THE IDEAL MAN – THAKUR DAYANANDA

The ideal man is he who shows by his life a complete, comprehensive and all round ideal for all mankind. There can be only one  complete ideal for human life. The ideal man makes truth a living reality, an accomplished fact in the world and whether they know it or not, the life of such a man has the greatest influence over the lives of all humanity. He becomes the whole thought world. Sooner or later, knowingly or unknowingly, the whole world of humanity thinks as he thinks and acts as he acts and thus quietly the whole world is transformed.

The master, Thakur Dayananda, a sannyasin, a friend of the world, the founder of the Arunachal Mission and the another of the world union scheme that was presented to the world through the Paris peace conference in.1918,is the ideal man in the New era.

Thakur Dayananda has shown how life can be ideally lived in all respects. He says that the goal of life is not the enjoyment of short-lived pleasures which brings dullness the very next moment. He says, “man’s whole life should be converted into one continuous songs of perpetual bliss”

Perpetual bliss can be enjoyed only when God  is enthroned in human heart. He says” God is the supreme goal of life, the goal of the individual, the goal of the nation, the goal of the world. he must be the goal of all human efforts, all human action, all human institutions and arrangements. This is the way to peace to perpetual bliss.”

Thakur Dayananda says “True welfare lies in harmony between the spiritual and the material. Spirituality  without material well bring tends to decay and emasculation. Materialism, if it is not allied with the spiritual realization, if it is not aided  and controlled by spiritual force will bring its own destruction.”

Man is indeced  the limited manifestation of the Unlimited God  but he must not be bound by his limitation and  should  always tend towards  the unlimited one. He should  not be satisfied with the limited  ideal of serving his own poor  self only but should live for the good of whole would. Thakur Dayananda says, “The good  of the  world must be placed above the good of one’s own, that of one’s friends and relations, or even that of one’s own country and people.”

He is utterly against all sorts of provincialism and  narrow-nationalism. He says that  man must have the greatest idea, live the greatest idea of internationalism, of universalism. His soul must overstep all boundaries and reach out to the whole world.

According to Thakur  Dayananda, there can be only one religion for all mankind. God being  one, religion also  must be one. But He does not discard  those institutional religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islamism etc. What He wants is :- Man must realize the  essence of religion, he must not give too much importance to forms and formulas but must always cherish the essential thing in his heart.

The essence off all religions is:-God is our Father, We are all His Children, we should live in love with each other, we should  share our Father’s gifts equally and according to need. Fatherhood   of God and Brotherhood of man is the sum and substance of all religions whatever may be the or creed of the outer from of those religions.

Man should follow this religion with heart and soul and when all have done so, this would, this very world which is now full of inharmony  and hatred, strife and conflict, war and pestilence, poverty and disease will be converted  into the kingdom of Heaven on earth.

colour

This is the ideal Thakur Dayananda has follow in His own life and in order to hold a practical demonstration of the fulfillment of the ideal before the world, He has led the fraternity of what is now known all over the world as the Arunachal Mission to this same goal. His flowers, the living and departed ones have consecrated themselves to this ideal. Their lifelong struggles and sufferings, their disinterested service for the spiritual transformation and material advancement of all mankind cannot go in vain. The  sadhana, the achievement of the Arunachal Mission is now an established truth.

Thakur Dayananda was born on  19^th may, 1881 (7^th Jaistha, Thursday, Krishna Sasthi, 1288 B ,S) in a remote village called Bamai,in the Habiganj; subdivision of Sylhet district, now in Bangla desh. His father Guru Charan Chowdhury was a very religious minded man and His mother kamakhya Devi too was a remarkable lady. When her son asked her what will make her really happy she said she wanted to feed well all mankind.

Thakur Dayananda was found of sankirtan from His very childhood and met several saints and seers in the early part of his life. His parents tried to train him for an ordinary life, So that He might live happily with His family. But He was destined to play a different part, a most glorious part in the world.

Thakur Dayananda’s spiritual magnetism and wonderful personality attracted some kindred souls who gathered around Him. They used to sing God’s name, meet in some selected place to discuss religious matters and in course of time they came to the place where the Arunachal Asham now stands. It was a themselves, cut jungle woods, erected thatched cottage and small temple for the Deity, Mother Anandamayee. They took help from many well wishers and organized a great ceremony when the Ashram was founded by Thakur dayananda on 13^th January, 1909 ( maker sankranti,1315 B S. ). Many people gathered on that occasion grand kirtan, puja  Bhog and distribution of Prasad to thousands of people made the occasion a memorable one.

In course of time the Arunachal Ashram became a great spiritual center and attracted the attention of educated and enlightened section of the people. Several political workers too joined the mission.

