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LORD MAHAVIRA AND EMOTIONAL INTEGRATION
V.R. Nagar
India, being a country of vast dimensions comprising various geographical, historical, social, ethnic, religious and linguistic divisions, has presented an intricate problem of national, emotional and cultural integration since Vedic times. The Vedic seers always endeavoured to find the fundamental unity underlying these multiple diversities. In the Vedic hymns we come across such songs as awaken the spirit of man to realise this unity or oneness, pervading the humanity as a whole. The conception of one nation had a subordinate role to play though it was never lost sight of. “May we apply our strength together, may our intellectual pursuit be illlustrious, may there be no hatred amongst us'. The Samjana Sukta of the Regveda proclaims the eternal message of oneness-in thought, speech and action. Along with the Vedic seers Rşabha, Pārsvanāth, Mahāvira and Buddha preached and practised this doctrine of unity.
From time immemorial various methods and courses were adopted to achieve this unity. Religion was the first to be employed to cultivate this spirit among different social stratas. Rulers like Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka the great tried to bring a very large part of Indian continent under one political authority. But Emperor Ashoka realised that real unity could not be achieved through military might and that the sword of steel could bend the haughty heads of the enemies while the wheel of religion “Dharmacakra” could win the hearts of the vanquished. Manu and
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