घुमकड़ की डायरी-13 Message of Mahatma Gandhi and his master Shrimad Rajchander in World Religions Parliament, Chicago.
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The World Parliament of Religions is being organized in Chicago after almost 30 years. First of all, this program took place in this city in the year 1893, in which our country's great young monk Swami Vivekananda representing India. He came here by the water route after circling the whole earth. It is followed by Cape Town in 1999 after 105 years, Barcelona in 2004, Melbourne in 2009, Salt Lake in 2015, Toronto in 2018 and now Chicago in 2023.
We are happy that I got to witness this as a representative of Gandhi Global Family. I had two statements on this occasion, one of which is presented on the subject of Mahatma Gandhi and his Guru Shrimad Rajchandra -
"Sisters and Brothers of America,
Exactly these were the opening words of Swami Vivekananda. 130 years ago, on September 11, 189. These words of Swami ji deeply touched the hearts of our American brothers and sisters in the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
But, I am not a Swami, nor a spiritual guru; I am just an ordinary householder. Yes, I am a humble seeker of truth. When I say I am a householder seeker, I mean that in the context of the four stages of life in the Indian tradition, which include Brahmacharya (student life), Grihastha (householder life), Vanaprastha (retired life), and Sannyasa (renunciate life). Just like Swami Vivekananda was a renunciate, but his guru first lived a householder life and followed Brahmacharya, then advanced to the position of a Paramahansa.
Mahatma Gandhi also lived a householder life, but even in that stage, he practiced self-discipline and was counted among the Mahatmas and saints.
Today, I am particularly going to talk about a saint from India who also lived a householder life, chose the path of renunciation, and attained spiritual liberation. By divine providence, he was also a spiritual guide to Mahatma Gandhi. His name was Shrimad Rajchandra. It is possible that many of you have already heard his name and are familiar with his spiritual journey.
Today I will specifically discuss four key points:
1. A brief introduction to Shrimad Rajchandra's life
2. His profound association with Mahatma Gandhi
3. The role of householders or parents in leading the world towards truth, love, compassion, and peace.
4. How in today's era, we can defend against religious fanaticism and violence, drawing insights from Swami Vivekananda and Shrimad Rajchandra
A brief introduction to Shrimad Rajchandra's life
Born on 9th November 1867, during the bright full moon night of Kartik Purnima, in the port town of Vavania, Saurashtra (Gujarat, India), Shri Raichandbhai Ravjibhai Mehta, later known as 'Shrimad Rajchandra,' belonged to a well-known merchant community. His mother, Devabai, was raised in Jain religious traditions, while his grandfather was a devout worshipper of Lord Krishna.
At the age of seven, in the year 1875, Raichand had his first encounter with death when an acquaintance passed away suddenly. Climbing a Babool tree near the crematorium, he experienced a profound contemplation, gaining the ability to recall hundreds of past lives (this ability is called Jatismaranjnan in Indian spiritual tradition).
Despite his young age, Raichand excelled in his studies, completing seven years of academic learning in just two years. He was known for his exceptional intellect, creativity, poetry, and oration skills. His peers affectionately called him 'Kavi' (the prodigious child poet). Between the ages of 13 and 16, he delved into an intensive study of scriptures and mastered the six schools of Indian philosophies in his pursuit of truth. During this time, he also assisted his father in the family business and composed poems about Rama and Krishna while sitting in the shop. He was known for his honesty in business dealings.
Spiritually, at the age of 19 in 1887, Shrimad achieved 'Shatavdhan,' the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously without error. He demonstrated this remarkable feat publicly and received medals for his exceptional abilities. Queen Victoria even invited him to perform abroad, but he declined, prioritizing his spiritual journey and Self-Realization over worldly pursuits.
In September 1893 in Chicago, USA, Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi attended the Parliament. Alluding to the fact that India had historically been the birthplace of some personalities who possessed extraordinary powers, in one of the speeches he made in Chicago, Shri Virchand Gandhi cited the example of Shrimad’s extraordinary spiritual capabilities.
Between 1896 and 1900, Shrimad retreated into seclusion and spent months in the wilderness of Gujarat. He immersed himself in spiritual practices and observed the behaviour of a monk while staying in the hills of Idar and the forests of Kavitha, Vaso, Uttarsanda, and Kheda. During this time, he remained absorbed in the self.
