Transformation of society begins at Shaka, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Excerpts from his
speech:

“There was an expectation that a bhauddik should be organized for
Swayamsevaks who are professionals. I would like to narrate an incident of
Yadav Rao Joshi when he was visiting Nagpur. When he was asked as to what was
the role of a banker in his bank, he stressed that the work of RSS is
man-making.

He further elaborated that in Sangh there is a practice of building
Swayamsevaks on the basis of their interests and intellect. The program they
participate in helps them to grow in the sphere of their interest and it will
also help Sangh in turn to get the best out of the Swayamsevaks. The quality
that a Swayamsevak inculcated in the shaka is to be passed on to his family and
the family values have to be instilled in the Swayamsevaks too.

A swayamsevak who is working as a professional is various professions
also has duties to perform. He can certainly involve his colleagues in Sangh
work by engaging them in a shakha and also introduce them to our work. In turn
such professional Swayamsevaks also need to put the best practices they learn
in Sangh in their working spheres.

Professional Swayamsevaks can discuss, request people to read sangh
literature, etc. I recalled this incident of Yadav Rao Joshi when I was told
that this bhauddik for professionals was being organized.

Swayamsevaks of RSS are 24/7 swayamsewaks. Though they attend a shakha
just for an hour, they values they inculcate is to be implemented always. One
of the continuing task is to familiarize with a new person, build relationship
them and involve them in Sangh work. Being a swayamsevak does not end when the
nikkar is hung after returning home after Shakha.

People wonder that even small kids are part of Sangh whose member has
become a PM too. The values that the kid gets inculcated in a shaka are
appreciated by all. People see a swayamsevak and gauge them by the way they
behave with the others everywhere. Sangh is involved in man-making and through
such man-making aims to create a similar atmosphere in the place of residence.
Founder of RSS Doctor Ji did not have any riches or huge backing of people.
When he started a shaka, people wondered instead of protesting, or addressing
people and getting arrested, then how would playing games in a shakha help the
nation.

RSS has undergone 5 generations and is in a new era. Today there are
young swayamsevaks who have not even seen our previous Sarsanghchalak Sudershan
ji. But the task and challenges remain. It is the duty of each swayamsevak to
create a favorable atmosphere in their area of residence and thus transform the
society. Several years ago, there were hardly few people who believed that
Sangh could change the society or bring about a favorable change in politics.
People still wondered how could playing games, exercising at a shakha or
arranging chairs at events bring about a change in society. But it’s the same
Swayamsevaks who have taken up several society-changing projects all over the
country. For example, many Swayamsevaks work in seva bastis and bring about a
change.

A swayamsevak takes the responsibility of a shakha and builds his
shakha but also contributes to turning around the area of his residence towards
discipline, truthfulness and being non-corrupt. Whatever may be the age of the
swayamsevak, whatever is their medical conditions or preferences to dress, each
can contribute in one or the other way to the society. For example anyone can
contribute towards Kutumb Prabhodan at a Seva Basati or other forms of
trainings to the people here. We need to be aware of what and how we can
contribute. We are now entering the next phase of our work.

In the first phase, as Doctor ji envisioned, it was to organize the
Hindu society and help it come of the decay it had undergone and defend itself
against external threats. This has been happening during the years of our
previous sarsanghachalaks. Now in the next phase, we need to take sangh’s work
to a larger audience in various sections of the society and take the task of
man-making to the last man in the country. This is a challenge we need to take
up. This can happen by ourselves inculcating the values from the shakha and
then inculcate these values in others in the society. The Swayamsevaks need to
take this responsibility and involve everyone in this man-making mission.

There is an interesting story of 3 stone breakers. Once an old man
asked them what they were doing. One of them said he is just breaking stones
for work, second one said he is getting paid and is not concerned about
anything else. The third one said he is building a grand temple. Next day their
owner asked them that each should have a goal and take 25 people under them and
work towards their goals. A Swayamsevaks work is also similar. Not just
contributing ourselves but also involves more and more people in our society.
This is also Sangh’s work to organize the society and also to make the future
path easy for the society to grow further. This event for professionals is also
in that direction of involving people from every section of the society.

Sangh’s work has to be taken to each village and residential localities
and not miss out on anyone. The expertise required to implement this task is
inculcated in a shakha were more experienced Swayamsevak can train others. This
task is not difficult and we can achieve it for sure. As said in the Bhagavad
Gita, a swayamsevak has to be aware of the 5 aspects while working towards a
goal. They are the goal itself, the person who is pursuing that goal, the tasks
required to achieve that goal, being aware of other influenti al factors and
the will of the divine. Only such Swayamsevaks who imbibe these values can
organize a Hindu society that can work towards paramvaibhavam. This is the need
of the hour and I wished to convey the same to you.”