Today's competition @ Meenakshi college, held by Vidhyadeertha Foundation. Here's my essay..
"Unity in Diversity."
What is a nation? It is made of people local traditions and culture, living together for prosperity. The simple meaning of integration is combining. But, according to the Collin's dictionary, integration is the combination of previously racially segregated social facilities into a non- segregated society. An integrator is the one who carries out this process of integration.
For the National Integration to take place, there has to be a very powerful force, that brings the society together. It has to be appealing resistant to critics, and useful to the members of the society. It has to be historically proved and time tested. Luckily for the Indian subcontinent, the Vedas, Upanishads and the Puranas were one such force.
During the great seer Adi Shankara's time, the so-called "Period of late Classical Hinduism", there were 72 religions related to Hinduism, fighting for prominence. It was Adi Shankara who united all these sub sects into six major divisions (Shanmatham) based on the Gods the people worship, namely Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga and Lord Surya. This is one of the greatest achievements in the Indian history and perhaps, the foundation of the phrase, "Unity in Diversity."
Shankara also strived hard to spread the spirit of the Vedanta to the masses. He accomplished this through his commentaries on Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita and showed that they all talked about one thing in common- the unity of Atman (individual soul) with the Brahman (Universal soul.) This, can also be interpreted as "the one and the only" or Advaita.
The meaning of Advaita is 'not two'. the term Advaita refers to the idea that the soul or True Self is the same as the Highest Metaphysical Reality. The way Adi Shankara said this to people was, 'Atman is Brahman'. Further, he established four Amnaya Peethas in four different corners of the country, which had onemain goal, that is, "Unite the souls."
The integration of one's self with the supreme is the most complex and the difficult one. That has been the ultimate goal of spirituality from the time eternity. Bhagvan Adi Shankara takes this complex journey, that takes the individual towards the supreme realms of self-realisation. Many seekers have been benefited form the works of Adi Shankara and have been graced with the Ultimate Knowledge, and many more are yet to get blessed. Adi Shankara's life has been an example of many great values. But the thing which inspired me the most was, " It is not the time that matters to accomplish something. It is your courage, determination and the will power that matters!"
"Unity in Diversity."
What is a nation? It is made of people local traditions and culture, living together for prosperity. The simple meaning of integration is combining. But, according to the Collin's dictionary, integration is the combination of previously racially segregated social facilities into a non- segregated society. An integrator is the one who carries out this process of integration.
For the National Integration to take place, there has to be a very powerful force, that brings the society together. It has to be appealing resistant to critics, and useful to the members of the society. It has to be historically proved and time tested. Luckily for the Indian subcontinent, the Vedas, Upanishads and the Puranas were one such force.
During the great seer Adi Shankara's time, the so-called "Period of late Classical Hinduism", there were 72 religions related to Hinduism, fighting for prominence. It was Adi Shankara who united all these sub sects into six major divisions (Shanmatham) based on the Gods the people worship, namely Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, Lord Muruga and Lord Surya. This is one of the greatest achievements in the Indian history and perhaps, the foundation of the phrase, "Unity in Diversity."
Shankara also strived hard to spread the spirit of the Vedanta to the masses. He accomplished this through his commentaries on Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra and the Bhagavad Gita and showed that they all talked about one thing in common- the unity of Atman (individual soul) with the Brahman (Universal soul.) This, can also be interpreted as "the one and the only" or Advaita.
The meaning of Advaita is 'not two'. the term Advaita refers to the idea that the soul or True Self is the same as the Highest Metaphysical Reality. The way Adi Shankara said this to people was, 'Atman is Brahman'. Further, he established four Amnaya Peethas in four different corners of the country, which had onemain goal, that is, "Unite the souls."
The integration of one's self with the supreme is the most complex and the difficult one. That has been the ultimate goal of spirituality from the time eternity. Bhagvan Adi Shankara takes this complex journey, that takes the individual towards the supreme realms of self-realisation. Many seekers have been benefited form the works of Adi Shankara and have been graced with the Ultimate Knowledge, and many more are yet to get blessed. Adi Shankara's life has been an example of many great values. But the thing which inspired me the most was, " It is not the time that matters to accomplish something. It is your courage, determination and the will power that matters!"
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