Odyssey of the Enlightened — 42: Return from Pilgrimage to Shantiniketan
The Management of 'Sainik' Given to Shriram
After staying at Shantiniketan for three days, Shriram returned to his place of work. The task of re-organizing the publication of daily newspaper 'Sainik' had already been started in Agra. When Paliwalji came to know that Shriram had returned, he immediately called him. It was proposed to hand over the responsibility of editing and managing the 'Sainik' to him. Shriram said, "This way I will be tied up. My whole time will be consumed in the newspaper; no time will be left for participating in the freedom movement."
Paliwalji said, "Don't worry about it. The daily 'Sainik' itself is a movement. Is expressing the agony of Mother India less important?" He also disclosed that among the revolutionaries, Shriram would be known less as 'Shriram': "We are contemplating that you should be made popular by your nickname 'Matta'. This will help us a lot." Shriram used to write poems and stories with the nickname 'Matta.' Though he liked the revolutionary extension of his literary name, he insisted on keeping himself free for participating actively in mass movements. The solution was found in providing him with an assistant — Prabhudayal Agrawal.
During the days of intensive tapa-sādhanā, apart from participating in the freedom movement, writing and journalism, 'Mattaji' also used to do self-analysis. After visiting Shantiniketan, a thought consistently arose in his mind — after India gets independence, what will be his role? The answer that he got at Shantiniketan impressed him deeply — that working for the educational, cultural and moral upliftment of society is also 'Rashtra Sādhanā' and was no less important than actively participating in national struggle for freedom.
The Context Superimposed onto the Self
It was one morning of July 1933. While studying Kathopanishad, Shriram started musing over the character of Nachiketa. While studying the dialogue between Nachiketa and Yamaraj, he lost his consciousness. A different world opened up in front of his eyes. It appeared to him as if he himself was Nachiketa and Yama was telling him to ask for three boons.
Shriram spontaneously said — "My motherland is being ruled by demonic forces; that rule should go and this divine land India should become independent."
"Tathastu (Be it so)" — said Yamaraj — "After returning from here, you will see that the shackles of subjugation are getting loose, and India is getting powerful."
For the second boon Shriram asked for the Agni-Vidya by which it was possible to attain heavenly conditions. Yama taught him that Vidya by which it was possible to provide Dharma, artha, kama and moksha, which would give rise to the ascent of divinity in human beings and the descent of heaven on earth.
For the third boon: "I want your blessing in the form of Atma Vidya (self-realization), by which all the doubts vanish." Yama tried to tempt him with prosperity, power and fame. But Shriram firmly said, "Whether I get salvation or not, I am eager to learn that Vidya. I will propagate this knowledge among the masses. I will liberate that Vidya which has been kept secret by the mystics for hundreds of years."
On listening to this resolve of Shriram, Yama's tense face relaxed. He said, "I will teach this Maha Vidya — Sanjeevani Vidya to the masses, for the welfare of all, through your medium."
The vision vanished. As he was getting up from his seat, there was a knock at the door. Chacha (uncle) had come from the village. Taiji had asked him to get the news of that matawala (free spirit — Shriram).
"When confronted with a problem, calmly search out the most intelligent means of solving it."
"Confidence and hope save us from drowning in the whirlpool of distressed thinking."