Grooming Architects of Society

For awakening the masses, teams of missionaries are sent all over the country and abroad. Till a few years back only about a dozen jeeps were being used for their transport. The missionaries are continuously on the move addressing large gatherings, forcefully exhorting people to change their way of life for the better. As the movement is gaining momentum, aspirations and requirements have increased manifold necessitating new arrangements to greater mobility and large number of missionaries are now moving on motorbikes and cycles. On the other hand, there is an perennial stream of persons arriving from far and wide at Shantikunj, and on being motivated spreading the message in their native places on return. These are dedicated persons who are committed to spend a few hours daily for interacting with the masses and contributing their mite for reversing the regressive trends in the society.

However, a greater need than spreading progressive ideology is finding such volunteers who are prepared to sacrifice their personal ambitions for resurrection of high ideals in the society. The task is not easy since the majority of people today is so much obsessed with promoting personal interests, that neither welfare movements like the present “Yug Kranti” (Resurrection of ideals in the new millennium) appears meaningful to them nor do they find time for it in their selfish busy routine. Unfortunately, in all fields of activity we find people working for wages. In a movement like the present one which aims at making the masses ultra-sensitive to high ideals, paid-workers won’t serve the purpose. Such a motivation can only be provided by the charismatic personality of a self less person (Sadhu-Brahman), a missionary (Parivrajak) or by one who has decided to dedicate his entire life to human welfare activities exclusively. For others, it would not be possible to receive trust and cooperation of the common man for an idealistic endeavour.

Keeping the foregoing considerations in view Shantikunj is endeavouring to groom financially self-dependent social workers. This country has had a tradition in which a family sustained itself by joint contributions of its members with each member sharing responsibilities of physical requirements and earnings through cottage industries. Thus in this system, no single member of the family was considered indispensable. Further, in the simple society of ancient times, the social needs were looked after by four classes of people.

These service-groups or castes, in course of long history, acquired the absurd distinction of being sanctioned by God-revealed scriptures. Nothing can be more absurd than imputing discriminative whims to the creator; As a matter of fact, equality of human beings is the hallmark of Indian spirituality. In those days it was customary for each family of all castes to spare one member of the family for social welfare work without jeopardizing family interests. This age-old system produced great talents amongst Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Sikhs in their respective fields. Shantikunj is reviving this ancient “Vanaprastha” tradition and the number of persons adopting it is progressively increasing.

At present, in the Shantikunj Complex there are resident missionaries. Most of them are well-qualified individuals, who after giving up highly remunerative careers have dedicated themselves totally to the mission and are working voluntarily ten hours a day. It is a unique hermitage with none identified as a cleaner, a washer man, a barber or a watchman etc. All such activities are performed through mutual respect and cooperation. Those having financial support back-home, do not seek any help from the hermitage for their living. Others, in the true "Brahminic tradition” lead modest, simple contented lives, accepting minimal assistance from the mission.

Thus, Shantikunj is a living example of spiritual socialism. Its motto” All are equal in spite of caste or class” (Jativansh Sab Ek Samaan” and “Man and woman have the same Status” (Nar aur Nari Ek Saman) is fully exemplified in the lives of the large family of the inmates of Shantikunj. Foreseeing the dire need of the world in the new millennium, in the year 1978, the mentor of Shantikunj took a pledge to train one million social architects in the succeeding twelve years and send them out to work in various fields amongst the people. To accommodate these volunteers, it was then decided to build new residential complexes. At that time, it was planned to increase the residential accommodation two times by 1980 A. D. However today a huge complex of apartments has come up.

The financial support for the management of Shantikunj comes from voluntary donations by members of the mission. Whatever the dedicated members of the mission voluntarily donate for the cause, is found sufficient for meeting the modest needs of the mission. Majority of these donors are contributing only through savings of twenty paise per day. The great Indian sage, Vinoba Bhave had once said, “An organization deserves to live as long only as it is sustained by sincere dedication of those who consider it useful”. It is believed that this motto will be the driving force behind all activities of the mission in future.

-By Shri Ram Sharma Acharya