भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

then why did the British people fill the whole world with a howl that the Germans had ill-treated their captives and did not allow them fresh bread and butter? What if the Germans had reminded them—Fresh bread and butter! There was a time when captives were flayed alive and offered as victims to Moloch and Thor and such other Gods of war!’ The thing is this that this advanced stage in civilization attained by man is the resultant of the efforts of all men and therefore their common inheritance and benefits all. Speaking relatively to Barbarian times, it is true that I had a fair trial and a just sentence and the Government is at liberty to derive whatever satisfaction they can from the compliment that they give a fairer trial and a juster sentence to their captives than the cannibals used to do. But it should not be forgotten that if in olden days, the rulers flayed their rebels alive then the rebels too when they got the upper hand flayed alive the rulers as well. And if the British people treated me or other rebels more justly, i.e. less barbarously then they may rest assured that they too would be as leniently treated by the Indian rebels if ever the tables are turned? Please do not hope much from this petition so far as our release is concerned. We never pitched our hopes too high and if not released, we shall not be very much disappointed. We are quite prepared to face it either way. You have tried your best and it is mainly due to your unceasing efforts that the release of P.P.s became such a burning question as that and though not we two, yet hundreds of others have won back their liberty. Hoping to find you in good health and with best and loving regards to all our friends and relations. I remain dear brother Yours affectionately TATYA ❑

Miscellaneous Statements and Writings The Nepal Movement (1925 A.D.) Our doubts are traitors. And make us lose the good we oft might win. By fearing to attempt. —Shakespeare It is very gratifying to note that the Nepal movement has recorded a satisfactory progress during the last year. A couple of years ago, Hindusthan as a whole and even the leaders of Hindu thought in general, were totally unconscious of the far-reaching influence, which the movement is likely to exercise, if well and ably handled, on the future of the Sanghatan movement. The Hindu press was too busy in writing columns after columns about the duty of Hindus owed to the Khalifa in Turkey or the famine-stricken poor folk in Constantinople. The Hindu public was too much moved at the news that certain mosques in Syria had fallen in a dilapidated condition and was busy gathering funds with M. Shaukat Ali to rebuild it and the Hindu leaders led by the ablest of them, Mahatma Gandhi, who always knows how to lead and who never knows where to lead, were straining every fibre of their pinny hands to prop up the Khalifa on the throne of Turkey, whom his own people wanted to get rid of and were too much occupied in their efforts to save Mesopotamia and Arabia and Egypt and Syria and, in fact, all the great world but Hindusthan—to care how Nepal, that only independent Hindu Kingdom fared. When the independence of Afghanistan was formally recognised by the British nation, there passed a wave of enthusiasm over the Hindu press and the Hindu platform and thousands of Hindus took part in the anniversary celebrations in memory of that event. But for months, the formal recognition by the British nation of the independence of the Hindu Kingdom of Nepal remained entirely unnoticed by the Hindu press. Even the news did not appear in the majority of the Hindu papers. The Anglo-Indian papers knew what the recognition meant and noticed it with few suggestive remarks. A khadi shop opened somewhere in the village in Assam, used to receive more prominence in the great Hindu dailies and weeklies in Bombay, Madras, Calcutta and Lahore than the terms of this important treaty, that was signed between Britain and Nepal, did. We are not exaggerating; matters stood exactly like that. Nay, even today, a section of the Hindu press is groping as

hopelessly in this suicidal blindness to our own interests and what is worse, is sticking it up as a feather into his cap. The Mohamedan will swagger to know about his Amir and Sultan but ask a Hindu if he had ever heard of an independent Hindu Kingdom that still flies its flag, unsullied and unbeaten, he will give you a blank look. Even when you mention Nepal, he will at the most, shrink his shoulders and crowl out: ‘Oh! the Gurkhas! what traitors they are!’ Against this criminal apathy that Hindus exhibited towards Nepal and as a reaction Nepal had been guilty of exhibiting towards the Hindus outside Nepal, it was the Maratha press that was first to raise a powerful and vigorous protest. It opened the eyes of the Hindu public to the far-reaching consequences that the general awakening amongst the Hindus of Nepal and outside was likely to have, if the forces of Hindudom as a whole were made to work towards a wide, definite and well-outlined common goal. Sindh and the Hindu press in Calcutta followed. The Arya Samaj papers soon caught the flame. The Hindu Mahasabha nearly offered its presidentship to the Maharajadhiraj of Nepal and although His majesty could not accept it for weighty reasons, and although the question was dropped before it was pressed to the last stage, the special session of the Mahasabha unanimously passed a resolution at Belgaum congratulating His Majesty on the recognition of the independence of the Hindu Kingdom by England and France as well and expressed in significant words the hopes and aspirations which the strength and the greatness of Nepal aroused in the hearts of Hindu patriots all over India. This general awakening of Hindu mind naturally called forth opposition. Attempts to misguide and divide by raising false issues in the name of solemn history and disinterested sophistry, which wanted to assure us that Nepal was not, had never been a part of India nor the people there had anything common with the Hindus outside Nepal, were not wanting. But such disingenuous attempts to alienate the Gurkhas away from their brother —Hindus in India—only intensified the interest of the general public on the question and the Nepal movement began to loom even larger and larger on the horizon of Hindu hope. Just then, the anniversaries of birth of the Majesty, the King of Nepal and Excellency, the Prime Minister of that kingdom furnished an occasion that proved the movement had entered on the third stage of its existence. For the interest that the Hindus had begun to take in the affairs of Nepal, has at last

