Page 161 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

India and other lands too. Invasion and conquest are a western
paradigm of looking at civilisations and nations. We know now
that a lot of ancient kingdoms in South-East Asia including
those from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Sumatra,
Bali and as far as Vietnam, had roots and connections in the
Indian sub-continent. However, the paradigm was never of
colonisation. It was a spread of culture, technology, philosophy,
and commerce.
4.Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Sanatana Dharma

The Upanishadic phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ is the
essence of our civilisational entity. It means: “The world is one
family. We are all children of our Vasudha or Mother Earth”.

The reason the Indian way of life has been resilient through
the centuries is because of our tremendous capacity to absorb
influences from other cultures over time. Indeed, the word
dharma refers to a way of life and the prefix Sanatana is about
being eternal or in other words ever changing and adaptive to
modern influences. This also explains our tolerance for diversity
where different festivals and rituals are celebrated differently
in different parts of the country. Remarkably, the Ramayana
is interpreted differently in different parts of India and its
influence is seen as far as Indonesia!
Dharma is often interpreted as ‘duty’ or ‘righteousness’ but in
its essence, its built on the concept of vasudhaiva-kutumbakam
i.e, the creation of a compassionate and just social order
where there is room for all sects, religions and cults. This is the
cornerstone of our Indian civilisation. Lokmanya Tilak realised
that we must go back to this interpretation of dharma to throw
off the yoke of colonial rule.

Lokmanya Tilak’s ideas and ideals will continue to guide our
thinking in times to come. His very life itself is an inspiration
– a story of courage under fire and overcoming all odds to
achieve one’s goal. His writings moved India and Indians in
the direction of reasserting their place in the world order by
acknowledging their origin and greatness.

159 Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata