On patriotism

Life and Living - Vedic Vitamins

Written by Vasudeva Rao

Saturday, 27 December 2008 11:39

While Vedas teach universal love, it also instructs us to be patriotic.

Upa sarpa maataram bhumim|

Rigveda 10.18.10

Hey Man! You serve the motherland!

In case the motherland requires our lives, we must unhesitatingly offer ourselves for the sake of our country.

Upastaste anameeva ayakshma asmbhyam santu prithivim prasoothah|

Deerghanam Na ayuh prati bhudhyamaana Vayam tubhyam balihritha syama||

Atharvaveda12.1.62

Hey the Motherland! Let our progeny be always disease free, happy, and sturdy in your refuge May we live long. May while us remaining always alert and careful offer our lives to you.

Girayaste parvatah himavantoranyam the prithivi syonamastu|

babhrum krishnaam rohineem vishwaroopa dhrivaam bhumim prithivimindragupthaam|

Ajeetho hatho akshthodhyshaam prithiveemaham||

Atharvaveda 12.1.11

Hey the Motherland! Let the snow capped Mountains and forests bring us happiness. May I remain undefeated, unbeaten, not killed or undermined. May I remain protected. Let the lands be ploughed and further enriched with food besides nourishing crops and vegetable matters. May the country be protected by heroes and I remain happy and contended.

When Lokamanya Balagangadhara Tilak was undergoing sentence in Mandalay jail in Burma, he lost his wife. The information was conveyed thru Telegram to him by the jailor. Tilak read the Telegram and quietly folded it. He did not display any sorrow or emotion. When the Jailor queried why he did not drop a tear at the demise of his wife, Tilak replied,

I have no tears to shed at this occasion, because I have shed them all for my country.

Tilak had learnt patriotism thru Vedas.

Recommend this article...

Comments

Add New

RSS