roused the Gurkhas to the sense of their own importance and strength and let us hope of their duty too, which as the foremost section of the Hindu people, they owe to Hindudom as a whole. This year the citizens of Nepal, Gurkhas and Newaries observed in Calcutta the birthdays of their King and Minister as national festivals and several distinguished Hindus took prominent part in the proceedings. The National banner of Nepal was raised and all Hindus worshipped the colours of the only independent Kingdom with a fitting devotion and ceremony. National songs were sung by the Gurkhas, which exhorted them to organise and serve their Motherland and strive as champions of the Hindu Dharma and the Hindu race. These are the first signs of the awakening of a great people. That even the little interest and love that the Hindu outside Nepal manifested and extended towards our countrymen and the brethren in Nepal, should have within a year’s course, roused the Gurkhas and made them respond so deeply, it all augurs well for the Sanghatan. The Hindu Sabha of Ratnagiri and Nasik and Bombay and Sindh and Poona and Calcutta set the example, which was quickly followed by other Sabhas at Delhi and several other places by organising public meetings and conveying public congratulations to His Majesty and His Excellency on their respective birthdays and assure them of the deep love, regard and pride that the Hindus feel and cherish as regards the Hindu Kingdom and the confident hope that it will, God willing, serve as the main mast of the movement of Hindu Sanghatan. Thus, the work of a year is not disappointing, it is even gratifying, for not only the Hindus have grown conscious of Nepal but what is far more important, Nepal, too, has grown conscious of herself. Let us not forget that what is done is as nothing in respect of what is yet to be accomplished. For all movements that are at present agitating the heart of Hindudom, none is so pregnant with results, great and glorious, as is the movement that aims at bringing the Hindus of Nepal in line with their co-religionists and countrymen outside Nepal and enthusing them with one hope and inspiring them with a great ideal, wield all Hindudom into an organic and mighty whole. This is what Hindu Sanghatan aims at. . ❑

Awaken Nepal (1926 A.D.) या भूमंडळाचे ठायीं। हिंदु ऐसा उरला नाहीं। हिंदु राष्ट्र राहिलें काहीं॥ तुम्हा कारणें॥ The 19th of July was the twenty-first birth anniversary of His Majesty the King of Nepal, Rana Tribhuwan Veer Vikramdeo. Hindudom heartily sends forth, to thee, oh Ranaji! its loyal greetings in loving homage on this auspicious occasion. Some three hundred years ago, a hermit saint of Maharashtra went round on pilgrimage to all the four Mahadwars of Bharat Varsha from Attock to Kanyakumari, Dwarka and Jagannath. Having thus surveyed the whole Hindusthan, he came back to Maharashtra with a bleeding heart and bewailed that throughout the world, there was not a place where the Hindu banner could raise its head anew, no Hindu could champion the cause of his fallen race! While his heart was bleeding thus with unutterable grief and anxiety, his eyes caught the sight of a rising youth and his heroic band. Patriotic joy swelled in his hermit bosom and the prophet pointing out that heroic Hindu youth, with his brave band of followers, exclaimed. But there! Even though no Hindu is left throughout the world who could lead his race to greatness and glory, there in thee, oh Maharashtra, I discern some signs of hope in that heroic youth and his brave band! Our nation and our faith may yet live through them. या भूमंडळाचे ठायीं। हिंदु ऐसा उरला नाहीं। महाराष्ट्र धर्म राहिलें कांहीं॥ तुम्हा कारणें॥ Saying so, he handed over a gerua (भगवा) kerchief to them as a token of his divine blessings. The hermit saint was Ramdas, the rising youth was Shivaji and the brave band of his followers were they, who and whose descendants raised the kerchief as their banner and carried it to Attak till it came to represent the strength and glory and the mission of a mighty Hindu Empire. This was three hundred years ago. But if the spirit of that patriotic saint troubled at the news of this second calamity that has befallen his Hindu race, comes down to visit our Earth today, then standing once more on the debris of crowns and coronets of Hindu kings and kingdoms and reviewing with a bleeding heart, the whole

