life oriented philosophy 2

The Life Oriented Philosophy... The word Swadhyay literally means “study of the self”. Delving deeper, we find that it is actually a life-changing experience.It is a philosophy intended to uplift human life; as Rev. Dadaji says. “We do not want a philosophy which is purely theoretical and which merely discusses utopian ideas and theories. We do not want a philosophy which is merely otherworldly; instead, we want a philosophy which is practical, one that can be useful in our daily lives, i.e. we want a philosophy that can be lived.”

Archirayan

During each Archirayan event, the world witnessed a unique divine wave. For example, 35,000 Swadhyayees from Maharashtra, along with thousands of other Swadhyayees (including over 1,000 from the North America & the UK) traveled to meet their fellow human beings in over 5,000 Tamil villages. Despite the barrier of language, these Swadhyayees developed warm divine relationships with hundreds of thousands of Tamil-speaking brothers and sisters...

"Bhavlakshi" from Swadhyay pariwar Celebrate Sanvatotsav at Bhav-Nirzar

“Bhav Nirzar” is an educational institution located in Ahmedabad, founded by Pujya Pandurang Shastri (Dadaji). Within the institution, there is a prayer hall containing life-size idols of Lord Yogeshwar, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesh, and a Shivlinga. Every year, a pious occasion known as Sanvatotsav is celebrated at Bhav Nirzar. This event marks the anniversary of the sanctification of all the afore-mentioned idols with the prescribed Vedic rites. These holy rituals symbolize the spiritual process by which God is called to reside within the idols, transforming them from mere stone idols into a physical embodiment of God Himself. Each year, the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility of conducting the Sanvatotsav celebration is given to a different group within the Swadhyay Pariwar. This year, the festive occasion, held on April 11, 2006, was organized, attended, and performed by more than 75,000 “Bhavlakshi” people (the so-called ‘Untouchables or ‘Harijans’) in the presence of Pujya Didiji and thousands of others.

Archirayan

Rev. Dadaji worked tirelessly for 83 years primarily for the upliftment of humanity and the establishment of human dignity.In his pursuit of enabling all humans to become enlightened, happy, and grateful, Dadaji did not pay attention to his own physical discomforts.He was never deterred by adverse climates, including rain, heat, and snow.  He wholeheartedly embraced people from all walks of life, without regard to race, religion, nationality, gender, social status or the like.He became the living embodiment of the Universal Man, showering his selfless love on everyone.
Dadaji Continues His Work…
During his physical life, Dadaji had opened his heart to millions upon millions of people.He has since decided to live in their hearts; Dadaji transformed his role to that of Hridayastha (“dwelling within the heart”).
According to the Vedic Way of Life, it is customary to perform Asthi Visarjan (immersing of ashes) in holy waters after the cessation of physical existence.  But how could the Swadhyaya family have an Asthi Visarjan for their beloved Dadaji if he continued to live in their hearts?  He radiates through their smiles, he sees through their eyes, he touches with their hands, and he walks using their feet.  Since Dadaji has not gone anywhere, it did not seem appropriate to have an Asthi Visarjan.  Instead, seven Archirayans were held at seven different sites.
“Archirayan” is not a synonym for Asthi Visarjan. Archirayan mirrors the path of the Sun, as Dadaji is like the Sun, with His radiance, warmth, and unique energy. One may wonder, “if Archirayan is not the same as Asthi Visarjan, then why are Swadhyayees performing the ritual of Asthi Visarjan?”  Rev. Didiji explains that via the ritual of Asthi Visarjan, vices like inflated ego, jealousy, uncontrolled desires, and anger are symbolically removed.  
Dadaji has always treated all like his own children, and Didiji is no different.  She has treated Swadhyayees like her own brothers and sisters.  Instead of merely saying the all Swadhyayees are her family, she proved it by bestowing upon them the highest honor possible.  She allowed them to be an active part of Dadaji’s Archirayan, an honor which is traditionally limited only to immediate family members.

Places For Archirayan:
Since Dadaji never limited himself to any single place, it was quite natural that Archirayan also could not be limited to one place. We, as the Pariwar, decided to take our Dadaji to seven different holy places in India during Archirayan!

1. Ujjain Madhya Pradesh Jan 3rd, 2005 2. Pushkar Rajasthan Jan 7th, 2005 3. Haridwar Uttaranchal Jan 11th, 2005 4. Kurukshetra Haryana Jan 14th, 2005 5. Gaya Zarkhand Jan 18th, 2005 6. Jagannath Puri Orissa Jan 21st, 2005 7. Rameshwar Tamilnadu July 3rd, 2006

Spiritual Process During Archirayan:
During each and every Archirayan, Dadaji’s children numbering anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 set out on a spiritual journey to do what Dadaji liked the most, i.e. SELFLESSLY MEET GOD’S CHILDREN. During each event, they visited anywhere from 3,000 to 5,500 villages and metropolitan areas, sharing selfless love with the people in those areas. They shared Dadaji’s message of Trikal Sandhya with their divine brothers and sisters. They wrote their emotional experiences in UPASHRUTI, along with the names of the people they met. They offered this Upashruti to Dadaji on the last day of their pilgrimage.
Historic Event:
During each Archirayan event, the world witnessed a unique divine wave. For example, 35,000 Swadhyayees from Maharashtra, along with thousands of other Swadhyayees (including over 1,000 from the North America & the UK) traveled to meet their fellow human beings in over 5,000 Tamil villages. Despite the barrier of language, these Swadhyayees developed warm divine relationships with hundreds of thousands of Tamil-speaking brothers and sisters. Such an exceptional display of divine love has never before been witnessed in the history of the world, and it is only possible because of Dadaji’s blessings and Didiji’s guidance.
An idea so unique in thought and action cannot escape recognition. Dadaji was sought after by His Holiness The Pope John Paul IV during the First Papal Visit for Philosophical Discussions. Dadaji was the Chief Guest at the 1982 celebrations in Germany honouring the 15th century saint-philosopher Nicholas of Cusa. In 1996, Rev. Dadaji was honoured with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for community leadership; and in 1997, Rev. Dadaji received the most prestigious Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.
Various national and international awards have been conferred upon Rev. Dadaji in recognition of his incessant selfless work. He has gracefully accepted these awards, treating them as “love letters from God”.

The Silent Revolution

The Sunday Observer, October 1990
Not many people are aware that an old, nondescript building, Nirmal Niketan, in the heart of Girgaum is the head-quarters of a vast, social movement, which has, since its inception 36 years ago, reached all over the world. Spear-headed by the magnetic Pandurang Shastri Athavale, Swadhyay was recognised as the best sociological model at a United Nations seminar in Rome in '86. Swadhyay, by its simple, realistic ideals has assimilated millions of followers of diverse castes and religions into its fold. Madhavi Purohit looks at this movement on the occasion of Athavale's 70th birthday, which was celebrated as Human Dignity Day at Chowpatty last month.
Thirty-six years ago, a man called Pandurang Shastri Athavale attended the second World Religious Conference in Japan. There he spoke about the teaching of the Vedas, and the Geeta and its relevance to modern dilemmas. Impressed by his speech, several universities in the UK and USA proposed lucrative offers, which he refused. This apparently was because Athavale had no answer to the question as to whether there was a single community in India that lived by the ideals propagated by the Geeta.
On returning to India, he began to teach at the Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta Pathshala; a school set up by his father. His discourses attracted people from all walks of life-mostly the educated middle class. From these he chose 19 people with whom he held long personal dialogues and discussions. Thus, a germ of an idea took root. To put it into action, Athavale asked these 19 people to form small groups of four to five persons and visit certain villages in Gujarat and talk to the people there. They were not to preach, deliver solutions to problems or ask for food and shelter. They were to simply live amongst them as brothers. The 19, although skeptical, carried on, out of sheer faith in their guide. What seemed overly idealistic and impractical 36 years ago, Swadhyay has today grown into one of the most phenomenally successful grassroots movements that independent India has seen.
Followers of Swadhyay range from fishermen and farmers to politicians and industrialists. At a recent meeting of Swadhyayees at Chowpatty Beach to celebrate Dada's (as Athavale is known) 70th birthday, over five hundred thousand people - from within the country and abroad - turned up. Rich and the poor mingled freely among themselves in the true spirit of Swadhyay. One Aagri speaker told the audience about how life for their community had changed after Swadhyay and how they, an illiterate lot, had begun to spout shlokas from the Geeta. Another said, "Mahatma Gandhi gave us sympathy, Dr Ambedkar gave us our basic rights, but you (Dada) have drawn us close."
Swadhyay is a movement in which values are not impossibly idealistic but are to be followed -is with love and determination. Where religion does not mean rituals and idol worship but a celebration of human dignity. Where a spiritual quests does not mean an ascetic withdrawal from materialistic life. It means utilizing material gain for individual and social progress. Where knowing the three R's does not spell education but a cultivation of values does.
Swadhyay literally means a knowledge of the self. ("Swa" is self and "adhyay" is study or knowledge). Based on the teachings of the Bhagwad Geeta, it believes in ego transcendence through bhakti (devotion). Writes R.K. Srivastava, in his paper on Swadhyay, which he presented at a United Nations seminar in Rome, "Swadhyay is both a metaphor and a movement. It is a metaphor in the sense of vision, and a movement in terms of its active orientation in social and economic spheres. Instead of charging into minefields of state power or questioning societal leadership, it is creeping where it finds space."
The operative word bhakti; A bhakti which all encompassing and believes that no human being is superior or inferior to any other. In practical terms, it means that every person who practices Swadhyay is a Swadhyayee and not Marathi or Gujarati, Swadhyay however does not radically negate the existence of inequality. The idea is that although there is inequality, which is impossible to eradicate, it is your perception of it that matters and what ultimately makes the difference. In that sense, Swadhyay does not shake the foundations of our society. Says a swadhyayee, Mukesh Gandhi, "It is like this. If you demolish a dilapidated building, where do the tenants go? Instead if you retain the basic structure and gradually renovate it, it is so much better. That is what Dada believes in doing. "
Swadhyay does not even try to eliminate the existing economic and social disparity. More importantly, it creates an alternative form of economic and social parity. That is where its success lies. Writes Majid Rahenuma, former education minister of Iran and a UNESCO research scholar, "Dada does not believe in the wisdom of mobilizing people's energy on fighting the caste system on legal or moral grounds, or simply because that seems to represent out-dated and undemocratic practices. The caste system, he believes, is a part of a holistic world-view of many complex dimensions. To translate it into a "modern" concept of fictitious "equality" and thus to reduce it to a political issue of fashionable or demagogic nature, is to hinder rather than to foster the processes required for the elimination of dehumanizing and exploitative social barriers."
Swadhyay creates equality through several experiments. One such experiment is Yogeshwar Krishi. Here, plots of land are jointly cultivated by Swadhyayees. Volunteers take turns in working on these farms. The resulting produce become part of the "impersonal wealth" generated by them. Part of this is distributed among the needy and the rest is ploughed back into farming. This way it not only eliminates any feeling of superiority on the part of the giver (since he doesn't even know to whom he is giving) but also does not demean the acceptor of charity (since he only gets God's "prasad", which is what it is called). There are as many as 3,500 plots of land which are collectively tilled, all over the country.
A similar undertaking is Matsyagandha - the same concept applied to fishing. Fishermen sell part of their catch to create impersonal wealth, which is used for the upliftment of their community. Today there are 18 such boats, which are used for this purpose. Likewise, there is a transport company called Ekveera, a dairy - Goras, a store - Pariwar; and a cottage industry product shop called Sanket, which all function on this concept.
Vrikshmandir is a name given to an orchard scheme which is tended by Swadhyayees, and so far 12 orchards have been created by Swadhyayees, totally on their own, out of barren, unused land. Another interesting concept is that of Amrutalayam. These are idol less temples where villagers assemble every evening, no matter what their caste. Individual and collective problems are discussed informally. Anonymous offerings may be made to increase the common bank of impersonal wealth. There are 74 such Amrutalayams all over the country, which speaks of the success of this completely a religious movement. Apart from these practically oriented experiments, there are institutions that propagate the message of the Geeta. There are the Vayastha Sanchalans that specialize in "building character and imparting moral orders to the youth". The Tatvadyan Vidyapeeth is a special center that teaches the Geeta to post-graduate youths and even grown-ups. The Bal Sanskar Kendra is for children while the Mahila Kendras are designed to help Swadhyayee women teach and help each other.
Remarkable As the movement is, what is even more creditable is its activity abroad. The DAY (Devotional Associates of Yogeshwar) is an active organization in the US. Says Jaittik Patel, A London-based businessman, who has been a participant of the DAY for the last 10 years, "We do exactly what our brothers here do. We too go on bhakti pheris from house to house spreading the message of Geeta." There are Swadhyay kendras all over London. Their activity has spread to the USA where at a Swadhyay meeting two years ago, nearly 20,000 Swadhyayees attended. "And those were only the ones that attended," points out Dr. Jay Bathani, a physician. "This is our Gangotri. We take our message from here," he adds.
Starting this year, the overseas Swadhyayees have embarked on a new program that will take the movement to South America and Europe. While the US organization will send their Swadhyayees to South America, the UK division will be responsible for spreading the message to Europe. A group of 19 people have already travelled all over Lisbon and Portugal and have reached over 5,800 families where the response was enthusiastic. Although the message of Swadhyay is from the holy book of the Hindus, the Geeta, the movement has attracted followers of all religions. In Houston, USA, there is an all American Swadhyay kendra. In the Middle East too it has a large following.
What is it about the movement that draws people like moths to a flame? Explains Bhupendra Patel, a UK Businessman, "I remember the first time Dada came here. At that time I was going through a phase where I was rather frustrated with the establishment. Out of sheer curiosity I accompanied a Swadhyayee to one Punjabi household. There was some sort of a guru seated on an Asian. When the Swadhyayees began to speak, he asked them whether they could explain the Geeta in five sentences. Without any hesitation they replied, "Kaam karta ja. Haak marta ja. Madad tayar hai. Karne ke shakti tujh me hai. Kiye bina kuch milta nahin. (One does not get anything without action. Action does not go in vain. God helps those who help themselves. Energy for action is within you. Act and seek help of God which is ever ready). I was very impressed. That was the turning point." Once a Swadhyayee, always a Swadhyayee seems to be the prevailing maxim. For there are people who have been active in this work since its inception. There are entire families who have adopted Swadhyay as their religion. Says Nandkumar Vanvari, an architect," My father was a follower, so I am one and my children."
In this day and age when social work has been reduced to a fashionable pastime for rich, idle women, Swadhyay brings hope. For it is a thriving example of a successful democratic experiment. A movement which is truly of the people, by the people and for the people.

The Life Oriented Philosophy...

Swadhyay began its journey in the early 1940s when Revered Dadaji (Pandurang Shastri Athavale), a young scholar then in his early twenties, began to deliver discourses in the Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta Pathshala in Mumbai, India.
Swadhyay is a Sanskrit word meaning self-study, but it is more than merely a “study”. The word movement is an incomplete description of what Swadhyay is and what it does; rather, it is a tribute to Rev. Dadaji, who has founded it, nurtured it, and inspired millions of people to join the Swadhyay stream. He has single-handedly spearheaded a silent revolution which aims at the social and cultural transformation of man.

A process of self-transformation and self-empowerment, for Swadhyayees it is a life-changing experience, an experience that gives dignity, self-respect, and self-esteem to the individual. It is a network of interacting individuals and communities. They may have different identities and orientations, yet they come together to share a system of beliefs and a sense of belonging. Such integration facilitates community regeneration and healing at both the individual and social levels. The primary goal of Swadhyay is to develop an awareness of the indwelling God -- the divine presence within every human being. Another basic idea of Swadhyay is that bhakti (devotion) is not strictly an introverted activity; rather, it is also a social force. Bhakti is at the foundation of Swadhyay'. Bhakti is an understanding of man's relationship with the Divine and with others. But for bhakti to be a social force and move beyond ritualism, temple worship, scriptural learning and attending religious discourses, it would have to be transformed into selfless and righteous action based on devotion. Self-perfection sublimated through constructive work for a   collective good is seen as kruti-bhakti (devotional activism), which fosters a universal brotherhood under the fatherhood of God.
In Swadhyay, the sacred becomes more personal while satisfying individual and community needs. These are not simply material needs; rather, they are basic human needs like love, identity, self-acceptance, and self-esteem. Though Swadhyay is an inwardly focused spirituality, it is life-oriented.

The Revolution

Rev. Dadaji had once remarked, "A sound philosophymust be internally coherent and harmonious and must be translatable into practice. It should not remain a mere Utopian concept, although the idea of a Utopia should always remain in the back of our minds. An integral philosophyis one which satisfies the total personality". Dadaji has revealed a revolution in all five facets of human existence: social, emotional, economical, political, and finally spiritual . Dadaji has transformed the very meaning of the word revolution in the minds of modern day men and women.
The word kranti ("revolution") almost invariably conjures up images of fast-paced, chaotic, and often violent changes in a society or nation. Revolutions are typically seen in the realm of social, political, and economic power struggles.
Dadaji’s historic Kranti, on the other hand, has been implemented using the means of devotion (“bhakti”), which is a social force, as Dadaji explains. Intellectual conviction and a realization of the indwelling God lead to a basic human transformation, setting the stage for transformation in all other facets of life

Social Revolution

Over centuries, several great individuals have taken different routes for societal changes. However, Rev. Dadaji has always maintained and successfully demonstrated that no societal change is possible without a more basic change at an individual level. After all, each individual is the quantum of his society.
Some of the other societal efforts have been observed to be restricted by selfish quests for popularity and position, the intermingling of political and other ambitions, ego clashes, a certain degree of 'dryness' in working, and a difference of opinion regarding the methodologies to be followed.
However Rev. Dadaji, by means of a Swadhyayee outlook, philosophy, and a unique way of working, has enabled every last member of society to attain self-reverence, self-confidence, and self-respect and become transformed in the process. Just as important, he has enabled each human being to realize and appreciate the dignity of his fellow human beings, their intrinsic self-worth, and human dignity in general.
In the process of transformation at an individual level, a societal revolution is naturally facilitated and, in fact, simplified.  A common manifestation of this phenomenon is the caste-community barriers that tend to dissipate in thousands of communities where these thoughts have taken root.

Political Revolution

The pages of the world’s history are replete with accounts of violent power struggles meant to overthrow ruling political formations, which have turned exploitative, unjust, dictatorial, and corrupt. When these struggles are successful, there is, for a limited period, a sense of satisfaction in the so-called victory of 'good' over 'evil' and a hope of changing the condition of masses.
However, in many instances, the victorious, supposedly representing the suffering masses, have simply been unable to fulfill promises and realize the dreams of suffering masses. It seems the set of rulers change without any change in the condition of the people. Many political revolutions directed against colonial masters have been violent. The historic, bloody French revolution – for a while – rekindled dreams of liberty, equality, and fraternity. However, as history shows, those dreams have remained largely unrealized.
A fundamental & necessary ingredient of democracy is respect for an individual. In modern times, a human being is easily 'sold' on an enticement of some form. Very often a human being - a voter - is seen to have become a purchasable commodity. For example, in electoral politics, it has been a common observation that some voters often 'sell' their votes to the highest bidder. Any political system that is unable to accord necessary value to a human being cannot be called a successful one. In the current time, with the political systems squarely resting on the twin pillars of fear and materialistic power, the human being has become secondary or worse. Only bhakti can awaken the self-reverence of a human being, and as a result he can cease to be a purchasable commodity.
A human being may be poor, living in a hut, and may not possess money, education or position. How is it possible to arouse his self-reverence (asmita) ? How can he preserve his self-respect ?
Rev. Dadaji has shown an elegant, beautiful way out of this quagmire. The Almighty God dwells within every human being. Therefore, a human being may be poor, but he need not feel worthless. He may be uneducated, but need not feel helpless. His self-reverence can only be awakened with bhakti. A human being with self-reverence cannot be purchased for some political agenda.
In communities where Swadhyay thoughts have taken root, elections occur with unanimity and without bitter political fights.

Economic Revolution

Thinkers like Karl Marx ruffled the flag of economic freedom in the world and declared that poverty should be eliminated. Marx called upon the workers of the world to unite. However, he overlooked the basic fact that for any revolution to be successful, the human mind needs to be transformed.
The Socialist system considered the state supreme and crushed the human being by the fear of punishment of one kind or another. Individual freedom suffered in the process, the state became the owner of all wealth, and the problem of incentive remained unsolved.
On the other hand, the Capitalist system gives the individual, supreme importance. The unfettered materialistic enjoyments possible in that system have also 'killed' the human being, albeit in a different manner. A lack of limits on an individual’s economic freedom has led to ills of all kinds, such as uncontrolled materialist enjoyments, the concentration of wealth in the hands of a select few, and the denigration of basic human values. The individual has been considered the absolute owner of all wealth. An economic system of this nature is a natural breeding ground for cut-throat competition and class wars.
Rev. Dadaji has accepted the concept of individual ownership of wealth. However he has introduced a novel revolutionary corollary to this notion. An individual can offer his efficiency to God out of devotion (“bhakti”) and gratitude (“krutagnata”) to God, and as a result, he can generate impersonal wealth. This wealth does not belong to any individual or to society at large. In fact, it belongs to God!  With that philosophical underpinning, Dadaji has successfully demonstrated successful new socio-economic experiments such as Vriksha Mandir, Matsya Gandha, Yogeshwar Krushi , and Amrutalayam in thousands of communities . This has resulted in an impersonal wealth which does not have stamp of any one individual's efforts or destiny.
This wealth has been used to help needy members of the community or those stuck by some calamity, but strictly as the benefaction (“prasaad”) of God. This wealth (Mahalakshmi ) is no ordinary wealth; rather it belongs to only the Lord. This economic revolution has resulted in the eradication of economic inequality and poverty in thousands of Swadhyayee communities, making them self-sufficient examples of economic transformation on a grand scale.

Emotional Revolution

In today’s world, it seems the only parameters of success are money, power, and fame. With this mindset, rampant materialism has brought havoc to modern society. There is a complete lack of emotional richness in daily grind of individuals, societies, and nations. The world, it seems, revolves around the self-interest of individual or a “privileged few”. The 'self’ is in dire need of transformation. Unless the 'self’ is connected to the Divine, happiness and contentment remain obscure concepts. If a human being acquires an understanding of his divine relationship with God and with his fellow man, a “divine brotherhood under the fatherhood of God” can be created. Rev. Dadaji has used devotion (“bhakti”) to create such an emotional (bhavanatmak) revolution. A human being may not be blood-related to his fellow human; however, he is related to him by virtue of having the same Divine “blood-maker”. By understanding this divine relationship, he has successfully eliminated the barriers of various types from society. By imparting the understanding that “We are the children of one God", Rev. Dadaji has brought intimacy in human relationships. Furthermore, he has expounded upon the relationship between man & nature and, as well as the relationship between man & God. Man usually worships God out of self-interest or fear. Instead, Dadaji has introduced the concept of “intellectual love towards God”. The practice of a daily reminder in the form of Trikal Sandhya fosters divine gratitude; this practice eventually leads to the desire to offer one’s energy & efficiency to God. This creation of a divine, intellectual love for God leads to an active and dynamic form of instrumental devotion (“bhakti”).  It is the practice of this philosophy that has resulted in an emotional revolution. This global family (Pariwar) of Yogeshwar, which is a manifestation of 'brotherhood of men under fatherhood of God' is in stark contrast to hostility and all-round dissatisfaction of modern times.

Spiritual Revolution

The word "spiritual" typically conjures up images of mesmerism, hypnotism, and the like. However, the Sanskrit scriptures have a very precise definition of the word spirituality (adhyatma): "aatmani adhi iti adhyatma", meaning all that which is performed in accordance with the wishes of the soul (aatma)is spirituality.
A question which troubles the thinking person is: how can one worship the Universal Power, the Creator? What should one offer to Him? Rev. Dadaji explains that the true worship of God consists of taking the divine thoughts of the Vedas and Bhagavad-Gita to others in a selfless manner. One’s intellect is an incomparable gift from God. It behooves a human being to use this gift to take these divine thoughts to the masses.
As such, our lives are predominantly consumed by the pursuit of selfish motives. At least part of our time should be devoted to the divine work of reminding people of God’s selfless love and taking His thoughts to people.
In observance of the Ekadashi vrat, a large mass of humanity has started performing selfless work and giving selfless love. Without caring for their personal gain, tens of thousands of krutisheels have been going on regular devotional visits (Bhakti-Pheri).
Dadaji also explains that offering one's efficiency to God can be a form of worship, very much like Arjun used his war skills to fight for true religion and the spread of God’s work.
Spirituality does not necessitate forsaking the life of a householder and staying in a cave in a remote area. Even in his daily life, one can experience it.
The Swadhyayee revolution is a revolution in thinking. It is an extraordinary revolution by so-called “ordinary” human beings. Offering one's efficiency to God is true devotion. By imparting this understanding, Dadaji has brought the nishkaam karma yoga of Geeta to the lives of common men. His numerous experiments will continue to guide the world for centuries.

Devotion based socio-economic experiments

THE WORK : DEVOTIONALISM IS A SOCIAL FORCE

The understanding of indwelling God imbibed into Swadhyayees by Rev. Dadaji motivated Swadhyayees to willingly, knowingly and lovingly offer their efficiency, skill and toil at the feet of lord out of gratitude and reverence, which is true expression of Devotion (Bhakti). The concept of Devotion has two important aspects: one self explorations with a view to coming closer to God (Bhav Bhakti) and two an active/creative principle of devotion to promote communal good (Ktruti Bhakti). Through a series of Practical steps and programmes, the awareness that the self is the abode of the Divine is facilitated.

Children - The Future

One of the pillars of Swadhyay work is the Child Development Center, or Bal Sanskar Kendra. When is the right time to instill the qualities of morality, heroism, patriotism, etc. in a person? If they are instilled during the formative years of childhood, their roots penetrate deeply and result in an integrated personality. Such qualities are clearly visible amongst the thousands of children who regularly attend Bal Sanskar Kendra - child development centers.
Bal Sanskar Kendra inculcates qualities like heroism and nobility among children by the telling of inspiring stories from Vedic literature, as well as stories of contemporary heroes. A feeling of gratitude is the cornerstone of all moral and spiritual perfection. These centers teach children to be grateful to God, sages and saints, to one's country, parents, and teachers.

Every teacher in the child development center gives thoughts and warmth to up to 25 children. These teachers shower motherly love upon. They are in constant touch with the childrens’ parents.The parents, children, and the teachers feel united by a bond of spiritual love.
Since the beginning of the Bal Sanskar Kendra over three decades ago, thousands of children have grown up with a sense of gratitude, with a desire to do something for their country, and a sense of reverence and duty toward their culture. These young people are grateful to God and ready to work for God. They form the core of the Swadhyay force.

Swadhyay Pariwar and the Power of Youth...

“I have faith in three entities: God, Scriptures, and the Youth.”. These are the words of Pujya Dada, the inspirer of Swadhyay, which has now spread widely in India and in numerous other countries. From Dadaji’s perspective, a youth is “a living symbol of an indomitable enthusiasm and will to completely change the era, tie up in knots the whole sky, and crush to pieces the mighty Himalayas”. It has been His clear belief that if a youngster is drawn closer with a divine, selfless relationship and given a proper understanding of religion, spirituality, and devotion, then his latent creative tendencies and spirit are truly awakened. This can lead to a spiritual & religious revolution.
Years ago, several young men were drawn to Dadaji, who possessed dynamic thoughts and a charismatic personality. These men eventually vowed to undertake the work of rejuvenation of religion and culture. In 1971, under the auspice of Divine Brain Trust – a name given by Dadaji – an ever-expanding set of activities took shape, including “Yuva Kendras”, study circles, youth contact & ‘reach out’ programs (“yuva sampark”), celebrations of traditional festivals in their true original spirit, sports-events, picnics, youth gatherings, and youth conferences.
Ever since Pujya Dada turned over the responsibilities of guiding the mammoth Swadhyay work to Aadarniya Didi (Mrs. Dhanashree Talwalkar), the youth activities have acquired a new dynamism.  Didiji, who is completely dedicated to Dadaji and his work, has given a new shape to His vision of developing Swadhyay work in all its facets and dimensions. She has achieved this by focusing the collective energies of young men and women and by imparting selfless love and warmth to the youth, who are brimming with enthusiasm and sheer energy. Under her able guidance, the last few years have witnessed young men and women of Swadhyay in India and abroad taking on a plethora of divine goals, the results of which are rather heartening. Listed below are some of the key ones:

1.    Present number of Yuva Kendras: over 15,000

2.    Number of young connected with Yuva Kendras: over 300,000

3.    Indian States in which Yuva Kendras are active: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Hariyana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka (total 9 states).
These are conducted in Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Oriya, Telugu, Tamil and English (total 7 languages)

4.    Foreign countries in which Yuva Kendras are held: U.K., U.S.A., Gulf Countries, Singapore

5.    Details of street-plays staged by youngsters of Swadhyay

during 2002:

o    total number of teams which staged the plays: more than 12,000

o    total number of young men who were members of these teams: 125,000

o    total number of shows staged in different parts of India: 120,000

6.    Details of national level elocution competition held during 2002 on occasion of Geeta Jayanti:

o    total number of participants in the competition (1,50,218)
(the corresponding number was 3286 in 1998)
some highlights of the participants participants included,

o    aadivasis from Gujarat and Maharashtra

o    vanvasis from Gujarat

o    Muslim and Christian participants (some were winners too)

o    illiterate women

o    young Kshatriya women from extremely conservative background

o    Tamil youth learned Hindi to be able to understand thoughts of Dadaji to be able to compete better.

The event was covered by several major news papers and media entities.

7.    Details of national level sports competition held in 2002-03

o    Number of participants: 205,310

o    Number of participants in the finals held in Dadoba Konddev Stadium in Thane: 900 In the tradition of The Olympics, torch rallies were held in thousands of villages in several states

8.    In connection with the celebrations on the 12^th of July, 2002, hundreds of thousands of young people participated in “Madhav Vrunda Dashabdi” programs held in Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Thane, Nasik, and Aurangabad. The youth participated with enthusiasm and with a resolve for future action.

July 12^th also happens to be the birthday of Didiji, who has successfully channeled the energies of youth and emotionally integrated them on the basis of a selfless & divine relationship. The day is also associated with the Madhav Vrund and Vruksha Mandir projects. In addition, the Swadhyayee youth celebrate that day as the annual “Yuva Din”. Major highlights of that day’s celebration include cycle and scooter rallies in villages and cities respectively, launching of new Yuva Kendras, a resolution to selflessly meet new young people, etc..
These young men and women simultaneously manage their academic/professional lives with their expression of gratitude for Dadaji and Didiji in an activist manner, exemplifying the true spirit of an ideal youth.

Woman - An Equal Half

The present generation witnesses the battle of the sexes, as male dominance is challenged by an increasingly militant feminism.
However, this heated debate overlooks one point which Vedic culture recognizes: man and woman are equals. They constitute two halves of a whole. Vedic philosophy is concerned with social stability and peace, which can be achieved only when men and women are regarded as complementary forces.
Society has chosen to see the woman as a meek object needing protection, use her for exhibition, or place her on a “high and mighty” pedestal. It is the Vedic culture which has recognized her as a person deserving the respect and consideration due to all human beings.
Lord Shri Krishna has proclaimed in the Bhagavad-Gita, 'I am seated in all hearts'.  Swadhyayee women now realize that the power and glory of God who dwells in their hearts can allow them to contribute enormous good to the world. This world is going through a very dark phase, perhaps the darkest ever in the history of mankind. So let men wage wars, women should build homes. The woman is not a weak or timid creature; she should never entertain a negative image of herself. Revered Dada tells women to play a positive and creative role in social affairs.

Education of women

That women should be educated is no longer a controversial topic, but the nature of their education is still a matter of debate. A system of education must teach women self-respect, honesty, love, faith, sacrifice, compassion, and sincerity. These qualities form the backbone of a strong family and a healthy society.

Influence of Swadhyay

Swadhyay has awakened self-respect in women. They now lead their lives with dignity and courage. If only they change their attitudes and direct their energies towards God, they can spearhead a revolution in society. Women are eminently suited for this work. This is their mission.
Women are involved in every important aspect of Revered Dada's work.
As women develop an understanding of the indwelling God and realize everything He does on a daily basis, they develop a deep sense of gratitude. Through the concept of Ekadashi, women begin to fast once every fortnight and spend the day visiting villages as a form of expressing their gratitude and devotion to God through action. In small groups, these women get together for Swadhyay and forget their differences. Swadhyay is the bridge which brings together people from diverse social classes and communities.
In addition, women have done exemplary work in the child-development centers (Bal Sanskar Kendras). They inculcate qualities like heroism and nobility among the children by telling them inspiring stories and giving motherly warmth. They teach children to be grateful to God, sages and saints, to one's country, parents, and teachers. The feeling of gratitude is the cornerstone of all moral and spiritual perfection.
Women who practice Swadhyay also intensely study the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita. They learn and meditate on these divine teachings. This study and reflection make them the guardians of culture and religion. Women teach the Geeta, the Upanishads, and Sanskrit hymns to other members of the family. Thus, the home becomes a holy and pious environment for children.
Over three decades ago Revered Dada inspired women to work in Bal Sanskar Kendras and to form Swadhyay groups. Women began to understand true Vedic culture and the need to perform yadnya - the use of their noble qualities for the service of God. Their self-study kindled self-respect, honor and dignity, and it made them conscious of their inherent greatness and ability to progress on the path of spiritual development.

The Templeton Prize

Sir John Marks Templeton began the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1972. Feeling that the Nobel Prize unfairly excluded religion from its honored disciplines, Sir Templeton created a prize for those who seek new and different paths in advancing the world's understanding of God and spirituality.

In 1997, this prize was valued at about $1.21 million, the world's highest such monetary award.
The Templeton Prize is not just for good works. It should be in recognition of work that is primarily spiritual rather than merely humanitarian. This purpose of is the Prize to recognize a living person who has done something unique and original to increase humankind's love for and understanding of God.
Rev. Dadaji was awarded this prize on May 6, 1997 on the 25^th anniversary of the Templeton Prize. The prize was presented by His Royal Highness Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey in London.
During the presentation ceremony, Dr. John M. Templeton Jr., the President of the John Templeton Foundation said, "That brings me to this evening, as we gather together to honor one who has changed the conditions of living for millions of villagers throughout India. He is one who, by his faith in God, has realized spiritual and material progress for these millions in their daily lives. He is one who represents the tradition of India's classical learning and what is best in social knowledge available in other traditions. His philosophy is based on total and absolute faith in God and service to God through service to others. Through this faith he has resolved the intractable problems of self-development and has thereby redirected those villagers in thousands of communities and given them a new lease on life. In his work, he has countered pervasive poverty, oppression and injustice with freedom, love, and justice. In every endeavor, his work has sought to build on what we, as God's children, share together, and not on what divides us."

The Acceptance Speech of
MR. PANDURANG SHASTRI ATHAVALE

Upon Receiving The Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion
Westminster Abbey, Tuesday, May 6, 1997

Your Royal Highness, Sir John Templeton, Members of the Templeton Family and Foundation. My divine brothers and sisters.
It gives me great pleasure to speak in Westminster Abbey. It is a matter of great honour because the Abbey is hallowed in the history of this great land. It is associated with greatest of all the translation of Holy Bible into English. It helped spread the message of love and service far and wide. I too follow the noble example of the Lord Jesus Christ. I bring with me all the love all the noble thoughts and all the care for humankind, from the culture into which I was born.
When l was growing up and began to think, I was pained at what I saw. I saw man becoming egocentric and selfish, untrusting and untrustworthy, ungrateful, uncaring and exploitative. I saw rapid erosion of human values and virtues. In general, an atmosphere of isolation and fear was being created. Security against wild beasts is understandable. But I wondered why man needed security against man. I was struck by ethnic, economic and social barriers raised by man against man. It was clear to me that by doing so humankind was demeaning itself. As I studied and observed and thought through, I was convinced that the merciful Creator could not have wished his children to become what they were becoming. I was eager to know why was it so? I read history. I learned that many systems had tried to bring order in the human life and uplift humankind whenever it lost its humanity.
Religion was the first and the foremost institution that gave intellectual introduction of God and revealed the relationship of self with Him and enabled man to explore the meaning of life. For thousands of years, religion was successful in ordering human conduct and stabilizing human life. Only during the last couple of centuries, religion has lost its effectiveness. Its moral order is in decline. The religious leaders have become increasingly sullen, withdrawn, pessimistic and otherworldly. It is generally seen as a force against progress. Therefore, particularly the youth are drifting away from it.
The religious moral order is becoming redundant. Key social institutions like family, education and society are losing control. Religion is being reduced to mechanical observance of a set of rituals. It is virtually being replaced by power of the State, science, commerce and economics. Fear and selfishness define all relationships. Even God is being approached either out of fear or out of greed. The foundation of moral order is shaken. Indeed, religion has become counter productive and dogmatic.
As religion has been on decline, science has been on rise. Humankind began to look up to science as the new agency of deliverance, of making it happy. To a great extent it has eased the life of the common person. Because of phenomenal technological advancements, humankind began to labour under delusion. It thought that it was capable of mastering nature. Despite several shocks, it is still not out of the trance. The empirical logic on which science is based has questioned even the existence of God. Surely, it has given humankind enormous material power, but it has not and cannot teach it how to love, how to be grateful, how to give warmth or how to relate with others. Humankind's false hopes from science has been a pipedream. This never is the province of science.
Though scientific establishment continues its efforts to conquer nature, its limitations have been exposed. Men of insight have drawn our attention to these limitations. Man's disillusionment with science has increased because it has been exposed to the horrors of weapons of mass destruction. Physical distances have been reduced but emotional distances have widened and are widening. Depletion of life giving resources has reached alarming levels. The psychic costs of science and technology are now becoming unacceptable.
The State is another agency devised for the betterment for humankind to regulate human affairs, to bring about harmony and accord between various sections of society. It has tried to ensure welfare of all through rules and law. This shortcut to human welfare has not been able to transform man or provide a moral basis of government. Its amoral nature, its limited scope and its tendency to limit human creativity has not and cannot serve the deeper spiritual needs of humanity. The State has neither been able to eradicate inequalities nor establish a basis of harmonious relationship within the state and among the states.
Rules are necessary to regulate life, but they are like fences or limits within which humankind has to operate. Transgression is neither permitted nor tolerated. It invites punishment. It is particularly harsh on the weak. It was Plato who said in the Republic: 'Justice is in the interest of the stronger and everyone knows it.' This is the universal nature of state laws, irrespective of the color of the regime: red, white or green.
All these establishments and agencies - religion, science and state - have brought order in conduct of human affairs. They have helped in reaching minimum social accord. For centuries these institutions have taken care of humankind and its well-being. At the same time these have also developed serious shortcomings. They have belied hopes reposed in them. It has led to dangerous clashes and dwindling resources. Life itself is threatened. Their ineffectiveness led thinking people everywhere to find ways to overcome the dilemmas they faced. As a result several schools of thought emerged.
I was drawn to the ideas of liberalism that had its birth in Great Britain. It extolled the idea of human liberty. I love liberty. I think that the idea of liberty is also dear to God, because he has given the power to us to do and undo and face the consequences.
Liberalism focused on individual liberty. It emphasized rights and not duties. It took the middle position between dogmatic conservatism and irresponsible radicalism. However, it devalued social responsibility which led to its own devaluation.
As self-defining subject, the individual derived his life purpose solely from his self interest. Rest is taken as irrelevant. It raised the idea of 'live and let live' to glorious heights. But this idea taken to its logical conclusion would spell doom. It would lead to total indifference to the existence of others. If all mothers were to practice it actually the Human race itself would be in peril. This is not the language of mother.
Such instrumental thinking denies even the existence of the inner life of the person. It is all calculation of costs and benefits in identifying and meeting human desires. Such flawed philosophy needed correction. It did not meet the test of logic, its love of freedom was seen as sentimental. Philosophers like Voltaire had no patience with liberal thinking. They believed in analytical and critical thinking. This line of thinking flourished in Germany and its influence spread far and wide. Voltaire believed that reason and reason alone should be the touchstone of whatever man does. His age has been described as the age of reason or enlightenment. At first sight there seemed nothing wrong in the glorification of human reason. I rejoiced in the idea, but then I started thinking that human intellect is not free. It is influenced by motives. It is a slave of passions and self-interest. It is moved by lust, ego and selfishness. Therefore, there cannot be pure rationalism. Given the same facts, different people would rationalize differently and reach different conclusions. Can we accept such thinking as the basis for ordering human relations? Is it capable of uplifting man or bringing him closer to other man? The answers were in negative.
The most powerful idea to emerge during the last two centuries is of equality. It is also known as socialism. It postulates that economic justice is necessary for just relations in other spheres. The first step to bring about such an order, based on equality, required state mobilization of resources, production and distribution. It was and is a grand idea. I was deeply moved by such thinking.
But, then I started looking around and found little evidence to support my faith. I found that nature does not support equality. No two species are equal nor two individuals are endowed equally. I was also exposed to the nature of the State under socialist regimes. It frequently turned against individual freedoms. Redistribution of wealth did not ensure equality. It perhaps ensured minimum welfare, but it could not abolish the distinction between haves and have-nots.
The reasons were obvious. Economic resources are for exchange and investment. Economic decisions are dependent on a number of factors, many of which are beyond human control, say, virtues and vices. There can be an individual who spends his income on liquor and another on books. Both make unproductive decisions and to that extent become economically have-nots as compared to a man who invests for accumulation purposes. Even equal opportunity does not ensure equalities, for individual capabilities are different. Then what has to be done? Given the problems associated with various schools of thought or 'isms', I was convinced that they could find only partial answers.
The answer had to be found to the central problem of fitting the unfit to survive. The answers that I found were eclectic. They were supported by my tradition, though these were not exclusive to my tradition. My model was that of parent-child relationship and love among children of one family. The child is vulnerable, but the parents nurture it. I wondered how the resourceful and the powerful in the society can be motivated to share with the needy and take care of the needy? How the needy can be secured against the sense of inferiority and insignificance? What will induce the haves and have-nots to come together in equal and loving relationship? Can such relationship be established? I had to swim against mighty currents.
After much reflection, I thought that it was possible. The need was to remind humankind of the idea of divine nearness. Humankind had to learn that the unit of relevance for us is not only of our biological family but also the family of man. Most religions have these ideas in some form or the other. However, they have remained dormant. Even in the religious tradition of my birth, where these ideas are full blown and fully accepted, they have not been put into practice. Instead, they have been twisted. It has resulted in great inequalities.
I was convinced that these ideas can be put into practice because these were reason based and in agreement with the philosophy. These ideas also can overcome the feeling of superiority and inferiority involved in giving and receiving. This is not a structural perspective. It is a perspective of shared divinity and a caring family.
For me God is central to life. Growth, progress and development have no meaning if they do not stem from and contribute to God-consciousness. Progress is a process, not an end. We talk of sustainable development without talking spirituality. Spirituality alone is capable of sustaining self- respect and promoting self reliance. Armed with such thinking I started going where comfortably located people normally do not go. I also encouraged others to go. We went to the people discarded by society. Now, millions of people have joined me in this journey.
In all this I was inspired by many philosophical texts, particularly my reading of Bhagwad Geeta and its doctrine of indwelling presence of God. When I accept the idea of diving presence, all aspects of life become clear and focused. I accept God's presence in each and every person. I begin to respect myself and others, irrespective of the post, position or possession of the other. I do not permit any outside agency to exploit me.
The awareness of God's nearness is life enhancing. When humankind begins to feel and absorb God's love, it stops feeling helpless. It helps to regulate our way of life and thinking. We also begin to understand that behind our existence and faculties is the power of God. This manifests in developing a divine brotherhood under the fatherhood of God. That is the foundation of Swadhyaya family or pariwar as we call it.
My own interactions with people convince me that we have neglected the common man, if not disowned him. He has reason to be suspicious, as those who have gone to him have done so to exploit him. This suspicion can go and must go. The barriers have to be lowered. Trust can be restored only through selfless love. We reach out to others with an understanding that we are the children of same God. We are all related. I have called it bhatki pheri or devotional visits. This builds a relationship based on devotion. It changes and renews both - one who visits and the one visited.
The sense of self-worth is further enhanced by a novel form of charity. It is different from what is known as charity that is normally offered by the rich to the poor. I refuse to believe that only the rich are endowed with this faculty. Poor and needy too want to offer charity, but they are barely able to sustain themselves. The have-nots have nothing to offer except their sweat. I encouraged them to offer to God their labor and their occupational efficiency, time and talent, power and potential. They started offering their efficiency and skill for a day every month. This offering is sacred and subjective because that is offered is in the spirit of devotion to God. The notion of using efficiency as devotional offering is continuously extended, generating "impersonal wealth". Indeed, impersonal wealth belongs to none but God. It is available for and distributed to have-nots to stand on their own feet. Words like equality, dignity, solidarity acquire new meaning; they become real.
Thus, from the idea of divine relationship and gratefulness to God has grown a series of constructive programs. This leads to community building and releasing of untapped potential for self-reliant communities. This re-linking of individual and society also results in many other beneficial effects. Domestic violence, gambling, alcoholism, wife and child abuse, dowry, etc. gradually disappear from the communities where Swadhyaya ideas have taken roots.
Our methodology is in sharp contrast to tradition of giving in secular - socialist framework and humanist philanthropy. This could work because I tried to rework traditional ideas. I wanted to minimize cultural shock of existential living and enable people to accept new ideas in an old framework. I did this through the idea of bhakti or devotion. Bhakti is an understanding. It is an attitude of mind. It is a loving expression of gratefulness to God. It is an intellectual perception with emotional undercurrent.
The conventional view of bhakti is that it is a solitary, introverted activity. It tried to show that inner and outer experiences are not two opposites facing each other. They are the same. Bhakti is possible and desirable in everyday living. It could be expressed through service to God.
I see bhakti as an understanding of God's profound love for us. We respond to that in form of active concern for His creation. We show our concern by translating it into community action; that is, expanding the circle of love for meeting the common goal. In so doing, we are not engaged in any social service nor are we obliging others. It is our gratitude to the Supreme Creator that issues into a dynamic activity, actional or devotion krutibhakti as we call it. Understood in this larger sense, bhakti has the potential to solve the socio-economic problems. It becomes an antidote to expressive individualism and oppressive state control. Participation in community reconstruction also becomes a journey of self-discovery. For us, to align with the divine means to align with others.
Bhakti is our entry point through which we develop bonds of brotherhood. Because of the voluntary nature, obligations are self-incurred. From passive spectators and helpless victims, we become responsible for our lives and the world in which we live. Having built such spiritual bonds, it is not difficult for us to identify the area specific problems and the ways to overcome them in a manner that uses our efficiency and resources.
Depending on the needs of the area where we work, we have been engaged in nearly two dozen projects to date. Some of the experiments have grown quite large and generate considerable "impersonal wealth". These are Yogeshwar Krushi (Farms of god), Matsyagandha (Floating Temple of fisherman), Hiramandir (Temple of diamond cutters), Vrukshamandirs (Orchards and woodlands that are called tree temples) and water conservation projects. However, it is not the utilitarian aspect of these projects that is important to us. That is only a bi-product. It is their bonding capacity that is important to us.
I do not know whether I have been successful or not. By any conventional standards, the achievements of Swadhyaya stand out, but that need not be a measure of our success. What I do know is that I am not a failure, and that people of all faiths have responded positively to what I have proposed. Perhaps this award is a testimony of it. Your appreciation has strengthened my belief that my work is dear to God. You have delivered me the love letter of God. I truly and sincerely thank the sensitivity of those who have appreciated what they have not even seen. What you have not seen are the subjective changes in humankind and how Swadhyaya is revitalizing human relationships. These cannot be described. These have to be observed and experienced first hand. On behalf of our pariwar, I invite you, Sir, the Templeton family, the panel of judges and those who are present here to come and personally see the work and experience the transformation that is taking place.
I once again thank God for his love and recognition and thank you for your appreciation by way of the Award.

