Mananshil Vyaktitva – Punya Smaran Diwas

अनादि मी अनंत मी, अवध्य मी भला मारिल रिपु जगतिं असा कवण जन्मला ।। धृ ।।

अट्टाहास करित जईं धर्मधारणीं
मृत्युसीच गाठ घालु मी घुसे रणीं
अग्नि जाळि मजसी ना खड्ग छेदितो
भिउनि मला भ्याड मृत्यु पळत सूटतो
खुळा रिपू । तया स्वयें मृत्युच्याचि भीतिने भिववु मजसि ये ।। १ ।।

लोटि हिंस्र सिंहाच्या पंजरी मला
नम्र दाससम चाटिल तो पदांगुला
कल्लोळीं ज्वालांच्या फेकिशी जरी
हटुनि भंवति रचिल शीत सुप्रभावली
आण तुझ्या तोफांना क्रूर सैंन्य तें
यंत्र तंत्र शस्र अस्र आग ओकते
हलाहल । त्रिनेत्र तो
मी तुम्हांसि तैसाची गिळुनि जिरवितो ।। २ ।।

(Do exist from existence, and will exist till the existence, Cannot be killed,

Do you know of such enemy who has been born anywhere, who can get me killed…।।)

The poet talks about his own existence for eternity and describes the beautiful understanding of death and soul as described by Lord Yogeshwar in Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta, in the later verses.

The Poet is none other than

– The only freedom fighter in the world who got 2 life sentences for fighting against the British Raj, and yet continued his socio – politico life for his country

– The only writer in the world whose book, 1857, The first war of Independence, was banned by 2 countries before even it went for publication

– The first graduate whose degree was taken back because of participating in the freedom struggle

– The first Indian student who refused to take the oath of allegiance towards the British Crown and the reigning Monarch and so could not practice law even after successfully completing his degree

– The first Indian freedom fighter to burn the British clothes to stake

– The first Indian freedom fighter to call for, “Purna Swarajya”, complete independence from the British rule

– The first jailed politico-revolutionary whose case was heard at International Court if Justice, Hague and the British Government had to apologise to the French for commuting such an act.

– A person who suggested that the Dharma Chakra should find it’s rightful place, in the centre of the Indian Flag, to which our first President of India, Shri Rajendra Prasad, responded positively.

– A person amongst the few, who thought about the development of India, even before it’s independence and started working for it, just as he was released from Andaman Jail.

– The first poet who wrote his poems on the walls of the Cellular Jail in Andaman with the help of Iron nails and coal, sometime even with his own nails. After gaining freedom from the jail, remembered and wrote all those poems, roughly 10,000 lines, all over again.

Such a great personality, an intellectual, an unparalleled leader, a visionary and a man who could look into the future, unknown to the masses, is none other than Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, also known as “Tatyarao”, to those who know him.

A strong proponent of Hindu Philosophy, yet Savarkar was a pragmatic practitioner of the Philosophy. He insisted for validating religious myths/blind faith against the test of modern science. In that sense he was a rationalist and a reformer. While in prison, Savarkar wrote the work describing Hindutva, espousing what it means to be a Hindu, and Hindu pride, in which he defined as all the people descended of Hindu culture as being part of Hindutva, including Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. In 1921, under restrictions after signing a plea for clemency (today the narrow minded make fun of him for writing it, but he had a bigger goal in mind and a better work to do than to churn oil everyday in the cellular jail). He was released on the condition that he renounce all his revolutionary and political activities. Travelling widely, Savarkar became a forceful orator and writer, advocating Hindu political and social unity. Serving as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha, a political party, Savarkar endorsed the idea of India as a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation). He even started a temple for the so called untouchables of that time and anointed them as the “pujaris” of the deity of that temple.

Yes, he had his differences with the Congress and its way of working, but he was never personal. He would criticise Nehru and his government’s policies, but never did he personally attack Nehru or any other Congress leader. Yet, he never got pension as a freedom fighter till Nehru was alive. He received it only in the Government of Lal Bahadur Shashtri.

The Congress and particularly, the Gandhi clan hated / hate him to the core and have not left even a single chance to criticise him or politically oppose his thoughts for their own personal gains. He was named in the FIR for plotting to kill Mahatma Gandhi, but acquitted by the Highest Court of our country, the Supreme Court. Yet even today, the so called Gandhi’s blame him for that dastardly act. They even went to the extent of spying on him for years after independence.

He has written many books too. A few but famous amongst them are worth a read. 1857, The First War of Independence, Maajhi Janmathep, The Six Glorious Pages of Indian History, and Hindu-Pad-Patshahi. His poems are still sung by the young and the old with the same fervour and love for country. “Sagara Pran Talmalla” and “Jayostute” imbibe a spirit of Nationalism and love for one’s own country.
On 1 February 1966, Savarkar renounced medicines, food and water which he termed as atmaarpan (fast until death). Before his death, he had written an article titled “Atmahatya Nahi Atmaarpan” in which he argued that when one’s life mission is over and ability to serve the society is left no more, it is better to end the life at will rather than wait for death. On 26 February 1966 at his residence, Savarkar Sadan, in Dadar, Mumbai, he faced difficulty in breathing; efforts to revive him failed and he passed away at 11:10 a.m. The radiant Sun light merged into the Sun. On this day, we can just bow down to this Mananshil Vyaktitva and as a tribute try to imbibe atleast one of his thoughts in our life during the coming year.

There are so many life instances which can be written and explained and discussed but leave it to some time when He will allow me to write. We can even write a series of blogs on this radiant personality. So again, bowing before him and quoting his poem “Jayostute” which he has written for India. On his Punya Smaran Diwas, I bow down to this great personality who even after all this, continued to work hard and made contributions towards the country, even without uttering a word against all this treatmenent

PS. : Just while writing this post received a heart warming news about 12 Miraj Planes of the IAF bombing the Jaish pads and control room on the other side of the border. Still waiting for the confirmation from the IAF but the mood throughout the country is of jubilance. It’s a befitting tribute to this great son of India on his Punya Smaran Diwas. Hats off ! IAF.

जयोऽस्तु ते! जयोऽस्तु ते!

श्री महन्मंगले शिवास्पदे शुभदे
स्वतंत्रते भगवती त्वामहम् यशोयुतां वंदे!

राष्ट्राचें चैतन्य मूर्त तूं नीती संपदांची

स्वतन्त्रते भगवती श्रीमती राज्ञी तूं त्यांची
परवशतेच्या नभांत तूंचि आकाशीं होशी
स्वतन्त्रते भगवती चांदणी चमचम-लखलखशी

गालावरच्या कुसुमीं किंवा कुसुमांच्या गालीं

स्वतन्त्रते भगवती तूंच जी विलसतसे लाली
तुं सूर्याचें तेज उदधिचें गांभीर्यहिं तूंचि
स्वतन्त्रते भगवती अन्यथा ग्रहणनष्टतेची

मोक्ष-मुक्ति हीं तुझींच रूपें तुलाच वेदांतीं

स्वतन्त्रते भगवती योगिजन परब्रह्म वदती
जें जें उत्तम उदात्त उन्नत महन्मधुर तें तें
स्वतन्त्रते भगवती सर्व तव सहकारी होती

हे अधमरक्तरञ्जिते सुजनपूजिते श्री स्वतन्त्रते तुजसाठि मरण तें जनन

तुजवीण जनन तें मरण
तुज सकल-चराचर-शरण चराचर-शरण

-स्वातंत्रवीर सावरकर