situation with a view to discerning if possible a point, which may yet serve as a position of vantage to start anew the movement, with means ever changing to suit changed circumstances but with the ideal full in view, Ramdas is sure to lay his unerring finger on thee, oh Nepal, as he did on Maharashtra then, and exclaim in prophetic accents anew. या भूमंडळाचे ठायीं। हिंदु ऐसा उरला नाहीं। हिंदु राष्ट्र उरहें काहीं।। तुम्हा कारणें।। Amidst this general wreck of Hindu crowns and coronets of Hindu aspirations and ambitions, I still discern enthroned and living in thee, oh, Nepal, the seed of Hindu hope! God has not spared thee in vain. Through thee, the Hindu race and the Hindu Nation may yet scale the Himalayan heights of its ancient glory. Destiny at times loves to conceal mighty meanings in ciphers that seem but trifling. Can it be then that, if what tradition tells be true and that gerua kerchief handed over by Ramdas to Shivaji has through strange vicissitudes receded to the strongholds of Nepal and is being preserved and worshipped along with the gadi of Peshwas in a temple at Khatmandu. Can it be that emblem and insignia that once authorised the Marathas to lead the cause of the Hindu race and religion have now been handed over to thee, Oh Nepal, to invest thee with the same rights and responsibilities to champion the cause of Hindudom under changed circumstances with means necessarily changed? If the tradition is true, the Marathas are glad to find that these relics of their past should have been spared the humiliation of being exposed to the impudent and vulgar foreign gaze in one of the museums in the capital of their conquerors and should have found a safe and honourable asylum in Nepal where the standard of Hindu independence is still holding its own. Our drooping hands hand over to thee, Oh Nepal, the standard of Hindu cause. Hold it aloft! Awake to thy new and mighty responsibilities! Lead the Sanghatan! We will follow thee! May the guardian Deities of our Hindu race inspire thee with mighty aspirations and high designs, add ever increasing strength to thy arms and may glory follow thee till Hindudom is restored to its rightful place in the commonwealth of man and shines once more, even as it did in the days of Shri Ram or Ashok the Priya Darshin.

Nepal in the Bombay Session of the Hindu Conference (1926) Another, yet more significant feature of the conference that deserves to be specially emphasised was the presence and the thrilling speech of Shriyut Agamgiri, a Nepali leader, who came all the way from Calcutta to Bombay with a set purpose of representing the feelings of our Nepali Hindu brethren towards the Sanghatan movement. The Sanghatan movement cannot be said to be the spokesman and cannot claim to represent the Hindus as a whole as long as it fails to enlist not only the sympathy but the actual and active participation of the most powerful and prominent and the only organised section of the Hindus—the Hindus of Nepal. The moment Nepal steps in and assumes the lead of the Sanghatan, it will be a power that could no longer be safely despised or neglected by any one in the world. Nepal as the only organised Hindu power owes it as much to herself as to us all. Whatever affects us Hindus as Hindus, must affect our brothers and co-religionists in Nepal too. This pan-Hindu consciousness must be instilled down into the heart of the humblest of the humble of the Nepali Hindu. With this end in view, for the last two years or so, constant attempts have been made through the press and platform to rouse amongst the people a sense of the importance of this Nepali question. Last year, a proposal to offer presidential chair of the Mahasabha at Calcutta to His Majesty the King of Nepal or to His Excellency the Prime Minister was deliberately put forward from the chair and was unanimously adopted at the special session of the Mahasabha at Belgaum, congratulating the King on his progressive policy and assuring him of the feelings of deepest love and loyal pride that all Hindus cherish towards our brethren in Nepal. This interest that the Hindus on our side began to evince in Nepal naturally disturbed some people whose energy is ever employed in one single mission—to keep the Hindus divided in castes and creeds and provinces and sects and sections. Queer and mischievous theories were cooked up insinuating that Nepal was no more a part of India than Tibet was. Nor was she racially, communally or any way organically connected with us, the Hindu outside Nepal. The mischief was transparent and yet unfortunately some Nepali Hindus too did fall a victim to its spacious reasoning and said, ‘We are not Indians; we are Nepali. The Sanghatan has nothing to do with us.’

To defeat this ignoble attempt to alienate Nepali Hindus from Sanghatan and open the eyes of those simple-minded Nepali Hindus who fell a victim to it, required that some prominent Nepali Hindus should come forward, publicly participate in the session of the Hindu Sabhas and respond to the cause of Hindu Sanghatan in no uncertain terms. With this end in view, the leaders of the Bombay Hindu Conference acting on a request submitting to them through a resolution passed by the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha, sent a special invitation to our Nepali brothers in Calcutta, requesting them to send some prominent gentleman who could grace the assembly by his presence and acquaint us with feelings of our Nepali brothers to some extent or the other as regards the Sanghatan movement. They were fortunate in securing a man of Mr. Agamgiri’s standing, who had been one of the moving spirits in organising the Gurkha Sanghatan Society in Calcutta, and who wrote in the Krishna-Sandesh, a leading weekly in Calcutta, every now and then exhorting our Nepal friends to participate in the pan-Hindu movement. His speech in the conference was the most effective rejoinder that could be given to those who hoped to alienate Nepal from the Sanghatan Movement. In the very opening sentence, the Nepali gentleman emphatically declared that the Gurkhas and the Nepalis look upon Bharatwarsh as their fatherland and their Holy land. Nepal is and will ever continue to be an inalienable part of Bharatwarsh, of Hindusthan. Whatever, he said, affected the fortunes of Hindus outside Nepal must affect her too. Socially, culturally, religiously, communally in all aspects of life and in all questions that relate to Hindudom and Hindu Society as a whole, it was impossible to think of Nepal apart from Bharatwarsh. As a Nepali, he movingly assured the assembly that the deepest sympathy was being felt with the Hindu sufferers who had been subjected to wanton attacks and humiliation and declared that Nepal would not only remain unaffected but would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her Hindu brothers all over India in defence of Hindu culture, Hindu religion, the Hindu temple and the honour of Hindu race, whenever and by whomsoever they be attacked. The reception that was accorded to him when he rose and the way his speech was received by the assembly must have proved to all, who have sense to understand and honesty to acknowledge, that Nepal is sure to fall in rank before long and boldly respond the cause of Hindu Sanghatan. On points of civil, communal, cultural, religious and racial interests, we Hindus all, whether Punjabis or Pahadis, Marathas or Madrasis, Nayars or Nepalis