The Magsaysay Award

The Ramon Magsaysay Award (RMA) was instituted in 1957 to honor the memory of the third president of the Republic of the Philippines. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and organizations in Asia whose contributions have enhanced the creative tradition of the continent. Over the years, the RMA has had the moniker of the “Asian Nobel Prize”.  The RMA is recognized the world over for its remarkable felicity in selecting global visionaries who need to be heard by the world. Because of their challenging visions or voices or both, these individuals have left their distinctive stamp in whatever arena they are located; government service, public service, community leadership, literature, journalism and creative communication arts, and international understanding.

In honoring Rev. Dadaji, the RMA foundation honored his original, penetrating vision, a vision of human possibility and achievement, a practical vision to inspire and mobilize millions of people. But it could not have been an easy choice to categorize the unified vision of Rev. Dadaji under any particular label. He does most of the things for which RMA honors outstanding individuals. Rev. Dadaji is equally successful in all these fields and he does not see them as separate. This point came to the forefront time and again. Indeed, whether it was the citation at the Award ceremony or the Mayor's conferment on Rev. Dadaji with an honorary citizenship of Manila, the versatility of Dadaji was repeatedly acknowledged. He was seen as an exceptional communicator who teaches, organizes and nurtures individuals and their communities who offers answers to questions which concern the contemporary world. In short, he was looked upon as an revolutionary who can give a new meaning to life and compel people to rethink their own perspective.

The Magsaysay Award

Citation for the 1996 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership
PANDURANG SHASTRI ATHAVALE
In the Vedas and other sacred text, India's ancient sages conveyed a view of the cosmos so complex and compelling that it survives vibrantly today. Enriched but never overtaken by newer religions over the centuries and by its encounters with the clamouring 'isms' of our own time, Hindu civilization pervades the life of modem India. From deep within it, Pandurang V. Athavale is drawing strength for his country's spiritual renewal and material uplift.
Born into a family of Brahmin religious scholars in Maharashtra, Athavale mastered Sanskrit as a youth and absorbed the wisdom of the Hindu classics. In Japan to attend a world religious conference in 1954, he asserted confidently the salience of Vedic teachings and way of life. Someone asked: In your country, is there a single community that lives by these ideals? Disturbed by this question, Athavale returned home and pondered frankly the grim realities of contemporary Indian life.
Having founded a school combining India's sacred knowledge with Western learning, he began meeting regularly with a group of earnest young truth seekers-entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers and lawyers. He led them to cultivate self-awareness (Swadhyay) and to devote a portion of their free time to acts of devotion and gratitude to God. Taking up the call in 1958, Athavale's middleclass disciples ventured into rural villages to propagate Swadhyay and to advance their teacher's belief that barriers of caste, gender and religion must be transcended in order to recognize the true equality of all people.
In the ensuing decades, Athavale's volunteers swelled to hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands. Today, Athavale, or Dada (elder brother) as he is popularly known, guides a huge spiritual movement that courses through thousands of villages and touches millions of urban and rural Indians. Although emphatically spiritual, the Swadhyay movement has brought striking social and material benefits to its adherents.
In hundreds of villages, Swadhyay devotees have abandoned drunkenness, gambling, wife-beating and petty crime to devote themselves to community betterment. Fisher folk, chanting Sanskrit hymns, ply " boat temples" whose daily catch is reserved for the local hungry. Villagers plant multi-hectare "tree-temples" to restore degraded land and to make their habitats green again. Farmers cultivate the common fields of "Gods farm' to grow food to share with needy neighbours. Swadhyay imbued villages are clean, tidy and prosperous. Children faithfully attend schools. Villagers of all castes, men and women, worship side-by-side. Untouchability is not recognized. Moreover, communal strife is rare in Swadhyay communities and, in some places, Muslims, Hindus and Christians share the same place of worship.
Even so, Athavale often reminds people that Swadhyay has nothing to do with politics and is not undertaken to solve the problems of the world "We are he says, merely planting a bouquet of flowers of love, compassion, selflessness, and peace".
A small organization of volunteers gives some coordination to Athavale's vast "family" and guides the work of Swadhyay schools. But it is largely through teaching that Athavale leads the movement. His pithy, conversational sermons hold multitudes in rapt attention and circulate widely in print and on cassettes.
Athavale teaches them that "God resides in everyone" and that achieving "spiritual oneness" will bring with it solutions for worldly problems. Calling upon the oldest of Hindu teachings, but alluding to Western thinkers as well, seventy-five-year-old Athavale exhorts his listeners to liberate themselves from preconceived ideas and "baseless beliefs'. The basic revolution, he asserts, "should be of the human mind".
In electing Pandurang Shastri Athavale to receive the 1996 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, the board of trustees recognizes his tapping the ancient wellsprings of Hindu civilization to inspire spiritual renewal and social transformation in modern India.

The Magsaysay Award

RESPONSE OF REV. DADA
AT
THE AWARD PRESENTATION CEREMONY

I accept most gratefully the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership I am honoured because this Award carries the name and the spirit of a truly great Asian of the 20th century. The late Ramon Magsaysay was a step ahead of others and he lived for his ideas. He tried to cultivate a sense of self-respect and self-esteem in the people of his Republic.
I too have been trying to live and work for similar objectives. However, my Philosophy is based on the principles of indwelling God and devotion to Him. Human beings can feel close to each other if we accept the idea of the indwelling God generating and operating everyone's body. Consciousness of nearness of God helps in developing self-respect in individual and overcoming human pains and problems. I consider devotion to God a Social Force. The expression of gratitude to God by way of offering one's time and efficiency can result into collective activities which in turn create Community Resources and its just distribution for common good. However, we, Swadhyayees, undertake these activities to reorient individual perspective towards life and collective existence that builds self-esteem and self-confidence. Without this, one can neither achieve individual development nor ensure a healthy community life.
In conferring the Award on me, you have appreciated the importance and relevance of my philosophy in the modem times and the selfless work earned on by Swadhyayees world over.
Once again I express my gratefulness to Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, personally and on behalf of millions of Swadhyayees around the world.

The Magsaysay Award

Living in the Present Guided by Ancient Teachings
The Forum Speech delivered by Rev. Dadaji. September 03, 1996
My dear Divine Sisters and Brothers,
I have reverence for the whole of creation, I have respect for every country on this globe. Today I have come over here to your holy land, the Republic of Philippines. It is the land of the late Ramon Magsaysay, the former President of your Republic. Mr. Magsaysay was a great son of this soil. His untimely death in an airplane crash on 17th March, 1957 was a great national tragedy. It is heartening to know that people of this Republic have not forgotten their leader. As the awardee of this year's Magsaysay Award for community leadership, I take this opportunity to pay my homage to the late Ramon Magsaysay. Friends, I am very glad to meet you, the torch-bearers of humanity. I am proud and feel privileged to address this august gathering of those souls who are concerned with the good of humanity at large.
We are living in an era of science and technology. Scientific and technological advances have changed our perceptions about ourselves and the world around. Modern man has got all sorts of technological devices at his disposal to make his life happy and comfortable. In spite of phenomenal development in the material requirements of man, he is experiencing psychological, moral and spiritual deprivation. Never before in the history of mankind, the world was so much divided on the basis of race, colour, religion, nationality, gender, economic factor, ideology, etc. Since the beginning of this century, great thinkers have started writing about the implications of' "scientific materialism". By and large they characterize the modern world as the ‘age of crises’.
New ideas, new visions originate because philosophers in all ages have speculated about the notion of who man is and what should be his relationship with the external world. Man is seen either as a part of the larger order, or he is considered as the measure of all things. There is no agreement about the two positions. Modern man is confused and bewildered. There is no department of human activity which is free from crisis of one sort or the other. Our personal life, family life, social relations, all of them are vitiated.
Material advancement is equated with personal happiness and social progress. Any obstacle in reaching this goal is pushed aside. Moral laws become redundant in the absence of moral force, key social institutions like family, community, school, etc, have lost control over man. There is lack of mutual trust and love between parents and children, teachers and students and employers and the employees. Fear rather than love guides the relations. Man is deprived of self-esteem. He gets alienated from himself, from higher-self, from others, from productive activity and the produce.
New social, political and economic arrangements to sustain such visions have increased man's loneliness. Our religion is reduced to mechanical observance of a set of rituals. Moral values and religion have been pushed back by the religion of state-welfares, politics of power and market forces. Social solidarity and family ties are weakened. All our relationships are guided by selfish motives. Even God is approached either out of Fear or out of greed. There is criminalisation of politics and it has become a game of opportunism. Industrial and business activities are dominated by the all powerful profit motive.
Complexity of human life is seen either as a web of power relations or parts of a machine. It leads to dangerous clashes and conflicts or depletes resources without care for fellow being. In either case, life itself is threatened. The whole world is trying for unity and peace. What are the causes that have brought this sorry state of affairs? Thinkers and reformers of the world are busy diagnosing the causes and finding out solutions to this world crisis.
The social philosophy of liberalism was aimed at individual liberty. It emphasised the rights of all to various kinds of freedom. It occupied an intermediate position between dogmatic conservatism and irresponsible radicalism. It fought against the authority of the society over the individual. To protect individual rights was a noble idea, but it also eroded the idea of social responsibility. As self-defining subject, in pursuit of self-regarding action, the individual derived his life purpose from his self-interest. Rest is irrelevant. The principle of ‘live and let live’ in actual practice means, let me live and let others fend for themselves. In its extreme Form, it denies even the existence of the inner life of man. In its benevolent form it tries to make a deal with tradition and religion if these can help in promoting self-interest of individuals.
If in liberal scheme of things, reason was given only an instrumental role to calculate costs and benefits in identifying desires to be fulfilled. It needed to be corrected. The corrective came from thinkers like Voltaire in the form of what is described as the ‘age of enlightenment’ or reason. They claim that happiness is the highest good and it can be achieved only through human reason. There is nothing wrong in glorification of human reason. But, what do we find in practical life? Sometimes the rational beings behave in irrational manner, why is it so? The reason is that the human intellect may become a slave of passions and self-interest. Can we accept such intellect as the only basis of individual development or social structure and reconstruction?
As a corrective measure to the drawbacks of liberalism and enlightened self-interest, the doctrine of socialism was propounded. Socialism whether utopian or scientific is basically an economic system. It emphasises that society is divisible into the haves and the have-nots. This distinction is the root cause of all social evils. What is required as a corrective measure is the collective ownership of means of production and a just methodology, based on the principle ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs’. Socialism as a theory was a grand idea, hut in practice if resulted in the supremacy of the state over the individuals. It became the enemy of individual liberty and freedom. I am not against the spirit of liberalism, rationalism and socialism. Bur it seems that they have not fully succeeded in solving the basic problems of humanity. All attempts to solve human problems taking recourse to religion, economic power and political power have failed. Does if mean that the problems are unsolvable? We cannot solve the problems of the world by merely giving sermons to the people, nor can they be solved by passing laws in parliament and enforcing them on the people.
Creation of wealth and its distribution also has its own limitations. Superstitious and ritualistic religion despite its enormous power fails to elevate human life. Thought rules the world. As one thinks, so one becomes. What is required is an attitudinal change. For this, we need a sound philosophy of life and religion based on reason.
The post renaissance theories of social reconstruction suffer from various limitations. The ancient thinkers of the east and the west have thought over the problems of man and the society in which he lives. Can we not get some clues from them and try to evolve a synthetic and integrated philosophy of life incorporating the abiding elements from the ancient wisdom and the advancement of modern knowledge in various fields? On my own part, I have got inspiration from the ancient saints and philosophy of India and particularly from the study of the Bhagwad Geeta.
The doctrine of the 'indwelling God' adumbrated in the Bhagwad Geeta has the potency to solve the various crises that humanity is facing. God according to Geeta does not reside in far-off heaven, He resides in the innermost recess of the human heart. The human body is not just an amalgamation of physiochemical substances. Once the feeling that God dwells in one’s heart gets firm roots, then there comes a remarkable transformation in one’s perception and behaviour. One gets tremendous self-confidence, power of self-assertion, self-resistance and one becomes a self-respecting individual. The awareness of God’s proximity is life-enhancing. One no longer feels a sinful creature, wretched, helpless, weak and meek. One feels that one is the heir of the all-pervasive, omni-potent God. Man in not an accidental by-product of a mechanical materialistic universe. He is not helpless creature of oppressive economical, political and social systems and organisations, but he is one on whom God showers infinite love. He must therefore respond to the love and trust placed in him by the Almighty.
Just as God is within me, he is within everybody. This consciousness helps in developing a healthy attitude towards others. It also helps in building a divine brotherhood under the fatherhood of God. Establishing divine brotherhood alone can bring man closer to man irrespective of difference of status, education, gender, religion, race, nationality etc. Once the consciousness of the immanence of God in all human beings dawns upon man then his attitude towards others will be one of love and respect. Class conflicts would gradually disappear giving way to a divine commune based on mutual respect, reverence and co-operation. And therefore we have attempted to build society on this principle. Acceptance of this principle removes the difficulties experienced by many social scientists in building the bridge between egoism and altruism.
What should be the basis of interpersonal relationship is one of the most difficult problems before philosophers, social scientists and social reformers. Normally we observe three types of relationship. What comes to our minds first is the benefit-motive which makes one approach the other in this age of commercialism, functional relations are uppermost in the minds of the people. Such type of interpersonal relation is devoid of nobler sentiments as if is rooted in self-centredness. It reduces a man to mere means to a selfish end. In short, it is self-debasing.
The second form of interpersonal relationship is guided by the pleasure motive. This form of interpersonal relationship is found for example among the members of various clubs meant for recreation and enjoyment. This too is not an enlightened relationship as there is no mutual love, concern or involvement.
People can come together because of certain common principles or ideology. Members of all political parties, trade unions or academic organizations get tied together on the basis of common principles and ideology. This kind of relationship may be better than the earlier two forms. However it lacks intimate emotional bond and warmth.
On the basis of the principle of indwelling God we have tried to build up the Swadhyay Pariwar - where interpersonal relations are guided by selfless love and devotion. Profit motive and pleasure hunting motive are conspicuously absent and all the members become divine comrades. Based on our experience I can say that unless we intellectually and emotionally raise ourselves to the level of pure devotion our talks of human equality, unity and solidarity remain mere words.
The acceptance of the principle of the immanence of God not only generates reverence for self, reverence for other selves but also reverence for the whole creation. This attitude towards nature is nobler than the purely utilitarian attitude which leads to wanton destruction of nature and exploitation of biological resources. Most of the ecological problems can be solved if one develops reverential attitude towards nature.
In recent years we notice that attempts have been made to build the society on the basis of human needs and social requirements. Many ‘isms’ use force and fear as weapons of social control. The biggest drawback of such social orders is that they curtail individual freedom and initiative.
On the other hand we have cases of welfare states which are built on the principle of individual freedom and quest for unlimited happiness. In such modes of social structure, psychological factors such as greed, lust, ego and the will to dominate came in the way of peaceful and wholesome co-existence. The balance between individual freedom and restraint can be maintained only by the bonds of love and affection one gets in a family. The social structure modelled in this way can put an end to the disintegrating society and can provide an ideal alternative.
Attempts should be made to build the society on the basis of devotion. Devotionalism provides a firm basis for social living. Unless we act and think at the devotional level there is no possibility of reducing the disparities and distances between man and man. Bhakti-devotion For us does not consist of merely chanting of hymns and periodical offerings to God. Bhakti is our understanding of God’s profound love for us and our response to that love in the Form of concern for his creation. Intense love for God and His creation cannot make us passive spectators of social evils prevalent in the society. Our love and concern issue into dynamic activity. This dynamic love we call Krutibhakti. Whatever talents, skills, efficiency, time and money we have, we will willingly and lovingly offer them at the feet of the Lord as an expression of love and gratitude to Him. In so doing, we are not doing any social service or favour to others. We are doing Bhakti – devotion and nothing but Bhakti.
Traditionally, devotion was confined to the four walls of a temple. It was considered a personal relation between the individual and the creator. In my opinion Bhakti can be an effective medium or instrument of personal and social development. If I love God sincerely, then I must try to be like him. If God is all goodness and love, why should not I be the embodiment of those values? As children imitate their parents, so man should imitate his divine father, and use all his energy and time in elevating himself and elevating his spiritual fellow beings. When we look around, we find that a noble concept like Bhakti in misinterpreted and misunderstood The devotees as matter of fact have now become lethargic and inactive and feel that God works for them They forget that Cod does not work for them, He works with them. Bhakti - devotion must instill in a person tremendous self-confidence and generate in him the confidence that he can do and achieve the seemingly impossible. Bhakti must generate power and dynamism in a person. And this power and dynamism must be used for removing the disparities and social evils prevalent in the society. Bhakti-devotion is a social force.
The potency of Bhakti-devotion is so broad that it can enlighten almost all the dimensions of human life. Understood in this larger sense, Bhakti alone can be found at the root of our solutions to all problems. Through Swadhyay we want to understand this truth and act accordingly. We have conducted a large number of experiments so that one learns to offer to God one’s time, energy, wealth and efficiency; in order to bring man closer to man; in order to develop the feeling of brotherhood among the people; in order to give to the needy considering them as our brothers, so that the act of giving and receiving does not suffer from the taint of superiority-inferiority complexes. These experiments are meant to enlarge the narrow outlook of man, so that he understands the real meaning of Divine family (City of God) and build a unified society, a commune or Federation of many villages living an a huge joint family: actually and not merely conceptually. One must learn to look to another person as a man irrespective of his post, position and possession, transcending the distinction, based on caste, religion, colour, nationality and economic status. To inculcate such an attitude in man the Swadhyay family has conducted many experiments in order to lovingly bring about the all-round development of other person and nation. Experiments such as ‘Yogeshvar-krishi’, ‘Matsyagandha’, ‘Hiramandir’, ‘Vrikshmandir’, ‘Shri Darshanam’, ‘Goras’, ‘Sanket’, ‘Amrutalayam’ etc. are the instruments through which all-round development of the people and the nation is lovingly achieved. In the Swadhyay process there is the involvement of people belonging to different social status and age groups. We have ‘Bal-sanskar Kendras’ (Children Centre) meant for the children, for ladies we have ‘Mahila Kendra’, for the scheduled tribes and the downtrodden we have Manav Pratistha Kendra (Centre of human dignity), for the villagers we have ‘Patanjali Chikitsalaya’ (Medico cultural centre), for the youth we have the DBT (Divine Brain Trust). The villages and areas where these experiments are conducted have become Free from social vices such as drinking, gambling, illiteracy etc. There has been development in the economy of the village, savings have increased, family ties have been strengthened. Man has achieved mental stability and peace. Since Swadhyay in a multidimensional process, these experiments form a part of that process.
We have to make man mentally prepared and generate an urge in him to associate himself with such experiments which are revolutionary, novel, unique and difficult to carry out. In order to prepare man for this work and educate him, I did not take recourse to prevalent media. In my opinion the basic method of communication is man meeting man, life confronting life. We have not given up this method of communication even though our strength has grown from a few in the beginning to millions today. As our work is revolutionary, multidirectional, gigantic and most organised, people characterised the process of Swadhyay as an organisation, a movement and an institution. We would like to present it as a stream.
We Swadhyayees try to bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots, but we are not socialists. We do not believe in untouchability. How can a person be untouchable when he or she is a walking and talking temple of the Lord? In this way untouchability is eradicated in large measures where we work; still we are not here to save the untouchables. We are engaged in removing dirt and rust settled on our culture. Yet, we are not reformers; we do try to emancipate women from their oppressed conditions, but we are not women liberators. We are basically devotees i.e. bhaktta.
Despite our success in various fields we do not claim to have solved all the problems of the world. We have planted some seeds in a small plot. They have begun to yield flowers and fruits. On behalf of myself and members of my family and Swadhyay Pariwar I extend hearty invitation to all of you to come and personally see the work. Of course, what you would be able to see is just the objective changes. The subjective changes which are more important and deep-seated have to be experienced.
I have in my own way taken inspiration from our ancient scriptures, particularly the Bhagwad Geeta and have made the principles relevant to contemporary conditions. In my opinion, the principles have universal applications. Each community, people and nation can make use of them in accordance with their own cultural ethos. Principles can be universal but their applications are always localised. Unless others are inspired to do similarly around the world; peace, contentment, equality, unity and well-being will only remain a dream for mankind.

