps the chief disciple of Ramana Maharshi. Ganapati had first discovered Ramana as a young boy then realising his spiritual mastery, made Ramana his guru. Although Ganpati had studied the Vedanta (Upanishads), he had not clearly understood what tapasya meant. The simple explanation that Ramana gave cleared a big doubt that tormented him. Ganapathi Muni was the one to first call him Ramana and Maharshi. Ganapati wrote several important Sanskrit works on the Maharshi and also put Ramana’s teachings into Sanskrit.

Ganapati was a Vedic scholar, a Tantric yogi, an Ayurvedic doctor and a Vedic astrologer, as well as an active social thinker and reformer. He even researched the history of the Vedas and the Mahabharata. He was probably the greatest Sanskrit poet and writer of this century. His greatest work, Uma Sahasram, has a thousand verses and forty chapters each down flawlessly in a different Sanskrit meter. He preserved some of the deepest spiritual secrets at the heart of Hinduism and was like an ancient sage of the Vedic era. His intense sadhana (spiritual seeking/efforts) led him to evolve many paranormal abilities, which culminated in a very rare spiritual experience of "skull cracking", in which his skull cracked during his meditation and an visible light surrounded his head from then onwards. Henceforth Ganpati Muni resided in a higher state of consciousness in contact with the spiritual energies and beings of the subtle plane of existence.

In the modern era, David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri), one of the most important figures in the Hindu world, has taken inspiration from several of Ganpati Muni's works. Therefore Ganpati's Muni's legacy continues to inspire many minds towards an integral Hindu renaissance.

Ramakrishna Paramhansa

2011-08-21T22:22:00.001-07:00

(1826-1886)

Ramakrishna Parmahamsa is perhaps the best known saint of nineteenth century India. Depite not having the least bit of interest in publicity, people flocked to him hearing that a great saint who has experienced the Divine directly resides in Dakshineshwar. His lucid direct experience of God had a universal appeal, and even the modern Hindus educated in British schools were drawn back into their culture hearing him speak. Sri AUrobindo, another great yogi of Bengal later said: "India became free on the day when arrogant youth who had been to British schools bowed down humbly before the illiterate saint, knowing that he carried within him a greater power."

He was born in a poor Brahman family in 1836, in a small town near Calcutta, West Bengal. As a young man, he was artistic and a popular storyteller and actor.

Young Ramakrishna was prone to experiences of spiritual reverie and temporary loss of consciousness. His early spiritual experiences included going into a state of rapture while watching the flight of a cranes, and loosing consciousness of the outer world while playing the role of the god Shiva in a school play.

Ramakrishna had little interest in school or practical things of the world. In 1866, he became a priest at a recently dedicated temple to the Goddess Kali located near Calcutta on the Ganges River. It was built by a pious widow, Rani Rasmani. Ramakrishna became a full-time devotee to the goddess spending increasing amounts of time giving offerings and meditating on her. He meditated in a sacred grove of five trees on the edge of the temple grounds seeking a vision of the goddess Kali.

At one point he became frustrated, feeling he could not live any longer without seeing Kali. He demanded that the goddess appear to him. He threatened to take his own life with a ritual dagger (normally held in the hand of the Kali statue). At this point, he explained how the goddess appeared to him as an ocean of light:

"When I jumped up like a madman and seized [a sword], suddenly the blessed Mother revealed herself. The buildings with their different parts, the temple, and everything vanished from my sight, leaving no trace whatsoever, and in their stead I saw a limitless, infinite, effulgent Ocean of Consciousness. As far as the eye could see, the shining billows were madly rushing at me from all sides with a terrific noise, to swallow me up. I was caught in the rush and collapsed, unconscious … within me there was a steady flow of undiluted bliss, altogether new, and I felt the presence of the Divine Mother."

About this time, an elderly holy women stayed with Ramakrishna for some time teaching him yogic and tantric meditation techniques.

A yogin named Totapuri then became Ramakrishna's mentor. Ramakrishna adopted the role of renunciant and learned a nondualist form of Vedanta philosophy from him. In this system, God is understood to be the formless unmanifest energy that supports the cosmos. Ramakrishna experienced a deep form of trance (nirvilkalpa samadhi) under the guidance of this teacher. This state can be described as complete absorption of the soul into the divine ocean of consciousness.

Ramakrishna did get married to a lady who is known as Sarada Devi, although it was a celibate marriage of a yogic couple. Disciples began to appear at this point in Ramakrishna's life. He embarked on a long period of teaching where he gathered a group of disciples around him. This period of his life is well documented by two sets of books written by his disciples. These references are listed below. Ramakrishna explained on different occasions that god is both formed and formless and can appear to the devotee either way. He often asked visitors whether they conceived of god as having qualities or as being beyond qualities. He then proceeded to teach the devotee according to the way he or she viewed the divine.