are one, feel as one and mean to make a common stand, long before they will come to realise this all. Godsend Books and How should man read them? One day, while I sat in the night reading History and comparative sociology, I could not help being overwhelmed by the thought that of all superstitions, which outliving their utility, continued to block human progress, the superstition that attributed Divine origin to a set of books and consequently held every word in them as infallible, as God’s truth, was most responsible for perpetuating senseless animosities and ignorance, which hampered rational advance of mankind not only in science and social solidarity but even in religion itself and ranged man against man and creed against creed with deathless enmity and schism. Verily there have been in human history, more men victimised to death and disaster in the name of God and the Gospels than in the name of the Devil and the Dollar. Nevertheless, it cannot be gainsaid that the greatest boon that mankind could have ever received at the hands of its creator would be a book emanating directly from him setting forth in unmistakable accents His will and command, which he meant us to follow, either for man’s good or God’s glory or for both. In that case, instead of groping from error to error in the dim and fickle light of our unaided human reason, we could have treaded on this fair earth under the Divine Guidance with surest steps and in full confidence that it led us to bliss here and hereafter. We know for certain that this generous hope had actually prompted many a prophet in his search after truth and anxiety to receive a revelation directly from the supreme source of wisdom. Had all the prophets succeeded in receiving their commands from the Creator of man in words and substance uniform, unequivocal and uncircumscribed by time and place or if so mentioning clearly the limitations that defined and determined them, our difficulties and controversies with regard to the authenticity of the revelation would have been very much simplified, if not altogether eliminated. But as it is, revelation differs from revelation in the God-sent books as much as in any man-written books and it is due to the explosion of these mines of discrepancies and contradictions which the God-sent books carry within themselves, that the citadel of orthodoxy is often shattered and the forces of doubt and disbelief rush through the breach to complete its ruin. While I was thus overwhelmed by forces of scepticism and sat sorely afflicted in heart, I felt a strange lassitude creeping over me and sealing my

eyes with sleep. But the train of thought that occupied my mind nevertheless continued in subconscious or superconscious state and I fancied as if a Pandit stepped forth and accosted me thus: ‘Listen’, said he, ‘you wished you had a revelation to enable you to know the right path and to dispense with the erring and confused guidance of human reason. Well, there is such God-sent book as that—the most ancient and the most infallible, emanating as it did from the all-wise and Almighty God Brahma Himself. The only reason that makes you doubt the authenticity of a God- sent book seems to be that it contradicts and even controverts other books that also severely claim to be God-inspired; but it only proves that all of them cannot be really so. It does not rule out the possibility of one of them being a really God-inspired Gospel. Well, that real Gospel, that only true revelation, is this ‘Veda.’ If other Gospels contradicted it, it only proves that they are not really reliable. Their refutation of this Veda, the first and foremost word of God, only refutes themselves.’ While our friend, the Pandit had not even finished this exhortation rushed in the High Priest of the Golden Temple at Jerusalem and with a solemn wave of hand brushing aside all the reasoning of the Pandit as you would a cobweb, said, ‘Not so! The real revelation of the Almighty Father that rules this heaven and earth is that which He, our Lord God, stretching his mighty hand out of the burning cloud of fire and flame that surrounded Mount Sinai delivered to Moses on that fateful day. If Vedas were true, Jehova would have at least mentioned them once in that Holy Book. But, on the contrary, he expressly rules out your Molachs and Thors, your Maruts and Varuns. Jehova is a jealous God and bears the presence of no other God before Him. So only obey and reason not. If others contradict his our Holy Testament, they only belie themselves.’ ‘True! True! what my friend says is even so! But, persuasively puts in my friend, the missionary, so meek, so humble, at this stage, ‘but the Law of Moses emanating though it did from the Lord was nevertheless supplemented and fulfilled by a later revelation which even He, our Father in Heaven charged. His son, the Prince of Peace to proclaim, as was even foretold by Moses and the Prophets of old. The Code issued on Mount Sinai was like an angry ordinance of some sullen Sultan meant only for the troublous times, times of emergency when men went astray and sacrificed to Molachs and worshipped the Golden Calves. But the Law of Life, the law as such that brings Peace unto men contained in the sermon on the Mount. The New Testament is the fulfilment of all old revelations.

