Ways of worship cannot be a reason for conflict between communities, says Mohan Bhagwat

 Ways of worship cannot be a reason for conflict between communities, says Mohan Bhagwat during launch of Urdu translation of Samaveda

Mughal ruler Aurangzeb lost while PM Modi has won when it comes to saving the humanity, says Bollywood scriptwriter and filmmaker Iqbal Durrani, who has translated the religious text

March 17, 2023 10:02 pm | Updated March 18, 2023 07:17 am IST - New Delhi

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RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat launches the first Urdu translation of the Samaveda at Red Fort in New Delhi on March 17, 2023. Filmmaker Iqbal Durrani (right) translated it from Vedic Sanskrit to Urdu. 

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat launches the first Urdu translation of the Samaveda at Red Fort in New Delhi on March 17, 2023. Filmmaker Iqbal Durrani (right) translated it from Vedic Sanskrit to Urdu. | Photo Credit: PTI

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat launched the first Urdu translation of Samaveda, one of the four Vedas of Hinduism, by Bollywood scriptwriter and filmmaker Iqbal Durrani at New Delhi on Friday. Mr Bhagwat, while praising the efforts of Mr. Durrani, stated that “different ways of worship cannot be a reason for conflict between communities”.

“We must understand that there are several paths that are being taken by different people. Some worship land, some water and some fire. But the destination of every human being is one and the same,” Mr. Bhagwat said while quoting a story from Vedic texts.

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Mr. Bhagwat, who in the past had maintained that untouchability and discrimination are grave threats to society and must be shunned, cited another story in which a student is being told how a person becomes “respected” because of his integrity and not by his birth. “ Vyakti ka gotra uskey janam se nahi pehechana jata, uski satyanishtha se pehechana jata hai [the lineage of a person doesn’t come from where he is born but from his integrity],” he said.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Durrani compared the time of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb and the present regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and maintained that the former had lost and the later has won when it comes to saving the humanity.

“You all know that Dara Shikoh was the first Mughal ruler who had decided to translate Hindu Vedic literature to Urdu, 400 years ago. At that time, someone asked him that why he is getting only the Upnishads translated and not the Vedas. Before he could start the translation of Vedas, he was killed by Aurangzeb, his younger brother ,” said Mr. Durrani. “I have finished the task that Dara Shikoh had started.”

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He added that it is a historic moment for India on Friday, as he is launching a translation of Samaveda from the Red Fort, built by Aurangzeb and Shikoh’s father, Shah Jahan.

Mr. Durrani also said that he will reach out to all Muslims with the Urdu translation of the Samaveda. “When I read Samaveda, I realised that it is a book of melodies, it is all about humanity. Who would not want to read such a pious thing?” he added.

The event was attended by senior RSS leaders including Ram Lal and Indresh Kumar, Muslim cleric Umer Illayasi, and Jain Saint Lokesh, to name a few. The event also saw attendance from Bollywood with actors Sunil Shetty, Jaya Prada, and Mukesh Khanna being present.

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Varna and caste system should be discarded, says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

The RSS chief, on several occasions, had maintained that it is important to take all the sections of society together, to make India ‘vishwa guru’ (knowledge giver). Mr. Bhagwat, in August last year, had met former Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, and a group of prominent Muslims as part of the RSS’s dialogue programme. The meeting was concluded with the idea that RSS and Muslim leaders will remain in touch in future and have discussions pertaining to development of the nation.

The Sangh as well as BJP, on several occasions, have hinted towards strengthening their Muslim outreach. However, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, while speaking to the media during the conclusion of RSS’s all-India executive meeting on March 14 had said that RSS “never went to anyone but it never rejects the invitation from anyone”.

Varna and caste system should be discarded, says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

“Everything that causes discrimination should go out lock, stock and barrel,” the RSS chief said

October 08, 2022 02:19 am | Updated 09:37 am IST - Nagpur

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on October 7 said the concepts like  varna and  jaati [caste] should be completely discarded. Speaking at a book release function in Nagpur, he said the caste system has no relevance now.

In Vajrasuchi Tunk written by Dr. Madan Kulkarni and Dr. Renuka Bokare, the RSS chief said social equality was a part of the Indian tradition, but it was forgotten and led to damaging consequences.

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Referring to the claim that the  varna and caste system originally did not have discrimination and had its uses, Mr. Bhagwat said if today someone asked about these institutions, the answer must be that “it is past, let’s forget it.”

The RSS chief said, “Everything that causes discrimination should go out lock, stock and barrel.”

He also said the previous generations made mistakes everywhere, and India was no exception.

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“There should not be any problem accepting those mistakes. And if you think that by accepting that our ancestors made mistakes they will become inferior, that won’t happen because everybody’s ancestors made mistakes, Bhagwat added.