All World
Gayatri Pariwar

  It is quite evident that the hype and apprehension about the “doomsday” – Year 2012 - is quite prevalent in world’s cultures, religions and even in personal beliefs. What is interesting, however, is the two extreme viewpoints of this time period. Some have the firm belief that a dark never ending night is closing in and some believe that the dawn of a golden era is about to break.

One man, born about 100 years ago in 1911, Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya (Gurudev) dedicated his whole life to his vision of welcoming the Golden Era, the advent of the Age of Truth in the 21st Century. The method, by which he set out to bring a revolution in the world, is as simple as it is powerful and profound. Making his own life a well thought out experiment, he proved one simple fact – the very root cause, the reason for prevalent problematic conditions is the direction and nature of thoughts we think. These problems cannot be solved by treating the symptoms. We need to tackle the problem at the level of the root – “Our Thinking”. Realizing this and with an aim of providing a solution to the current world problems, he launched the mass movement – Vichar Kranti Abhiyan (Thought Revolution) which is taking all, especially the youth of today to a new level of hope.

How does this vast world transform from its current confused and chaotic state to a state of clarity and peace? The background and necessary fuel to charge this revolution was provided by him in the form of more than 3200 books which he authored in his lifetime. To represent this movement, this “Thought Revolution”, Gurudev personally conceptualized and designed the current Logo of Gayatri Pariwar. He knew that this image would easily be imprinted in the minds of all and be a constant reminder of his mission and vision. Hence, the need to appreciate each component of the Logo and understand, assimilate and imbibe the meaning of each constituent is essential for all those who yearn to see a change in today’s world.

The Logo called “Gyan Yagya Ki Lal Mashal” or the “The Torch of Thought Revolution” is illustrated on the front cover page.

In short, the logo depicts a flamed torched held by a strong hand, which is surrounded by thousands of men and women so as to protect and stand up for the cause. The brilliant red flame represents the divine inspiration for creating the new era – the “Era of Thought Transformation”.  Just like a tiny spec of light can illuminate a dark room, the flame of this torch represents the illumined mind that can dispel all negative thought processes. Through the constant practice of Gayatri Mantra or Upasana, our intellect is refined and we start becoming instruments of the divine in the creation of a new era.

As we continue the refinement and purification of our intellect and mind there is constant reassurance of the divine protection represented in the logo as the golden rays of the flame. Rays from a source of light can travel vast distances. An apt analogy is the Rays of Sun that travel millions of miles to bring light to Earth. In the same way, this divine protection is always present and close to those of us who truly yearn for self transformation.

This brings us to the next representation of the logo - The Torch. It represents a pledge for bringing about change. To take a pledge for this gigantic cause is no simple task. It requires courage, faith and total surrender to higher ideals. Simply chanting Gayatri Mantra is not enough to bring a revolutionary change in a person’s life. It must be simultaneously combined with Sadhana. Sadhana is the constant reflection and introspection of one’s existence in this world. It is about becoming the best person you can be in every situation and relationship you build throughout your life. Sadhana is the honing of our inherent abilities, to be used as a perfect weapon for just causes.

The lone hand that firmly holds the ignited torch conveys the message that the transformation of this world is not possible without a united effort. It reminds our egos that we are not alone on this journey, but we are all in the same boat traveling to the same destination. Without working cohesively and efficiently in trying to bring about change in this world through Aradhana (Service to the society) this gigantic task is not possible.

As we reflect on this logo, we observe many young men and women who support the hand, forming a strong base. This helps us go back to the basics, re-evaluate our vision and understanding. Most importantly, it serves as a beacon of hope when we lose our bearings. We realize we are one of the people we see in the logo. This gives us all the most important assurances in life - we will count, we will make a difference and we will be there to witness the advent of this dawn of the new age.
Self-improvement is not only to embetter one’s qualities, actions, and nature,
but also to employ these virtues in embettering one’s life.