The most famous of Sri Ramakrishna’s devotees was a youth who came to him as Narendra Dutt, who is better known to us as Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda went on to create a powerful ripple in the inertia that had gripped Hindus, and significantly changed the way that Hinduism was looked at by the world. He is considered the father of the Western Yoga movement.

Ramakrishna died of cancer of the throat in 1886.

Vasudev Balwant Phadke

2011-08-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

(1845-1883)

What the Indian Sepoys tried to do in 1857, the Marathas in three bitter wars and the Sikhs tried in 1840, but failed, one man attempted: to take on the mighty British Empire single handed.

Much of his doings are recorded in his own diary, written while hiding in a Hindu temple from the police. He describes how his feeling were stirred by the terrible famine that gripped western India in 1876/77 and realised that the miseries of India were the consequences of foreign oppressive rule.

Hence in true Hindu spirit he took a vow to stir armed rebellion and destroy the British power in India and re-establish Hindu Raj. For this he did not turn to the effeminate upper classes of India, who could not and cannot revert to such direct action but instead he turned to the sturdy rural Marathas who formed the bulk of the famous Hindu Maratha cavalry that had smashed the pride of Afghans and Mughals and only subsided after three wars with the British.

Here he found ready and able soldiers ‘First of all I went to Narooba Wada to perform my prayers and then coming and going on the road I turned the peoples minds against the British … I wished to ruin them. From morning to night, bathing, eating, sleeping I was brooding on this and I could get no proper sleep.

‘At midnight I would awake and think how the ruin of the western oppressors would be achieved until I was as one mad. I learnt to fire at targets, to ride and sword and club exercise. I had a great love of arms and always kept two guns and swords’

Phadke began to raid and cut the communications of the British and to raid their treasury. From Dhamari to Khed his fame began to collect. With each raid his monetary position increased, as did the numbers of followers in his desperate cause.

‘A child being born does not at once become a man but grow little by little and I saw my struggle with the British as such, from collecting small bands of raiders, to looting the treasuries to raising a band then an army of men for freedom … If I find that there is no success in this world then I shall go to the next to plead for the people of India’

The British government had put a price on his head by now but his following was gradually spreading. At the village of Ghanur he fought an engagement with the British army following which Phadke announced a reward for the killing of each European on a sliding scale depending on that mans position.

For some time he kept up a heroic unequal struggle with the British and their Pathan underlings under Abdul Haque.Eventually after a fierce fight he was captured in Hyderabad on 21 July 1879. He was charged for waging war against the British government which was proved by his own diary and his statements in court. There was great public enthusiasm during his trial and vast crowds collected daily to hear him speak to the point where the British were taken aback by his appeal to the common man.

A newspaper ‘Deccan Star’ in 1880 wrote ‘In the eyes of his countrymen, Vasudev Balwant Phadke did not commit any wrong … he showed spirit in trying to relieve the miseries of his countrymen … [and] by sacrificing himself he has averted the danger which sooner or later must follow intolerable oppression. We must consider him a harbinger of good fortune for India’

Realising that he was far too dangerous an individual to remain in India he was transported for life to prison in Aden. He was fettered and placed in solitary confinement. Nevertheless on 13 October 1880 this undaunted man pulled off the door by its hinges and escaped. Unfortunately, he was shortly captured again. Realising that life was now intolerable and unable to live under the bondage of the hated British he went on hunger strike and this noble son of India died on 17 February 1883.

Here was a single man standing out against what was one the most powerful empires the world has ever seen. The seeds he left grew into a mighty banyan tree with its shoots all over the nation within a short period of time. Soon the guns were booming for freedom all over from the Chaperkar brothers in Maharasthra, the Ghadr movement in Punjab to the revolutionaries in Bengal. He can, with justice, be called the father of militant nationalism and Hindutva in India.

Rao Tula Ram Ahir

2011-08-21T22:17:00.000-07:00

(1825 - 1862)

Many of us, who are familiar with India’s capital, must have used the nation’s main international airport, Indira Gandhi International, at some point or the other. En route from the airport to the centre of the capital is a long and famous road, Rao Tula Ram Marg (‘Marg’ being the Hindi for street). Situated on this road is one of New Delhi’s finer higher education institutions, Rao Tula Ram University. All this begs the question, ‘who is this Rao Tula Ram?’

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Rao Tula Ram was one of the great leaders of the Indian Uprising of 1857 against the colonial British forces. His story is one of rebellion and guerrilla warfare against the stronger and better-equipped imperialist forces of the British Army.

He was born on 9 December 1825 in the well known Rao family in village Rampura in the district of Rewari (a two-hour drive south-west of New Delhi), in what is now Haryana. His father was Puran and his mother's name was Gyan. He was educated according to the then prevalent customs and he knew Persian, Urdu, Hindi and a small amount of English. In November 1839, Rao Tula Ram ascended the throne on the death of his father.

