Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale is the ideal and self-evident example of how to selflessly worship the Nation by sacrificing the body, mind, wealth and life !
1. Repeatedly remembering a sentence of a seeker and realising anew its meaning
I was talking about the current affairs while having breakfast with a seeker. Whatever be the topic, when seekers talk, it never happens that Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale Name is not mentioned. Therefore, Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale was remembered automatically. During the conversation, the seeker said, “Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s body is a form of our Nation ! Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale has told me in the past that when the Hindu Rashtra (A Nation of upright people striving for the welfare of the Universe) will be established and the Nation is stable, all my distresses will be eliminated and I will be healed”. I kept remembering this sentence repeatedly. This made me review some aspects I had heard earlier and the meaning of some sentences were realised anew. It was as if a series of thoughts began in my mind. Here is an attempt to put some of these thoughts into words.
2. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s
oneness with the Nation and infinite expansiveness
From the conversation I understood that every calamity that befalls the Nation has a physical and a subtle effect on Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale. This means that when the Nation is attacked, His physical and spiritual distress increase. What oneness with the Nation ! What infinite expansiveness ! What intense yearning for the Nation & Dharma (Righteousness) ! And taking shape through all this is Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s mission of establishing the Hindu Rashtra ! With every breath, there is only one longing – Establishing the Hindu Rashtra ! He has only one goal in His life – welfare of the entire human race ! What a outstanding and mighty goal !’
3. Ensuring the establishment of the Hindu Rashtra with utmost diligence and the planned steps to realise it
Hindu Rashtra ! A Nation of Hindus ! Hindus are the only ones who renounce evil tendencies and inculcate good qualities. Those who worship God are Hindus ! The Nation of such people means the Hindu Rashtra ! To make this a reality, Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale took into consideration the identity of the Nation & Dharma that has been eliminated in today’s times. He undertook the mission of reviving it. He has studied why the condition of India, the Hindus and Hindu Dharma has become pathetic like this. He accurately recognised that the reason is that the morality of society is very low and spiritual purity has plunged to its lowest. The Hindus are more like the dead and have fallen asleep. He decided to undertake this mission with utmost diligence and take planned steps so as to make it a reality.
4. Commencing the mission of establishing the Hindu Rashtra with the help of a handful of seekers and mould-ing them through His own ideal actions and thoughts
4A. First undertaking the mission of turning society towards the thoughts of God-realisation : He realised the urgent need of Dharmacharan (Abiding by Dharma in daily life) along with imperative necessity of imparting education on Dharma to Hindus and creating Dharmajagruti (Awakening on Dharma) in them. He undertook the mission of educating society on spiritual practice and turning it towards the thoughts of God-realisation and spiritual practice. Just as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established the Hindavi Swarajya with the help of a handful of Mavalas (Maratha soldiers), Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale had the help of a handful of sattvik jivas (Embodied souls) and seekers. He began the mission of establishing the Hindu Rashtra by moulding seekers through His own ideal actions and thoughts.
4B. Inculcating sanskars (Subconscious impressions) of Nation-worship and Dharmacharan on seekers : Besides developing many qualities such as thriftiness, self-discipline, leadership useful to work in society, He also helped seekers develop virtues such as restraint, detachment, spiritual purity, chanting and devotion unto God – He planted the seed of Spirituality in the heart of seekers. He instilled patriotism and greatness of Hindu Dharma in the mind of seekers. He created impressions of Nation-worship and Dharmacharan on them. He taught them how to perform spiritual practice for God-realisation.
4C. He first did it Himself and then talked about it : Parents also create sanskars on their children; but Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale is the only One who has created sanskars on the mankind with a noble purpose, and more nobly, practiced it Himself ! The words – ‘Walking the talk’ is apt for Him.
4D. While inculcating sanskars on seekers, including the expansive thought of the Nation & Dharma : For example, think about the quality of thriftiness ! It is obvious that in the generations 3-4 decades ago, some parents were cultivating the quality of thriftiness in their children; but the motive was only limited to themselves and their children. It did not have the expansive thought of the Nation & Dharma. There was no thought about mankind. Only Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale thought of this !
4E. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s noble and infinitely expansive goal is that the whole world should become sattvik : The reason I said ‘He thinks of mankind’ is because Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s noble and infinitely expansive goal is to make the whole world sattvik (Spiritually pure) by teaching mankind to live and breathe Spirituality.
4F. Teaching seekers how to love the Nation selflessly by offering body-mind-wealth : Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale taught seekers how to worship the Nation. He taught them how to love the Nation selflessly by sacrificing the body-mind-wealth and life.
Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale taught seekers many aspects such as respecting National symbols, preserving and conserving national wealth, striving for the stability of the Nation and making efforts for people to live a happy, contented and secure life, etc.
4G. Inculcating in the minds of seekers that God always supports those who remember Him and being in constant communion with Him while performing the mission : Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale taught how to complement the service unto the Nation with Spirituality. As a result, the question ‘how can I do all this alone ?, did not arise. It was automatically instilled in the minds of seekers that God is always with those who remember and are in constant communion with Him while performing the mission.
In Dasbodh, Samarth Ramdas Swami has said, ‘Strength is there with those who take up various movements; however, God’s support is necessary for their success’. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale has been living by this line from Dasbodh and also teaching seekers how to live by it.
4H. Guiding how to organise campaigns and agitations lawfully and peacefully : Campaigns and agitations are organised to prevent wrongdoings that lead to instability in the Nation. But in doing so, immeasurable loss of national wealth is likely. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale guided society through Hindu Janajagruti Samiti on how to start any campaign or agitation in a peaceful manner and within the framework of the law. He taught seekers how to ensure that these do not cause any harm to the Nation, national wealth or insult national symbols and national heroes.
He is continuously educating society through appropriate perspectives in ‘Sanatan Prabhat’ Periodicals so that society understands what is right and what is wrong.
5. This monumental mission of establishing the Hindu Rashtra is possible only for Incarnate beings such as Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale
We are experiencing that every breath of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale is for the Hindu Rashtra; His concept of Hindu Rashtra is not limited to India but has encompassed the entire world. What an immense expansiveness ! The mission of establishing Hindu Rashtra is monumental and very difficult. Only incarnate beings can perform it; because it requires one who has corresponding spiritual strength, and Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale has this in abundance. Actually, He is a partial Incarnation of Shri Vishnu. Simultaneously, He is receiving the blessings of Saints, the support of the Guru’s (His Guru, Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj) grace and the help of God at every moment and each step.
For the past 30 years, the mission of this Incarnate being has been going on selflessly, courageously and uninterruptedly. Hindu Rashtra will be established in 2023. Then, under His guidance, seekers will perform the seva of establishing its governance system properly. And once again, with great pride India will be recognised as the ‘Vishwaguru’. The Nation will be stable. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s dream will come true. His health will improve.
The responsibility of the Nation will be handed over to people who abide by Dharma (Righteousness) in daily life and a new generation that has sattvik intellect. After witnessing all this with joy, as per the teachings of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale, the seekers will enter Vanaprasthashram (Third among the four stages of life, that of a retired householder) and move on to performing their spiritual practice with detachment to attain Moksha (Final Liberation).
In brief, Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale is the ideal and live example of how to selflessly worship the Nation by sacrificing the body, mind, wealth and life.
– Mrs. Meghana Waghmare, Sanatan Ashram, Ramnathi, Goa. (29.6.2020)