On the 25th of September 1896, during nightfall in Nadiad, Kaira District, he composed the enlightening 142 verses of Shri Atmasiddhi Shastra in one sitting, in the presence of Shri
Ambalalbhai holding a lantern. It was his magnum opus and the essence of all scriptures. As the prose version, ‘A letter about six fundamental truths’, was difficult for aspirants to memorize, Shrimad put it in verse.
This composition is a masterpiece of philosophical literature and explains the essence of Jainism and all true religion, namely the six fundamental truths, in a simple question-and-answer format. It explains that the soul exists, is eternal, is responsible for its activities and their consequences, aspires for liberation, and achieves it by following the right dharma.
Despite not having an imposing appearance, Shrimad Rajchandra's unique calmness and serenity set him apart. His deep knowledge of religion and philosophy, coupled with his ability to explain complex concepts, captivated people's attention. Even during heated debates, he displayed remarkable self-control, leaving challengers humbled and in admiration of his impartiality and inspiring presence. Shrimad Rajchandra cared deeply about India and the world, always striving for improvement. His views on social and political matters were liberal, emphasizing the importance of sincere religious reform without ostentation.
Shrimad Rajchandra embodied the fusion of wisdom, devotion, and detachment, standing as a divine and human paragon. His life was an unwavering quest for spirituality. As a visionary, he didn't blindly follow traditional doctrines but embraced detachment amid worldly chaos, awakening to the truth of existence. His invaluable legacy serves as an exemplary model that transcends time, encouraging others to embark on their spiritual journey through an exploration of his life.
Mahatma Gandhi’s profound association with Shrimad Rajchandra
On the very day Mohandas Gandhi sailed back to India after studying law in England, on July 6, 1891, his best friend Dr. Pranjivan Mehta introduced him to poet Raychandbhai in Bombay (now Mumbai). At the time, Gandhi was only 22 years old, having returned from England with a law degree and completely fluent in English manners and customs. Whereas Shrimad Rajchandra was about 24 years old, even at such a young age, he had experiences of spiritual realization and maturity. On the other hand, Gandhi was facing a storm of unresolved spiritual and existential questions in his life. Destiny had brought the two together, and their first meeting was like a thirsty person meeting a stream and a seeker meeting an ascetic. It was a meeting of a curious seeker and an austere sage.
Mohandas Gandhi was deeply influenced by the writings of Shrimad such as ‘Mokshamala’, ‘Atmasiddhi Shastra’, and ‘Apurva Avsar’. However, he truly benefited from Shrimad's direct association and intimate conversations for more than two years. Even after Gandhi went to South Africa, the exchange of letters and spiritual guidance with Shrimad continued for the next eight years, until Shrimad Rajchandra's demise. It was during this period that the path to Gandhi's becoming a Mahatma was paved. Gandhi has written extensively about his affection for Shrimad, from his autobiography to other places. He declared Shrimad his spiritual guide with great devotion and gratitude. Gandhi used various endearing addresses for him, such as ‘Kavi’ (Poet), ‘Kavi Shree’, ‘Raichandbhai’, ‘Shrimad’ and ‘Shrimad Rajchandra’, etc.
In his Autobiography (The Story of My Experiments with Truth), Mahatma Gandhi dedicated a chapter to him where he wrote, “The man who, immediately on finishing his talk about weighty business transactions, began to write about the hidden things of the spirit could evidently not be a businessman at all, but a real seeker after Truth. And I saw him thus absorbed in godly pursuits in the midst of business, not once or twice, but very often. I never saw him lose his state of equipoise. There was no business or other selfish tie that bound him to me, and yet I enjoyed the closest association with him. I was but a briefless barrister then, and yet whenever I saw him, he would engage me in a conversation of a seriously religious nature. Though I was then groping and could not be said to have any serious interest in religious discussion, still I found his talk of absorbing interest. I have since met many a religious leader or teacher. I have tried to meet the heads of various faiths, and I must say that no one else has ever made on me the impression that Raychandbhai did. His words went straight home to me. His intellect compelled as great regard from me as his moral earnestness and deep down in me was the conviction that he would never willingly lead me astray and would always confide to me his innermost thoughts. In my moments of spiritual crisis, therefore, he was my refuge.”
