The 79th Savigiri Theerthadana celebrations were held on Dec 30 through Jan 1, 2012 at Tiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India under the auspices of Sree Narayana Gurudev Trust.
In his speech on the occasion, Mir Nawaz Khan Marwat Honorary President of Religions for Peace Asia & President of Religions for Peace Pakistan chapter, who is also Assistant Secretary General of World Muslim Congress, paid the following tributes to Sree Narayana Gurudev:
Sree Narayana Gurudev was not an individual but an institution; he belonged to entire humanity as a torch bearer of peace and human brotherhood. He was an embodiment of rare human qualities. He had a multifaceted personality. He was a spiritual Guru, a poet, a great sage, physician, social reformer, philosopher and a messenger of peace. His noble mission was not confined to any religion or country but it was meant for entire human kind irrespective of caste, creed, colour or territorial boundaries. He was born in the village of champazhanthi in Trivandrum in 1856 a year before the Indian war of independence which the Muslims and Hindus fought jointly shoulder to shoulder against the Britishers. He was named Narayanan but was popularly called Nanoo. The era in which Nanoo was born, was in the strong grip of Caste System in India. People were divided into high castes and low castes. They were forbidden to touch each other and remained aloof from each other. The untouchables and called Shudras were living in miserable conditions. They were denied their inalienable human rights even they could not enter the temples etc.
Almighty God had created Nanoo for a special mission. He defied untouchability from his childhood. He used to mix with the people from low castes. He crossed the barriers of discrimination and pursued the mission of human dignity and equality.
He had a brilliant photographic memory. As a young boy he tried to acquire education and equip himself with knowledge. He was the pupil of his versatile teacher Sree Varanappally Asan from whom he learned drama, poetry, grammar and logic, etc.
Sree Narayan Guru was a distinguished poet and wrote excellent poems in Sanskrit, Tamil and Malayalam. He tried to kindle the torch of education and waged a war against ignorance and illiteracy. He particularly stressed upon the people of depressed classes to seek education. Once Gurudev said: "As education leads every community to the path of progress, if we desire the progress of our community, we must try to give a lot of publicity and importance to education among our selves".
He further said, "Since education leads any community to loftier paths, we must try to spread education greatly in the community to progress.
It may not be possible for everyone to attain higher education. Those who are well off must help those who are poor and desirous of education to get education overseas. This will be of immense benefit to our community".
Gurudev also emphasized the importance of English education. It was time when in Indian sub-continent the religious scholars and other orthodox leaders vehemently opposed English education and gave verdict against it.
It was the far sight, vision and courage of Guru that he asked the people to arm themselves with English education to open up a connection with future world.
He also asked the people to get their female folk educated. In the commercial and economic field he also directed the people to make progress through industry in order to break the shackles of poverty.
In 1893 Guru Sree Narayana Dev played very important role in the formation of Parliament of World Religions.
In 1908 Gurudev was described "a true Brahmajnani". In the religious field he introduced many reforms and shunned man made superstitions and tantric rituals.
He also tried to bring social change and resolved to bring about a change in the method of worship in order to lead the low caste Hindus to a higher form of worship. He had to face opposition from certain quarters in this regard. But he pursued his path dauntlessly.
He was deadly against any discrimination among fellow human beings, preached and practised human dignity and equality.
Mahatma Gandhi also treaded the same path. Gurudev was equally respected by the followers of other religions who held him in very high esteem. He was a great sage of the time.
In those days it was the indomitable courage of Gurudev to liberate large numbers of people who were regarded as outcasts due to caste system. Their conditions were miserable. They were barred from public streets and schools etc. They were denied jobs.
They could not worship deities in temples. The best tribute to the great Guru would be to accomplish the task initiated by him and also create an environment of reconciliation and respect for human beings and preach human equality.
It is undeniable fact that all human beings are the offsprings and progeny of Adam and Eve. Almighty God has never drawn any distinction among them nor He has created any caste with special qualities or distinction. This principle of universal fraternity ensures equality of all nations and people.
Mutual recognition, co-existence and co-operation for the welfare of entire mankind regardless of race, religion, colour or creed is an article of faith, based on eternal teachings of Holy Quran.
Islam's agenda for human life is founded on the establishment of justice amongst all human beings, strengthening the values of mutual respect, tolerance and generosity.