The Lokshikshak Award

Citation

Mrs. Jayashree Athavale - Talwalkar
You are the illustrious daughter of Rev. Mrs. Nirmala Tai & epoch making genius & superman Rev. Pandurang Shastri Athavale; who has brought about emotional & spiritual revolution in the present era through the medium of Swadhyaya & has simultaneously removed the lack of self identity from the lives of millions of people by awakening splendor & gratitude inherent in them.

Right from childhood your mind was influenced by lustrous thought & conduct. The qualities of righteousness & piety, which have descended in your family from generation to generation are ingrained in you. Due to good upbringing this has resulted in intimate relation between you & Swadhyaya. With the passage of time, naturally you have become a dynamic & active Swadhyayee. Today with the backing & support of all theSwadhyayees you are successfully shouldering the responsibility of Swadhyaya family which has reached every nook & corner of the world. Significantly, in the divine work of yours, you are getting wholehearted support and encouragement of your husband Mr. Shrinivas Talwalkar.
While actively engaged in Swadhyay work day & night for the last 25 years you have established your independent imprint in the field of education also. Your potential & capacity for rational & logical thinking is very vast. Therefore Rev. Pandurang Shastri Athavale had imparted to you an altogether different type of education in the beginning. Later you undertook a deep study of comparative Philosophy, Logic & Religion. You secured a degree in Philosophy from the University of Bombay. Elphinstone college from where you completed your post graduate education honored you by appointing you as lecturer. At the tender age of 19, you started giving significant discourses on Bhagwad Gita titled 'Gitatryaha', till date lacs of educated, uneducated & highly educated men & women have listened to these discourses delivered by you in Gujarati, Hindi & Marathi languages. You have delivered these discourses in the urban & rural areas of India as also in foreign Countries. You have also delivered discourses on different subjects in the workshops conducted for active Swadhyayees.
While listening to your talks the listeners become introvert. Experience shows that they become spellbound also. Explaining difficult & profound subjects in simple, straight forward language is your uniqueness. Simultaneously you are adept in planning, organizing & unifying the activities of the Swadhyaya family. You have been incessantly taking Swadhyaya thought to every corner of various states of India, while you are shouldering & discharging your family responsibilities. You have competently carried Swadhyaya thought to many parts of the world as well. You have propagated through many international conferences the great, invaluable, cultural treasures of ancient India.
In Ohio State University of America in 1991, at Columbus you have presented your views on Adi. Shankaracharya's 'Advaita Philosophy'. You have also participated in the city of Montreal in Canada in 1992. You have represented India in the World Religious Conference in 1993, held in Chicago in which eminent personalities like Dalai Lama, Mr. Hansking were present. Your contribution in the conference on 'Hunger & Poverty' held in Brussels in 1995 was appreciated & lauded.
While actively involving yourself in Swadhyaya activities you are participating and representing India in various conferences held at international level. You have been emphasizing that philosophy can be reached unto the last man at grass root level and transformation can be effected in him. Perceiving the empowerment brought about in the society through Swadhyaya work, thinkers of the world are hopefully looking to Rev. Pandurang Shastri Athavale as also to you. This really is an admirable & commendable fact.
The power of lacs of youth is getting activated through your affectionate approach. Swadhyay work is your life's mission & you are devoting your full time to it. Your unique greatness lies in keeping yourself away from publicity, honors & self aggrandizement.
By the blessings of Rev. Pandurang Shastri & Rev. Mrs Nirmala Tai, you are also doing like them, the invaluable work of awakening the masses & educating them untiringly. Therefore the first 'Lok Shikshak Award' instituted in the memory of venerable Apte Guruji is being bestowed on you.

The Silent Revolution

The Sunday Observer, October 1990
Not many people are aware that an old, nondescript building, Nirmal Niketan, in the heart of Girgaum is the head-quarters of a vast, social movement, which has, since its inception 36 years ago, reached all over the world. Spear-headed by the magnetic Pandurang Shastri Athavale, Swadhyay was recognised as the best sociological model at a United Nations seminar in Rome in '86. Swadhyay, by its simple, realistic ideals has assimilated millions of followers of diverse castes and religions into its fold. Madhavi Purohit looks at this movement on the occasion of Athavale's 70th birthday, which was celebrated as Human Dignity Day at Chowpatty last month.
Thirty-six years ago, a man called Pandurang Shastri Athavale attended the second World Religious Conference in Japan. There he spoke about the teaching of the Vedas, and the Geeta and its relevance to modern dilemmas. Impressed by his speech, several universities in the UK and USA proposed lucrative offers, which he refused. This apparently was because Athavale had no answer to the question as to whether there was a single community in India that lived by the ideals propagated by the Geeta.
On returning to India, he began to teach at the Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta Pathshala; a school set up by his father. His discourses attracted people from all walks of life-mostly the educated middle class. From these he chose 19 people with whom he held long personal dialogues and discussions. Thus, a germ of an idea took root. To put it into action, Athavale asked these 19 people to form small groups of four to five persons and visit certain villages in Gujarat and talk to the people there. They were not to preach, deliver solutions to problems or ask for food and shelter. They were to simply live amongst them as brothers. The 19, although skeptical, carried on, out of sheer faith in their guide. What seemed overly idealistic and impractical 36 years ago, Swadhyay has today grown into one of the most phenomenally successful grassroots movements that independent India has seen.
Followers of Swadhyay range from fishermen and farmers to politicians and industrialists. At a recent meeting of Swadhyayees at Chowpatty Beach to celebrate Dada's (as Athavale is known) 70th birthday, over five hundred thousand people - from within the country and abroad - turned up. Rich and the poor mingled freely among themselves in the true spirit of Swadhyay. One Aagri speaker told the audience about how life for their community had changed after Swadhyay and how they, an illiterate lot, had begun to spout shlokas from the Geeta. Another said, "Mahatma Gandhi gave us sympathy, Dr Ambedkar gave us our basic rights, but you (Dada) have drawn us close."
Swadhyay is a movement in which values are not impossibly idealistic but are to be followed -is with love and determination. Where religion does not mean rituals and idol worship but a celebration of human dignity. Where a spiritual quests does not mean an ascetic withdrawal from materialistic life. It means utilizing material gain for individual and social progress. Where knowing the three R's does not spell education but a cultivation of values does.
Swadhyay literally means a knowledge of the self. ("Swa" is self and "adhyay" is study or knowledge). Based on the teachings of the Bhagwad Geeta, it believes in ego transcendence through bhakti (devotion). Writes R.K. Srivastava, in his paper on Swadhyay, which he presented at a United Nations seminar in Rome, "Swadhyay is both a metaphor and a movement. It is a metaphor in the sense of vision, and a movement in terms of its active orientation in social and economic spheres. Instead of charging into minefields of state power or questioning societal leadership, it is creeping where it finds space."
The operative word bhakti; A bhakti which all encompassing and believes that no human being is superior or inferior to any other. In practical terms, it means that every person who practices Swadhyay is a Swadhyayee and not Marathi or Gujarati, Swadhyay however does not radically negate the existence of inequality. The idea is that although there is inequality, which is impossible to eradicate, it is your perception of it that matters and what ultimately makes the difference. In that sense, Swadhyay does not shake the foundations of our society. Says a swadhyayee, Mukesh Gandhi, "It is like this. If you demolish a dilapidated building, where do the tenants go? Instead if you retain the basic structure and gradually renovate it, it is so much better. That is what Dada believes in doing. "
Swadhyay does not even try to eliminate the existing economic and social disparity. More importantly, it creates an alternative form of economic and social parity. That is where its success lies. Writes Majid Rahenuma, former education minister of Iran and a UNESCO research scholar, "Dada does not believe in the wisdom of mobilizing people's energy on fighting the caste system on legal or moral grounds, or simply because that seems to represent out-dated and undemocratic practices. The caste system, he believes, is a part of a holistic world-view of many complex dimensions. To translate it into a "modern" concept of fictitious "equality" and thus to reduce it to a political issue of fashionable or demagogic nature, is to hinder rather than to foster the processes required for the elimination of dehumanizing and exploitative social barriers."
Swadhyay creates equality through several experiments. One such experiment is Yogeshwar Krishi. Here, plots of land are jointly cultivated by Swadhyayees. Volunteers take turns in working on these farms. The resulting produce become part of the "impersonal wealth" generated by them. Part of this is distributed among the needy and the rest is ploughed back into farming. This way it not only eliminates any feeling of superiority on the part of the giver (since he doesn't even know to whom he is giving) but also does not demean the acceptor of charity (since he only gets God's "prasad", which is what it is called). There are as many as 3,500 plots of land which are collectively tilled, all over the country.
A similar undertaking is Matsyagandha - the same concept applied to fishing. Fishermen sell part of their catch to create impersonal wealth, which is used for the upliftment of their community. Today there are 18 such boats, which are used for this purpose. Likewise, there is a transport company called Ekveera, a dairy - Goras, a store - Pariwar; and a cottage industry product shop called Sanket, which all function on this concept.
Vrikshmandir is a name given to an orchard scheme which is tended by Swadhyayees, and so far 12 orchards have been created by Swadhyayees, totally on their own, out of barren, unused land. Another interesting concept is that of Amrutalayam. These are idol less temples where villagers assemble every evening, no matter what their caste. Individual and collective problems are discussed informally. Anonymous offerings may be made to increase the common bank of impersonal wealth. There are 74 such Amrutalayams all over the country, which speaks of the success of this completely a religious movement. Apart from these practically oriented experiments, there are institutions that propagate the message of the Geeta. There are the Vayastha Sanchalans that specialize in "building character and imparting moral orders to the youth". The Tatvadyan Vidyapeeth is a special center that teaches the Geeta to post-graduate youths and even grown-ups. The Bal Sanskar Kendra is for children while the Mahila Kendras are designed to help Swadhyayee women teach and help each other.
Remarkable As the movement is, what is even more creditable is its activity abroad. The DAY (Devotional Associates of Yogeshwar) is an active organization in the US. Says Jaittik Patel, A London-based businessman, who has been a participant of the DAY for the last 10 years, "We do exactly what our brothers here do. We too go on bhakti pheris from house to house spreading the message of Geeta." There are Swadhyay kendras all over London. Their activity has spread to the USA where at a Swadhyay meeting two years ago, nearly 20,000 Swadhyayees attended. "And those were only the ones that attended," points out Dr. Jay Bathani, a physician. "This is our Gangotri. We take our message from here," he adds.
Starting this year, the overseas Swadhyayees have embarked on a new program that will take the movement to South America and Europe. While the US organization will send their Swadhyayees to South America, the UK division will be responsible for spreading the message to Europe. A group of 19 people have already travelled all over Lisbon and Portugal and have reached over 5,800 families where the response was enthusiastic. Although the message of Swadhyay is from the holy book of the Hindus, the Geeta, the movement has attracted followers of all religions. In Houston, USA, there is an all American Swadhyay kendra. In the Middle East too it has a large following.
What is it about the movement that draws people like moths to a flame? Explains Bhupendra Patel, a UK Businessman, "I remember the first time Dada came here. At that time I was going through a phase where I was rather frustrated with the establishment. Out of sheer curiosity I accompanied a Swadhyayee to one Punjabi household. There was some sort of a guru seated on an Asian. When the Swadhyayees began to speak, he asked them whether they could explain the Geeta in five sentences. Without any hesitation they replied, "Kaam karta ja. Haak marta ja. Madad tayar hai. Karne ke shakti tujh me hai. Kiye bina kuch milta nahin. (One does not get anything without action. Action does not go in vain. God helps those who help themselves. Energy for action is within you. Act and seek help of God which is ever ready). I was very impressed. That was the turning point." Once a Swadhyayee, always a Swadhyayee seems to be the prevailing maxim. For there are people who have been active in this work since its inception. There are entire families who have adopted Swadhyay as their religion. Says Nandkumar Vanvari, an architect," My father was a follower, so I am one and my children."
In this day and age when social work has been reduced to a fashionable pastime for rich, idle women, Swadhyay brings hope. For it is a thriving example of a successful democratic experiment. A movement which is truly of the people, by the people and for the people.

Athavale's Silent Revolution

By Lavina Melwani
Dada Athavale sparks a human revolution in India and the United States.
Oprah doesn't know about them nor has People magazine sent out their reporters to cover them. They rarely make the headlines or the Nightly News — nor do they want to.
In the United States there are about 15,000 of them spread over 38 states. They are the Swadhayayis and they are dedicated to quiet, selfless volunteerism, be it farming vegetables or packing boxes. The wages they earn for this work are given to charity. Most are affluent Indian Americans, but their philosophy is one of compassion and charity, of giving of themselves. Every Sunday they gather to listen to the recorded discourses of Pandurang Shastri Athavale, the remarkable man in whose footsteps they attempt to follow.
So who is Athavale? The eye sees a very fragile figure in a wheelchair, but this 85-year-old man from the village of Roha has the power to move multitudes. Known simply as Dada (Elder Brother) to his followers, he propagates Swadhyaya (study of self) that has spread to nearly 100,000 villages across India and improved the lives of over 20 million people.
The year was 1925 and Athavale was all of five years old. Wrapping his tiny hand around his grandfather's finger, he accompanied the Vedic scholar to the forsaken tenements where the Harijans, the untouchables, lived. There his grandfather, a strong believer in Gandhian values, would hold a discourse on the Bhagavad Gita, especially for these outcasts of society.
At that early age, the child learned about the healing power of religion. But he learned something more: when they returned home, his orthodox Brahmin grandfather, having been in touch with the untouchables, would still undergo the ritual bath to cleanse himself. Young Athavale questioned this custom: if God resides in everyone as the Gita says, he reasoned, and the Harijans were worthy of listening to its holy words, then why were they regarded as unclean?
The seeds of serving God through serving humanity were sown in childhood for Athavale and through his revolutionary Swadhyaya movement he has worked to move outcasts into the mainstream of society.
Indeed, if there is a Utopia on Earth, it is probably the world created by Athavale in thousands of obscure villages that are the heartbeat of India. Through the concept of bhaktiferi (devotional visits) he has spread a healing message of love to all communities. He has created amrutalayam (village temples), built by joint efforts of the villagers for people from all religions, castes and economic strata to worship together; yogeshwar krushis (farms for God) where the villagers give a few days of labor a year to show their devotion to God, with the village's needy sharing the produce; matsyagandas (floating temples of God) fishing boats on which the fishermen give their time for a few days per year, as devotion to God, and share the harvest with the needy.
There are also vrikshamandirs (orchard temples) which are cultivated impersonally by the villagers and the produce given to the needy. Through the ingenious jeevan sampada (wealth of life), religious songs are recorded on each Swadhyaya activity, explaining in song, for example, the proper religious attitude to take while caring for the trees in the orchard temples. There are gauras (home dairies) which are village-level milk cooperatives, and bahna kendras, (ladies centers.)
Nor are the children forgotten: bal sanskar kendras (children's value centers) are socialization hubs for children, and dhananjay kreeda samuh (Arjuna's sport group) promotes games and sports for the young. DBT (divine brain trusts )are discussion centers for youth. There is also the tattavajnana vidyapeeth (philosophic knowledge center), which offers a free two-year course in Vedic and comparative religion.
Does this sound like a fantasy? It is every inch a reality, affecting the lives of over 20 million people in 100,000 villages in rural India. This seeming miracle is the work of Athavale, who has started a quiet revolution in India by changing lives in remote villages. In March, 1997, the world doffed its cap in recognition of his work, conferring on him the prestigious Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, valued at $1.21 million, the largest annual award in the world. Global investor John Marks Templeton instituted the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1972 because he felt the Nobel Prize unfairly excluded spirituality from the disciplines it honors. This prize's monetary value exceeds that of the Nobel Prize. Templeton says of the award, "It is not for saintliness or mere good works, it is for progress."
Athavale's philosophy is logical and stunning in its simplicity. He explains: "It is my experience that awareness of nearness of God and reverence for that power creates reverence for self, reverence for the other, reverence for nature and reverence for the entire creation. And devotion as an expression of gratitude to God can turn into a social force to bring about transformative changes in all aspects of human life and at all levels in the society."
Born in 1920 in the small village of Roha near Mumbai, Athavale was the son of a Brahmin scholar, Vaijnath Laxman Athavale Shastri, who founded the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Pathashala, a seat of Vedic learning. His grandfather was a headmaster and Vedic scholar under whose guidance Athavale learned not only classic literature, Sanskrit and Hindi, but also English, comparative religions and Eastern and Western philosophy.
By 20, Athavale was preaching the virtues of the Bhagavad Gita and attracting people. In 1954 he addressed the Second World Religious Conference in Japan where his message was so impressive that he was asked to speak in other parts of the world. Athavale, however, chose instead to take the Gita to the villages of India, to teach people to live by its tenets. In 1956 he established his first social program, the tattvajnana vidyapeeth, to teach the Vedic way of life, which eventually developed into the all-India and worldwide movement it is today. Athavale's family are worshipers of Siva, but in his temples he gives equal honor to all deities, for he believes that devotional temple worship is vital for concentration on God. He leaves the choice of deity to the worshipers.
As a boy, Athavale would trudge miles rather than ask his father for bus money. When he was reprimanded, he would say, "Asking for money is not in my nature." Even today he never asks for donations or even for volunteers. Says Dilip Patel, a member of Swadhyaya's U.S. Devotional Associates of Yogeshwar, "I've been doing this work for 20 years, and it still amazes me. Dada never asks for anything. He merely says, this is an idea, and if you intellectually accept it, then it is your moral duty to do it. It has become second nature to us."
At the awards ceremony, one of the Rockefellers asked what they could do to help him. Athavale replied, "Nothing." The surprised member of the billionaire family replied that no one had ever before answered that way to a Rockefeller. The fame and prestige has not made a dent in Athavale's frugal way of life. Says Patel, "He has a Spartan lifestyle; his needs are very few. He's a man who enjoys ideas, not possessions." He lives with his wife in a meager one-bedroom apartment in Mumbai, in the same place where he has lived for 45 years. He gets up around 3 a.m to meditate, and never misses his daily worship. His day is devoted to discourses and work. In the evening he relishes long walks, health permitting. Recently his poor health has put him in a wheelchair, but work is still his way of worshiping God. He takes no credit for the awards and the honors, knowing in his heart who orchestrates these happy events. Since its founding, swadhyaya has spread across the sub-continent and is now active around the world, from the United States to Germany to Kenya to Sweden to the United Arab Emirates. Since 1978 Athavale has been visiting the United States for Bhaktiferi in nearly every major American city. Like a handful of seeds, these principles have scattered on every soil and bloomed in many countries.
Over the years, Athavale has received many prizes and honors, including the Mahatma Gandhi Prize and and the Raymond Magsaysay award for outstanding leadership.
In jubilant celebration of the Templeton Prize, over 6,000 members of the Swadhyaya Pariwar gathered at Madison Square Gardens to greet Athavale with flowers, song and dance. A lesser man could be swayed by so much devotion but Athavale remains unfazed by material fame. With the attention of the world press on him, and all the hoopla, he remains unmoved by celebrity — even when the prize was presented to him by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey. Athavale had a perfectly logical and simple answer to the furor caused by his winning this prestigious international award. He thought for a minute, smiled and said, "The Templeton Prize is God's love-letter to me, and the delivery man is Sir John Templeton."

