Creative Perception Irrigated by the Sadhana
"Akhand Jyoti, in its short lifetime, has very well experienced the words of rishis that wherever the nectar-like drops of spiritual knowledge fall, there one will see real transformation and miracles happening."
— Param Poojya Gurudev Adhyatma ka prabuddh prashikshan (Akhand Jyoti – Hindi, December 1963, p. 59)
"A spiritual-intellectual background is very essential for a magazine, journalist and journalism as a whole." Acharya Dwivedi began to cough lightly while uttering these words and quietly lay down on his mattress. He had been unwell for the past many days. His body had been physically weak, but his mental brilliance, instead of decreasing, was more enhanced. Ever since he quit the editorship of Saraswati magazine, he had come to his village Daulatpur in Rai Bareli district. Whoever desired to meet him came to the village and he never sent them away without filling them with inspirational zeal. It was a matter of great fortune to be able to meet him. That is precisely why many eminent writers, journalists and freedom fighters used to come to meet him.
Ever since Param Poojya Gurudev had decided to publish Akhand Jyoti magazine, he had been meeting several people. During one of these meetings, Pt. Balkrishna Sharma and Badridutt Pandey said, "You have met many people, and are continuing to meet others and will meet many more, but have you met Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi? Acharyaji is a great exponent of Hindi literature and journalism. He himself is a complete institution and a progressive revolution. The guidance and blessings that you can get from him, you will not get elsewhere."
Gurudev listened to these two experienced people carefully and said, "I have been a great admirer of his magazine Saraswati from the very beginning. But, of late he has even quit being the editor of the magazine and has begun to live in his village. I have also heard that he is not keeping good health. In such a situation, will it be appropriate to bother him?" Observing Gurudev's hesitation, Badridutt Pandey smiled and said, "He has merely quit the editorship of the magazine but has not severed ties with Hindi literature and journalism. You should definitely go to him." Thus encouraged by both of them, Gurudev reached Acharya Dwivedi's residence one fine morning. At the first glance itself Acharya Dwivedi appeared to him like an ancient rishi; glorious face coupled with luminous and piercing eyes.
There was a spiritual magnetism in the personality of Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi. Acharya Dwivedi experienced a similar spiritual magnetic attraction emanating from young Shriram. He was lying down on the charpoy with his body tilted to the left side. The moment he heard footsteps, he got into a seating position. When Gurudev told him about the objective of his coming to meet him, he was extremely excited and happy. He said, "You have wiped away my fatigue. There is a lot that is to be done for Hindi literature." Then he addressed his nephew Kamal Kishore Tripathi who was standing nearby and said, "This is amazing! Today is Tuesday and it looks like our Aaradhya Mahavir Hanuman has sent his Lord Shriram to me to free me from all worries."
On hearing these overwhelming and devotion-filled words, Gurudev bowed in humility and said, "I have come here for your guidance and blessings." To this, he replied, "I do not know if I am worthy of giving you blessings, but I shall certainly give you all that I have with me. The country today requires its people to awaken to the needs of Independence. This task is being done by the present generation of literary people and journalists. This breeze of Independence will grow into a storm and a typhoon. The sacrifice of our countrymen will not go in vain, we will achieve Independence, but nobody can tell in what form that would be."
Param Poojya Gurudev was listening to Acharya Dwivedi's words very carefully. Acharya Dwivedi continued speaking, absorbed in himself: "Based on my knowledge and understanding I feel that the actual difficulties will arise after we have obtained independence. Anglicism will not go away along with the English rule. The poisonous seeds planted in the minds of people while under foreign rule will continue to poison our country's culture and traditions even after we get independence. During that time, the country will need Hindi literature and language to be nurtured by spiritual and intellectual power." After speaking these words, he paused and cleared his throat. He then said: "If you agree to my words and accept my guidance, I would ask you to take the responsibility of future and not the present. Teach the future generations about our culture and sanskars using your pen. Nourish their inner consciousness with spirituality and thoughtfulness."
After completing his talk, Acharya Dwivedi paused and said, "Do you agree with my words?" In reply, Gurudev replied politely, "Each and every word uttered by you is a blessing for me. I will bear all these things in my mind." After this, Acharya Dwivedi wanted to know about Gurudev's plans regarding the proposed magazine Akhand Jyoti. On this request, Gurudev began to speak: "This magazine will equally focus on the following aspects: Sādhanā, culture, sanskar, creativity and literature. The basis and foundation for this would be the sādhanā of ancient rishis, medieval saints and great people of the modern world. The content would be inspired by the schools of thought starting from ancient rishis up to Sri Aurobindo."
On hearing these words by Gurudev, Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi was very excited and said, "You will then be an exponent of a New Age." He then paused a little and said, "But materialistic schools of thought will create hurdles; opinions of atheists and why only atheists, blind religious faiths, outmoded traditions and others will also create trouble in the path." On hearing his apprehensions, Gurudev spoke in a reassuring tone, "When the time comes, all these will be tackled with the help of Divine grace and scientific perspective." Acharyaji was reassured to an extent after listening to Gurudev. However, some questions related to the form of Hindi language lingered in his mind and he expressed them: "In your effort to refine everybody, hope you will not forget to refine Hindi language."
Gurudev smiled at this concern and said, "I would never do that. I promise you that the style of writing in Akhand Jyoti will always use the most refined Hindi language." On hearing these words of Gurudev, the rishi-like personality of Hindi literature and journalism, Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, was filled with happiness and said, "You and your magazine Akhand Jyoti will always obtain fame." He then looked at his nephew Kamal Kishore Tripathi and said, "The happiness that I have experienced on this Tuesday of September 1936 is unparalleled." Gurudev was pleased on seeing his happiness. He prostrated to Acharyaji and started his march to creative writing from the divine fount of thoughts.
A fisherman repeatedly cast his net in a tank but all his attempts to catch fish ended in failure. He was surprised to find that as soon as he prepared to cast his net all the fish withdrew from the water round about him. Next day he again went to the tank and found a monk with his ochre-coloured robe bathing in it and a large number of fishes playing around him. He thought that it was the ochre-coloured garb that had attracted the fish, and putting on such a robe went into the water — when he found that the fishes came near and played around him. He asked himself that if the mere fact of his personating a sadhu had such an effect, how great would be the consequences of his becoming a real sadhu. This reflection brought about a change in his mind and he gave up the fisherman's life and took to the way of religion. Ultimately he became a saint.
A king had a Dewan who was much devoted to his duty and was very faithful to his master. At his queen's persistent requests, the king had to appoint her brother as a high official in the kingdom. This brother-in-law of the king, finding that the Dewan did not pay as much respect to him as he expected, complained to the king about the Dewan's disrespectful attitude. The king said to the Dewan, "Dewan Saheb, some people in my palace have been complaining that you do not show sufficient respect to them." The Dewan said, "Raja Saheb, as God incarnated Himself in ancient times in the form of a boar, His image in that form is respected by all, but that is no reason why people should pay any respect to each and every boar."
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"And in the end it is not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years." — Abraham Lincoln
"A ship is safe in harbour, but that's not what ships are for." — William G.T. Shedd