Question not, reason not, nay even fear not, only believe in the Bible, in our Lord Jesus the Christ, and thou art saved. Leave all and follow me, says the Christ! But all of a sudden, an angry voice interrupted him here and throwing back the crowd of many a respectable representative of scores of other prophets and Gospels. each claiming his book as the real God-sent book that had been waiting there to take a chance of finding a new recruit in me to their respective faiths, an excited moulavi darted forth and simply commanded me to believe none else but him. ‘Behold’, said he, stroking his beard with fiery restlessness ‘behold this Holy Koran! Abraham and Musa and Isa and other Prophets were prophets indeed but their works, these old and new testaments are, as men now possess, full of interpolations and absurdities. As to the Vedas, it is sacrilege even to name that mumbo-Jumbo of idolatrous crowd along with the works of prophets that went before. It was to end the reign of these scheming impostors that God ordered the last and the greatest of the line of his prophets, Mohomed the Prophet—be his name ever blest, to reveal the Holy Koran on earth. This and this alone is God’s work, all else is the work of Satan. And the only way how man should read it and nothing else! Trust it and reason not. If they do so well and good: if they don’t, to eternal perdition they go!’ At this outburst of this zealous Moulavi, those representatives of several other Gospels who were waiting with equal earnestness to do me a good turn of saving my soul by recommending to me their respective Gospels as the only authentic ones, gently fell back to avoid any unpleasant development their intrusion seemed likely to cause. But I myself rose up and approaching them requested to oblige me by favouring me with a copy of each of their own Gospels and assuring, said, ‘Gentlemen, I revere every one of these God-sent books as deeply as you do though perhaps for reasons other than yours. All these books that claim to be divine revelations are doubtless a precious treasure, which men will do well to guard and preserve and use for their benefit. God-sent or not they are partly Godly indeed. It cannot be for nothing that millions of men have for generations owed allegiance to them and many a soul might have found a solace in them as in no other wordly thing.’ Being requested thus, they all presented me with copies of their religious books— the stately looking Parsee who kept watching over conversation but seemed very reluctant to show off his sacred book as the hawkers do their tinsels in the market place, presented me a copy of the ancient and renowned Zendavesta; the yellow-clad Bhikku of his venerated and venerable and

Tripitaka but seeming quite indifferent to claim for his Holy books, the gilded title of a God-sent revelation! The followers of the unlucky prophets Museilama and Al-aswad who set themselves up as rivals to Mahomed and claimed the prerogative of Prophethood for themselves, the followers of the Veiled Prophet’ and of the ‘Moon Maker’ and of the Prophet Karmala and of several others offered to me copies of their Gospels. Even the Mormons obliged me by letting me have a copy of the famous golden book the Prophet Mormon received only very recently in America as an up-to-date word of God. Nor did any one of them forget to recommend to me and for reasons similar to those used by the Pandit and the Missionary and the Moulavi, that his Gospel was the only real revelation of God and the best way how man should read it and it alone. Thereupon, I thanked them all and bidding goodbye, bowed low—and as I was doing so, I awoke. But the impression that the dream had left upon my mind was so vivid that I could hardly avoid believing it, as innumerable saints are reported to have done under similar circumstances—to be an actual visitation and no ephemeral illusion. I decided, therefore, to take it all seriously and pondering deeply over what the pious men had said found to my great relief that although each of them had denied to human reason the right of questioning the truth of whatever be the contents of his sacred books, his God-sent Gospel, when one has accepted it as such, yet they all seemed to sanction or concede the use of reason in the act of making one’s choice as to which of the several alleged revelations was the most authentic one. Nay, strangely enough, they had to advance reasons even to prove that men should not reason at all, indulging in the contents of a divine revelation when once your choice is made. In fact, missions as such are but bodies that are out only to reason and argue and persuade men to distinguish the true Gospels from the false ones. Not only that but even the Prophets themselves did not hesitate to argue and reason with men so that they might be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, the imposters from the Prophets and come to believe in the really God-sent books. Does not the Arabian Prophet, for example, thunder from Sura, from paragraph to paragraph, that those who refused to believe in the Holy Koran revealed to him, will be eternally lost and consigned to perdition? And is not this pointing to a rod also a way of reasoning? When asked by the Faithless to produce a sign to prove his divine mission, did he not chide them by reminding them that they had tried to test even the Prophets that went before him, and failed to extract a sign