"SWADHYAYA - THE ALTERNATIVE PARADIGM"

By Pawan K. Gupta
SIDH, Hazelwood, Landour Cantt., Mussoorie, U.P., INDIA
March 1999
The first time I went to see the swadhyaya movement (on a prayog darshan) was in 1997. I was greatly moved by what I saw and experienced in those six days, in which we must have visited about 25 odd villages and bastis in coastal Saurashtra and Ahmedabad. It was obvious that swadhyaya had brought about a revolutionary change at the personal and community level. It was also apparent to me that it was not just a religious movement even though the heavy stress on religious symbolism was obvious everywhere we went. I kept thinking about swadhyaya for a long time after returning from the trip. I had this lingering doubt that I had not fully comprehended either the philosophy or the implications. I felt there was much more to it than I had understood. This is what prompted me to go on another prayog darshan this year (1999). I am glad that I went the second time.
Dadaji Pandurang Shastri Athavale, the pioneer of swadhyaya, has shown a powerful alternative for others to learn and derive confidence from the possibility of a distinctly Indian paradigm. At the same time the fact that he has named each and every one of his programmes as a prayog (experiment) looks significant to me. Experiments do not convey finality. Dada has shown an alternative by laying the foundation of an Indian paradigm or may be an Eastern paradigm. He has demonstrated some of the effects through his various experiments. By deliberately using the word experiment for each of his programmes, he is showing the possibilities. It is for others to take the idea forward and experiment in their own ways as long as the foundations are rooted in our own soil.
The primary drive of an individual is to attain sukha or happiness. Every action, good or bad emanates from this drive. But sukha has many dimensions, of which the material dimension is only one, albeit an important one. Ignoring the spiritual dimension, and focussing only on the material, is bound to give rise to individualism, where each individual tries to accumulate more than the other, at the cost of nature. It gives rise to the principle of 'might is right'. There is an inherent conflict between individualism and justice on the one hand and individualism and preservation of nature on the other. Therefore in societies where individualism is supreme, justice needs to be imposed from outside through legislation, to keep some kind of order in the society (the capitalist societies) or to bring about a just social order (in socialist states). Individualism will necessarily have to be curbed by law to provide a just social order, be it the market or the state controlled economy. Indian thought recognised that individualism was in conflict with the very idea of sukha. It was understood long ago that happiness could remain elusive, even after accumulation of vast amounts of material wealth and that it was not possible to be happy by remaining self-centred or if one's neighbour or the family members remained unhappy. It also concluded that exploitation of the immediate environment - which gave sustenance to all living beings - could never be to the advantage of everyone. The idea of surplus was therefore rejected, in the interest of the majority and to preserve nature. The need for a balance between the spiritual and the material was recognised. And the seers laid the foundations of a system that believed that 'God pervades everything' and the notion of ishavasyam idam sarvam...was introduced. If the same God resides in everything then at one level, everyone becomes equal. This was the baithak of dharma - the Indian paradigm. The concept of equity and justice became imbedded in the very foundations of this paradigm. There was no need to impose justice from outside, as in the western paradigm. But under the influence of the western scientific paradigm, we have forgotten the basic foundations of our paradigm. Gandhiji was the only national leader who understood this and did not come under the influence of the West. All other progressive leaders - from rightwing thinkers to the socialist liberals in the middle to those at the extreme left - consciously or unconsciously, were under this influence. They never questioned the philosophical assumptions built into the heart of the culture and the text of western scientific paradigm. Only Gandhiji understood it from the very beginning, but was unable to communicate it effectively even to his own disciples, at least to those who remained active in politics and did not withdraw into ashrams.
Unfortunately after Gandhiji's passing away Gandhism has been appropriated by the 'Gandhians'or the Sarvodayis just like Hindu dharma has been appropriated by the Sanghis or the RSS. All of us have become 'secularists' and are scared to talk of dharma, patriotism and all such issues because it is no longer politically correct to do so. And by this action, on the one hand we have allowed the RSS to have a field day and on the other played into the hands of the West. We need to look at some of Gandhiji's speeches, for instance the ones he gave in Haripad and Kottayam on Ishavasya Upnishad and published in the 30th January 1937 issue of the Harijan.
In most of the swadhyaya villages the economic condition of individuals and the community as a whole has improved remarkably, because of two reasons. The money that was earlier frittered away in gambling and drinking is now being saved and productively deployed. Also through the powerful concept of apaurusheya laksmi introduced by Dada, the community has started generating wealth belonging to no individual but to God. One day in a month is devoted to puja or shram-bhakti, in the service of God. The swadhyayi works on this day according to his/ her skill, by going out into the field, if they are farmers or into the sea, if they are fishermen, serving God in innumerable other ways, each according to their personal skills.
This is called shram-bhakti, which is different from shram-daan (voluntary work). In Dada's lexicon one does not hear the word daana (donation), instead it is bhakti (devotion). The baithak of shram-bhakti is very different from that of shramdaan. Daana unconsciously inflates the ego while bhakti has a humbling effect. Daana is given to a cause or to another person, there may also be a sense of competition. But in bhakti, the relationship has a totally different dimension - it is with the divine. In shramdaan, the group, which puts in their effort sometimes resents those who refuse to contribute because the fruits of their labour also benefit those who haven't put in any effort. And there are always a few people who refuse to co-operate, which has a negative impact on the volunteers. But in swadhyaya, the work is not done for another human being or for the benefit of the community. One puts in the effort as a devotion (or puja) to God. The person putting in the effort is not concerned about the other person's contribution - he/she puts in the labour as his/her puja. The fruit of this shram-bhakti is called apaurusheya laksmi. All this has resulted in the economic transformation of individuals and community.
I was part of the prayog darshan group, which comprised of people, each with a different set of beliefs, perceptions, their own concerns and reasons for looking at Swadhyaya. I can say without doubt that all of us were impacted in some way or the other. I know of one fellow participant from an NGO, who was keen in discovering the key to the social transformation in the villages, so that she could use a similar 'strategy' in her own area. However somewhere during the trip, the sight of confident and happy faces of each member of the family she visited, impressed upon her so much that she wanted to only share their secret. As she kept saying, 'I came as an observer, to study Swadhyaya as an effective strategy, but I'm leaving it as a devotee. I want to be a Swadhyayi, I want to be as happy as the people I saw." A sentiment felt by more than one visitor. Swadhyaya is the best example of true empowerment. It demonstrates how the fundamentals of Indian thought can transform whole societies, if the essence is taken to the people personally, just as Dada did. The approach is wholesome. Unfortunately, our intellectuals have not recognised the dormant life force pulsating in our own culture and completely distanced themselves from the people. On the other hand, our NGOs and activists have been struggling with analysis of problems and chasing cause and effect in a vicious cycle. In an attempt to analyse the causes of social injustices they have broken it down to gender, class, caste discriminations. This has led to greater divide within the society and added to the existing set of problems. Swadhyaya has demonstrated that if the root of all problems is nurtured the rest of the ailments in society get corrected automatically.
This remarkable transformation has been possible because the individual is convinced that God dwells within him/her. This is key to the success of Swadhyaya. Dada, has been extremely successful in convincing the people of this basic idea. Everything else has followed almost organically. The swadhyayi has an unshakeable faith in the presence of God within him/herself and this has given them a tremendous sense of self-worth, confidence and courage. And this confidence does not smack of arrogance. Nor does it rely on external instruments (of power) such as money, qualification or post. It is rooted firmly within. Those who perceived themselves as poor, dalit, downtrodden and incapable of helping themselves now use a different language and idiom, which does not have even a trace of self pity. As God dwells in everyone, all are equal. The idea of ishavasyam idam sarvam... propagated by Gandhiji and all the seers before him is being actualised.
The problem with dharma as understood and practised by the common man in this country is that it has got ritualised. As a consequence bhakti turned into andhbhakti and faith turns into blind faith. Dada has given the concept of vicharshila bhakti. He extorts people to use the intellect along with bhakti. The average swadhyayi uses the language of reason rather than faith. Reasoning, based on sound principles, just like the reasoning of any branch of knowledge, be it modern science or traditional knowledge. After all, every knowledge system is based on certain assumptions and principles, which are unique and built into the heart of the system, on the foundations of which the rest follows.
If we look at knowledge systems this way, modern science stands at par with other knowledge systems. But somehow it has been successful in creating a false impression as if it is the only knowledge system based on reason. This has led to its dominance over all other systems as well as cutting into the credibility of other systems. It is true that modern science made tremendous progress in the past 250 years. But this has been possible because of the dominance of the colonial rulers and the patronage modern science received from them. At the same time, other systems did not get any chance of developing and making progress within their own belief systems. In fact, they have been under threat and in a desperate need to keep alive their belief systems, they got stagnated and fossilised. Fossilisation also led to double standards, hypocrisy and unhealthy clinging to certain ritualistic practices. This coupled with the strategy of disproportionately highlighting the social evils of certain traditional practices was successful in completely discrediting all other knowledge systems leading to complete domination of the Western scientific paradigm. Swadhyaya has shown us an alternative that works because it is based on our own ground.
Dada has been successful in infusing energy in a decaying system and demonstrating that it is possible to think, plan and design systems based on a different paradigm, distinctly our own. But our intellectuals are not yet giving the movement the kind of attention it deserves. Over the past two hundred years our minds have been completely colonised to the extent that most of us are not even aware that our thinking is not free anymore. The great socialist leader, Dr. Rammanohar Lohia made a very important distinction between charitra dosha (fault or defect in the character) and buddhi dosha (fault or defect in thought or intellect). Out of the two defects, Dr. Lohia considered buddhi dosha, more dangerous in nature. People suffering from charitra dosha are at least aware of the defect, though they may not be willing or able to rectify it. But people suffering from buddhi dosha are not even aware of the defect in their thinking. The biggest harm inflicted by the colonisers has been the complete subjugation of the mind culminating in budhi dosha. Macaulay was immensely successful in doing this through the instrument of modern education system.
We have been living our lives and making our policies based on the scientific paradigm of the West for the past 200 years in the hope of a better tomorrow. It is high time we got rid of this illusion and started building afresh upon foundations that belong to us and not borrowed from others. Dada has certainly shown us a very sound alternative paradigm, the foundations of which are grounded in dharma. He has also shown how when budhi dosha gets rectified then it also corrects the charitra dosha, and how it spreads from the individual to the community. For deliverance at the national level, perhaps it is time we corrected our budhi dosha. Swadhyaya certainly gives a glimpse of the possibilities - of an alternative paradigm.

An attitude of the mind

By Rajni Bakshi
In several coastal villages of Gujarat there are certain fishing boats which function as floating temples called Matsyagandhas. These boats are part of a collective endeavour of local members of the Swadhyaya community.
The boat is built through voluntary labour using materials which are donated by members of the community. Each day five different fishermen volunteer their labour to take the boat out to sea. Their catch is sold in the market and the proceeds are distributed to those in need. These collective earnings are treated by the Swadhyayees as impersonal wealth.
Swadhyaya is a Sanskrit word which means study or discovery of the self. Today in many States of India, this word is automatically associated with Swadhyaya Pariwar. For over four decades, this pariwar has been galvanising millions of men and women in different parts of India under the leadership of Pandurang Shastri Athavale.
Swadhyaya is an attitude of the mind. Swadhyaya is the right perspective or the vision which enables one to understand the deeper aspects of religion and culture, says Athavale. Swadhyaya is neither an agitation nor a revolution. It is an attempt to lead life in the light of god's wisdom and to be ever ready to work for him.
This ideal lies at the core of the Swadhyaya Pariwar. However, this spiritual quest is not limited to individual peace of mind and salvation. For Swadhyayees, this quest finds expression through diverse social and economic activities that enhance the quality of everyday life for countless people.
Yet Athavale has always insisted that they are not a movement. "We, Swadhyayees, try to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots, but we are not socialists. We are engaged in removing the dirt and rust which has settled on our culture. Yet, we are not reformers. We do try to emancipate women from their oppressed conditions, but we are not women's liberators. We are basically devotees, i.e. bhaktas," Athavale said in 1996 while accepting the prestigious Magsaysay Award.
Athavale, now 80 years old, is fondly and reverentially called Dada (elder brother) by all Swadhyayees. He was born in a family of learned and prosperous Brahmins and trained at a traditional Sanskrit school, or gurukul. He could easily have garnered a large following just on the basis of his erudite lectures on the Bhagvad Gita and other spiritual texts. Instead he combined spiritual discourses with an active search for practical solutions to problems stemming from modern materialism and the despair and frustration that haunt most people's lives. This pain and grief shall not be in vain, he says, if it gives birth to a new social order.
Athavale derived answers from ancient Vedic wisdom and practice but gave the principles new form. For instance, he transformed the traditional practice of fasting on ekadashi, the 11th day of the lunar cycle. Instead of giving up food on that day, Athavale urged people to set aside 24 days in the year for Bhakti Pheri or devotional visits.
Swadhyaya work is organised in a thoroughly decentralised manner. At the core of its activities is the Bhakti Pheri. Each pheri consists of about 10 Swadhyayees going door to door in various villages and engaging in heart-to-heart speaking with the residents. The purpose of the pheri is to help people to become conscious of the divinity within them and thus catalyse various transformative endeavours in the local community through entirely voluntary work. Swadhyaya's activities are based entirely on contributions of its members. It seeks no private or public funding and declines unsolicited donations.
The Swadhyaya community is widely credited with reaching out to nearly 100,000 villages and urban neighborhoods, primarily in Gujarat and Maharashtra but extending to parts of central and southern India. Its efforts are estimated to have improved the lives of over 10 million people. Many of the Swadhyaya communities have succeeded in putting an end to gambling, alcohol addiction, wife and child abuse and initiated cooperative efforts which vastly reduce crime, feed the poor and help to nurture a spiritual quest.
Similarly, Swadhyayees work through Yogeshwar Krushi, which is collective farming of a single field. The benefits of the harvest are redistributed within the community according to need. Similarly, there are community-based programmes for tree plantation and water conservation, medical care and education. There are Bal Samskara Kendras for children, Mahila Kendras for women, the Divine Brain Trust for young people and Dhananjay Kreeda Kendras for sports.
In all such collective endeavour, people's time and labour is donated as an expression of their devotion to god, and the fruits of their labour belong to god, says Pramila Jayapul, a writer- activist who has studied the Swadhyaya community.
Dr. R. K. Srivastava, another scholar who has studied Swadhyaya, finds that it is both a metaphor and a movement. It is a metaphor in the sense of a vision, and a movement in terms of its orientation in social and economic spheres. Swadhyaya has ignored caste barriers and focussed on marginal communities and the dispossessed, and is integrating them successfully into its community without hectoring them to change their lifestyle, adds Srivastava.
As Paul Ekins noted in his book A New World Order, Swadhyaya tackles the materialism of the western worldview by reasserting the essential spiritual quality of human nature; it tackles poverty by bringing about increased production but without enlisting the greedy, self-serving incentives of the Western economic system.
This is possible because bhakti (devotion) is an antidote to excessive individualism and oppressive State control. Participation in community reconstruction also becomes a journey of self-discovery, Athavale said in his acceptance speech while receiving the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1997. "For us, to align with the divine means to align with others. ... From being passive spectators and helpless victims, we become responsible for our lives and the world in which we live."
Therefore, the utilitarian aspect of the various constructive programmes is only a by-product from the Swadhyaya point of view. It is the human bonding capacity of these endeavours that is important for the Swadhyayees. Naturally, such processes of transformation are slow. The earliest entrants on the Swadhyaya path waited for 8 to 10 years before they saw any signs of change.
Athavale often says that the problems we have in society today will take at least two generations to resolve and yet we do not even have the patience to wait two years.

Religion manifest in a garden

By Suverchala Kashyap
One almost misses a board proclaiming, ‘Patanjali Vriksh Mandir,’ on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara highway. For those who know of it, no directions are required. It is the faith and philosophy that guides them there. For the curious, too, the going is not tough. About 8 km off the highway and 4 km from Vadodara, a dusty-bumpy ride gets one to Ajod, a little green world in itself.
The first thought that comes to mind on entering the garden is, what on earth could Pandurang Shastri Athavale, the head of the Swadhyaya Movement, have to do with a huge garden? Loads, one soon realises after traversing 45 bighas of land studded with nearly 2,000 fruit-laden trees, interspersed with shrubs and herbs that grow, as if naturally. A separate chunk of 15 bighas has, however, been set aside for the purpose of growing mainly medicinal plants, most of which find use in ayurveda and homoeopathy.
The beauty of the place is not in the plants themselves, but in the way they are grown and the whole philosophy that has nurtured this experiment. Started nearly 13 years ago,this garden is akin to a temple, in the sense that each and every part of it is sacred and revered by all those who visit it. It belongs to no one in particular and yet belongs to everyone. There are nearly 20 such other gardens in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The Swadhyaya Movement, which literally means the study of the self, has been instrumental in introducing a realistic social change in India’s rural communities.
"Shastriji, also fondly called Dada by his followers, believes that selfless service with no expectation of return, is the mantra that can bring and keep humanity together," informed Karsanbhai Vaghela, a retired employee of Gujarat State Fertiliser Corporation Ltd (GSFC), who has been visiting this unique upvan since its inception. "Apart from making me feel at peace with myself, it gives me an opportunity to be one with nature, and also meet a number of people from different fields," he explains.
Another motto that governs practitioners of this movement is, ‘we are one. Hence there is absolutely no differentiation on the basis of caste, creed, colour or class. Here everyone is equal and the aim is to bring about a positive change in people, whereby they themselves feel the urge to do something constructive, said another tottering old man, who comes all the way from Champaner, about 35 km away. "For us, this is religion, not self-pity exercises, indulged in by many at the so-called bhajan sessions at temples. Here it is a culmination of devotion and ‘work is worship’ is clearly manifest in this garden," added Karsanbhai.
The garden uses totally scientific knowhow, from vermiculture to drip irrigation and the sprinkling system. Nothing is wasted and little is bought. Sold, yes, the produce, fruit etc. but at a nominal price to nearby villages. Barter system is also practised, that is instead of selling the wild grass to the villagers, for whom it is sometimes even difficult to dole out a nominal Rs 60 a month. Cowdung is taken from them in exchange of the green fodder initially, a day-to-day system was followed but this system required a lot of planning and the maintenance of accounts. So it was done away with for the present barter sytem.
The people frequenting this place, other than curious visitors, are mainly Swadhyayis, and are categorised into two distinct categories, the ‘van-prasthis’, or retired section and the younger generation. By and large each of the trees here has been planted by a particular individual and as far as possible this person continues looking after it.
Every month on the second ‘Purina,’ all the members of the movement meet at a pre-decided venue and chalk out the details of the several duties to be undertaken by them, the garden being one of them. Each individual stays at the garden for four days, does his bit and so the chain goes on.
And there is a lot to do. From tilling the land, grafting the trees, pruning, collecting garden waste to attending to the two varieties of earthworm utilised here for vermiculture. One, the indigenous variety that can turn the soil topsy-turvey to a depth of nearly 30 feet, and the other, an imported variety, which is barely an inch long and burrows to only about three feet, an extremely sensitive variety. The worm travels up and down about 14 times in 24 hours and in 45 days the entire process of vermiculture is completed, resulting in soft light, porous soil.
Around every tree a three-to-four feet deep pit is dug which is filled with old leaves, garden waste and a few worms. Above each of these pits the drip irrigation system is opened, thus keeping the soil in these pits moist. This creates a situation where the worms literally make mince meat of all the waste, but desist from ingesting iron, glass or polythene.
A system of ‘each one teach one’ also comes into play here as not everyone who comes here knows much about floriculture or forestry, but soon enough they all learn, and it doesn’t stop just there. For once they get back home, they utilise the knowledge gained and also impart it to others willing to learn. For instance in the case of grafting there are certain mango trees that have the grafts of at least four or five varieties on the main plant, resulting in different types of mangoes. This was not known to a number of villagers but as the garden also serves as an experimental laboratory, everyone gets an opportunity to learn at ease.
The highlight of this experiment is that not a single drop of pesticide nor a grain of fertiliser has been used here. Yet it is not as if pests keep away anyway. "Initially none of the villagers living in the vicinity believed that cultivation of any kind was possible without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides, but once they visited this place and saw the practical side of it, they not only believed but experimented in thei own farms too," explained another regular at the garden. In place of chemical fertilisers natural derivatives, from karvo limdo (bitter neem), garlic and cow’s urine, are made and sprinkled on the plant keeping all the pests at bay, he elaborated.
Dada, however, is of the belief that his is not entirely a money making proposition but a system by which man comes closer to man and to nature, where he learns to spare time from the daily routine and utilise it constructively. Here the theme is building relationships. Dada believes that it is imported to bring about a vaicharic kranti, or a revolution in thinking. This becomes more interesting in the light of the fact that this is further based on bhakti or devotion and the transformation of self and society.
"The purpose is primarily to take elevating thoughts to the masses, for these are the people who are completely ignored by all religious leaders as well as intellectuals. He talks of a coming together of people to rectify a system, for long plagued by malpractices. Faith is a primary driving force in the lives of ordinary human beings, but what is prevalent today in the name of religion, is more of a farce perpetrating unnecessary fundamentalism. Hence the common man requires a driving force which is more pragmatic and Dada seems to have found a way out."
This is also seen here in the garden at Ajod, where every now and then the ‘Abhishek’ ceremony is performed on the trees. Each tree is given a particular name, more often than not wih a religious connotation. Thereafter, it is almost looked upon as an individual, that also goes through different stages of development like a child. And all its needs are looked after with utmost care and love.
The swadhyayis come here either with their own lunch boxes or raw material and cook a meal at the makeshift shelters at the garden. All the work is done with extreme devotion, as if the garden belongs to each one of these people, young or old, rich or poor. Even the cleaning of the vegetables and fruits etc is done together. Fuelwood is collected and stacked neatly and is sometimes even utilised in the garden itself.
This is in some way reminiscent of the sacred groves of yore which till quite some time ago were fairly popular and were basically a boon for the environment, but changing lifestyles have also drastically affected their very existence and survival.