In 1857, on hearing the news of rebellion at Meerut and other places, the people of the Rewari rose up in revolt. In the Rewari area, lead was given by Rao Tula Ram. His cousin Gopal Dev also stood by him. The forefathers of the Raos had helped the Marathas in 1803 in their fight against the British and as a result when the latter came out successful in the struggle, the British confiscated their land and gave instead an ‘istamarari’, or grant, of about 58 villages. This was a great blow to the Raos which shattered their position and made them unhappy with British Raj.

On l7 May 1857, Rao Tula Ram went to the ‘tehsil’, or headquarters, at Rewari with four to five hundred followers and took all the government buildings in their possession. For their headquarters, they chose Rampura, a small fortified village, one mile south-west of Rewari. Tula Ram, the elder Rao became Raja and Gopal Dev his commander-in-chief. After assuming charge, Rao Tula Ram organized the revenue department and collected revenue and taxes. He took donations and loans from the people of Rewari. He raised a force (about five thousand men) and set up a large workshop in the fort of Rampura where a substantial number of guns, gun-carriages and and ammunition were manufactured. Law and order was enforced; his State was defended from outside attacks.

At this time, Delhi was under attack from the British forces, so Rao Tula Ram helped the emperor Bahadur Shah in their fight against the British. But this help could not protect Delhi which fell to the British on September 20, 1857. Soon after Brigadier-General Showers led out a column (from Delhi) of 1,500 men with a light field battery, 18 two-pounder guns and two small mortars, "to attack and destroy Rao Tula Ram and his follower and to raze his fort (at Rewari)." The situation was serious and the Rao foresaw that a fight with the British forces in the mud fort of Rampura, in the changed circumstances after the fall of Delhi, would result in the complete destruction of his army without any serious loss to the British. So he left his fort before Showers' arrival.

The fort of Rewari was taken without any opposition on October 6th. Immediately after the occupation of the fort of Rewari, Brigadier-General Showers sent a messenger to Tula Ram telling him that if he submitted along with guns and arms, he would be treated on merits. But Tula Ram turned down the inducement. The British authorities at Delhi were alarmed by these developments. They sent a strong column comprising about 1,500 strong under Colonel Gerrard, an officer of conspicuous merit on November 10, 1857. The column reached Rewari three days later. They occupied the abandoned fort of Rampura. Here they were joined by two squadrons of the Carabineers.

After a few days rest at Rewari (Rampura), on November 16, Gerrard marched to Narnaul. As the track was sandy, the column reached Nasibpur, a small village, two miles northwest of Narnaul and halted for a short rest. The rebel force, having abandoned their strong fort in the center of the town pounced on them. Rao Tula Ram's first charge was irresistible and the British forces scattered before them. The Patiala Infantry and the Multani Horse on the British side were completely disheartened. But at this juncture, the Guides and the Carabineers came to their rescue and saved the situation. The English fire, especially of the artillery was too much for the rebels. But soon the situation took an unexpected turn when Col. Gerrand was mortally wounded by a musket ball.

With this, the British too, were demoralized. Taking full advantage of the circumstances, Rao Tula Ram swooped down upon them. The British could not stand the charge and the Multani Horse fled away in bewilderment. They recaptured their guns and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. The right and the left wings of the British forces were thrown into confusion.

Appreciating the gravity of the situation Major Caulfield, the officiating British Commandant, ordered his artillery to start heavy bombardment and his cavalry and infantrymen to charge straight on with full force in to their front ranks. Rao Tula Ram’s forces fought back furiously and stood their grounds. The British artillery fire, nevertheless, broke their backbone and split their forces into two parts - one engaged in the close quarter battle and the other fleeing to go out of the range of the British guns. Rao Tula Ram was defeated that day but luckily managed to flee to safety. His escape frustrated the British.

The battle of Narnaul was undoubtedly one of the most decisive battles of the Uprising of 1857. The English felt jubilant over their success in this confrontation, for it marked the ‘beginning of the end’ of the crucial period of the struggle in the Haryana region and northern Rajasthan. After the battle, Rao Tula Ram moved into Rajasthan; then joined Tantya Tope's forces for one year. On 1 November 1858, the British issued the promises of unconditional pardon and amnesty to all offences against the British to all except those who directly or indirectly took part in the murder of British subjects. With the blood of many British soldiers and subjects on his hands, he left India for Iran in 1862.

This proved a wise decision - once the uprising of 1857 was over, the wrath of the British was unleashed. People in the Rewari and Narnaul areas were hung or shot dead and their villages burnt. In Iran, he plotted revenge against the British. From Iran he travelled to Afghanistan, where tragically, in the winter of 1862, he died of dysentery in Kabul at the young age of 38.

