Swadhyaya Movement: Difference between revisions

The '''Swadhyaya Movement''' or '''Swadhyaya Parivara''' started in mid 20th-century in the western states of [[India]], particularly [[Maharashtra]] and [[Gujarat]].<ref name=pankajshah/> Founded by [[Pandurang Shastri Athavale]] (1920-2003), the movement emphasizes self-study (''swadhyaya''), selfless devotion (''bhakti'') and application of Indian scriptures such as the ''[[Upanishads]]'' and ''[[Bhagavad gita]]'' for spiritual, social and economic liberation.<ref name=pankajshah/><ref name=fisher>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ytOHbLdtSY4C&pg=PA109|title= Swadhyay Movement in Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths|author= Mary Pat Fisher|publisher= I.B.Tauris|year= 1996|isbn=1-86064-148-2|page= 109}}</ref>

The movement focuses on the Upanishadic ''[[mahāvākyas]]'' (great teachings) related with Vedic belief that god is within oneself, every human being, all living beings and all of god's creation. It encourages voluntary self-study, self-knowledge, community discourses and action with a responsibility to the god in oneself and others.<ref name="Giri2009p1"/> Its temples typically highlight the deities Yogeshwara [[Krishna]], [[Parvati]], [[Ganesha]] and [[Shiva]] in a ''Vriksha Mandir'' ("temple of trees") setting. Deity Surya is recognized in the form of sunlight. Prayers are performed in the Smarta tradition's [[Panchayatana puja]] format, attributed to [[Adi Shankara]].<ref name="Kirsch2016p91">{{cite book|author=Thomas G. Kirsch|title=Permutations of Order: Religion and Law as Contested Sovereignties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BrooDAAAQBAJ |year=2016| publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-08215-6|pages=91–92}}</ref> Community members participate in ''Bhavabhakti'' (emotional devotion to the divine), ''Krutibhakti'' (actional devotion by voluntary service to the divine in all of god's creation), and ''Bhaktipheri'' (devotional travel to meet, work and help the well-being of the community partners).<ref name="Giri2009p1"/> The movement members treat all men and women in the organization as a ''Parivara'' (family).<ref name="Giri2009p1">{{cite book|author=Ananta Kumar Giri|title=Self-development and Social Transformations?: The Vision and Practice of the Self-study Mobilization of Swadhyaya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MG8jj2Xt8-cC |year=2009|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0-7391-1198-7|pages=1–14}}</ref>

* Trikal Sandhya - Remember God at the most important times in a person's life when God comes to gift us three times a day- 1:morning(when we get up) recollection is gifted;2:when we have our food digestion is gifted:and 3:at night while sleeping) peace is gifted by God.

Swadhyay is a Sanskrit word. In the Parivar, Swadhyay means the study, knowledge, and discovery of the ‘Self’. The ‘Self’ or the ‘I’ is the indwelling spirit underlying the ego, the intellect and the mind. Swadhyay involves studying, discovering, knowing and understanding one's true and inner self and paying due respect to other selves. It is a "journey to work out a unity in a multiverse of cultures and world views, of harmonizing the self with a network of relationships, of creating and maintaining vital connections between self, society, and God, of knowing and enriching human action with sacredness." {{According to whom|date=November 2021}}

The teachers in the Swadhyay Parivar assert that it is not a sect, a cult, a creed, a tradition, an institution or even an organization. It is not an organized religion. It does not require any membership or vows. It is not initiated to be an agitation or a revolution. Swadhyay is independent of caste, religion, nationality, color, education and one's status in the society. Swadhyay is about individual transformation through spiritual awareness. {{According to whom|date=November 2021}} It is an attitude of the mind. Swadhyay is the right perspective or the vision, which enables one understand deeper aspects of spirituality and devotion. The basic fundamental thought, which Swadhyay emphasizes, is the concept of indwelling God. ‘God dwells within’ i.e. ‘God exists within me and within everyone else’. All are children of the Divine. Hence, Swadhyay establishes the Divine Brotherhood under the Fatherhood of God i.e. ‘the other is not ‘other’, but he is my divine brother.’ Blood relationship is extended to a relationship through the Blood Maker. The concept of the traditional family is extended to the Divine Family. This is a natural extension of the concept of an indwelling God. The concept looks very simple. However, for almost all of those who have come into deeper contact with Swadhyay, it has brought about a permanent transformation in their lives. The very understanding that God resides within me makes me divine and worthy of respect. It also inspires the view that God or divinity is everywhere, present in all living things, and therefore all should be treated with respect and devotion. Thus, the concept of an indwelling God motivates people to care for the welfare of others. {{According to whom|date=November 2021}}

Though Swadhyay does not function as a conventional organization, but works as an extended family, it seems to have a definite vision. The vision is to achieve all-round upliftment of humanity at large through the holistic development of the human being by reason-based religion. Religion, in this context, refers to the Religion of a Human Being and should not be interpreted for conventional organized religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism or Buddhism. Swadhyay is not interested in quick results or publicity, although it has been operating since the 1940s with incredible ‘results’, it has remained quite unknown to date. It neither seeks nor accepts financial help from governments or philanthropic agencies for any of its experiments, projects or gatherings. It does not report to any donor, religious body or controlling force; it has no political ideology or dogma. {{According to whom|date=November 2021}}

Swadhyay efforts result in creating a society which is self-disciplined, has faith in God, is adventurous and brave, loves culture and the Holy Scriptures, and is filled with devotion. In this society, greater importance will be given to right attitude rather than to action, thoughts will be valued more than things, feelings more than enjoyment, self-surrender more than selfishness, group more than individual, culture more than manners, efforts more than results, goodness more than strength, truth more than mere logic and righteousness more than wealth. The origin of Swadhyay goes back to 1942, when Pandurang Shastri Athavale, the originator of the activity who is affectionately called (and hereafter referred to) as ‘Dada’ (Elder brother), started going on devotional visits alone in Mumbai, India. He inspired a small set of co-workers, primarily professionals, to go on similar visits themselves, to various villages around Bombay. Through the concept of an indwelling God, millions of individuals to recognize the inner God, cultivate an increased self-respect, and abandon immoral behavior. The villages where Swadhyay has a firm- footing have witnessed a reduction in crime, the removal of social barriers, and a drastic alleviation from poverty, hunger and homelessness, among other bad social and civic conditions. {{According to whom|date=November 2021}}

[[Category:Hindu organisations based in India]]