Unterberger Nominates Athavale For The Templeton Prize

AggieDaily
COLLEGE STATION -- Texas A&M University history professor Betty M. Unterberger has played a special role in this year's awarding of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.
Unterberger, the Patricia and Bookman Peters professor of history at Texas A&M, nominated Pandurang Shastri Athavale for the $1.2 million prize. He will receive the award from His Royal Highness Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on May 6. Unterberger plans to be present at the ceremony when her nominee receives the award.
The Templeton Prize is given annually to a living individual who has shown extraordinary originality in advancing the world's understanding of God and/or spirituality. It was established in 1972 by John Marks Templeton, a pioneering global investor who believed the Nobel Prize unfairly excluded religion from its honored disciplines.
Athavale is founder and leader of Swadhyaya, a spiritual self-knowledge movement in India that, according to Unterberger, "has liberated millions from poverty and moral dissipation."
Unterberger nominated Athavale, often referred to as the Dada, which means elder brother, because of the innovative nature of the movement.
"I believe that the Dada's work is a model and example for personal and communal transformation that can be adapted and modified within the dominant cultures and philosophical bases of people all over the world," she said.
Unterberger, who is writing a biography of Athavale and his Swadhyaya, was the first western scholar to recognize the international significance of Athavale and his religious movement.

The Prophet

By Suma Varughese, Society, May 1995
We are five years away from the Millennium. As the world hurtles with ever-increasing momentum towards that fateful moment, history seems to be preparing to turn the page to yet another chapter in our civilization. The signs are clear for all to see. A way of life based on a set of premises postulated 350 years ago is today collapsing under the weight of its own contradictions.
The Industrial Revolution ushered in the Age of Reason. Nothing closed to reason was admissible, claimed Descartes. Matter consisted of atoms, chimed Newton. Man was born of apes, asserted Darwin. God was banished, nature vanquished. Progress continued apace. Capitalism arose, and man was reduced to a factor of production. To counter that, along came communism. Only to transfer power to the state, leaving man as shackled as be-fore. Gradually, inevitable, man lost his sense of worth. And his existing alienation with nature and God was compounded by his alienation with himself.
Today, we are reaping the harvest of this alienation, as the world explodes around us in a cacophony of disharmony. Tastes have degenerated all around. Dissension and discord have ripped to shreds the fabric of our society. AIDS and cancer are rampant. Communism is dead, and although capitalism is racing through the world like a broncobuster, it is ravaging the earth and setting the agenda for our own destruction. We are sick. Manifestly sick. The good earth is weary and so are we. And something tells us that this was not the way it was meant to be that there is a better way to live.
But who is to show us that way? Who can sweep our path of the debris of our decrepit social, political and economic systems and fabricate new ones that uphold the integrity and nobility of man?
Who can restore our self-respect and our links with existence? Who can envisage and create a New World order? Could there possibly be a man of such transcendental vision and wisdom, Courage and determination, organizational and administrative capability? A man, so to speak, for the times awesomely enough, there is one.
A 75-year-old Sanskrit scholar and philosopher. A teacher and practitioner of the Bhagvad Geeta and the founder of one of today's most regenerative and powerful movements, Swadhyay.
His name is Pandurang Shastri Athavale. Doesn't ring a bell? Doesn't matter. Few of the westernized elite has heard of him, or of Swadhyay. Yet I like an underground river nursing its strength before bursting into the surface I like a mighty torrent, the Swadhyay (study of self) movement has been quietly and steadily gathering momentum. Today, it has a huge following o f over three million people, spread over 125000 villages in India. Its influence is rapidly disseminating into the US, UK, South Africa, Mauritius and the Fiji Islands, nourished by the zeal of expatriate Indians fired by its glowing ideals. Its network of educational institutions is influencing the hearts and minds of millions of the new generation. Their galaxies of unique socio-economic experiments have proved that economic parity can prevail without loss of private initiative. But best of all, its inspiring message of universal brotherhood under the fatherhood of God, is restoring and renewing human links.
In a world where greed and hunger, anger and hatred, despair and decay, have never before orchestrated themselves into such a strident pitch, the Swadhyay movement is like a patch of verdant green grass in the desert wasteland of the 20th century. Listen to fisherman Pandarinath Bhavan Meher on the subject. "At 11 days after my birth, parents taught me to drink. And so I grew up drinking and fighting. Then I attended Dadaji's discourses. And he told me that God was within me. After that, I was uncomfortable with the thought of drinking. In 1986, I went on a teerth yatra after which I completely stopped drinking. We have a fisherman's festival called Gutter Amavasya, so named because you are supposed to drink until you fell into a gutter. When my friends came to celebrate it with me, they could not believe that I had stopped. My friends today are in hospitals. Dadaji has given me so much. Today, my health is intact, and the money spent on drinks is intact. I have the respect of society. If I hadn't met Dadaji, I would have been in the gutter too. When I told my wife I was leaving drink, she hugged me. I can never for-get that."
Take the case of Kamlakar Budha, a fisherman hailing from the village of Maroli, Daman. His boat had recently capsized and been destroyed and unmitigated tragedy to one for whom it represents not just his only wealth, but also his only source of livelihood. What saved him from destitution and despair was the unique Swadhyay experiment of creating Impersonal Wealth. Based on the principle that gratitude to the Creator is best ex-pressed by offering efficiency, the concept finds expression among the fishing communities in pooling together enough funds to buy a common boat, which, since it belongs to none, is designated as God's, and called a Mastsya Gandha (Floating Temple). Each member of the community takes turns to ply the craft and the money realized by selling the catch is considered to be God's wealth, which is then distributed among those in need like Kamlakar Budha as prasad, a term that cleanses it of the ugly connotations of charity.
In Budha' s case, given the enormity of the sum (Rs. 200 thousand) it was a loan but a loan with nothing written down and with no deadline or interest attached.
These are just two examples of the transformation wrought by the Swadhyay movement, one on the individual front and the other on the systemic. Both highlight the love of God that is the central thrust of the movement, and its aim to transform mankind.
But how has religion become such a powerful social force? And on what basis has Dadaji accessed to us the power of transforming ourselves?
Swadhyay is based on the philosophy of the Bhagvad Geeta, whose central precept of an indwelling God is the fulcrum around which the movement rotates. Tat Tvam Asi (That thou art) and Aham-Brahma-Asmi (I am divine) are the twin principles of the Vedanta on which the Swadhyay movement is founded.
The logic on which Dadaji bases his philosophy is as follows:

• God exists.
• God exists within me.
• That makes me divine and worthy of self-respect.
• That makes others divine and worthy of respect.
• Since God exists, and exists within me, it follows that God also exists within the whole Universe. Everything in the Universe is therefore divine and to be reverenced.
• This means that my attitude towards myself, others and the Universe is one of respect and reverence. It also means I am related to everything in the Universe by virtue of having a common creator.
• The above two points motivate me to care for the welfare of others, for I am related to them. And respect pre-empts me from damaging them in any way.

Over and above this, the central reality of my existence is God, and my only aim in life is to realize the God within me. How may I do that? Through the three Vedic paths of jnana, bhakti and karma. Jnana is the path of knowledge or self-study (Swadhyay) which indicates not only introspection but knowing the self through knowing others.
Bhakti is an understanding of God's nearness to me and my relation to Him. Such an awareness fills me with love and gratitude to Him for looking after my welfare, and motivates me to do something for him, which is to look after his Universe.
The path of self-realization through karma lies in selfless action, when one does one's duty with no consideration for profit or loss.
All three paths to self-realization, therefore, lead me towards humanity and the Universe; which motivates me once again to have its welfare at heart.
In Dadaji's scheme of things, therefore, contradictions don't exist. The spiritual and the material aspects of life are perfectly welded, as are individual and collective welfare. His vision of man is that of a perfectly integrated being, who is linked through bonds of respect, devotion and brotherhood to himself, to others and to the Universe. Such a man has confidence and self-respect. His awareness of divinity fills him with heroism, courage and the determination to live life to the fullest. His ideals are noble and unfaltering, for he never loses sight of his ultimate aim of self-realization. And his commitment to the welfare of humanity and the Universe is unshakable. Such a man not only leads a joyful, full, successful and noble life; he does so through helping others realize it. He is also highly rational. For his self-respect frees his mind of slavery and enables him to discriminate good from bad.
Says Dadaji: "My effort" is to create a new man who pursues the divine mission in which God is at the center.
It follows that a society of such perfectly integrated individuals wills it-self becomes completely integrated. Since individual welfare is linked to collective welfare, conflicts and divisions arising out of the ego will gradually be sublimated. The common concept of divinity in all humanity will highlight the invalidity of differences based on sex, color, caste, community, religion or class. The issue of women's liberation, for instance, is completely annihilated, for women are as divine as men, and that's the end of that. Similarly, every imbalance within society is capable of being corrected when viewed from the focal point of the Swadhyay philosophy.
Indeed, the manifest aim of the movement is to effect a total transformation of society on economic, political, social, emotional and spiritual levels.
Money as a motivation and source of self-esteem will cease to have such a central hold on a society geared towards the far higher aim of self-realization. At the same time, the crippling divide between the rich and the poor will naturally narrow, because the poor, restored of their self-esteem and self-worth, will I be much more self- reliant and deter-mined to vanquish poverty, as well as less vulnerable to the vices of smoking, alcohol or gambling. The rich, on the other hand, will realize, as Dadaji puts it, "Since
God is with us and within us, He is to use the language of business, a partner in all our transactions. Naturally, He has His share"
That share, God's share, Dada suggests, could be a source to redistribute wealth.
And capitalism's conceptual flaw of relying on a more and more avid supply and demand of needs will level itself out as individuals learn to balance their desires with the larger interest of society and, of course, the environment.
Indeed the economic aspect of the world order visualized by Dadaji is among the most fascinating of his contributions, for he has conceptualized and realized a number of experiments that integrate capitalism's rewards and acknowledgment of private initiative with communism's compassion for the have-nots.
The two most striking aspects of the philosophy are its emphasis on self-respect and volition. Says Dadaji; "Any philosophy of life or system of society that destroys my individuality and individual initiative is not acceptable to me. Each person must have self-respect. He or she must respect himself or herself". With his unnerving knowledge of human nature, Dadaji picked out the single most important motivating force in our lives, a sense of self-worth, and rooted it into the one factor all humanity has in common: The presence of God. As he wisely remarks, "It is self-respect that pushes man towards virtues and away from vices." It is self-respect that gives a man individuality and integrity, and enables him to relate to others on terms of equality. In short, self-respect is the cornerstone of a value-based active life.
Yet because it is derived from the common presence of God, self-respect does not flare out into aggressive individuality that has no consideration for the others' welfare.
Volition, based on the premise of self-respect, is what distinguishes this movement from other, more rigid charters of belief that have no room for evolutionary growth nor for individual points of view.
Though Dada has been teaching from the Bhagvad Geeta for the last 53 years, the impetus for creating the Swadhyay movement can be said to have come about in 1954. Invited to the Second World Religious Congress held in Japan in 1954, Dadaji read out a paper proving that the philosophy behind the Bhagvad Geeta was the perfect solution to modern societal problems.
Impressed, the assembled members wanted to know if there was any village or group in India that I lived according to these precepts. The words came as a galvanic shock to Dadaji, as he shook his head regret-fully. Thereafter, his mission was clear, and although he was tempted with l offers of the chair of philosophy in universities in UK and USA, he returned home, and to his regular discourse at the Shreemad Bhagvad Geeta Pathshala, that his father set up in C.P. Tank, Bombay. From among the devotees, he selected 19, and for the next two years he worked on them rigorously, impress-in them with the truth and practice of his philosophy.
The denouement, which is a crucial part of Swadhyay history, took place one evening in the year 1957. As usual, his group of 19 waited at Juhu Beach for him to come, but this time, the Dada they saw was a man consumed with anguish at what he could see was the degeneration of man. Communism's growing impetus even within the villages had stung him into an awareness of the danger approaching society, and the need for counteracting measures. The path was clear.
Religion was under fire. Destroyed by the blind rituals and shibboleths that century's of practice had turned it into and by the revulsion of modern youth to its irrationality. The 19 devotees must go into villages setting the record straight and releasing the faith from its distortions. "Young Swadhyayees like you who have studied and understood the divine thoughts of the Vedas the Upanishads and the Geeta, have a great moral responsibility. You must be pre-pared to defend our ancient and noble religion and culture. You must tell the people the real meaning of devotion, religion and spiritualism."
Awestruck by Dadaji's fervor and conviction, the 19 listened as he went on. "To rejuvenate human values, and to restore religion and culture to their true grandeur, is true service to God. It is a form of devotion. Devotion should not be limited to temple worship, rites and rituals, singing and chanting only. This crude faith shall drown us in oceans of ignorance; and man shall be degraded to a beastly, sensual existence. Under such conditions, if young people like you who have studied the Upanishads and the Geeta sit quietly and do nothing, you will be guilty of neglecting your duty. Neither society, nor history, nor God will ever forgive this lapse on your part. Therefore, you must go the villages. This too is a form of devotion."
With these words Dadaji transformed the private and individual nature of the Bhagvad Geeta's aim to attain God-consciousness, into an instrument of social activism. As he often says, Swadhyay is an example of bhakti used as a social force.
The chain of actions initiated by that revolutionary outburst in 1957 culminated in what is a key factor in Swadhyay activities, the bhaktipheri, or devotional tour.
Using the argument that gratitude to God for inhabiting us and ceaselessly operating our mechanism called for an acknowledgment on our side, Dada used the traditional concept of Ekadashi, or day of fast every 11th day, to define the direction our gratitude could take. Instead of a passive act like fasting, however, we could use it to speak to others about God and bring them within his presence. Since single days are inadequate for the purpose, the Ekadashis are clubbed into 24 days a year. This is a period the Swadhyayee devotes to work in the villages, speaking to its in-habitants about the love and devotion to God, and the noble precepts of the Geeta. To convince them of the disinterestedness of his motive, a Swadhyayee is strictly warned against asking the villagers for any favor, no matter how minor. He has to cook his own food, manage his own accommodation, spend his own money, always keeping in mind the truth that he was here for his own self-development.
The initial years were difficult as the Swadhyayees worked against the odds to overcome skepticism and establish their credibility; but gradually, however, their work bore fruit and it is now in active practice in over 125000 villages, Though spread mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra, it is taking daily root all over India including Kulu Manali, Andhra Pradesh, Conoor, wherever a Swadhyayee is inspired to take up the cause.
And wherever the movement spreads, it generates a gradual transformation within man and society. Brotherhood and camaraderie replace discord and divide. Drinking, gambling and other vices hold no attraction for a populace newly aware of its divinity, and restoration of self-respect brings with it a resultant determination towards self-reliance and self-perfection. And paradoxically, the road to spiritual perfection leads to economic prosperity, and peace and happiness.
At a village in Valsad that I visited, Chibubhai Patel, one of the local Swadhyay heads, whose wise little visage seems saturated with sweetness, tells me of the gradual transformation experienced by his village. "Earlier, people used to drink and eat, slap their wives, and go to sleep. Now, no one drinks." According to Patel, the village, which is wholly Swadhyayee, is "Ramrajya". Bickering and disputes are a thing of the past, as the villagers awaken to an active realization of their brotherhood, and warmth and love become the currency of communication. The money once frittered away in drinking has contributed towards well-built houses for everyone, while thrift, hard work and devotion have opened the door to prosperity. Best of all, their newfound self-respect keeps them free of the manipulation of politicians looking for electoral gain. Says Patel simply "Now we tell them, 'Don't give us money. God has given us money. Why do we need so much?"
The awesome integrity and character behind that simple statement is a proof of the greatness of spirit that Dada has released within humanity.
Everywhere I went I experienced that same sense of spiritual awakening, of a humanity looking and discovering within itself a nobility and self-confidence, breaking free of the slavery imposed upon them both by society and the mind. Take the case of the village women, for instance. Gradually, in that same spirit of natural evolution, women are emerging from the cloisters of their homes to devote themselves to Swadhyay work.
Forbidden earlier from stepping out of their houses, they now perform goodwill tours, visiting neighboring villages to establish bonds of fraternity. "Dada has given us God and a new life?" says one of them emotionally. One looks at the violence and discord with which women's liberation has been achieved in the educated world, and longs for a similar wisdom to enfold the world.
If I ever wish to see the Swadhyay spirit embodied in its female avatar, I only have to recall Laxmiben Laxmibhai Patel, a part-time pujari at a local Vriksha Mandir (Tree temple). The pride and self-worth with which she uttered her name, her eyes lighting up with fire, would have done justice to a queen, even as her gnarled hands and sturdy backbone devoted itself to the upkeep of the trees in her care. "They are my children," she exclaimed, her arms sweeping out to include the expanse of the green foliage. Such self-worth and humility, resting side by side, is the true worth of the Swadhyay spirit, wherein all the paradoxes of human nature, softness and strength, self-esteem and care for other, is reconciled.
And with Dada's unfaltering belief in the divinity and fathomless potential of humanity, the vi1lagers are encouraged to learn Sanskrit, while the discourses often compare the philosophy of Kant with that of Hegel! It is this unbelievable generosity of spirit and respect for every human being that makes Swadhyay such a powerfully liberating force.
But if Bhaktipheri was the foundational exercise for the dissemination of Swadhyay, Dadaji's fertile mind and fervent determination to effect a total transformation in society has created several other unique institutions, whose purpose, as always, is to solve societal problems through the framework of devotion to God.
There is the concept of the Loknath Amritalayam, for instance, which seeks to restore the central
socio-economic role temples played in ancient India, where they were centers for community activity and a place where all members, regardless of the caste, class or economic status, could meet.
When a village begins to have a sufficient number of Swadhyayees to make the venture worthwhile, a simple temple, with walls of creepers and dung-washed floor, is constructed. Here, all the Swadhyayees meet twice a day, morning and evening, for prayers and community meetings. All major discussions are taken in the presence of God.
There is also the concept of Impersonal Wealth, earlier explained. Active in the fishing communities as Matsya Gandha and in the agricultural communities, as Yogeshwar Krushi, the idea is to contribute one's efficiency to God. Among the agricultural communities, this concept takes the shape of leasing or buying a small property of land, with funds contributed by the whole village.
This land, belonging to none in particular, is treated as God's. Everyday, the villagers take turns to till the soil, and the produce so grown is seen as God's wealth or Impersonal Wealth. This wealth is offered to God, and, through consulting with a few elders, distributed among those most in need, not as charity, but as prasad from God. So delicate is the impulse not to offend the receiver' s pride or self-respect that its distribution is usually in the dead of night.
Among the fishing community, the concept revolves around a community fishing boat and the concept is called Matsya Gandha or Floating Temple.
The most ambitious of these ventures, based on the involvement of 20 village, is the Vriksh Mandir (Tree Temple), a large orchard of anything from 10 and above acres. Quite apart from its value in providing a self-sufficient social umbrella, the concept is also meant to forge bonds of friendship within the 20 villages. The idea, obviously, being to forge large and larger concentric circle of brotherhood.
All those who work on these projects are known as part-time pujari, for the work is seen as divine and blessed. Today, the movement has more that 3,500 Yogeshwar Krishi, 32 Matsya Gandha, 17 Vriksha Mandir and 100 Loknath Amritalayam.
Can these economic experiments be reproduced on a world scale? If man in general can be persuaded to approach life, God and humanity along the Swadhyay line it's really hard to figure why not. The vision is there, can man rise to the task? For all our sakes and that of the Universe, it's to be fervently hoped so. Through it all, the human spirit joyously proclaims its liberation. And with each fresh experiment and each moment, the movement only gathers in momentum. If it took 53 years to get this far, it is a complete certainty that it will take less than half that time to reach the world.
And in the center of it all, like a spider meticulously spinning its web, sits Dadaji. The evolutionary zeal that has charged his movement with such coruscating luster, kindles in him ever-growing quantities of dynamism, commitment and compassion. His bond with his people is charged with such tender love that he just escapes being deified. Even so, hymns acknowledging his achievement are routinely sung at prayer gatherings. In appearance, he appears kindly and wise, but his features are not cast in the heroic mold. In his spotless white kurta and dhoti, he looks like nothing as much as a Maharashtrian gentleman farmer.
But his protean talents, faith in God and powerful personality, were wrought early in life.
Born on October 19, 1920 to a family of Sanskrit scholars, his remarkable intellect manifested itself early. And on the advice of his then principal, Pt. Ramapati Mishra of Gokuldas Tejpal. His father started a Sanskrit school for him aimed at giving him a thorough grasp of our culture and tradition. The 12-year course included shastra, logic and philosophy. By all accounts, the education he received under his father was the making of the man. He was not allowed any special favor, on account of being the principal's son, and never allowed more than two pairs of clothes, which had to be mended when torn. The young lad had a mind that was deeply interested in anything from swimming to riding to driving and playing. His analytical powers were highly developed to the extent that he would take the weaker side in a debate and win hands down.
At 25, he emerged from the Pathshala, with a firm determination to perpetuate Indian culture and civilization. Yet to communicate with the western world, he needed to understand its thinking, and so he immersed himself for an additional 12 years in the Asiatic library, diligently arriving when the Asiatic opened, and leaving only when it was time to close.
During those 12 years, his mind raced through the storehouse of Western civilization, sifting through its vast tracts of knowledge. It is said that his photographic memory was capable of retaining almost everything he read.
Even today, the Swadhyayees talk in awe of his ability to remember almost every member of his flock by name, and quiz them in detail on their personal life.
His own is Spartan. Living in a small two-bed-room flat at C.P. Tank in Central Bombay, with his wife, Nirmalatai, he has repeatedly resisted appeals to move into a flat gifted by the grateful Swadhyayees.
Up every morning at 3.30 a.m., the next 2 1/2 hours are spent in meditation. A walk follows this at 6 a.m. and by 9 a.m., he is available at the Swadhyay office, Nirmal-Niketan.
When in Bombay, his evenings are reserved for appointments. Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 7 to 9, he discourses on the Geeta in Gujarati. And Sundays, between 9.30 to 10.30 a.m., are devoted to a Hindi discourse, attendance of which is one of the unbreakable conventions of the Swadhyay family. All of Sunday, until 4.30 a.m., is given to the Swadhyayees to be used not only for personal darshan, but to plan out their activities.
Despite the burgeoning nature of the movement, the impeccable network of information keeps Dadaji informed of every development within it.
His is the mastermind that has plotted its every move. He is clearly its heart and soul. Will it be able to retain its sterling integrity and high ideals without him? The question is obviously of concern to the Swadhyayees, who have already picked a successor, his daughter Dhanashree, popularly called Didi. Such nepotism sits oddly in movement fired by such high ideals but Professor Bongale, a retired lecturer of philosophy, and Didi's tutor her Ph.D., explains that Didi was the only leader acceptable to the members, and her philosophical orientation and powerful leadership qualities equip her for the task. He admits quite frankly that Didi is not another Dada adding wryly, "But who is?"
Too many movements have floundered and died along with their founder, or worse, been corrupted and misunderstood. Keenly aware of the danger, professor Bongale is working with Dadaji on developing a metaphysical validity for the movement, to avert that possibility. But ultimately, they take recourse in their own philosophy. If God wants Swadhyay to continue, it will! they say wisely. And that, presumably, is the last word on the subject.

