World Religions Conference November 1957

Author(s): Sushil Muni
Publisher: Achal Singh Seth

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Background
The role and Responsibility of Asia
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A great responsibility lias on our continent of Asia. It has to prapare an atmosphere as may be conducive to world peace in this strife-torn age of unrest and distrust. It has ever been the cradle of religions and has therefore to take lead in the elimination of all chances of war, nay the very extinction thereof The sino-Indian friendship and amity is a step in the right direction and is an asset of inestimable value. The fusion and unification of all Asiatic religions and countries would mean a mighty force and a magnetic link capable of bringing Europe and America into one orbit of love, in spite of their divergent ideologies, far-reaching ambitions and aspirations and vast designs of world domination & space conquest.
If we were to ponder deeply, we will see that all countries really wish for peace as opposed to war. But with all this, they willy nilly and in spite of themselves, find driven into war hysteria by force of present day conditions and are engaged in the mad race for armaments.
Should this All Religions' Conference succeed in giving to this world, a message of peace, by presenting to the humanity the ideal of one All-embracing Religion, our efforts will not go in vain.
One Language vs Religion
The acceptance of the inciple of constituting States on linguistic basis led to fissiparous tendencies. Bombay became the hot-bed of this controversy. The demands, on the one hand, for greater Gujerat and on the other, for a valted Maharashtra, made the problem of language more and more complicated from day to day.
In these difficult times and conditions Muniji called an All-languages Conference to consider and to find ways and means for solving this problem. But very soon it dawned upon him that under the depth of linguistic controversies there lay the seeds of religious differences which had already to our great misfortune, led to the partition of the country and foreboded disastrous consequences in the future as well. Thus he came to the conclusion that AllReligions' Conference would prove more fruitful than All-language Conference. It was under his guidance that the first All Religions Conference was held in Bombay.
Unification of Indian Religions
. in the very next year-1955, Muniji had an opportunity to spend his monsoonish weather at Ujjain. During his stay here he found the place to be a great centre of ancient Indian culture and hence very befitting for holding
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