Religion and Spirituality

 

Religion and Spirituality 

Dr Vivek Arya 

What is Religion? Swami Dayanand write that ,"I believe in a Religion based on universal and all embracing principles which have always been accepted as true by mankind, and will continue to command the allegiance of mankind in the ages to come. Hence it is that the Religion in question is called the primeval eternal religion, which means that it is above the hostilities of all human creeds whatsoever. Whatever is believed in by those who are steeped in ignorance or have been led astray by the secretaries is not worthy of being accepted by the wise. That faith alone is really true and worthy of acceptance which is followed by the aptas, i.e. those who are truthful in word, deed and thought, promote public good and are impartial and learned; but all that is discarded by such men must be considered as unworthy of belief and false."

Swami Dayanand Saraswati writes in Statement of my beliefs published in the end of 14th Chapter of Satyarth Prakash . “My conception of God and all other objects in the universe is founded on the teachings of the Vedas and other true shastras, and is in conformity with the beliefs of all the sages, from Brahma down to Jamini…My sole aim is to believe in truth and help others to do the same. Had I been biased, I would have championed any one of the religions prevailing in India. But I have not done so. On the contrary, I do not approve of what is objectionable and false in the institutions of this or any other country, nor do I reject what is good and in harmony with the dictates of true religion, nor have I any desire to do so, since a contrary conduct is wholly unworthy of man.”

                                                

Yogi Arvind explains about spirituality that ," The Divine perfection is always above us, but for man to become Divine in consciousness and act and to live inwardly and outwardly Divine, is what is meant by spirituality. All lesser meanings given to the word are inadequate, fumbling's or impostures." (World Union and Goodwill, Oct.1963, Vol. 111, No.v.p.10)

Mata Mira of Arvind Ashram writes that," True spirituality is not to renounce life, but to make life perfect with Divine perfection. This is what India should show to the world." ( Aditi, April, 1963)

Acharya Vinobha Bhave write, " Someone asked me to define spirituality as I think of it. I said, I will give you the minimum requirement of the case. Spirituality demands that one should have faith in absolute moral values, not relative moral values, some time truth, and sometimes falsehood, an opportunist attitude of a pragmatic way of thinking. That is not the way spirituality of a pragmatic way of thinking. It should be based on some basic principles, some values which can not be changed; they will be absolute. Second, i thought, should be the unity and sanctity of life. It is a very big thing to stomach the unity and sanctity of life, but that is the second thing and the third item should be, I suppose, continuity of life after death. These three things are inescapable from spirituality. We can add much, but we can't reduce; this is irreducible minimum."

 Science and spirituality should combine and that it was the only way to liberate not only India but the whole world. But there is no meaning to the liberation of the nation without the liberation of the mind. The mind should first be liberated, that is the main function of spirituality.

Be Religious! Be Spiritual! Be Liberated!