What A Householder Can Do
Shrimad’s inner quest for complete renunciation burned with intensity. However, his parents did not allow Him to relinquish all worldly ties and embrace the ascetic life He longed for. In a twist of fate, he married Jhabakbai in 1888. Accepting the outcome of his past karma, he entered the jewellery business in Mumbai. A remarkable blend of wisdom and morality, he left a lasting impression on anyone who crossed His path. He spent almost a decade as a householder, yet dharma was reflected in His every action – his heart found no solace in anything other than the Self.
Shrimad achieved a breakthrough in his quest for ultimate truth at the age of 23, in the year 1890. He attained ‘shuddh samyak darshan’, which is self-realisation and the gateway to spiritual enlightenment and liberation. Despite being caught up in the busy demands of worldly affairs, he experienced pure and unadulterated eternal bliss in the self (Atman).
From a very young age, Shrimad’s views on marriage were extremely mature, respectful and profound. He has verily portrayed these views in his famous book ‘Mokshmala’in the chapter titled – ‘A Fine Householder’; also in the poems titled- ‘Basic Aspirations’; and ‘Basic Daily Routine’. In the chapters on – ‘Thoughts on Happiness’, He has, through His words, drawn a beautiful portrait of the ideals of a sincere religious householder. These writings offer a glimpse into His heart. In His literary works, written between the ages of 16 and 19, He has elaborated upon how to live a married life in a harmonious manner. These writings can be a source of inspiration for all householders.
Shrimad did not allow matrimony to undermine His spiritual aspirations. His renunciation, detachment, ability to remain in an undisturbed and spiritual quest continued to increase in intensity. During that time, His spiritual churning reached its peak, as is evident in His letters, which provide an idea of the increasing sense of detachment He was experiencing
even in the midst of matrimony.
Even today, if the householders wish, they can lead their children on the path of true dharma by following the path of sattvic parenting, provided they create a virtuous atmosphere within the family and impart teachings of truth, love, compassion, kindness, service, generosity, and tolerance.
What is the True Dharma?
Ladies and Gentlemen!
When Mahatma Gandhi was struggling with the true meaning of religion and faced various dilemmas, it was Shrimad Rajchandra who showed him the right path. Mahatma Gandhi has written about this in his memoirs and I quote:
“In all his discussions with me, he never told me that if I wished to attain moksha (liberation or salvation) I should follow a particular dharma and no other. He advised me only to pay attention to my actions. When we discussed what books I should read, he took into consideration my personal inclination and the early family influences on me and advised me to continue the Gita which I was then reading.
Raychandbhai used to say that the different faiths were like so many walled enclosures in which men and women were confined. He whose one aim in life is to attain moksha need not give exclusive devotion to a particular faith. He was always bored by religious controversy and rarely engaged himself in it. He would study and understand the excellence of each faith and explain it to the followers of that faith. Through my correspondence with him from South Africa, too, this is the lesson which I learned from him.
My own belief is that every religion is perfect from the point of view of its followers and imperfect from that of the followers of other faiths. Examined from an independent point of view, every religion is both perfect and imperfect. Beyond a certain stage, every Shastra (Scripture) becomes a fetter hindering further progress; but, then, that is the stage reached by one who has transcended the gunas (Satoguna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna). If we follow Raychandbhai’s point of view, no one needs to give up his faith and embrace another. Everyone may, following his own faith, win his freedom, that is, moksha, for to win moksha means to be perfectly free from attachments and aversions.”
Even today, if we can truly understand the essence of religion, all the conflicts and clashes in the world in the name of religion will come to an end.
Finally, as I conclude, I would like to quote a few lines from Swami Vivekananda's closing address delivered on September 27, 1893, in The World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago. He said and I quote-
“Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if anyone here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, "Brother, yours is an impossible hope." Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.
The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant. It develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substances, and grows into a plant.
Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.”
In the end, I shall conclude my speech with this prayer that appears at several places in the Vedas for the welfare of the entire world:
ॐ अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान्।
युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम।।
O Divine Lord, the embodiment of light! You know our thoughts and intentions. You are aware of all our good and bad deeds. Guide us on the right path for our well-being. Bestow upon us the beautiful fruits of our virtuous actions. Keep away the sins that hinder our progress. Remove the deceit and hypocrisy from within us. We bow to you repeatedly.
Om Peace, Peace and Peace to us and all beings"
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