Sankirtan was the compulsory function of the Ashram and it had gained such a spiritual energy and influence that men and women began to rush in and forgot everything else.

In March, 1912 another branch ashram called dol govinda Ashram, at jagatshi in the district of Sylhet ( now in Bangladesh ) was founded by the Master and simultaneously a great “N A M Y A G N A” a ceaseless and continuous prayer “pran Gour Nityananda” by about 100 men, women and children of the Ashram and others was started with the avowed object of continuing it “Till the hearts of man and women all over the world were cleansed, and purified by the power of God’s Name and God’s kingdom of Love was established on earth”

This continued day and night without break for over three months and a half when it was most cruelly suppressed by the police and the armed forces of the British Government.

In those days of political upheaval in the country, the British Government suspecting it, though absolutely without any reason , to be a camouflaged political organization having the intent of over throwing British Rule in India -were looking for an opportunity to crush Dayananda and His mission. At every step the members met with police persecution and harassment. All appeal to higher even the highest authorities failed to bring any redress. Out of evil comes the good. And on 30^th June,1912 Thakur Dayananda made the following Historical Declaration;- “India is the land dedicated forever to dharma. In the lawful pursuit of dharma, we are at every step being harassed and oppressed. Rather than submit to it, Arunachal would face any consequence. From the relation of king and subject ( ruler and ruled )”

This enraged the Government. They demanded unconditional surrender and ordered to stop Namjagna on 6^th July,1912 Dayananda refused to obey it and faced the firing of bullets indiscriminately injuring several men and women. But Nam jagna continued in spite of it.

On the 8^th July,1912 a large armed force led by 4 or 5 British Officers attacked the men, women and children, at that time singing God’s Name, mercilessly beat them and broke up the ceremony, Inhuman outrages were committed. As a result of the firing on the 6^th July, Rishi yugananda (Mahendra Nath De, M.A,B.SC.,) died in sylhet jail Hospital after 10 days. Several others including a lady were seriously wounded. They did not spare the Master even. They kicked Him, assaulted Him and bayoneted him in the abdomen. Mataji Maitrayi Devi tried her best to save the Master from this inhuman torture. But she was mercilessly attacked as a result of which her collar-bone was fractured. The Master Thakur Dayananda with 12 disciples were charged with rioting (?) and heavily punished with hard labour in Jail. The Christ crucified again.

But the work and activities of the Arunachal Mission did not remain suspended during the master’s imprisonment. He sent necessary instructions from the jail. The flowers went with sankirtan from village to village and from town to town. People were astonished and charmed. Inspite of threatenings and warning and incessant harassment the Arunachal Sankirtan party continued their onward march converting millions of people and creating an unparalleled spiritual awakening all over the country. This glorious history may be unknown to the present generation but it is recorded history.

The master was released from Dhaka  jail on 8^th February, 1914, Arunachal Mission could not be subdued. It worked with redoubled energy. An another center of the Mission was established at Dinajpur (now in Bangladesh) on 30 th April in 1914. Many distinguished persons attended this ceremony. Some Europeans brothers and sister of the Bahai Movement also came to see it.

In the meantime, the first world war broke out.

The Master established another Ashram Amrit Mandir, at Bamai Habiganj sub-division in 1918 and it was from here that He presented His world union scheme to the Paris peace conference on 17^th December, 1918.

He called it “An appeal” and himself A “sannyasin and friend of the world” He called upon them to seek out the root causes of war and to remove them so that war in future will not only be impossible but UNNECESSARY. With that and in view He called upon them to rebuild the whole human order of things on an altogether new basis, so as to assure universal freedom, Universal property, peace and progress. He warned the members of the peace conference against imposition of harsh and severe terms “On Germany and her associate powers” as they were clearly told “in that case, they (Germans) would be smarting under a sense of grievous wrong and would always be on the took-out far an opportunity to break away from the compact.” Thus, they were told, “there would be peace in appearance but not true and lasting peace which the world is longing for”.

Thakur Dayananda asked the members of the peace conference to bring in a world union of free peoples and commonwealth with a national union and commonwealth in every country. Kingship was to go. Each country was to be a republic, a Union of all national forces, a national commonwealth with a president elected by the people.

(Full text of the “scheme” is reproduced below)

The Master’s Scheme was elaborately explained  in a book,” The Master’s world Union Scheme” Which was published in 1921 and sent to all leading persons all over the world .In 1922 an organ of the Arunachal Mission “World peace’’ appeared as an weekly and continued till to the end of 1923. World Peace’’ was widely circulated all over the world. But as the mission entirely depended on God for its maintenance all activities were controlled by uncertain financial sources. So ‘’World peace’’ remained suspended till 1935 when it reappeared as a fortnightly and continued till 1946.

