"We Respect Other Forms Of Worship": RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat In Ujjain

A person driven by ego believes their authority prevails everywhere and that everything should happen according to their will, but the reality is different, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said, as he warned against arrogance at a gathering of young people in Ujjain on Friday.

His remarks came a day before Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's scheduled Chhatron Ki Goonj event in neighbouring Indore.

Bhagwat did not name Gandhi or any other political leader in his comments. Yet the timing of his remarks and his repeated warnings against the belief that one can control everything gave his speech a political edge as Madhya Pradesh geared up for a major opposition event.

The RSS chief said he was happy to be at the Yuva Dharma Sansad in Ujjain and that it was heartening to see Gen Z discussing dharma (duty).

"The thought of young people engaging with dharma is rarely heard these days. If we talk about dharma, people say that all this is a matter for old age. The Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and so on are scriptures to be read after retirement. But that is not so. This dharma remains, at the very least, from the beginning of existence to the end of existence. And everything proceeds according to it. Whether you believe in it or not. There are such things in the world. For example, the sun rising and setting are certain. It will happen that way, whether you believe it or not," he said.

"Dharma resides in our conduct and duties, such as putra dharma (duty of a son), raj dharma (duty of a king), and manav dharma (duty of humanity). It determines the duties of each thing and living being according to its nature. According to me, that which keeps everyone united, uplifts everyone, prevents them from falling apart from one another, and determines the duty of all beings and things towards the world according to their nature, so that everyone may benefit from material and spiritual progress, is the discipline that is called dharma. Dharma lies in conduct, not in lectures, not in books, even if it is there, it is for our knowledge, to give us clarity," he added.

Advocating for the dharma of religious tolerance, Bhagwat said, "We remain steadfast in the worship we have chosen, which is suited to our nature and which has been given to us by our guru or by our tradition. We respect others' forms of worship just as much. We also consider others' forms of worship to be good. But we do not convert, we remain steadfast in our own form of worship."