Tatia Tope

2011-08-21T22:15:00.001-07:00

(1814-1857)

Tatia Tope was a hero of the Indian Mutiny which broke out in 1857 (which should more fittingly be titled as The 1st Indian War of Independence). His role in this achieved him international fame. Tatia was born in a place named Yeswale, near Nasik in Maharashtra. He was the second of eight children. His father’s name was Pandurand Pant. His own name was Raghunath. The Peshwa (Prime Minister) liked the bright boy, and on one occasion gave him a topi (hat) bright with jewels.

"Tatia" is a term of affection in Marathi. People near and dear to Raghunath used to call him Tatia, and because he always used to wear the hat, he acquired the name Tatia Tope, which was to stay with him till the end and beyond. The vast Maratha Kingdom fell in 1818. The disposed Peshwa, and some of his loyal people moved to Brahmavarta. Despite the loss of kingdom, the spirit of the young generation who lived in Brahmavarata was very much grounded in the memory of freedom and a desire to regain it. Many of Tatia’s young friends achieved fame as martyrs in 1857.

In 1851, Nana Saheb, adopted son of Baji Rao II, became Peshwa. He was a much more fiery character than his father and was happy with his family living comfortably on a British pension. Lord Dalhousie became the Governor of India, and was far more oppressive than his predecessors. He plundered India’s wealth, robbed young princes of their crowns, and brought in a large number of Christian missionaries with the express aim of eradicating the "vile culture of the land."

The flame of discontent in the minds of the people, who were born in free India, was ready for an insurrection. A careful plan was hatched to totally drive the British out of India. Tatia and others took the task of enflaming the hearts of the Indians fighting under the pay of the British (such soldiers were termed "sepoys"). It was ordained that 31 May 1857 was the date when many Indian regiments across India would simultaneously rise in revolt. But a famous unplanned incident set of the revolt 2 months before this date, in a costly but brave blunder. The Indian soldiers got the word that their new cartridges for their rifles were greased with cow fat and pig fat. This enraged Hindus and Muslims. A regiment in Barrackpore refused to load their rifles. The British were adamant and said that any soldiers who did not comply would be stripped of their arms. One Mangal Pande could not take these insults and fired at the British captain. The revolt was now on.

Other regiments joined the revolt and moved to the capital with the cry of "Chalo Delhi." They soon captured it. Nana Saheb and Tatia Tope bided their time. they were summoned to help the panicking British, in the city of Kanpur. There they called reinforcements, and at midnight on June 4th 1857 they struck, taking the city and booting out the British. For a time Kanpur was a stronghold of the revolt, but on July 16th the British called in reinforcements and retook it. The morale of the Indian soldiers began to flay. They couldn’t stand up to the superior technology and organisation of the British, and were demoralised that many of their countrymen did not join the freedom movement, particularly the Sikhs. Tatia Tope was entrusted with the momentous task of reinvigorating the Indians, which is when he really came into his own.

Tatia went to Shivarajpur and gathered what forces he could. He fell upon the forces of General Havelock, who was marching from Kanpur to Lucknow, using the infamous guerilla techniques of the Marathas to inflict heavy losses. Tatia’s eyes then fell of Kalpi, which was strategically situated between Jhansi and Latehapur. The wrath of India descended upon the fortress and captured it. It was made into a workshop to manufacture arms. A new life was breathed into the War of Independence. In a swift swoop he captured a series of forts. He secretly reached the Scindhia regiment at Morar, whom he won over to the side of revolution, further reinforcing it. Then Tatia received the encouraging news that Major Windham of Britain, who was in charge of Kanpur was short of troops and resources. Not being one to miss an opportunity, Tatia collected his men, crossed the Jamuna and confronted Kanpur. A pitched battle was fought on the banks of the Pandu, which was eventually won. Tatia’s fame by now had reached all of Europe. His name was in nearly every newspaper. He was a household name of terror in England.

The British media were trying to portray him internationally as a vile evil fiend. True, he had affected the slaughter of a large number of British, but it was little compared with what Britain inflicted upon India, and indeed the other countries it was busy trying to colonise. Tatia Tope was a symbol of the indomitable spirit of India, a symbol of the reason why the Hindus out of all ancient peoples have survived through the long ages and continue to thrive even today.

However, the tide was to soon turn against Tatia and the rest of the rebels. The British retook Kanpur, but Tatia was beyond their reach, and arrived at Kalpi. He tried to again breath new life into the revolt, by trying to win over the native rulers and Princes to the side of freedom. However, most were scared. A few agreed to help in secret. Some stayed neutral. But others were actually rude and arrogant, insulting Nana Saheb, Tatia’s leader. Tatia resolved to teach these rulers a lesson, starting with the ruler of Charkhari. The ruler appealed to the British for help but the forces from Jhansi, commanded by Rani Lakshmibai blocked them, enabling Tatia to score a crushing victory, gaining money and ammunitions. But news of a crushing blow to the rebellion soon reached Tatia’s ears. Delhi fell, and its ruler, Bahadur Shah was taken prisoner. The forces at Delhi should have followed Tatia’s policy and continually harass the British without becoming complacent. But Bahadur Shah got too encouraged with the victory at the capital. This helped the British by allowing them to regroup, and gave them a single, unmoving target to attack.