from them too, and later on pointed out to this wide earth and the rising mountains and the bounteous fields as mighty signs and miracles that attested to his being the real and the only messenger of God? Nay, sometimes, as is recorded in the second and some other chapters of the Holy Koran, he challenged the unbelievers to produce a single line in such a polished Arabian style as that, which marked the lines, in which the Koran was being revealed and flourished their inability to do so as a conclusive proof of the Koran’s being a really inspired and God-sent work. He taunted every now and then the false Prophets who write a book with their own hand and pass it on as God-written and God-sent. This also proves that the art of issuing counterfeit Gospels was well known to the generation and people amongst which the Prophet flourished. It was also for this reason that he not only permitted but commended men to argue and compare such books with his own in the light of human reason and logic and even diction. In the Holy Bible too, we meet every now and then with arguments advanced by Jesus and Christ to combat those who questioned his inspiration and Prophethood. Those who demanded signs and miracles, were at times rebuked for want of faith and at other times supplied with them. ‘Ye build sepulchres unto those whom your fathers stoned to death’ he sternly reminded his persecutors and quoted old prophesies to prove that all they had foretold came to pass in his life and corroborated his Prophethood. In the Vedic-fold, too, lengthy and elaborate discussions as to the authenticity of the Vedas as a God-inspired scripture are a common feature in works, not only heterodox but even orthodox, that aid to interpret them. Even Jaimini himself, after mentioning that a school existed even then, which did not attribute the Vedas to any divine and impersonal agency but boldly asserted that they were the work of men, though highly gifted and spiritual, enters into reasoned argumentation to prove otherwise. All these facts enable us to conclude that on the following four points at any rate, there reigns perfect unanimity amongst the followers of almost all sacred books that are extant today and looked upon as God-sent by the respective creeds. To start with, our friends, the Pandit, the Missionary, the Moulavi, the Rabbi down to the followers of Mormon and Al-swad and the Moonmakers and even of the Aga khan and Kadiani, each and all, not only admit but strongly maintain that all these books that claim to be God-sent cannot altogether be such, as the mutual contradictions and glaring antagonisms, with which they abound, do incontrovertibly prove. The

second point that characterises each and all of them equally, is the insistence in which they indulge in citing these very contradictions as an undeniable proof that all the Prophets and books that differ from their own, must be misleading and false for the simple reason that their own Gospel being God-sent and true cannot be false, and therefore the other books, which contradict it cannot be true. The third point that seems common to all, is the latitude which not only their respective followers but even the Prophets to whom these God-sent books were severally revealed, conceded though very confusedly and reluctantly to human reason, the right of distinguishing the false Prophets from the true one and the man-written books, that merely pose as God-written and God-inspired from the truly- inspired revelation in the light of logic and tradition and such other wordly tests of comparative criticism. The fourth point that distinguishes the sectarian propaganda of each and all of these conflicting religious schools is the fact that each Prophet, although he does not hesitate to lay human reason under contribution so long as it is useful to him in exposing the falsity of all other Prophets, excepting himself, to win over recruits to his side with a very laudable desire to save their souls, proceeds straight way to deny the right of human criticism and argument and reasoning to those very recruits, as soon as they get themselves definitely enlisted in the roll of believers in his creed. They are, thenceforth, to obey whatever the Prophet or his God-sent book commands and question naught or argue. Taking our stand then on these points, which more or less are common to all the Prophets and holy books of the different religious systems that prevail today, not to mention those that flourished in the ancient Babylonians and the people of the Pharaohs and other now extinct races and systems, it seems quite permissible to us mortals even consistently with the Prophetic traditions of yore, to subject these God-sent books and scriptures to human criticism and comparative study, if we but do it for the sake of ascertaining which one of these Gospels satisfies most our human expectation of perfection that a really God-sent book ought to possess. Although as we have seen already, all of them cannot be equally true, if at least one of them comes up to our expectation at the end of this enquiry and reveals all the attributes—which we are justified in associating with a God- sent book, with a work that emanates from the source of wisdom and goodness and knowledge from Providence, at once omniscient and omnipotent—blessed indeed are we! That was the most cherished boon we

longed for; but if unfortunately our investigation proves barren in the end and none of these revered works seems likely to establish its claim to the right of being regarded as Divine revelation it is given out to be then we must make ourselves bold to acknowledge and proclaim the truth and expose the superstition that attributing Divine infallibility, to human institutions, opinions and fancies however exalted, admirable and even beneficial they be in themselves relatively to human knowledge and ability, gave rise to so much bloodshed and misery in the past. If comparative criticism led in the light of human reason brings us further on to assess the true value of these revered scriptures, which when looked upon as man- written instead of God-written, will perhaps command greater respect from all reasonable men and could be read, interpreted and followed in a way that will save these precious books from being abused by fanaticism and render them not only quite harmless but even more useful and beneficial to man than now in his search after the True and the Good and the Beautiful. With this end in view, let us first address ourselves to the task of reviewing the Vedas, the Holy Bible, and the Quran sharif in the searchlight of human reason, before we pledge our allegiance to any one of them as an inspired and infallible scripture, as God-sent Gospel. Abhinava Hindu Dhwaja (Hindu National Flag) The National Flag does not only indicate but also establish the National Ideal. A nation’s greatness invariably finds expression through its ideal. The character of a nation depends upon the ideal that the nation sets upon itself. Nations with narrow ideals never achieved lasting greatness in the past. A sublime ideal has been the necessary requisite of a nation’s success to greatness and glory. Nations after nations illumined the pages of the world’s history only to disappear after a while, most of them having their downfall even before attaining the pinnacle of prosperity. The Hindu Nation alone traces its unbroken train of civilised existence from beyond the dawn of history and will continue its victorious march so long as its noblest ideal and its imperishable widest outlook on life are not forsaken. Speaking generally, the ideal of other past and living western nations has been considered to be Abhyudaya (worldly prosperity) for worldly enjoyment, which, being confined to mere material prosperity, cannot solve the knottiest problems for the amelioration of mankind.

