All World
Gayatri Pariwar

  In the series that has begun from the previous issue, the parijans are reading the unending biography of Gurusatta. In this episode, some special events of 1911- year of birth of Gurusatta are being presented.

Year 1911 holds a very important place in the history of India. Lord Curzon had divided Bengal six years back. The decision of viceroy had so enraged the people that they began to boycott all English things, especially clothes made in England. It was in these days that the slogan ‘Vande Mataram’ began to resound through out India. The consciousness of people was motivated to look upon and worship Mother India as Goddess and strengthen their resolve to free her from the shackles of British slavery. The government could not tolerate the non-cooperation movement. It resorted to methods of suppression and oppression. All those who participated in the movement were fined or made to forego some comforts or made to lose their jobs etc. The movement did not stop even after these highhanded methods. Suppression infuriated the people all the more. Armed revolutionary activities kicked off. Historian Ramesh Chandra Majumdar writes that this was the first time when Indians offered open opposition to British rule. In those days, many secret societies began to be formed all over the country and their only goal was to uproot the British rule. Not only Bengal, but in far-off regions like Punjab and Madras too expressed open opposition to foreign rule. Even the stringent measures of the government could not put a stop to the revolutionary activities. They could not be stopped with anything less than annulment of the partition of Bengal. In December 1911, during the Delhi Durbar, Emperor George-V and the Queen announced the annulment of partition.

An important turning-point

In another announcement at Delhi Durbar, it was decided to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. Both the announcements proved to be complementary to each other. The shifting of the capital cooled down the fury of the revolutionaries. British government got the advantage of not confronting public fury immediately. Lord Hardinge, who played a significant role in this decision, had to face lot of criticism from British officials in India as well as from people of England. But time proved that his decision was correct. Three years after this, World War-I broke out. The Indian princes and the elite in the society openly supported the British. After the world war ended, the British refused to abide by many of their previous promises but the wave of self-confidence and awakening that had risen in Indian society kept growing stronger with time.

The political incidents in 1911 proved decisive in regard to the future direction of India. Even in social and cultural fronts, many important activities were in progress. In that year, Indian culture and spirituality received an avenue for expression. In those days of new awakening, great thinkers and leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Keshav Chandra Sen, Maharshi Devendranath Thakur, Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Lokmanya Tilak, etc were making people aware of the golden past of India and its inner grandeur. European scholars like Madam Blavatsky, Colonel Alcott and Annie Besant were singing praises of Indian spirituality. The bugle of Indian spirituality and culture sounded by Swami Vivekananda in the Occident was echoed through the thoughts and actions of these great personalities.

Western scholars were unanimous in praise of Indian religion and philosophy and were nurturing the dream of creating a new world based on these principles, but they were ignorant of many facets of Sanatan Dharma. Some great Indians were also disposed to this kind of thinking. Ramdhari Singh Dinkar analyzes the situation and writes thus, “These people wanted to support only refined Hinduism devoid of its rich variety and depth. The fact was that in spite of the influential thoughts of these great reformers, people were still engrossed in the worship of stone deities and were not ready to give up the traditional ways of worship. The reformed Hinduism present in those days had become an Indian version of reformed Christianity.”

Indian soul in a foreign body

Annie Besant described refined or so-called progressive Hinduism to be incomplete. Wherever and whenever an appropriate context was found, she began presenting the complete and true form of Sanatana Dharma by narrating and quoting not only from Vedas, Upanishads and Gita but also from Smritis, Puranas, Dharma Shastras and Mahakavyas. When people unconvinced by the reformers heard words like re-birth, incarnation, God, yoga, jap, tap, anushtan, siddhis and about 84 lakh yonis from the mouth of Annie Besant who was born, brought-up and educated in England, they were astounded and impressed. Her advocacy of inclusive – culture of India left them ashamed. In a speech delivered in 1911 she declared, “Only India and its people can protect Sanatana Dharma. After 40 years of study and intense research, I have arrived at the conclusion that Sanatana Dharma is the most scientific, profound and spirituality amongst various religions across the world. Only the people here can save and protect it. However much we outsiders praise you, your salvation lies in your own hands. Do not be under any illusion. Without Sanatana Dharma, India has no future.”

The picture of Sanatana Dharma that Annie Besant presented to Western scholars and to her Indian followers was based on Vedas, Upanishads, Darshans, Smritis, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Puranas etc. In her version, all gods-goddesses, siddha atmas, avataras, and all forms of worship of the attributes of God and to the attribute-less God were included. Their vibrations could be especially experienced in Teerthas, ashrams, temples etc. The expression of the divinity could vary from intense contemplation to ordinary faith and beliefs of the masses. Annie Besant, the great Indologist and devotee from Britain also inspired the efforts for Indian Independence after the year 1920, but her basic contribution was cultural in nature.