Still, the brave Rani Lakshmibai kept the flag of freedom flying at Jhansi. Tatia was very proud of the young girl whom he remembered as a child. Even Jhansi was soon besieged. Tatia answered the call for help, marching with a force, but it was of no avail. The remaining forces, including Rani Lakshmibai had to retreat to Kalsi. The rebellion was reaching its final stage, its spirit being gradually crushed. But not the spirit of Tatia Tope. He reached the kingdom of Gwalior, which was formerly part of the Maratha confederacy. He incited another revolt. Those ministers who opposed the revolt had to flee. It is said that Gwalior reverberated with war drums. But it was not to last. The British assault came and a grim battle was fought and lost by Tatia and the forces of Gwalior. Rani Lakshmibai fell in this battle.

All the Indian rulers were now terrified into submission, but the British were not happy, as Tatia was still elusive. They never knew when he would incite another revolt. They launched a mammoth search for him for months. Tatia was now alone. The British offered "pardon" to Indian soldiers who gave up their arms. Many did so. At this hour of despair, Tatia remembered his old friend, Man Singh, a leader in the Gwalior army, who was now hiding with a band of men. Tatia had felt that Man SIngh was the one of the only men he could trust. Tatia was offered a place to stay and protection. The British had caught scent of Tatia’s plan. They contacted Man Singh, offering him pardon, riches and land. The temptation could not be resisted and thus Man Singh was won over.

It was midnight of April 7th 1859 when the lion was caged, in his sleep. Tatia Tope was put on trial, at the camp of General Meadle at Shivpuri. Tatia scoffed at the charges against him. "I am not your servant. I have obeyed the orders of my Peshwa, who is my master. I have shed no innocent blood. I do not ask for any mercy...blow me to pieces on the mouth of a cannon or hang me to death from the gallows."

On April 18th 1859, 2 years after the outbreak of the war, Tatia was hung. He was totally undaunted and unbroken at the time of death. He even put the rope around his own neck to show how unphased he was. He had fought more than 150 battles. Thus passed a very brave and heroic Indian, who lived and died as a lion.

Baji Prabhu

2011-08-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

Baji Prabhu is remembered as a hero of India, especially in Maharashtra. He was a sub-leader serving under the Mores of Javli, in Maharashtra, until Javli was annexed to Shivaji’s territories in 1656. At first it was impossible for Baji Prabhu to appreciate Shivaji, but he soon realised that Shivaji stood for a cause larger than that of his disposed leader. He became an enthusiastic supporter of the Maratha Hindu movement. From then on he was a staunch friend and supporter of Shivaji.

In 1660, Shivaji was locked up in a fort, under siege by a big army from Bijapur. He made his escape on the dark night of July 13th, with a contingent of about 1500 Maratha troops. Baji Prabhu was 2nd in command of the contingent. Baji Prabhu would have perhaps won no place in history and ended his life in relative obscurity if Shivaji and his party had reached their destination in safety. But Fazl Khan, the son of Afzal Khan (a general of Bijapur who Shivaji had slain) was a sworn enemy of Shivaji and gave hot pursuit, with an army of 12,000. By day break, it was clear that there was no way to shake of the enemy except by giving fight. Shivaji decided that this was inevitable. He ordered Baji Prabhu to face the troops of Bijapur, for which undertaking he was given half of the contingent. Shivaji said that Baji Prabhu would hear the cannon fire from Vishalgadh (the destination fort), as a signal of Shivaji’s safety.

Baji Prabhu occupied the narrow pass of Ghodkhind, blocking the path of the pursuers, and made a determined stand against them. He knew the great importance of his task - he had to protect the safety of a man of destiny. This resolved him to stand until the last man. Fazl Khan repeatedly tried to break through the defences of the pass, to get to Shivaji, but was constantly repulsed. The unequal battle raged for hours, with the valiant defenders clinging to their positions, rapidly depleting in numbers.

At last, 5 hours after the battle started, the cannon fire announcing Shivaji’s return to Vishalgadh was heard. Seven hundred valiant Marathas had by then laid down their lives. Each one was a martyr of a great cause. Baji Prabhu was badly hurt. The dying hero was however jubilant. He had done his duty and saved his king, and saved the realm from chaos. He showed spirit of sacrifice few today could match. He asked for no greater reward in life and died a happy man. If Shivaji had fallen, the history of the suffering of our ancestors under the Moghul yoke would have been longer and more gruesome.