But the Hindu nation is the only one that has accepted the ideal of perfect Abhyudaya as based on the foundation of complete Nihshreyas (Spiritual bliss). Hindu philosophers maintain that worldly Abhyudaya is imperatively necessary for mankind in order that by acquiring a happy and easy-going worldly life it may ultimately lead to the highest Nihshreyas (bliss). They know that the culmination of worldly Abhyudaya cannot be any other than Nihshreyas itself. It is Abhyudaya that makes human Nihshreyas possible, and it is Nihshreyas that purifies and controls the highest goal of Abhyudaya. It is because the Hindu race maintained this eternal ideal of harmony of worldly and spiritual aspirations that the Hindu Nation, in spite of successive waves of calamities, which overtook it, came out triumphantly again-and-again and is still a living race holding its ground. Hindu social lawgivers laid down the foundation of social organisation on the non-competition principle of division of functions and mutual aid in order to realise glorious Abhyudaya on way to Nihshreyas. To enable the smooth development of it, the Hindu society from the Sudra to the Brahmin have been allotted their respective duties. But for the proper fulfilment of all these duties and for the protection of the social life, there is necessity of Kshatra Tej (power). Its symbol is the Kripana (sword). In the absence of this Kshatra power as protector, the modus operandi of the Brahmin, the Vaishya and the sundra, which are conducive to the welfare of society, are almost impossible. The community that does not possess such Kshatra Power is bound to die. If education, agriculture, cattle-production, commerce and all arts and crafts are divorced from society, the community may still continue its lingering existence, but the want of Kshatra Power is likely to endanger the very existence of society. The Kshatra Power, in fact, guides, protects and harmonises the national commonwealth. All these considerations ought to be borne in mind when we set ourselves to the task of determining the flag of the Hindu Nation. The earth that feeds society, the law that gives nourishment, the book that imparts wisdom, the spinning wheel that symbolises arts and crafts—all these and many others can become symbols and much can be said in respect of each of them. But the crowning representative of all these symbols—the only correct symbol of Abhyudaya—is Kripana (sword). In this one, all other symbols are represented. The main symbol for the Hindu National Flag, therefore, should be the Kripana.

But the ultimate aim of the Hindu Abhyudaya is Nihshreyas and keeping this in view, the Hindus should endeavour to reach the highest goal humanly possible, which is the special characteristic of the Hindu Nation. Hindus have perfected a science based on experiment, which can be termed the highest blessing on human life. This Shastra is called the Yoga. It is the highest means of the full development of man’s internal powers. It is, therefore, very necessary that a clear symbol of Yoga, which indicates the way to the highest bliss should be fixed on the flag of the Hindu Nation. The symbol is that of the Kundalini. It is not the characteristic of any particular Jati or Varna. It exists in all human beings. On both sides of the Merudanda (spinal cord), there are two nadis (rivers), which are named by the Hindu Yogashastris as the Ida and the Pingala. They are intertwined with each other like a garland. Between these two, there is a third nadi called the Sushumna. In them, there are centres of nerves, which are designated as lotuses in the Yogic language. There are chiefly six lotuses, known as the Muladhara, the Swadhisthana, the Manipura, the Anahata, the Vishuddha and Sahasrara. In the Muladhara chakra, there is a marvellous power, which is coiled up. By Yogic and meditative practices it gets awakened and passing through every lotus (nerve center) and experiencing wonderful psychic superhuman experiences, reaches the Sahasrara lotus. Then the person practicing Yoga experiences wonderfully super-sensous and intense joy and bliss. This stage is designated by the Yogis as that of Kaivalyananda, by the Vajrayanis as that of Mahasuka, by the Adwaitees as that of Brahmananda, and by the devotees as that of Premananda. To acquire this supreme joy or bliss is the highest ideal of man, be he a Hindu or a non-Hindu (Muslim, Christian or Jew) i.e. believer or non-believer, citizen or forester. This Yogashastra is a science of personal experience. Hence, there is no place for difference of opinions. Therefore, the Kundalini that is the Muladhar Shakti or man’s highest progress and eternally blissful state of superconsciousness, which can be personally experienced, can alone be the symbol of the great ideal, at which the Abhyudaya of the Hindu Nation aims. Thus, the Kundalini represents all the ultimate aspirations, feelings, and powers of mankind and the Kripana, which represents the all-sided Abhyudaya aiming at and leading to the nation’s ideal prosperity. These two alone being depicted on the national flag, will be able to indicate and inspire the ideals of Abhyudaya and Nihshreyas.

