This chapter is the English translation of Gujarati Book
               Title   -  Sadhak and Sathi
               Author  -  Shri Atmanandji (Dr. Soneji)





      CHAPTER - 30

      SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY WELFARE

      (SAMUHA KALYANANI BHAVNA)

      We are all social beings.  We live in society and generally
      prefer to do so.  Like us, all members of society desire to have
      the facilities of life and peace of mind.  The noble people live
      in society only with the inspiring idea that all people in
      society should have their due share of happiness and benefits.
      It is through them that the spirit of community welfare evolves
      in the society.

      In the spiritual sphere, predominant importance must be given to
      individual development.  Yet, it is society that supplies most
      of the means for individual development.  It is because of this
      that the stage of the householder (25 to 50 years) is said to be
      the very backbone of all other stages (Ashramas), and is praised
      in Indian culture.  Many great persons like Rishabhadeva, Rama,
      Krishna, and others lived in this stage and followed the true
      religion (Dharma), and later progressed to accept austerity,
      renunciation and self- control.

      Food, clothing, housing and education are, in the normal course,
      the basic needs of the human being.  If a society intends to live
      in peace, it should see to it that all members of the society
      have these basic needs fulfilled.  Schemes of social welfare are
      undertaken in prosperous countries, with this purpose in view;
      other countries are also moving in this direction.  The spirit
      of community welfare is thus firmly rooted in people's mind.

      Philosophers in the Indian (Aryan) culture have conceived of a
      system that can help in the spiritual development of people in a
      two-fold way.  Generally, the householder's stage dominates in
      community welfare, while in the case of the individual spiritual
      progress (Sadhana), the life of renunciation dominates.  It may
      of course happen that some individual householder (Sadhakas) do
      progress individually (Sadhana) in the presence of some
      distinguished Acharya.  However, all great people have accepted
      the fact that the life of renunciation is very much more
      beneficial for the higher stages of silence (Mauna), solitude
      and meditation (Dhyana), which represent the very climax of
      spiritual life.

      In group spiritual activity (Sadhana), sermons, contact with the
      sages, praise of the holy, prolonged benediction, devotional
      songs, reading of scriptures, prayers, pilgrimages, and
      mass-austerity dominate.  Preaching and contact with great
      saints can emotionally carry away thousands.  They can then
      merge themselves in the virtues of God the Supreme, and
      experience the trickling of tears of joy, excitement, and like,
      which enhance their goodness and luster and inspire others.

      Concentration is easy in emotional sermons, devotional songs and
      congregational prayers.  During the occasion of mass vows and
      fasts we do get inspired to sublimate ourselves when we view
      some Sadhakas at higher stages of sublimation.  This leads to
      interest and delight in religion and praise of God.  Ultimately
      it leads to the development of many qualities like fraternity,
      adoption of the virtues of others, humility and desire for
      virtuous deeds.

      In this manner, the aspirant (Sadhaka) who has taken recourse to
      genuine congregational spiritual activity (Sadhana), progresses
      on his spiritual path, so that later on, he can take recourse to
      higher Sadhana at the individual level.  The dominant traits of
      this Sadhana at the individual level are silence (Mauna),
      meditation, reciting what is written, repeated remembrance of
      God, service to saints, giving up sensual pleasure, tasty food
      and so on.  Individual development is thus a part of community
      welfare.  Individual development positively leads to community
      welfare because the community consists of individuals.

      GLORY OF COMMUNITY WELFARE:

      1. Selflessness is the basic test of religion (Dharma).  Only a
         person who gives up selfish motives is a real spiritual
         person (Sadhaka) and is nearer to true spiritual development.

      2. Any individual who keeps himself busy in benevolent and
         philanthropic works, sticks to truthfulness and honesty,
         proves himself sterling like gold and shines out victorious
         even if he has to pass through various ordeals during his
         spiritual activity (Sadhana).

