New Delhi: Many divisive forces are trying to break the social psychology on the basis of class and caste, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Saturday, and issued a call for unity in the society and the country.
Paying tribute to Sant Ravidas on the occasion of his 650th birth anniversary, Hosabale said that he occupies a distinguished place in India’s “illustrious tradition of saints”.
The RSS’s second-in-command noted that although he rejected discrimination based on birth, he considered deeds to be the only testimony to greatness.
He said that Sant Ravidas played a “historical role” in shaping the social mentality to get rid of outdated beliefs and customs, get rid of irrelevant traditions and accept social transformations in line with changing times.
“Nowadays, when many divisive forces are trying to break the social psyche on the basis of class and caste, we all have to resolve to work for the unity and integrity of the community and nation by understanding the essence of the life message of Pujya Sant Ravidasji,” Hosabale said.
Highlighting the importance of the Sant tradition in shaping the spiritual and social life of India, Hosabale said that it not only played a major role in promoting devotion and social harmony but also awakened the society and prepared it for the struggle against the oppression of foreign rulers.
Hosabali claimed that the Muslim invaders made several attempts to convert Ravidas to Islam, but they failed and many of them later became his disciples.
“There were several attempts to convert Sant Ravidas ji to Islam, but after witnessing Sant Ravidas ji’s devotion and spiritual prowess, those who wanted to convert him became his disciples,” Hosabale said at Madhav Srishti in Haryana’s Samalkha, where the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha is being held from March 13-15.
The RSS leader also emphasized that Ravidas’ life reflects the dignity of work and ethical conduct.
“He re-established the dignity of work and pure, virtuous and transparent conduct in society through his own life,” Hosabale said.
He further said that Ravidas’ greatness was recognized across sections of society despite his humble origins, and noted that many prominent figures, including Mirabai, considered him their guru.
Sant Ravidas was a prominent saint of the Bhakti movement of the 15th century, highly revered for his teachings on devotion, equality and social harmony. Born in Sir Govardhanpur near Varanasi into a humble family traditionally associated with the leather industry, he challenged caste discrimination and stressed that a person’s actions determine greatness, not birth. Due to the importance of his ideas, 41 vanis are included in the Shri Guru Granth Sahib in the form of ‘Shabad’.
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