Pointing at the flag, every Hindu will say: This is the Kundalini—this is the Kripana—-the one represents the highest bliss, the other worldly prosperity; they combine Shanti and Shakti, Yoga and Bhoga, Nivritti and Pravritti, Dhyeya and Dharana; the one symbolizes Aupanishadic Vidya (Highest spiritual attainment), the other denotes Aupanishadic Avidya (worldly advancement); the former reminds one Yogeshwar Krishna, the latter Dhanuradhara Partha of the Geeta. The Kundalini means Jnana Yoga and the Kripan means Karma Yoga. ‘For the protection of the good and the destruction of the wicked.’ All this, whatever that moves in the world, does so, because it is indwelt by the Lord. “Enjoy thou what he has allotted to thee.” This is the Universal message of the Hindu flag to the world. This is the national declaration. In order that kingdom, power and glory may not become polluted by the actions of tyranny and in order to keep the central truth of virtuous conduct always before mankind, the background of this Hindu flag is made of Bhagawa (red orchard) colour. This is the colour of renunciation. There is no Tyaga without Yoga and Kshema. Therefore, the Kripana is for the Yoga Kshema. We not only want to become free, powerful and liberated ourselves, but we want also to make the world so. Therefore, the colour of the flag of prosperity is Bhagawa. The deeper meaning and the philosophic secret of the Hindu flag is, thus, denoted by this Bhagwa-zenda, which is adorned by the kundalini with Omkar and which also holds the Kripana, this has got a very great historical importance. This flag is the final stage in the evolution of the traditional Hindu flag in the past. This is the consummation and perfection. From the very ancient times, the colour of the Hindu flag has been Bhagwa. Even today, the zenda indicating the ideas of victorious Pravritti and Blissful Nivritti is seen always and everywhere on the Hindu temples. When the Moslems were encroaching on the Hindusthan, the Maharashtriya Hindu padpadashahi, which succeeded in overthrowing them by its great forces with Herculean efforts and by organising the Hindu power, had as its flag Bhagwa zenda and everyone knows that the national Guru Samartha Ramdas, who bestowed it on the national hero Shree Shivaji Maharaj, gave it as the flag of Hindu religion for the great national purpose. For the establishment of Abhyudaya and Nihshreyas, Shri Ramdas has defined Dharma as— ‘Activity generates power. He who is active possesses it, but it must be based on the highest ideal of Nihshreyas, firstly as expounding the Kshatras

of great Avatars, secondly Rajakaran (politics), thirdly watchfulness regarding everything.’ This very meaning is denoted by the Hindu flag. Along with the Royal Bhagwa colour of the Maharashtriya Hindu power, there is also the Kripana of the Sikhs indicative of the memory of Guru Govind Singh, another great protector of Hindu nation. Guru Govind Singh used to keep Kripanas by his sides and used to say: ‘The one is of Yoga and the other is of Bhoga, the one is of Shanti (eternal peace) and the other is of Pushti-tushti (prosperity).’ Our Hindu flag also gives the same message. This Kundalini means Yoga and the Kripana means Bhoga. In the same way, Onkar is the sacred name of the great One, with whom the liberated souls become one, is the Highest state of Nihshreyas of Vaidic, Non-Vaidic, Sanatani and modern Hindu. Be there everlasting victory and eternal life to the Hindu flag bearing the symbol of Kundalini with Omkar and of Kripana from this end to that of the world flying with the prowess of millions of warriors accomplishing the highest happiness of all mankind! Since the time when in the Shradhanada paper, Syt. Savarkar propounded very clearly and appropriately the idea of the Hindu national flag, it is being welcomed everywhere. At the Session of the Akhil-Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha at Surat, its learned and venerable president hoisted the flag. At that time, the whole Mahasabha got up, saluting the flag hoisted triumphantly. In the year 1928, the Morshi Taluka Hindu Parishad held its session under the presidentship of Lokanayaka Aney. At that time, the audience, which was more than 5000, stood under the flag and sang the song of the ‘Hindus’ ‘We Hindus are all brothers.’ The C.P. and Berar Hindu Mahasabha met at Akola under the presidentship of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. At the time of entering the mandap (pandal), all the persons assembled saluted the flag. In the Hindu Youth Conference at Akola under the presidency of Dr. Savarkar, the Hindu National song was sung under the very flag. After the Surat Session in all the sessions of the Hindu Mahasabha, which took place at Bezwada under the presidency of Dr. Moonje, at Akola under Sjt. Vijaya Raghava Achariyar’s presidentship, at Delhi under the presidentship of Sj. N. C. Kelkar of Poona, there was a grand salutation of this Abhinava Hindu Dhwaja; the Hindu Flag continued hoisted and flying in every one of the sessions that was held in subsequent years including the last session of Cawnpore under the presidentship of Rev. U. Uttama.