RSSFACTS is a column that demystifies the functioning, organisational structure and ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
One of the most fundamental elements of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a Sanskrit prayer that reminds its volunteers every day that their foremost responsibility is towards their mother land. Everyday, all the RSS Shakhas end up with a prayer which is recited by all the Swayamsevaks present at the venue of the Shakha. The Swayamsevaks stand in columns and rows in attention at the place where the RSS Shakha is taking place, one person recites the prayer and the rest of the Swayamsevaks repeat the lines with their right hand in a position similar to the that, which they take while entering the Shakha and bowing their head to the Saffron Flag. The right palm is parallel to the ground with the thumb of the same hand touching solar plexus. In addition to the daily Shakha, all the major programmes of the RSS wind up formally with the recital of the RSS prayer. Most of the Swayamsevaks know it by heart. The RSS prayer is in Sanskrit and is considered to be very sacred by the Swayamsevaks as it is an explicit t tribute to the motherland. As one traverses through the meaning of the prayer, one realises that by reciting these lines everyday, the objective is to strengthen the feeling of nationalism among the Swayamsevaks.
Given below is the text of the prayer and its meaning:
“Namaste sada vatsale matribhume
Twaya hindubhume shukham vardhitoham
Mahamangale punyabhume twadarthe Patatwesha kayo namaste namaste ||1||
Prabho shaktiman hindurashtrangabhuta Ime sadaram twam namamovayam Twadiyao karyao baddha katiyam Shubhamashisham dehi tatpurtaye |
Ajayam cha vishwasya dehisha shaktim Sushilam jagad jena namra vabet
Shrutam chaiva yat kantakakirnamargam Swayam swikritam nah sugam karyayet ||2||
Shamutkarshanihshreyasasaikamugram Param sadhanam naam veerabratam Tadantahsphuratwakshwa dheyanishtha Hridantah prajagartu teebrahnisham |
Bijetree cha nah sanhata karyashaktir Vidhayasya dharmasya sanrakshanam Param vaibhavam netumetat swarashtram Samartha vabatwashisha te vrisham ||3||
Bharat Mata ki jai||”
Though there have been many interpretations of the RSS prayer in English, the most appropriate one has been provided by the second RSS Sarsanghchalak Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar. Here is the interpretation/meaning of the RSS Prayer according to Guru Golwalkar:
“Forever I bow to thee, O Loving Motherland! O Motherland of us Hindus, Thou hast brought me up in happiness. May my life, O great and blessed Holy Land, be laid down in Thy Cause. I bow to Thee again and again. We the children of the Hindu Nation bow to Thee in reverence, O Almighty God. We have girded up our loins to carry on Thy work. Give us Thy Holy blessings for its fulfilment. O Lord! Grant us such might as no power on earth can ever challenge such purity of character as would command the respect of the whole world and such knowledge as would make easy the thorny path that we
have voluntarily chosen.May we be inspired with the spirit of stern heroism, that is sole and ultimate means of attaining the highest spiritual bliss with the greatest temporal prosperity…..
May intense and everlasting devotion to our ideal ever enthuse our hearts. May our victorious organised power of action, by Thy Grace, be wholly capable of protecting our dharma and leading this nation of ours to the highest pinnacle of glory.”
The evolution of the RSS prayer is significant to understand that every tradition in this organisation has evolved with active participation of the Swayamsevaks. The RSS is not rigid about even the most sacrosanct of its traditions and is ready to change with time.
Though the RSS was founded in 1925, but the present- day Prarthana or ‘Prayer’ came into existence only in 1940. There is an interesting piece of history that provides a peep into the thinking and collective decision-making process within the country.
Till 1940, the RSS prayer comprised two shlokas –one in Hindi and the other one in Marathi. During the first 15 years, the RSS had established its presence in almost all the provinces across the country. Several young men had become full-time workers and moved to different areas to expand the presence of the RSS.
With rapid expansion of the organisation, the need for a simple prayer in Sanskrit was increasingly felt. Incidentally, several instructions on the RSS Shakhas for conducting various programmes were also given primarily in Marathi and English till 1940. The need for having an instruction manual in Sanskrit was also felt as Sanskrit was one language which could be spoken across the nation.
Crucial meet at Sindi
To discuss these issues, a meeting was convened in February 1939 at a place called Sindi, around 50 km away from Nagpur. It was organised at the residence of a senior RSS functionary Nanasaheb Talatule. The RSS founder Dr. KB Hedgewar, Guru Golwalkar, Bala Saheb Deoras, Appaji Joshi, Vithalrao Patki, Talatule, Tatyarao Telang, Babaji Salodkar and Krishnarao Mohril participated in the meeting. The arrangements for the meeting were looked after by Babanrao Pandit. Several important decisions, which had a long-lasting impact on the way RSS functioned, were taken at this meeting.
These decisions had a definitive influence on the structure of the RSS. Those who attended the meeting conducted a detailed review of the way RSS functioned from 1925 to 1939 and decided to bring uniformity. Marathi and English were replaced by Sanskrit as a medium of instruction. It was decided that the instructions issued at the RSS Shakhas would be in Sanskrit henceforth. The issue of developing an RSS prayer in Sanskrit was also discussed. The essence of the prayer was initially penned in Marathi and then the Karyavah (Head) of Mohite Shakha at Nagpur, Narayanrao Bhide, who was known to be an expert of Sanskrit language, was entrusted with the responsibility of converting the Marathi prose into a Sanskrit prayer. He did his job so well that, with hardly any changes, the Sanskrit translation was accepted by all. For the first time, this Sanskrit prayer was recited in the RSS’ camp held at Pune in the presence of Dr. Hedgewar and Guru Golwalkar. The same Sanskrit prayer is recited even today in the RSS Shakhas without any change.
Till 1940, several English words were used to carry out routine activities on daily Shakhas, such as Formation, March-Past, Advance in Review Order, Line Formation, Halt, Form Fours, Band, Bugle, Flute, Side Drum, etc. Both Bhide and Salodkar worked to develop an exhaustive instruction manual in Sanskrit. All these instructions developed in 1940 in Sanskrit have been in use ever since.
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