In the Central Hindu college of Benaras, Annie Besant spoke thus about a branch of Indian philosophy called Mimamsa – “The first aim for any enlightened Indian should be the rejuvenation, awakening and strengthening of Sanatana Dharma. Self-respect, adoration of the past, confidence in the future and the responsibility of reconstructing new India and the new world order go hand in hand with the efforts towards re-establishing Sanatana Dharma.” This speech was given in 1911. It is to be noted that Annie Besant was the founder of this college. She invested her ancestral wealth to set up and develop this college which in later days evolved into Benaras Hindu University. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya , Gayatri Mahamantra Guru of our story’s hero, contributed the most towards the establishment of this university.

Invocation in the subtle world

Benaras scholars addressed Annie Besant as “Sarvashukla Saraswati”. It is necessary to know about a secret announcement made by her. In reality this announcement was from Madam Blavasky, the founder of Theosophical Society. The followers of the society believe that Madam Blavatsky was in contact with many Himalayan saints both in their bodily forms and in their subtle forms. Based on the inspirations she received from them, the society’s scholar-founder had made many secret announcements. One of them was that the Himalayan rishis were determined to inspire India towards fulfillment of her destiny as spiritual guide of humanity. According to their plan, a capable and divine soul was assuming a physical body and would lay the foundations of the spiritual revolution during his lifetime on earth and would then continue working for its full manifestation in due time from the subtle-causal realms.

Colonel Olcott, an associate of Madam Blavatsky was sure that Bodhisatva (an avatar of Lord Buddha) was about to incarnate. If the required circumstances for his birth were not ready, it was possible that he might choose any body and do his work through the medium of that physical body. Annie Besant’s experience was different from this. In public life, and especially people working towards political awakening of the masses do not express their secret experiences to others lest they affect their public image. But Annie Besant was a spiritually awakened person and she shared her experience with a select group of aspirants.

While explaining about a meditation procedure to a few sadhaks in Australia, Annie Besant told that this experiment was likely to put them in contact with subtle worlds. While conducting one of these experiments, she had a vision that a child would be born in 1911 whose arrival had been long-awaited in the subtle worlds. He would grow up as a normal child and would get spiritually activated slowly and that as he became fully active, the clouds veiling Sanatana Dharma would be dispelled. It would then shine forth in full brightness and glory.

Students of Colonel Olcott and other scholars of Theosophy were present in that camp. One of them asked a question, “Great people have told that Bodhisatva will incarnate with a set of pre-determined characteristics, on the basis of which he will be recognized as an avatar of Buddha. Your experience is different from them, why?” In reply to this question Annie Besant told that she was just sharing the vision she had during her meditative state and that her intention was not to confront what other great people had said. Even if certain differences were apparent, it did not imply that the truth was different. The same truth appeared differently, based on one’s position and vision.

Indications of the arrival of Prajnavatar

Annie Besant shared her vision with others on a few occasions. The discussion happened among sadhaks that Annie Besant’s vision was significantly different from others. She was neither announcing a miracle nor talking of recurrence of the Lilas of Rama and Krishna. Her announcement was that a child born in this year (1911) would possess such an intense and bright disposition that he would guide millions of people on the path of spiritual quest and would kindle a ray of hope in human destiny in general.

Where would that child be born? What kind of family background would he have? On which day and under what astrological conditions would he be born? She made no mention of these details. Annie Besant’s indication was made spontaneously and as a reassurance. There was no motive of predicting about a miraculous event of the future that would relieve people of their anxiety.

Annie Besant had offered clarification in a class room in Benaras in the year of 1911. It is possible that it was 4th February and the day was 5th in the lunar calendar – Vasant Panchami. She spoke to a group of sadhaks thus – “There is abundant energy latent in Sanatana Dharma and that energy is not due to any planetary or zodiac influence but is its inherent nature. Whenever fog deepens and blurs the true form, there comes a situation when its glory bursts forth in utmost grandeur. Sanatana Dharma is not only the basis of future of India but that of the entire world. It is not possible for a normal soul with limited capability to clean the dirt surrounding it. Only a divine and special soul guided and supported by siddha purushas who derive their energy and nourishment from Sanatana Dharma can accomplish this mammoth task. That time has come now.” The hero of our story and the founder, protector, mentor and head of All World Gayatri Parivar was born in this very year (1911) on 20th September in a village called Aanwalkheda in the house of Pt. Roop Kishore and Mother Daan Kunwari Devi.