Truth, universal in nature

CHENNAI, DEC. 13. World peace has to be promoted all the time and religious leaders have the primary role in initiating this process. While most of the world religions are well-organised, the Vedic tradition is not so as according to this tradition truth cannot be organised, but there are many philosophical systems within this fold. This faith is practised personally by every one of its followers and it must be mentioned that many may be practising it unknowingly.

Even when a lay person belonging to this religion is asked ``Where is God?'' he will reply that He is everywhere. It is in this universal knowledge lies the greatness of the Vedic religion. Its catholicity makes it very accommodative. This unique feature accounts also for its resilience. When one religion tries to prevail over another conflicts arise. To have peace in the world religious leaders must first have peace within their denominations. By sowing seeds of dissension only conflicts can be reaped.

In his benedictory address, Swami Dayananda Saraswathi said that finding peace was a journey, an enquiry within. Society needs leadership especially those who can advocate peace after finding it themselves. The Bhagavad Gita says, ``Whatever a great man does that very thing other men also do; whatever standard he sets up, the generality of men follow the same.''

At the individual level all are leaders in their own right, as for instance, within the family a parent has a leadership role. At the societal level religious leaders have a definite role to play. Those who assume leadership have to first look within themselves and discover the truth. It is a process which must see the abstract in the particular.

An example is the act of touching a piece of furniture while saying, ``Touch wood.'' Actually the person touches a chair but in the act he acknowledges only the universal - that all furniture are made of wood. Even physicists say that matter at the fundamental level exists only as probabilities. So the very act of seeing makes a lot of difference as one sees only what one seeks. In the complex life process and forms in the world one can discover the divine within.

Religions have to be accommodative in the interest of world peace. All religions speak of the universal truth and hence it is imperative that the scriptures of the various religions must be read with this perspective. No human heart is bereft of empathy and to even think ill of another person is violence. There will not be peace even if one individual entertains such ill feelings. It is possible to develop empathy with everyone.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Miscellaneous
Previous : Solution to puzzle 6924
Next     : dated December 13, 1950: Praise for India's
           initiative