"The defence...," says historian Dennis Kincaid, "has become legendary in Western India. The action is remarkable as an example of the spirit which Shivaji’s leadership infused into his followers." Shivaji’s mother, Jijabai, wept at the news of Baji Prabhu’s death. Ballads and poems have been composed in his memory, some of which are still sung today. Sri Aurobindo, the great yogi, mystic and revolutionary of the 20th century wrote a splendid poem dedicated to Baji Prabhu, which was used as a symbol to capture the spirit of sacrifice that was required of the young men in India's freedom struggle which was then under way. Baji Prabhu and his men will be remembered as long as good and brave deeds are considered worthy of commemoration.

Tanaji Malusare

2011-08-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

Perhaps no episode in Maratha history has stirred the hearts of people as deeply as the death of Tanaji Malusare, the conqueror of Sinhagad (the Lion’s Fort), the tale of which is most popularly told by the Ballad of Sinhagad. The Treaty of Purandar (June 1665) had forced Shivaji to surrender 23 forts to the Moghuls, including Sinhagad. The treaty hurt the pride of the Marathas. None felt the sting more deeply than Jijabai, the mother of Shivaji, who was in a way the mother of the kingdom. Shivaji, however deeply he loved his mother, could not fulfill her wish, because the conquest was considered virtually impossible, with the fortifications and select Rajput, Arab and Pathan troops guarding it. Shivaji’s lieutenants shared this view.

But, Jijabai refused to share their hesitation. It is said that once determined, a woman’s strength of will and thirst of sacrifice are the most potent forces, and the example Shivaji’s mother Jijabai definately supported this view. One morning, says the ballad of Sinhagad, while she was looking out of the window of Pratapgad, she saw in the distance the Lion Fort. The thought that the fort was now under the control of Moghuls enraged her. She summoned a rider and ordered him to go in all haste to Shivaji, then resident at Rajgad, and tell him that she desired his immediate presence.

Shivaji promptly responded to his mother’s summons, without knowing the reasons for its urgency. His heart sank when he discovered what it was that Jijabai wanted of him. He tried to plead earnestly that the conquest would be likely to be in vain, despite even mammoth efforts. The lines of the ballad have Shivaji saying:

“To win it went forth many, but there came back never any: Oft planted was the mango seed, but nowhere grows the tree.”

However, eventually dreading his mother’s displeasure most of all, he thought of a suitable man to whom could be entrusted the perilous task. There was nobody else capable thought Shivaji other than Tanaji Malusare, his prized companion from early youth, and a man of iron will, who had accompanied Shivaji on all historic associations.

Tanaji was in the village of Umbrat, engaged in celebrating his son’s wedding, when the call came for him to meet with Shivaji at Rajgadh. He hastened to meet Shivaji, accompanied by his brother Suryaji and his uncle Shelarmama. Shivaji did not have the heart to tell his dear comrade that he had been summoned to such a mission, and directed Tanaji to Jijabai to hear from her the nature of his mission.

Undaunted by the terrifying nature of his mission, the lion-hearted Tanaji vowed either to accomplish it or die in the process. He set out at night and from the Konkan marched towards the fortress with his men, reaching it unnoticed on a cold, clear and moonless night - in February 1670. He had taken with him Shivaji’s favourite ghorpad or lizard to assist in scaling the fort wall (the lizard was regularly used to map a suitable route for climbing forts). The creature, to whose waist a cord was tied, refused to climb the fort, as if to warn Tanaji of the impending disaster. Tanaji expressed his rage, and the lizard got the message and terrified, scaled the hill top, which helped the Marathas to clamber the cliff.

Scarcely before 300 men had reached the top, their arrival was detected by the guards. The sentries were swiftly slain by the Marathas, but the clash of arms thoroughly roused the garrison. Tanaji was faced with a grave problem. With 700 of his troops still at the bottom of the fort, he had to challenge an enemy that greatly outnumbered his troops. His mind was already made up, and he ordered his troops to charge. The fight proceeded. Tanaji lost many men, but they inflicted heavy casualties on the Moghul forces. Tanaji repeatedly sang to keep the spirits of his soldoers high. After some hours, the Moghul commander Uday Bhan engaged in a fight with Tanaji. The odds were against the Maratha. The long night march, the anxiety of the mission, scaling the fort and the vigorous combat Tanaji had already been engaged in before Uday attacked him had drained him thoroughly, hence after a lengthy fight, Tanaji fell.

The death of their leader unnerved the Marathas, but Tanaji had kept the battle going just long enough so that the 700 troops who had been left at the bottom of the fort when the battle began had managed to breach the defence and force entry. They were led by Suryaji, Tanaji's brither. The timely arrival of Suryaji, Tanaji’s brother, who had entered the fort, and his exhortation to the Marathas to fight till the end saved the situation. In the fierce battle that continued, the Moghul commander was slain, and the entire garrison routed. Several hundred Moghuls in order to try and save themselves ventured over the rock and were slain in the attempt.

It was a great victory for the Marathas, but there was no elation in their camp. The news of the victory was conveyed to Shivaji, who rushed to the fort eager to congratulate Tanaji, but to his dismay he saw the brave man’s slain body. The Ballad of Sinhagad describes the grief as such:

Twelve days the king wept over him for the great love that he bore him.

