Jainism Abroad

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

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The plane had already landed, soon we departed and got lost in busy human-stream, This lady could not come to attend my performance the next day, perhaps, due to over busy engagements, but she left one everlasting impression on my mind, that where some of the Indian Culture and tradition-possessing modern Indian educated girls and young women are going astray, and being side-tracked by blindly imitating the unworthy elements of the West, such American actresses are also deeply interested and even involved in Meditation and Spirituality., This speaks volumes of a race, may be, which is otherwise Material and Non-Vegetarian. And with one more important example of such interesting ladies and gents, crossing me on a live Radio Interview show whose faces and acquaintances, were totally unknown to me, I shall conclude these glimpses of my recent visit to U.S.A (pending next visit again along with my tour of Germany very shortly).
Out of a number of my huge stage performances and small sittings of Music for Meditation at various Jain and Hindu Centers, Meetings with Ramakrishna-Vivekandanda Devotees, Sir Aurobindo Scholars, J.Krishnamurti's Ojai School teachers and children, and out of various Press, Radio and T.V. Programmes, I could not forget and feel worth to mention here. It was an interview on Cleveland's Were radio, which lasted for a memorable time of about two hours, indicating the interest of the listeners, No, it was not like ours who often switch off the radio where some serious topics of useful discussions and topics of national interest are on the Air. It was live, giving clear testimony of the listeners who were asking spontaneous questions from far off on telephones which were all being broadcast along with our replies. The subject was "Jainism and India". After listening to and knowing sufficiently on basic principles of Jain (also comparatively Hindu). Philosophy, some of the questions were significant. When they knew that Jainism Jaina way of life Jain philosophy believes in Ahimsa (Non-Violence) in India and when you believe in Non-violence and Charity, why don't you remove the poverty of India-especially the wealthy Jains", to quote in their own stressed and recorded word- "The Marwari's".
Of course we could give the fitting reply here to protect and defend the image of India and Jains that we are not lagging behind in doing our best to remove the poverty of India, and that people die of poverty even in U.S.A, right in Cleveland itself! Which they later on courteously accepted also, but heart we certainly felt the truth in this and wrote some of our Marwari friends in India, that nowadays you have began to unnecessarily go on objecting to the word 'Marwadis' in some Indian Dictionary But In fact, your fame has reached to the remotest corner of the world abroad and (even it may be due to a very few of you). It has given befitting credit neither to India, nor to Jainism. The thing I could not forget was their inquisitiveness, genuine interest in spirituality and the above mentioned frankacceptance and amendments in their understanding by the listeners; ladies and gents both after knowing the fact. And this strengthened my observation that once they know the right thing, they are ready to accept it.
A number of experiences and episodes of this visit of mine are not possible to describe here in a small talk. Leaving them aside for a book, I shall conclude here with Swami Vivekananda's words, as I was very much impressed by seeing a unique three-faced painting of Swami Vivekananda at a friend Dr. Sharma's Ashram - like place at Washington in which the permanent poise faced Swamiji, was full of despair and disappointment before coming to America and full of hope and optimism for the upliftment of India after returning from America.
In no way to compare with Swami Vivekananda, but this humble speaker seeker and follower on the footprints, of the Greats, also experience the same feelings of Swami Vivekananda at the conclusion of U.S.A visit and felt that we the Indians will have to change our belief about the Americans. There are number of heart-aspiring things, with them apart from Material Progress which we, the so called spiritually and morally ahead people have lost, to put in Swami Vivekananda's words. Is it not a fact? Shall we have honest Self-introspection?
The courteous, honest, disciplined, non-talkative people all the way, the blooming audiences at my devotional music concerts, the aspiring seekers at my Meditation -sittings and the Inquisitive inquiring listeners at my Stage and Radio Talks, and a number of live experience in personal contacts, all clearly indicate their growing interest in spirituality to the extent that, they could challenge our egoistic monopoly of higher spiritual values, In spite of our going down in morality as a race, as a society, those all justify Swami Vivekananda and Srimad Rajachandraji.
(COURTESY: ALL INDIA RADIO, BANGALORE)