      3. Only the society of people that has woven ethical values into
         its life-work wins real happiness.


      LIVING EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY - WELFARE:

      (1)

      In the year 1935, Shree Ravishanker Maharaj, a great sage,
      visited a village named Sunasar, in Mahesana district of state
      of Gujarat, India.  In the village, the majority of the people
      were by cast Thakores.  They lived their life on theft, looting
      and robbing.  The sage decided to bring a reform in the village.
      He would sit at a public place (choro) in the village and hear
      people talk.  Slowly and steadily he cultivated trust and
      intimacy with them.  He talked about the honest work for them
      to earn their livelihood.

      The people asked, "What work would you give to us?"

      The sage replied, "It will be a hard labor."

      The people asked, "Where?  Is it possible here?"

      "Yes, the lake in our village needs to be dug deep.  Daily wages
      will come from the Government.  We shall clean the land around
      the lake and grow the vegetables and fruits.  I shall get you
      the necessary equipments and fertilizers.  We will build a
      school for the children who are now playing in the dust.  They
      should learn to read and write."

      Slowly and slowly the villagers got interested in his idea.  They
      started working on the lake.  They gave up their bad habits of
      taking opium (drugs) and liquor.  The village became normal.

      However, one robber, Sonia by name, would not yield.  The
      Government had declared a reward for his arrest.  The sage
      learned that he was hiding in the ravines of the Pushpavati
      river nearby.  One day in the early morning, at four O' clock,
      the sage decided to go out all alone to meet him.

      When Sonia saw a man coming from a distance approaching him, he
      asked his companion Raghu, "Who is that fellow coming here to
      meet his death?"

      "Sir, it seems that the sage Ravishankar Maharaj, a follower of
      Mahatma Gandhi is coming to see you."

      "Why?  Does he seek the reward from the Government by revealing
      my whereabouts?  Let him come, I shall see that he is dead!"

      The robber and his team became alert and stopped the sage on his
      way.

      The sage said, "Well Sonia, why do you fight a small war with
      your own people? Why not a big one?  Why not fight the British
      Government for our independence with Mahatma Gandhji?"

      Sonia replied, "Yes sir, I too have heard this".

      In this manner, the sage created a interest in the minds of the
      armed robbers in his talks, and slowly brought them to reform.

      A few days later after this event, his companions were planning
      a big robbery.  Sonia was sitting bewildered.  He was telling
      himself, "Only the white foreigners (Britishers) deserve to be
      looted.  The sage and Mahatma Gandhiji are right.  Why should I
      loot and kill my own people?"

      He pondered and pondered over this.

      His companions told him, "Come Sonia!  Let us go for robbery!"

      Sonia replied, "From today our paths differ."

      He threw his weapons down.  His inner self had awakened.  He
      took recourse at the feet of the sage Ravishanker Maharaj.
      There was no end to the joy of the villagers.  The Government
      heaved a sigh of relief.

      In the village now, there is no thief or armed robbers.  There is no
      addiction to drugs or alcohol.  Sonia gave a part of his land as
      a gift to the whole community for the Bhoodan movement of Shree
      Vinoba Bhave.

      One man's firmness and sincerity and the spirit of community
      welfare brought about a revolution in the life of a criminal
      village.


      (2)

      Eugenie, the sister of the King of Sweden, kept the minimum of
      her ornaments to herself and sold the rest and built a public
      charitable hospital from that money.  She than served the
      patients in the hospital herself and looked after its general
      administration.

      Once, a patient was deeply moved on seeing the royal princess in
      the garb of a nurse.  Tears rolled down his eyes.  The princess
      saw this and reacted immediately in the following words, "Today,
      I once more see my jewels and pearls in your eyes!"

      Our cities have been industrialized now, and they have grown
      cosmopolitan.  Many people have earned lots of wealth.  If they
      think that they could give in charity a part of their wealth and
      associate themselves in activities of community welfare, the
      society will prosper and progress. From the spiritual point of
      view, they will be free from their debts to the society.