The sorrow of Jijabai was also described:

The scarf removed, she saw his face, No worthier chief of the race, Twas thus she wailed and drew a sword, before the armies of his Lord:“Shivaji son and king today, Thy best limb has been chopped away” Nor less the monarch to his chief, The tribute paid of royal grief.

When Shivaji learned of his friend's death, he remarked "Gad ala pan Sinha gela", meaning "We have gained the fort, but lost a lion."

Samartha Ramdas

2011-08-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

1608-1681

Shri Samarth Ramdas was born in 1608AD in the village Jaamb, in Maharashtra on the auspicious day of Ramnavmi. His name was Narayan Suryaji Thosar. Ranubai was his mother. After he decided to devote his life to religion, he went to the village Takli near Nasik. There he practised meditation on the sacred "Gayatri Mantra" and chanted the name of Shri Ram. He continued observing the rigourous penace for twelve years and had many mystical experiences and realisations.

Gradually the same Narayan, became well-known and was called Samarth Ramdas, who is remebered as both a saint and even a hero in the memory of Hindus. At the age of twenty-four, he started a wandering life, moving in all corners of India for nearly twelve years and obtained the first hand knowledge of conditions of society. Under the inspiration of Shri Ram, he commenced his mission of upliftment of people, at the bank of the River Krishna.

Heaven On Earth

Shri Samarth Ramdas, inspired, motivated, the disappointed, dejected, dormant people, of Maharashtra who were suffering under the tyranny of Islamic rules and had lost their self confidence, self-respect, and were in abject surrender to their degradation. He galvanised these common folk for confident action, for winning freedom, safeguarding their national interest, and working for excellence and self-actualisation. His inspiring teachings in are best exemplified by a pragmatic treatise 'Dasbodh' which was written at 'Shivthar', a place which is now considered very sacred and has extremely positive vibrations of all the intense meditation and devotion which has taken place there.

He placed before people, the ideal of Lord Shri Ram. He exhorted people to work like the great devotee Hanuman, the deity of strength, courage and devotion. He set up Hanuman temples everywhere, which can be found littered across Maharashtra. The chant which he popularised most was: "Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram".

During the same period, by the grace of the Divine the great hero Shivaji had arisen in Maharashtra. He had accepted guidance of Samarth Ramdas, for spiritual elevation as well as matters of state administration. This pair of Guru and disciple had once again brought alive the memories of Lord Shri Krishna and Arjun for establishment of truth and right just order.

Shri Ramdas started living at the Fort Sajjangad, near Satara city, due to the love and affection of Shivaji Maharaj. He taught intense devotion and meditation, but blended it sublimely with teachings for worldly transformation and prowess. He encouraged exercise almost as much as religion. Ultimately, one day in 1681 his physical body, was merged in the cosmos. His samadhi at Sajjangad, inspires devotees for self elevation and supreme excellence in every segment of life.

TUKARAM

2011-08-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

Tukaram is one of the great mystic saints of medieval Maharashtra, whose compositions are still recited with devotion today, and provide a source of light in the journey of many souls. He was born in 1608 in the village of Dehu on the banks of the river Indrayani into a so called low-caste Sudra family (negative propaganda has overlooked the fact that many of Hinduism’s most universally reverred saints have arisen from all castes including the lowest. It is not commonly realized that Tukaram’s family were landowners, and that they made their living by selling the produce of the land. Tukaram’s father had inherited the position of mahajan, or collector of revenue from traders, from his father, and Tukaram in turn was the mahajan of his village Dehu.

At a relatively young age, owing to the death of his parents, Tukaram took charge of the family, and before he was twenty-one years old Tukaram had fathered six children. The devastating famine of 1629 carried away Tukaram’s first wife and some of his children, and Tukaram henceforth lost interest in the life of the householder. Though he did not quite forsake his family, he was unable to maintain his second wife or children, and was ultimately reduced to penury and bankruptcy, besides being stripped by the village of his position as mahajan.

In the meantime, Tukaram turned to poetic compositions [abhangs], inspired by his devotion for Lord Vithoba [Vitthal], the family deity. He is said to have been visited in a dream by Namdeo, a great poet-saint of the thirteenth century, and Lord Vitthal himself, and apparently was informed that it was his mission to compose abhangs to spread devotion amongst the people. His compositions were in Marathi rather than Sanskrit, which meant that the teachings could more easily percolate through the masses. Some of the orthodoxy hated him for this and indeed tried to make his life difficult.

According to legend, some local Brahmins compelled him to throw the manuscripts of his poems into the river Indrayani, and taunted him with the observation that if he were a true devotee of God, the manuscripts would reappear. It is said that Tukaram then commenced a fast-unto-death, invoking the name of God; and after thirteen days of his fast, the manuscripts of Tukaram’s poems reappeared. Some of his detractors turned into his followers; and over the course of the few remaining years of his life, Tukaram even acquired a reputation as a saint. In 1649, Tukaram disappeared: his most devout followers believed that Vitthal himself carried Tukaram away, while some others were inclined to the view that he had been assassinated, though no one has ever offered an iota of evidence to justify the latter interpretation.

