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Prayer is panacea
Dada Vaswani.--- Photo:K.R. Deepak
"Love, kindness, communion with nature and worshipping God daily can alone be the panacea for all the ills plaguing the present materialistic society. That is why more and more people, not only in India but also in the advanced West, are turning to spiritualism," says Dada J.P. Vaswani, the spiritual head of the Pune-based Sadhu Vaswani Mission, who was on a visit to the city last week.
"The world over people are realising that money and power have not given them any happiness. On the contrary, a person may be poor but can still be happy if he has the peace of mind. This is not to say that materialistic pursuits are wrong. A person should dwell on God daily even while doing his/her duty by their families. Family here means not only one's immediate family but also the community and the world at large (Vasudaika Kutumbham)," he says.
Born on August 2, 1918, Dada Vaswani, had an excellent academic career having completed his matriculation at the age of 13. He dreamt of becoming an Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer. His peers had also encouraged him to sit for the ICS examination as he would have enough time to appear at the test within the stipulated upper age limit of 24 years.
"When I was doing my Intermediate, I met Sadhu T.L. Vaswani, and was inspired by his selfless efforts to free the masses from poverty and to restore a sense of human dignity to every man through spiritual uplift. I wanted to discontinue my studies and join my guru. But he advised me to finish my studies first," recalls Dada Vaswani.
He completed his master's degree in physics and subsequently became a professor and principal of the St. Mira's College in Pune. In 1966, after the passing away of his guru, Dadaji took on the mantle. He has authored several books in Sindhi and English, which reveal the secrets of a happy, successful and non-violent living. Some of his books have been translated into a number of Indian languages apart from Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, French and Indonesian languages.
He addressed the World Conference on Hinduism organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in New York in 1984, spoke at the House of Commons, London, on "World without wars", addressed the Parliament of Religions, Chicago, in 1993 on the "The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man" and at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the U.N. in 1995.
An avid propagator of vegetarianism, he says: "Life is a gift of God and only He has a right to take it away." A SAK (Stop All Killing) Association has been formed by the Sadhu Vaswani Mission to persuade people to stop the cruel treatment of animals and to observe a `meatless day' on November 25 in memory of Sadhu T.L. Vaswani. "On November 25 last year, over three crore people from all over India and the world have sent us messages that they would not touch meat on that day," recalls Dadaji.
The Mission's Inlaks and Budhrani Hospital and the Morbai Naraindas Cancer Institute and Research Centre are hailed as the best medical centres in Maharashtra and last year an eye institute was opened. The poor patients are treated free at these hospitals.
Despite being the spiritual head of the internationally acclaimed Sadhu Vaswani Institute, Dadaji calls himself a seeker and not a spiritual master.
Asked what he was teaching his followers, he replied: "We are all seekers and I do not consider myself their guru." This explains why thousands of people flock to him, wherever he goes.
The deeper spirit of humanity moves above creeds and communities and he reveres all the saints of humanity. The strife-torn society needs more and more people like Dadaji.
B.M.G.
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