"Bhavlakshi" from Swadhyay pariwar Celebrate Sanvatotsav at Bhavnirzar

“Bhav Nirzar” is an educational institution located in Ahmedabad, founded by Pujya Pandurang Shastri (Dadaji). Within the institution, there is a prayer hall containing life-size idols of Lord Yogeshwar, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesh, and a Shivlinga. Every year, a pious occasion known as Sanvatotsav is celebrated at Bhav Nirzar. This event marks the anniversary of the sanctification of all the afore-mentioned idols with the prescribed Vedic rites. These holy rituals symbolize the spiritual process by which God is called to reside within the idols, transforming them from mere stone idols into a physical embodiment of God Himself. Each year, the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility of conducting the Sanvatotsav celebration is given to a different group within the Swadhyay Pariwar. This year, the festive occasion, held on April 11, 2006, was organized, attended, and performed by more than 75,000 “Bhavlakshi” people (the so-called ‘Untouchables or ‘Harijans’) in the presence of Pujya Didiji and thousands of others. The problem of inequality between “untouchables” and others continues to plague society, despite governmental laws and attempts at social reform. Consequently, this event is both revolutionary and history-making.   To this day, most non-Swadhyay temples continue to forbid entry to the Bhavlakshi people. And in villages, the oppression and injustice is even more severe. At a very young age, Pujya Dada noticed this oppressive treatment and injustice towards the “untouchables”, and he vowed to eradicate such inhumanity from society. Over the course of the last few decades, Pujya Dada, through the Swadhyay activity, has brought about the awareness of  the indwelling God residing in every human being Through the practical application of this powerful Vedic thought, he has been successful in creating a “divine brotherhood” amongst  people from all walks of life. By generating an understanding of this spiritual connection in people of all castes, creeds, religions, and nations, he has created a universal family of millions united under the Fatherhood of God. Consequently, the elite section of society has embraced the “untouchables”, treating them as their own brothers. Years ago, a three-day seminar attended by hundreds of Bhavlakshis was held in Bhav Nirzar. During this time, the Swadhyayees of Ahmedabad opened their hearts and homes to the Bhavlakshis. These Bhavlakshis slept in their hosts’ beds and dined using their hosts’ utensils without any feelings of difference or inequality. They affectionately hugged and lovingly talked about our rich heritage and the cultural greatness of our sages and rushis.  They sincerely felt that they belonged to this great culture, and that they were part of its great inheritance. In the recent years and months prior to the occasion of Samvatotsav, thousands of Kshatriyas and other Swadhyayees regularly visited the homes of the Bhavlakshis in the villages and cities to create the awareness of an indwelling God and divine brotherhood. One Kshatriya leader even invited a Bhavlakshi family to a marriage in his family. The Bhavlakshi family came with their own eating utensils. The Kshatriya host asked them to return their utensils to their home and told them that they would dine with the other people as equals.  The Bhavlakshi family leader said, “Your relatives and your caste will not accept this, and your relations with them will be jeopardized due to us.”  The Kshatriya leader answered. “My sincerity to Dadaji’s thoughts is being tested, and I must remain faithful to Dadaji. My relatives and caste people will have to understand and accept this.” Gradually, the acceptance of these Bhavlakshis started growing, both in villages as well as cities, and more and more Bhavlakshi societies experienced feelings of a divine brotherhood with millions of other Swadhyayees. As a part of this transformation, Didiji elevated them to a great new divine plane and honoured them with the responsibility of performing the poojan of Lord Yogeshwar in Bhav Nirzar during Sanvatotsav. This feat of Didiji has dissolved all the differences and ill–will between the Bhavlakshis and others. It also signifies the depth of transformation that has penetrated into Swadhyay society. This magnificent change has been brought about by the great efforts of Swadhyayees. But it is important to understand the role of Swadhyayees in this social reform.  They have not acted as social reformers. They have worked tirelessly as devotees of Lord Yogeshwar. Therefore, their role was that of devotees and instruments of the Lord and not of social reformers. The reform was simply a by-product of their sincere efforts and action-based devotion.  The pooja of Lord Yogeshwar was performed by 500 representative Bhavlakshi families. These 500 families entered the “Garbhdwar” (the room in which the deities are housed) of Lord Yogeshwar and Lord Shiva as a part of this pooja. All of the members of these families had this privilege. In fact, the whole world will be surprised to learn that the pooja of Lord Yogeshwar was performed using the drinking water accumulated from the clay pots of the Bhavlakshi homes.  Also, the “Prasad” was not purchased from a market; rather, it was made from accumulated jaggery, which was also brought by thousands of Bhavlakshis from their own homes. The Bhavlakshis felt completely connected to and embraced by the large Swadhyay pariwar. This is a tremendously revolutionary event in the social, religious, and philosophical history of India. It is proof that, as Dadaji says, “Devotion (Bhakti) is a social force.” Surely, Dadaji must be tremendously overjoyed by this transformation.

Aarogya Sanyuj (Health Camps on the basis of Bhakti)

Didiji had witnessed firsthand the deterioration of Pujya Dada’s health during his last years.  It pained her to see that many of Dadaji’s ailments could have been prevented under proper medical guidance.  Despite Dadaji’s not deriving the benefit of such prevention, Didiji felt that Dadaji’s beloved pariwar (“family”) should not be deprived of proper health care.  As a result, a new experiment (Prayog) was initiated in late 2004, known as Aarogya Sanyuj – literally “Health Camp”.  Here, physicians and other health care professionals offer their time and expertise as a form of bhakti (devotion); this differentiates such a health volunteer activity from all others, as in Aarogya Sanyuj there is no social agenda or platform.  While society benefits from the activity, it is practiced from a devotional angle as a service to God. Swadhyayees attend these “health camps” and learn about proper hygiene, as well as prevention of common debilitating illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The first Aarogya Sanyuj took place from August to September 2004, when 1000 doctors and other health care professionals from both India and the US, along with 8000 volunteer Swadhyayees from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh participated in a three-day-long health camp in 262 Amrutalayam villages.  Amrutalayam villages were selected because they are 100% Swadhyayee and hence very dear to Dadaji. Similarly, 750 doctors and other health care professionals from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, along with 85 health care professionals from North America, participated in a three-day-long Aarogya Sanyuj in more than 53 Matsyagandha villages in January 2006. Aarogya Sanyuj is a live example of the power of Dadaji’s philosophy and Didiji’s work.  Villagers and urbanites alike are moved by the devotional spirit of the physician volunteers, who are otherwise extremely busy in their successful practices.  These volunteers are welcomed and venerated, since they are viewed as God-sent by the otherwise healthcare-deprived masses.  There is an obvious thread of humanity, a feeling of “universal brotherhood under the fatherhood of God” that stands as a pillar of this noble volunteerism. Aarogya Sanyuj is proof that Dadaji has eradicated the barriers of caste, class, and creed that divide men and women everywhere else around the world. The next Aarogya Sanyuj is scheduled for early 2007, and the future includes at least one such Sanyuj per year.  More information is available at local Swadhyay kendras.

2.2 million (22 Lacs) youths participates in Geeta Jayanti

Geeta Jayanti celebrates the anniversary of the day on which Lord Krishna told the Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta to Arjun. According to the lunar Indian calendar, that day is the 11th bright day (Shukla) of the Margshirsh month (2nd month) of the Vikram Samvat year. It falls approximately in December. For many years, under the guidance of Pujya Dada and Pujya Didiji, the Swadhyay Pariwar’s youth, from ages 16-30, has celebrated Geeta Jayanti by arranging elocution competitions on various subjects relating to the Geeta’s thoughts. For children under the age of 16, there is a combined competition of reciting the Sanskrit “shlokas” (verses) and explaining and elaborating upon their meaning and application in life. Under the guidance and inspiration of Didiji, the number of young people speaking in the elocution competition has increased exponentially. Until 2002, the number of participants was in the thousands. In 2003, about 700,000 youth participated in the competition. In 2004, the number doubled to 1.4 million. In this past year’s Geeta Jayanti competition, 2.2 million youths spoke on the universality of the Geeta’s philosophy and its practical applicability in life. As a result of this competition, the youth have not only gained confidence in their public speaking abilities, but they have also developed the ability to think philosophically and put those thoughts into practical action. Consequently, due to their participation, the youth have begun understand the Bhagwad Geeta more and more. They quote the Sanskrit verses from the Geeta to emphasize their views. Their newly acquired knowledge and understanding of human life has continued to improve their individual, family, and social lives. This competition also elevates one’s enthusiasm to do God’s work. These youth reach out to many more youths to develop new, divine friendships and share t cultural, moral, and philosophical thoughts, leading to an improved life. This large number of participants includes youth from both India and from all over the world, including more than 35 nations and various different religions.  Many Muslim and Christian youth even win the competition in their cities and villages. The winners at village and city levels go on to compete at the district level, the state level, and finally the competition culminates at the Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta Pathshala in Bombay, India, where Dadaji regularly delivered his pravachans (discourses) for 60 years and where Didiji currently delivers discourses. These finalists include winners from the USA, UK, Africa and various other countries, as well as from India.

Vayastha Sanchalan at Houston, USA

On June 11, 2005 several thousand people came together under one roof at Toyota Center in Houston. The small but energetic swadhyayees of Houston along with other Swadhyayee Krutisheels from Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and other cities in the South Zone together visited about 5000 families in a short span of only 3 1/2 months. They visited them multiple times explaining the meaning of Life, importance of Trikal Sandhya and such. True to the progress of our Karya since 2000, the main slogan of the event was “Nahi Rukega Kram”. This was shown everywhere - on banners, Vyaspeeth, Giant displays in the arena, closed circuit screens, T-Shirts, Bhaktichakra etc. There were 2 (blue and white) large mashaals (18 feet in height and 7 feet diameter at top) on each side of the stage. The mashaals weighed at 300 pounds each. The main gate was erected outside the Toyota Center. It was named appropriately as 'Aditya Dwar'. This gate was 40 feet wide and 26 feet tall. The base pillars were 5 1/2' x 5 1/2 feet' on each side. There were different slogans written on each section. One side of the base (pillars) said ' Tav Chaha Parinam Hoga Dadaji' and others 'Nahi Rukega Kram'. The top of the gate displayed radiant Sun with multiple rays on both side. The depictions on those sections were... 'Aditya Dwar' and underneath...' Jalaya Khudako Duniya Ki Roshani Ke Liye'. At 4:11pm, Pujya Didiji arrived through Aditya Dwar. As usual, she was not alone. She brought Dadaji with her. All through out, she kept Dadaji in the center of her talks and in the center of the event. DADAJI is Hrudyastha in all of us. She released colorful big bunch of balloons in the Houston sky. Youths welcomed DADAJI and Didiji with a traditional Texas 2 Step dance. This was unique as it was a perfect combination of western style with our traditional eastern “Bhav Bhinu Swagatam”. Youths formed a human chain on both the sides, from the entrance all through the Vyaspeeth. They recited Narayan Upanishad all along. The entire thing was being displayed through live feed inside the Toyota Center arena. After unfurling the Sanskrutik Dhwaj (flag), Pujya Didiji officially inaugurated the event. Of course the whole Toyota Center echoed with the recital of Trikal Sandhya by all those present. It was a very thrilling experience. Among some specially invited guest was our beloved sister, Dr. Betty Unterberger. She open heartedly spoke about her encounters with Pujya DADAJI and our pariwar. She admitted that as per Dada's philosophy, we all are creation of God and so that we all are one. She accepted the recognition of indwelling God including realization and true awareness of God through Dadaji. She remembered the moments that she had spent with Dadaji. She saluted DBT for model or sample provided to the West. Further she revealed what she had found out about DIDI and mentioned that she knows that DIDI is a great scholar. She quoted the quotation of Majid Rehnuma-“DIDI IS THE YOUNGEST MOTHER OF THE LARGEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD”. Pujya Didiji was modest enough to say that she should be recognized only through DADAJI's work and his name. Vaak Pushpa(s) offered by a Bhai, a Bahen and a youth were notable. Also notable were their experiences with Pujya DADAJI, the pariwar and the changes that this revolution has brought about in everyone. Pujya Didiji welcomed everyone on behalf of the Swadhyay Pariwar. She thanked the people who came first time in the Swadhyay as they have given opportunity for Bhakti to us. She emphasized that Dadaji has fitted the highest philosophy in the smallest mind. Further, she clarified that how best thinking, best philosophy can be slower by nature. But Pujya Dadaji (Swayam Chaitanya) has lifted the ball of SANSKRUTI and forwarded to further. And that's all we all have to do for our SANSKRUTI. This was the main theme-slogan “NAHI RUKEGA KRAM” until Yuvan will be there in all places, all aspects, and everywhere. Than she talked about krutagnata, Bhakti, Trikal Sandhya, Jnana, Sleep, Self-development and total transformation through individual transformation. Everyone enjoyed the clips of “Ashiti Vandana”. It was marvelous. Everyone felt that they are at Shukla Tirth on the bank of Holy River Narmada. DBT youths presented mashaal geet wearing cowboy hat and white T-Shirt on a blue jean. During the entire event, there were hundreds of pictures of Dadaji, Tai and Didiji on screen (360 degree outer ring all around arena) all around. The Bhavgeet-“Yahan Vahan Hai Nahi Kahan Mat Puchho Mere Dada Kahan” was sung by all at the end.

Celebration of Three "Kshatriya Sanchalans"

Three “Kshatriya Sanchalans” were held in the Gujarati cities of Ahmedabad, Baroda, and Rajkot, in April 2005 in the presence of Pujya Didiji (daughter of Pujya Dadaji and the current leader of the Swadhyay Pariwar).  The events were attended by one million Kshatriya (warrior caste) men and women in each location (a total of three million attendees).  Most of the participants had come there after having learned the “Trikal Sandhya” by heart; the Trikal Sandhya consists of three small prayers, each comprised of 3 to 4 Sanskrit verses, and a couple of Sanskrit stotras by Adi Shankaracharya. Dadaji had started and organized this occasion named “Sanchalan”.  A “Sanchalan” is a not a gathering to protest against any political, economic or religious institutions; nor it is a movement to make any sort of demands.  It is a devotional and spiritual gathering to heartily acknowledge God’s love and service to oneself and every other human being.  God, the Almighty, is the giver, maintainer, and guide in all of our lives.  During this gathering, the attendees collectively express their gratitude for this to God.  God awakens us in the morning, digests our meals and brings the peacefulness of sleep at night.  So we must gratefully pray to him during these three times of the day.  Also, every man should lead a moral and spiritual life in accordance with God.  This understanding and awareness is developed in each of the participants of these three Sanchalans. This understanding and awareness spring from the knowledge that God resides with and within me.  This indwelling Divinity is within my body, heart, and mind, and He helps me in all of my actions.  However, I must take responsibility for my own actions, both good and bad.  Therefore, I must first work to transform myself morally and spiritually, and then He will help me in my efforts.  This is a great and marvelous awareness!  It has changed the lives of millions of people by steering them towards morality and the development of divine, brotherly relationship with other human beings. This does not happen easily.  Thousands of Swadhyayees visited all the villages of Gujarat regularly.  They contacted all of the Kshatriya families individually, cultivated divine, brotherly relationships under the Fatherhood of God, and conveyed these spiritual and rational thoughts, as explained by Pujya Pandurang Shastri (Dadaji).  They visited the villages as devotees and instruments of God, paying for their own transportation and taking their own food.  Thus, they served God by their own means, rather than by asking for help from others.  The loving relations of Swadhyayees and Dadaji’s divine love and reason-based philosophical thoughts transformed their lives.  They were happy to lead a better moral and harmonious social life in their villages and in the society at large. There are many sub-castes among the Kshatriyas, such as Darbar, Kathi, Karadia, Rajput, Thakor, Mer, etc.  These factions had previously been divided with enmity and inequalities.  These Kshatriya groups had harbored disputes with other castes of their villages as well.  Other farming and serving castes were afraid of and harassed by these Kshatriya groups.  As a result of the constructive efforts of Swadhyayees, the Kshatriya castes came closer to each other and the other castes by dissolving their differences and developing divine relationships with them.  Their animosity disappeared, and the environment in the village became peaceful and harmonious. Many people changed their lives by abandoning their bad habits and addictions.  This had an immensely positive impact on their family and economical lives.  Prosperity came to their homes.  Family quarrels were reduced.  Children now enjoy increased love from their parents.  All family members now regularly read, hear, and learn the moral and spiritual teachings of Dadaji and Didiji. The quality of life for women in Kshatriya families is very much confined to the four walls of their house.  In fact, many women said that their bodies only leave the home at the time of their death.  Due to the transformation in the thoughts and morality of such Kshatriya families, now the Kshatriya women go out in the society to spread Dadaji’s message of love and spirituality.  They go out with other women, as well as with their husbands.  They are now extremely happy to have the opportunity to go out into the society for the purpose of God’s work.  They feel eternally indebted to Dadaji and Didiji for enabling them to do service to God in this way. For example, one such change is especially pleasantly surprising.  The Kshatriya women have started visiting the women of “Untouchable” (Bhavlakshi) families, teaching them Sanskrit verses and Dadaji’s divine thoughts.  This is a real revolution!  Previously, the Kshatriyas used to feel nothing but hatred towards the so-called Untouchables, often insulting and frightening them.  This has taken a total reverse turn, as such behavior has been abolished! There is no need to describe the vices and enmities prevalent in the villages before the efforts of Swadhyayees.  Different groups have now come both physically and emotionally closer to each other to bring harmony into their social and personal lives. The force for all of these revolutionary transformations is rooted in a devotional approach to all aspects of human life. “Devotion (bhakti) is a social force”, as is explained, preached, and practiced by Pujya Dadaji and Pujya Didiji.

Poonashcha Bhooyopi Namo Namaste"

Some time has passed since that fateful day, yet not a single day has gone by without fond remembrance of Dadaji. How can anyone live eternally in this world? The creator lives in his creations. The creation always lives longer than the ephemeral life of the creator. Dadaji resurrected values in human life and made man aware of his divine relation with his fellow man, with nature, and with his Creator. These values and relations will last as long as long as humanity does, which will make Dadaji’s life eternal. Normally, the fruits of one’s deeds belong to him. But the fruits of Dadaji’s deeds will be enjoyed by society for generations to come.  Throughout His life, Dadaji worked incessantly for humanity. He had infinite love and enduring patience for mankind. Dadaji's philosophy is based on absolute trust in God and His presence in every living being on this planet. He rediscovered man and made him realize the indwelling presence of God and his relation with God. He allowed man to value his own dignity due to this indwelling God and to respect others with the understanding that the same divinity is all-pervasive. It is due to Dadaji's efforts that the image of man has been uplifted in the eyes of God. He proved that once the idea of the indwelling presence of God is realized, it resolves many otherwise intractable problems of human development and empowerment. It also removes the barriers of caste, class, creed, language, gender, colour, religion, nationality, etc. that divide humanity, and it brings man closer to man. Dadaji’s philosophy allows the individual development of man, on both a spiritual and material plane, becoming an indelible part of the process of social development. The Swadhyay Pariwar of millions spread across five continents is the living and breathing proof of this. Bhakti (devotion), according to Dadaji, is an attitude, an understanding, and an expression of gratitude to God. It is the strongest urge in a human being. Dadaji nourished and channeled this urge through unfolding major socio-economic experiments that are transforming the lives in societies across the globe. Today, over 600,000 Swadhyayees regularly and selflessly offer their time and efficiency as their devotion to God in these projects, and this number is increasing steadily. Dadaji not only worked throughout his life, but it seems he continues working even after leaving his body. We never knew when and in what way Dadaji touched them, but people from all walks of life came to pay their last respects to Dadaji. People from all political, religious, social, and economic fields flocked to pay their last respects.

Poonashcha Bhooyopi Namo Namaste" continue...

Dadaji’s leaving was a critical time for the Swadhyay Pariwar. Swadhyay does not have a structured organization or professional managers. It is a family in the truest sense of the term. Many onlookers in society felt that a shadow of uncertainty loomed over the Pariwar, but the passage of time proved the invisible presence of Dadaji in everything that bloomed in various aspects of Swadhyay activity. Most noticeable were the gatherings of highly motivated women in an astronomical number.  Didiji held meetings which were attended in aggregate by nearly 300,000 women. Didiji has also captured the imagination of the youth. She has breathed the air of enthusiasm into them. The international Gita Jayanti Elocution Competition is just one of the vibrant examples of Didiji’s efforts in expanding Dadaji’s work. Dadaji always felt that it would require the establishment of at least 10,000 Yogeshwar Krushis, one of the several devotion-based socio-economic experiments, to pave the way for an all-encompassing revolution. 2004 saw the fulfillment of His long-cherished vision, thanks to the untiring efforts of Didiji, who visited all corners of the Swadhyay family and motivated krutisheels. At the critical time of the loss of Dadaji's physical presence, Didiji stood up to the occasion and united the entire Swadhyay Pariwar by making it possible for them to rededicate themselves to the work. The first step in that direction was Didiji's decision to take Dadaji's ashes (Asthi Kalash) to various places. This was appreciated by all as a step in the true spirit of a family. This gave millions a chance to pay their heartfelt homage to Dadaji, and it also brought them a closer to Didiji.

"Poonashcha Bhooyopi Namo Namaste" continue...

At each location, local community leaders made a point to be present, regardless of their caste, creed, religion or political affiliation. Local and national government officials, along with representatives from the media and general public were present, also. Highlights of few striking events: People of all faith came to pay their homage to Rev. Dadaji. In California, eighty-three - signifying the number of years of Rev. Dadaji's earthly life - pigeons were set free at the time of Asthi Darshan. The State of New Jersey, the City of New York, the District of Columbia, and many other cities declared that particular day as Pandurang Shastri Athavale Day. In the U.K. 200 leaders representing more than hundred organizations attended Asthi Darshan. When one thinks of the innumerable facets of Rev. Dadaji, the masterly manner in which he veiled his true being, his magical capacity of connecting with and transforming any and all, his way of turning us onto a radically different path – a path of divinity, the effortless manner by which he transformed our ordinary lives into extraordinary lives – lives with a mission… Our only response can be the one which Arjun expressed to Lord Shri Krishna. We can do nothing but exclaim: "Poonashcha Bhooyopi Namo Namaste"! The Swadhyay Pariwar will always observe the 25th of October as "Ananyah" (The Day to remember the Embodiment of faith in God only, no one else).

Krutisheel women of Swadhyay Pariwar celebrate Purushottam Maas

Pujya Dada has rejuvenated a number of great cultural traditions, festivals, and cultural symbols. Due to Rev. Dadaji’s tireless efforts, these elements of culture have acquired their original, and in some cases, new contemporary meanings. The latest addition to this glorious tradition is that of the celebration of the holy Purushottam maas (adhik maas or month). With its all-too-familiar purely ritualistic celebration, which has been devoid of spirit and has been incapable of satisfying the intellectual curiosity of the modern day youth, the eons-old Indian tradition has been losing its luster. However, the Swadhyay Pariwar has given a new meaning and a “new” interpretation & spirit to the Purushottam maas; it is new when compared to what has been happening in the society at large. The “new spirit” essentially translates into the “original spirit” of this grand tradition. This “new” way is a bold break from the past, i.e. the past as it exists in the living memory. It, in fact, strives to bring back the ancient, original spirit. This year, Pujya Didiji suggested the following way of celebrating Purushottam maas. For thirty-nine days, the krutisheel ladies of the Swadhyay Pariwar would visit families of their respective “1+2+20” groups (families of the Vimshati kendras). Typically during their daily visits, each lasting an hour or so, they would be able to visit one or two families. Each visit would commence by offering Tulsi-Patra to the sacred Bhagavad-Gita, after which they would recite the Trikal Sandhya, Krushnashtakam, and a Bhavgeet. This would be followed by a short speech (“chintanika”) lasting ten minutes. Additionally, on each Monday of this 39-day period, these families would meet at the nearest Yogeshwar Krushi where, in addition to the above, all would recite the 13th chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita and engage in leisurely games.

Krutisheel women of Swadhyay Pariwar celebrate Purushottam Maas continue...

This nation-wide activity has led to heartening results. A large number of ladies hitherto unexposed to Swadhyay have developed a new love for these thoughts. The ladies came closer to each other and Swadhyay work experienced rejuvenation in areas where it was otherwise nascent. Numerically, the response has been truly astounding. Even in big cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad, this activity has witnessed a large-scale participation, surpassing all expectations. Didiji, before and during the course of this Purushottam maas, addressed participating krutisheel ladies. In the Saurashtra area, she addressed 80,000 women, 60,000 in the Ahmedabad area, and 80,000 krutisheel women in Baroda. Similarly, from the seven districts around Aurangabad, 11,000 women participated. In each of these meetings, Didiji touched on the theme of womanhood, what it really means, and why women are better suited to live a cultured and elevated life. She gave a comparative overview of the treatment meted out to women in the Western and other civilizations, and the views of the Indian thought and Indian (Vedic) tradition. In Saurashtra, at a meeting held in Moraj, Didiji especially dedicated a major part of her address to the Kshatriya women.  As unbelievable as it may sound in the 21st century, most Kshatriya women are not allowed to leave their residences! Once they enter their married homes, they spend their entire lives within the confines of these homes! This is true for hundreds of thousands of Kshatriya women. Defying this tradition, almost 15,000 of these Kshatriya women participated in this meeting.  Didiji reminded these women of the central role played by the Kshatriyas in the protection of culture and civilization. Interestingly, the organization of this meeting was almost entirely in the hands of the women. By all accounts, the participation of Kshatriya women is unparalleled and reflective of what the Swadhyay spirit and constructive work has done for the cause of women across the regions. “Tav chaha parinam hoga Dadaji”.

Janmashtami Celebrated at Bhav-Nirzar ( Ahmedabad )

Article by Bhaskar News Paper on Janmashtami Celebrated by Youth

HR-MEET Focuses on Swadhyay...

The MET, Mumbai Education Trust, recently organized a seminar on issues & matters related to the HR (Human Relations) industry & the Swadhyay approach to them. Below is the part of the invitation, along with excerpts of the response of representatives of the Swadhyay Pariwar who attended the seminar.  They were present at the panel discussions and submitted their paper based on Rev. Dada’s thoughts on “Human Relations”. INVITATION TO HR MEET ON "SWADHYAY" QUEST FOR HUMAN FACE OF HR "ENLIGHTENMENT THROUGH SELF-INTROSPECTION" 4th SEPTEMBER 2004 AT MET COMPLEX - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Business Management is not, by any stretch of imagination, a bloodless war waged with mission-goals-strategy designed to seek victory at all cost. It is rather a body of knowledge applied to the delivery of goods and services by humans to mankind with a win-win scenario for all. Therefore, it is time to take a stock of this journey thus far, not through statistical cobwebs but through self-introspection and seek enlightenment as a true reward of toils. With India galloping to the status of a global economic powerhouse and universal outsourcing destination, it is time to strengthen and streamline the policies, processes, and practices which will shape the Human Resources of our country. As torchbearers of India's quest to seek conquest of forces of global frontiers of knowledge leveraged for maximization of human happiness and minimization of pain and misery, it is our solemn task to search for the answers which lie within us. As responsible citizens of the world, blessed by the legacy of a civilization where the mind rules over matter, we have to search for answers through self-introspection and seek enlightenment. The philosophy and practice of "SWADHYAY" is a part of one's quest in search of human face of Human Relations. Evolved and practiced by the Late Pandurang Shastri Athavale, it is a feasible model to transform any society, seeking "Enlightenment through self-introspection" for self-empowerment. Though its emphasis is on individuals and their micro-communities, it has the power to raise creative potentialities of man through a rational journey of self-awareness and self-development to promote social responsibility. It attempts the broadening of the inner human frontier, thereby strengthening the fabric of an organization to withstand challenges and therefore deserves a closer study by professionals involved in the field of HR. In response to the HR-MEET, representative from Swadhyay Pariwar presented Rev. Dadaji's vision regarding Human Relation. Excerpts from the presentation follow: In human society, there are many kinds of barriers such as caste, colour, status, religion etc. which separate man from man. What is the way to unite the human race in spite of these barriers? The differences do exist from person to person. But there is a common factor which binds all of us. Our Creator is one and our Operator is one. This is the only factor which can unite the human race in spite of multitudes of differences. Today, crude hedonism and materialism are on the ascent. As a result of these isms, modern man is becoming heartless. Human life without noble feelings and higher sentiments is dry, dull and mechanical. The consciousness of God within will promote self-respect and respect for the whole of humanity and creation. The essence of devotion is an understanding of nearness of God. In conclusion, I would like to assert that devotion to God is a force for the individual, a force for social harmony and a force for international unity.

Sagar Poojan ...

On the 29th of August 2004, Sagar Putras (the name given by Dadaji to Swadhyayee fishermen, meaning “sons of the sea”) celebrated the auspicious festival of Sagar Poojan (Sea Worship) in the presence of Didiji. As per the lunar calendar, the full moon day of Shravan is celebrated as the Raksha-Bandhan day. Fishermen also celebrate this day as Nariyeli Poornima, which marks the resuming of fishing after the monsoon season. Traditionally, Sagar Poojan has been celebrated with dogmatic and superstitious rituals. However, Dadaji has infused life in this festival by explaining in a rational manner the fundamental need to cultivate gratitude for the Ocean/Sea. In 2004, Sagar Poojan was held at Nishkalank Mahadev, near Ghoga Bandar, in the Bhavnagar district Gujarat in the presence of Didiji. The celebration of Sagar Poojan began in 1992. More than 1500 fishermen and Koli Patels from Surat, Bharuch, and nearby places performed devotional visits (Bhakti-Pheri) for six days prior to this festival. The 2004 Sagar Poojan was graced not only by Didiji, but also by Revered Tai and Respected Raosaheb.  Didiji was welcomed with sacred Vedic chants by the Sagar Putras. This being the 25th year of the Matsyagandha experiment, krutisheel devotees of Matsyagandha vowed to reach out to all the coastal villages (more than 2,000) from Gujarat to Goa. They further vowed that in these villages, at least 90% of the villagers would recite Trikal Sandhya. Furthermore, all the coastal villages, right from Kutch to Calcutta (the complete coastline of India) would be introduced to the Swadhyaya way of life. Many dignitaries from the social and political fields witnessed this magnificent celebration by the Swadhyayee Sagar Putras. Excerpts from Didiji’s Pravachan: Sagar Putras have always been special to Dadaji, probably because of their courage and readiness to accept radical vision One can only be said to be human if he strives to be close to God Our relationship with God has always been self-centered, whereas He speaks the language of unconditional love By doing Swadhyaya, we learn to worship by offering without expecting anything in return Today nobody needs to pity our Swadhyayee Sagar Putras We have always been thinking in the terms of I, Me, and myself. Today we want to tell Him that all our possessions are for Him and become chaste in the process. Sagar Poojan is not only limited to Sagar Putras, but it is for all. We have been meeting on the pious day of Raksha-Bandhan. My bond with you as Didi is much stronger than your worldly relation with your sisters, since our relation is divine and is established by Dadaji.

A Marathi Magazine published on...

The February 2004 issue of "Dharma Bhaskar" a Marathi monthly magazine , published from Mumbai India , is dedicated to Rev. Dadaji . The issue published as special edition, covers various aspects of lifework and philosophy of Rev. Dadaji. The issue was set afloat by Aadarniya Didiji on 27th January 2004 in a function organised by the publishers at Mumbai.. Other dignitaries present at the occasion were Dr. Shankar Abhyankar, Dr. Arvind Joshi , Dr. Ramesh Prabhu and Shri Avadhoot Shastri , editor of the magazine.

Vayastha Sanchalan in Toronto on June 14th, 2003

Vayastha Sanchalans have always been historic events in the world of Swadhyay. However, the one held in Toronto, Canada was doubly significant, since it also signified the completion of twenty-five years of Swadhyay work in North America. In 1978, Dadaji sowed the seeds of Swadhyay work in this continent. Incidentally, during his visit in that year, he spent some time in the Niagara Falls area, not far from the location of the Vayastha Sanchalan on the 14th of June, 2003. The whole event was exclusively planned and executed by the Swadhyay Pariwar of Canada, an achievement in itself. Incidentally, it was also the first time that an event of this scale was held in Canada. The sheer numbers speak for themselves:  the total number of participants was 12,000, out of which 2,000 were from distant places in the US. Two hundred Swadhyayees regularly went for devotional visits (Bhav-Pheri) in Toronto and surrounding areas. Almost 10,000 families were contacted, and even Swadhyayees from distant places in US joined them on these devotional visits. Another interesting fact was the large participation in these visits by the youth. They reached their goal of meeting 1,500 youths.  The extremely long Canadian winter with its subzero degree weather did not deter the Swadhyayees or their spirits. There were several events which were the precursor to the main program. The Swadhyayee youths staged street plays in neighborhoods with a large Indian population in Toronto.  A total of thirty-six shows were held. Two Bike rallies were held by slogan-chanting youths. Each rally had approximately 100 participants and was escorted by Toronto police. Street plays and bike rallies have been part of major Swadhyay events in India; however, this was the first time that these were staged in North America. The basketball stadium of Air Canada Center historically has been a venue of music concerts and basket; however, this day brought a unique cultural event. Toronto, for the first time in its history, witnessed a gathering of this magnitude for an event which had nothing to do with mass entertainment or spectator sports! The entire stadium was tastefully decorated with different decorative pieces and large-sized banners prepared by Swadhyay Kendras from all over North America. The Vyaspeeth had an imaginative design. The designers had created an unique visual effect of the Niagara Falls along with a body of water in front with real mist! Pujya Didiji’s Vyaspeeth was in a boat appearing to float on the water. Didiji, on her arrival into the stadium, was greeted with a human chain of 200 youths. She was then taken around the stadium in an open jeep. The whole audience recited the Trikal Sandhya. Didiji then powerfully reiterated the incredible significance and importance of Trikal Sandhya in a person’s life. It can take a person closer to the creator and give rise to gratitude and devotion. Ultimately, the realization of the indwelling presence of God gives rise to true self-esteem. The entire audience attentively listened to the discourse in total silence. The event ended with a spell-binding, beautifully choreographed dance performance by 250 torch-carrying youths. In the course of the performance, accompanied by music and audiovisual effects, there were various formations in the shapes of cultural symbols like Om, Swastika, a lamp, etc.. The audience wildly applauded every movement in the performance. The large-scale participation by the krutisheel youths in the event and in the organization of the event was one of the high-points of the event. This assumes extra significance, in light of the fact that they are, in most cases, second-generation Indian-origin young men and women who were born and raised in North America. Their main connection with Indian culture, religion, values, and heritage is Swadhyay. The Toronto youths were joined by some youths from places as far away as Chicago and New York. Several dignitaries were present, including religious leaders representing different faiths like Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, and Hinduism. Political leaders and representatives from the academic world were present. One speaker was touched by the openness of the event, which encouraged participation by all human beings without any discrimination, and he made a specific reference to that fact in his remarks. This point was not lost on the media covering the event, either. In the final analysis, the Toronto Vayastha Sanchalan was a triumph of the indomitable Swadhyay spirit.  The sheer explosive growth of Swadhyay work in North America in the first twenty-five years is a matter of historical record, while the next twenty-five years promise to be even more dramatic.

Finals of a nation-wide sports competition Organized by Swadhyay Pariwar

“Charam Samkridan Utsav” December - January 2002 16th January 2003, Dadoji Kondev Stadium, Thane. Mumbai. INDIA A key component of the Swadhyay Pariwar, founded by Pandurang Shastri Athavale (Pujya Dada), has been the youngsters of the Divine Brain Trust (D.B.T.). This class of young people has been participating in various thought-provoking and constructive activities organized by the Swadhyay Pariwar on a regular basis. An integral part of this series of activities has been the Annual Sports Competition organized under the auspices of the youth wing of Swadhyay Pariwar and Dhananjay Krida Samooha. Regarding the playing of sports, Dadaji says, “The young must play. Playing is an easy and powerful medium to attain enthusiasm and joy, which are inherent in playing, along with other good qualities. In the course of playing, the body becomes tougher, and qualities such as consistency and assertiveness are developed. We learn to accept both victory and defeat and to develop a sportsman’s spirit. The notion of teamwork can be developed very well with this medium of play. The Lord Shri Krishna gave a divine angle to playing. Krishna made ‘play’ divine”. Dadaji has given a divine shape to an otherwise regular sports competition. With this medium, he has solidified the familial feeling of unity: “We are one”. The Swadhyayee youth play with a feeling of love and closeness while keeping away “enemies” such as personal ego, selfishness, and spite, which are commonly seen in today’s sports. In Swadhyayee sporting events, there is absolutely no place for internal fights, animosity, bitterness, and the betting of money with its associated ills. Like Arjun, the Swadhyayee youth play with dedication and “vichaar nishtha” (solid thought). That is why Dadaji has named the competition “Dhananjay Krida Samooha”. During 2002-2003, more than 200,000 youngsters participated in the competitive sporting meets organized in different parts of India. Thirteen different types of indoor and outdoor games were played in a competitive environment at these sporting meets, which were organized at the village, district, and state levels. The games were played at both individual and group levels. The grand finals, the first of its kind at this level, was called “Charam Samkridan Utsav” and held in Mumbai from January 14-16, 2003 with the finale on the 16th at Dadoji Kondev Stadium in Thane, near Mumbai, in the presence of Rev. Dadaji and Aadarniya Didi. Approximately 800 finalists from ten states participated. Approximately 50,000 Swadhyayee spectators were present at the stadium on January 16th to partake in the joy of the event. The day was marked with sheer joy and enthusiasm. In the morning Didiji declared the games “open”. The finalists, members of the Swadhyay Pariwar, and other dignitaries present gave a warm welcome to Aadarniya Didi. Youngsters representing various regions of India marched across the stadium, exuding the spirit of this event. All the participants took an “oath” of dedication and commitment to the ideals described by Rev. Dadaji. About 50,000 Swadhyayees were present in the stadium to enjoy this grand event. There was a divine excitement and enthrallment amongst the spectators. The evening finale, which took place in the presence of Dadaji, included a grand and colourful closing ceremony. Approximately 3000 youngsters presented “Krishna Said Play Divine – Dada Made Play Divine”, an inspirational cultural program in which they presented Dadaji’s philosophy behind sports. In the evening, in presence of Rev. Dadaji a grand and colourful closing ceremony was organized.

Human Dignity Day...