It is uncertain how many poems Tukaram composed, but the standard and most frequently used Marathi edition of his poetry, which first appeared in 1873 from the Indu Prakash Press with funding by the Bombay Government, and has often been reprinted, brings together 4,607 poems. Several manuscripts in Marathi exist of his poems, but some poems are found in only one manuscript version; often poems found in several manuscripts show variations; and there is no single mansucript in Tukaram’s own handwriting with all the poems that are attributed to him.

Though Tukaram’s place in the history of the development of Marathi is deemed to be inestimable, and he has been credited with being the single most influential figure in the history of Marathi literature, the body of scholarship on Tukaram outside Marathi is rather small, and translations of his work are woefully inadequate. The only nearly complete translation of Tukaram into English, entitled The Collected Tukaram, was attempted by J. Nelson Fraser and K. B. Marathe, and published in Madras by the Christian Literature Society (1909-1915). A more recent translation of a selection of Tukaram’s poetry by Dilip Chitre has been published as Says Tuka (Delhi: Penguin, 1991).

Sant Eknath

2011-08-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

(1533-1599)

SANT EKNATH is one of the great rishis of Maharshtra. Starting from the life of Jnaneshwar (1275-1298), whose treatise on the Bhagavad Gita sprang new life into the religious life of the land, Maharashtra was blessed with a stream of great religious figures, who sustained the faith of the people in the religion of the land through many hardships. The religious renaissance eventually transformed the society completely, culminating in Independence from Islamic rule for most of India.

The life of Eknath acted like a bridge between his predecessors Jnaneshwar and Naamdev and his successors Tukaram and Ramdas His teachings of philosophy and practice is a synthesis of the quest for the eternal and transcendent while living within the imminent. This great saint of Maharashtra was born sometime around 1530 AD in a Brahmin family which had brought forth great teachers in the past. Eknath’s father, Suryanarayan, and mother, Rukmini died shortly after his birth, hence Eknath was brought up by his grandparents, Chakrapani and Saraswatibai.

Throughout his childhood Eknath devoted his time significantly to devotional practices.When about twelve years old, Eknath heard about a man named Janardan Swami. This great scholar lived in Devgiri renamed as Daulatabad by the Muslim rulers of the time. Eager to become his disciple, Eknath trudged all the way to Devgiri. Janardaswamy was amazed by this extra-ordinarily gifted boy and readily accepted him as his disciple. He taught Eknath Vedanta, Nyaya, Meemansa, Yoga etc. (i.e. a broad based education of Hindu dharma) and most importantly, Sant Jnaneshwar’s works.

Janardan Swami was a devotee of Lord Dattatreya, the son of Atrimuni and his wife Anasuya. Eknath soon achieved self-realisation through his dedicated practice. The Guru then asked Eknath to proceed on pilgrimage. He himself accompanied Eknath upto Nasik-Tryambakeshwar. Here, Eknath wrote his famous treatise on Chatushloki Bhagavat. Which was a treatise on the application of four sacred shlokas of the holy "Bhagavat." Eknath’s work consisted of 1036 specially metered verses known as "ovee"s. After completing his pilgrimage of various holy places of west and north India, Eknath returned to Paithan where he was born. His grandparents were extremely delighted to see him again and implored him to marry. Eknath married a lady named Girija. The couple were truly made for each other and established the ideal examples of ethical living. In time, the couple was blessed with two daughters, Godavari and Ganga and a son Hari.

During the intervening period of about 250 years between Dnyaneshwar and Eknath, various Islamic invaders ravaged Maharashtra. Defeats after defeats had completely demoralised people. The great legacy of Jnaneshwar was nearly forgotten. Eknath devoted himself to change this situation. His first task was to locate the "samadhi" of Jnaneshwar and trace the undistorted version of "Jnaneshwari" (Jnaneshwar’s treatise of the Bhagavad Gita). In fact, without Eknath’s all-out efforts, the legacy of Jnaneshwar could well have been lost to the succeeding generations. He also devoted him self in fighting against untouchability and other ills, which were rotting the society.

His inspiration to fight untouchability were the teachings of Sri Krishna. Eknath’s teachings may be summarized as "Vichar, Uchchar and Achar" – i.e., purity of thought, speech and practices. Exemplifying the way of ethical and spiritual living, he practised what he preached. His works, verses and preaching kindled hope among the people at a time when they needed it most. At last following the example of the great Jnaneshwar, he left for his heavenly abode by voluntarily laying down his life in the sacred Godavari on the Krishna Shasthi day of Phalguna in the year Shaka 1521 (1599AD).