It w as decided in the early part of 1925 to send a peace Mission to preach the ideal of World peace particularly the Master’s Scheme of world Union and World Common wealth in Europe, America Australia and all other countries. Pandit Alokananda Mahabharati, president of the Arunachal Mission  (1920-1972) and a learned professor were selected for this purpose and application made to the British Government for necessary passport. But the government refused to grant passport. They were criticized and commended by our friends and pacifist co-workers all over the world. One of our friends in the labour party of England Mr. John scurr raised the question in the house of commons. But conservative secretary ( Cabinet Minister for India ) Earl Winterton bluntly refused to interfere in the discretion of the local Government.

A pamphlet was published by the Arunachal Mission entitled “Prison House” presenting the whole case including the history of the Mission and describing our object and circulated all over the world. It created wide spread sensation and the government was censured and condemned by respectable public men everywhere.

But all in vain. No permission was granted to the Mission to send  to peace Missionaries.

Of course in 1938 when the congress  formed  provincial Governments, the Bihar Government granted the passport of pandit Mahabharati who was ready to go abroad. Even a cabin was taken for a vessel bound for Italy. Just at that time Hitler invaded Poland and the Second World War upset all programs. Government ordered us to postpone the voyage and it was abandoned. Of course our Message went to all countries through our organ ‘World peace’’ and correspondence.

After the publication of ‘’The Master’s World Union scheme ‘’and ‘’ World peace’’ activities of the Mission increased  and another Ashram Lila Mandir was established at Baidyanath-Deoghar in 1921. Thakur Dayananda remained here for the remaining period of His human play. Of course He had come to Amrit Mandir in 1925 and to Arunachal Ashram in 1932 for short periods.

The temple of Mother Anandamoyi at Arunachal Ashram was rebuilt and reconstructed by srimat Abhedanandaji-elder brother of Rishi yugananda in 1932. The new temple was opened with great celebration on Maker Sankranti,14^th January,1932 by the Master Himself. More than 300 members of the Mission gathered on that occasion. Thousands of local people and even people from remote places attended that memorable ceremony.

A special issue of ‘’World Peace’’ the organ of the Arunachal Mission was published in April, 1932 and circulated all over the world. The Master’s Scheme was explained in the light of the world situation of that period. The prominent thought leaders of the world were advised to study the world situation and think deeply how real and permanent peace would and could be established. They were warned again that anymore delay would be disastrous for the world. The Indian leaders were requested to apply all their forces for the materialization of the World Union Scheme and thus hasten India’s liberation Britain herself was a slave to world circumstances and had no power to release herself from the sin of keeping so many countries including India under her domination. It was again and again pointed out that strife and struggle was not all necessary to drive out Britain. It was a negative method. The positive method was to work for one World Union of free peoples, converting it into one world commonwealth, which will automatically abolish war for ever. And unless and until war was abolished world disarmament was impossible and the wastage of money and energy would continue. Except the big powers no other country would enjoy political freedom and economic prosperity as they would have to spend major portion of their resources for the unbearable burden of military expenditure to defend themselves.

Arunachal never took direct part in any political movement. But it influenced the political leaders through correspondence and personal contact.

Earlier in 1930 when the leaders of the congress met at Lahore a message was presented to them through a pamphlet ‘Free India’’. They were asked to declare that full freedom was what India was fighting for and that Dominion Status was unacceptable and must be rejected. Subhash Chandra Bose was personally written not to wait any more but to set up a parallel administration and declare India free. Subhash Chandra did not get any chance to do it in India due opposition from other leaders but his Ajad Hind Government was practically the same thing.

Arunachal Mission always stood for World peace And World Freedom and regarded World union as the real and only solution for the political, economic and all other problems off all countries including India. India’s Freedom depended not on Britain alone. It depended on World peace.

After the Second World War circumstances compelled Britain to withdraw from India as the ruling power. India became free in 1947. But political freedom is not enough, it has not made all Indians happy, contended and free from all cares and anxieties. Poverty is still the biggest problem. Inspite of remarkable progress in trade and commerce, in science and art and inspite of admirable achievements in all directions. India is still struggling with insoluble problems which can never be solved until and unless a World Union and World Commonwealth is established in the world on the basis of Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man as envisaged and outlined by the Master Thakur Dayananda Deva in His World Union Scheme.

Arunachal’s this message to the world has been transmitted through all possible channels and it has become the most powerful spiritual factor vibrating incessantly in the thought world and expressing itself in words and deeds. The day is not far off when God’s kingdom on earth will not remain a dream but will be actually established. Lord Dayananda’s Mission will be fulfilled. Arunachal’s life-long Sadhana will be crowned with glorious success.

            OM SHANTI !!