Editorial – April 2019

The month of April is here bringing in the Bengali New year, 1426 on 1st of Baisakh, We will come to it later.

2. Our scriptures say

“অয়ো নিজ পরোবেতি

গণনা লঘু চেত্সাম,

উদারা চরিতানান্তু বসুধেব কুটম্বকম্৷”

We can translate it into English when this will look like as follows:

“Only those who are mean discriminate between one’s own interests and those of others. But those who are generous feel that the entire humanity is close to their hearts”.

Let us now examine what Sir Walter Scot, the famous poet and writer wrote in his poem “My Native Land”:

 “Breathes there the man, with soul who never to himself said so dead.

This is my own, my native’ Land. As his home his foot-steps he had turned from wandering on a foreign strand

The two observations, one in Sanskrit and the other English, are apparently contradictory. But if examine the two observations carefully, which are wide apart in terms of time and space, are not opposing ideas. One who has no love or friendship for people of his own land, cannot go out to extend their hands to the people of lands beyond. Genuine patriotism transcends one’s own land and people and honours and respect freedom of all who reside on mother earth. The path-setter of Brahmo Sanaj Raja Rammohun Roy is its ideal example. But unfortunately human perfidy and greed exploit this great virtue of ‘patriotism’ for exploitive purposes. An often repeated jargon “Patriotism is the last resort of the scoundrel” is often true.

Come election time we find a marathon race for expressing their love for motherland from the house-top. Here also there are two kinds of show-business. One group directly raise their patriotic slogans. They can at least, be understood and cut down to size, But there is a cleverer group who pose as pacifist and decry the loud and angry group of patriots. Both are to be heard and their slogans equally examined by the electorate before casting their votes in the ongoing parliamentary and assembly elections. In selected states, the wise voters of our country never failed to make their correct choice despite the tumult all over the country. Our firm belief is that our electorate will display their wisdom before casting their vote this time also.

4. The Bengali New year or ‘Naba Barsho’ what we also call ‘Paila Baisakh’ the new year of 1426 B.S was celebrated with great joy and deep devotion by Bengalese of all ages, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Samaj also joined them bidding farewell to the departing year with prayers and songs, followed by Baitalik, prayer and song on the following morning to welcome the new year. Let the New Year give us greater strength and faith to further the cause of our Samaj.

5. Before we end, we remember with due solemnity and reverence Jesus Christ, one of the greatest spiritual leaders the world has even seen, who a fell a martyr on ‘Good Friday’ which falls on 19th April this year. 6. ’Naba Barsha’ greetings to all our Kind readers, contributors, subscribers and well-wishers. Truth will prevail