Sri Bharatamata

Ashtottaram 39

 

 

 

39) OṀ SAMATĀNANDA BHŨMYAINAMAH:

      OṀ (AUM) - SAMA -TAA -NAN -DA-

                                 BHOO-MYAI-- NA-MA-HA

 

(Samaṫa: means equality, benevolence, fairness, impartiality;

                Ananda: means happy, bliss)

 

Samatānanda, samatādrishti, samatāvāda and many more Sanskrit words have the same meaning 'equality and fairness'. 'Tattvam and ādhyātmikata (spirituality) is no one person, society, culture and, or one country's property and it belongs to the entire humanity' is the teachings of Hinduism and it is our Sanātana Dharma. No other country can claim this statement. Hinduism shows utmost tolerance to other faiths and religions and it treats everyone with equality and fairness. You don't hear or read in the history that Bhārata Bhōmi ever conquered other countries or robbed their wealth or proselytized them into our way of life. We always exhibit impartiality and benevolence when it comes to other religions. We don't treat other faiths as infidels or terrorize them or kill them in the name of religious fanaticism. We do not teach, or train our children how to be martyrs, and instead, from childhood onward we teach our children how to be tolerant and understanding toward other faiths. It's ingrained in their blood.

Just like 'a frog in the well' attitude, we don't claim that 'our religion is the only true religion but no one else's, and we are the only one that go to heaven and people in every other religion will go to hell with eternal damnation'. When others criticize us that we worship idols, we don't fight back or engage in a war or terroristic activities. Instead, we let it go, thinking that everybody has to pay for their actions one day or the other (karma siddhāntam).

We try to learn the greatness of every culture and try to understand their point of view and show respect for their opinions. This was taken as our weakness and irresolution by the foreigners who used violence in order to invade our land and rob our wealth. The only country on the planet which kept its dignity by not doing those barbaric atrocities is our mother land. This happened only on the basis of understanding of fairness and equality (samatam). If we did not show samatānandam, samatābhāvam and samatādṛishti, we would have never won our independence from British with non-violence and without using a sword or gun. We made the British feel ashamed of them and made them leave our country with shame, humility and guilt. We have also provided shelter for people of religious oppression like Jews and Christians and they live happily in our country without fear of being killed.

 

No matter of how much atrocities and barbaric invasions we have encountered including threat to our way of living by proselytizers, still we maintain our religious tolerance and equality and our land is 'Samatānanda Bhūmi'.