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SMRITI GRANTH
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almost all oriental art, as even the average Western connoisseur has now come to recognise. But perhaps it is the music of Asia that gives the most powerfull expression to its religious aspiration. Asia lives naturally by a spiritual inilx from above, that clons brings with it a spiritual evocation of her higher powers of mind and life.
East and West "are two sides of the integral oib of humanity and until they meet and fuse, each must move to whatever progress or culmination the spirit in humanity secks, by the law of its being, its own proper Dharma. A one-sided world would have been the poorer for its un.frmity and the monotone of a single culture; there is a need «f divergent lines (f advance until we can raise our he ds into that infinity of the spirit in which there is a light broad enough t draw together and reconcile all, highest ways of thinking, feeling and living." (The Foundations of Ind an Culture, Book II, Chapter 4)
the space of another half-century drive the other Europe n nations from their fiefs in China and South East Asia. The shock of the two World Wars left them powerless in the rest of the continent, and they decided to retreat. Their cccupation of Asia and this retreat were both equally necessary. Without the occupation and the cffence it gave to their sense of self-respect, the n: ticns of Asia misht never have awakened from their self satisfied lethargy. W thout this retreat, they could never hope to meet the West on equal terms. "There can be," as Bandemataram wrote in its furceful language of more th n sixty yers ago, "no European respect for Asiatics, no symp. thy between them except the " sympathy" of the master for the slave, no peace except that which is won and maintained by the Asiatic sword. European prejudice will always refuse to regard Asiatics as anything but an inferior race and European selfishness will always deny their fitness to enjoy the rights of men until the inevitable happens and Asia once more spews Europe out of her mouth..1+ Asia must be tyrannised over until she asserts herself and regains her rights. It is only by determined and bold action that she can secure the respect of the nations. The nettle yields only when grasped boldly. 21
Ths then gives us the li minous clue to a reconciliation between E..! und Wes.. But certain experiences we.e obv.ously necessity bo h for Asia and Eu ope before they could advance to meet each other in the right spirit. Asia hed for a long time neglected her outward life as cf secondary importance. She had been dreaming her dreams and lay in the dust while Europe victorious with its new-found energy and its strength of the flesh set out to subdue and civilise" the nations of Asia. Both had to find disillusionment. Europe discovered to its surprise that a small insignificant island people could beat down the mammoth Russia, and in
Now that Asia is free and Europe begins to change, there is hope that the twain shall meet some day.
SANAT K. BANERJI
+
" The Secret Springs of Morleyism". Bindemataram, Daily Edition, 28.6.07. "Passive Resistance at Johannesburg". Idid. 9. 7. 07.
2. +
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