In Holy Quran Almighty God Says, "Never allow your hatred of any people to lead you away from justice, be just, this is closer to righteousness and fear God. God is aware of what you do.
The justice should be established and extended to all people, regardless of their religion, race, colour or gender and without any discrimination, even when feelings of antagonism and hatred are involved".
Human beings are the best of God's creation and vicegerents. He immensely loves them. Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H said God loves human beings seventy times more than a mother loves her child.
This Heavenly love is not confined to any faith or caste etc but is universal. One may call God by any name but He is one who is our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer and to whom we all would be answerable for our deeds.
We are living in a unipolar world, the U.S.A is the only super power. Hence there is imbalance. It is an admitted fact that a super power must be able to shape the global order primarily in its own favour while keeping others content with their smaller share of the pie. The world does not need a super power but a new global order where global issues are dealt by democratic nations democratically.
It is a matter of fact that certain non resolved conflicts endanger world peace which need to be amicably resolved.
There is a race for weaponisation. Huge amount is spent on the production of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons.
Besides it billions of dollars went down the drain due to the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. More than a billion and quarter of world population is living below the poverty line. There is uprising against the negative effects of capitalistic exploitative economic system in Europe and U.S.A and economic crises are in offing. There is general rejection of present economic order.
Let me venture if one year defence budget of the world is allocated for alleviation of the poverty in the world, it would salvage humanity out of hunger and starvation.
We should keep in mind that globalisation is in offing which can prove a new form of colonization and economic subjugation. People of the world had great hopes of safe guarding their rights and interest from U.N.O. But it failed to safeguard their rights. Out of fourteen members of Security Council only five are permanent enjoying power of veto.
It has caused a deep sense of deprivation in Afro-Asian and Latin American countries. It needs immediate reforms.
Today the world is facing the wrath of terrorism, extremism and fanaticism which has resulted in great devastation. No religion permits these vices. The basic theme of all religion is love, peace, tolerance and peaceful co-existence of people. These terrorists and warmongers do not represent any religion rather they are the enemies of humanity and destroyers of peace. We must join hands to combat them and frustrate their evil designs.
The real issue is not between religions but between moderates and extremists of all religions.
There is a need for building a "Global Movement of Moderates" to deter the criminal and nefarious acts of extremists.
We must embark on building a "Global Movement of the Moderates" from all faiths who are committed to work together to combat and marginalize extremists who have held world hostage with their bigotry and bias. We must prefer negotiations over confrontation. We must work together and not against each other. Mutual respect for all faiths and people should be our motto.
We must stop the mischief mongers from the desecration of any faith, Prophet, spiritual leader, Holy Place or Holy Book etc. Religious unity is the basis of world peace. We must have harmonious world.
We must re-emphasize and propagate the validity of Guru Dev's dictum that "The essence of all religions is same."
Religious leaders have special responsibility to extinguish the flames of communal frenzy, hatred, bias and antagonism whenever and wherever such things occur and bring about peace and rapprochement between hostile elements which would result in establishing a coherent and peaceful society.
We have to meet the challenge of human-trafficking, child abuse, bonded labour, crimes against women, racial and caste discrimination and try for the emancipation of all depressed people of the world. For the emancipation of women in particular we have to forge unity against the anti women biases.
The recent uprising and change of regimes in some Arab countries, called Arab spring has given incentive to other oppressed people also.
We should make fervent appeal to all states to make substantial allocation for education in their budgets to enable all citizens to have access to it. Special stress should be laid on scientific and technical education. Peace education may also be included in curriculum.
The developed countries should open their markets for the developing countries with special concession in custom duties and taxes. In technological field efforts should be made to use the modern technology for speedy development particularly in the industrial, agricultural, commercial and other productive fields. Its negative use should be discouraged.
Gurudev had developed and cultivated internal peace within himself and thereafter he preached peace. The cultivation of inner peace is indispensable for building peace in the world.
The international media can play dominant role in removing the misapprehensions among different faiths and can bring them close by bridging the gap.
Let us pursue the mission resolutely, undertaken by Gurudev and try to accomplish the same with our joint ceaseless efforts and turn the world full of conflicts into arena of peace, love and peaceful co-existence based on human dignity and equality.
It will be appropriate tribute to the late Guru which would be source of consolation for his soul.
God is most merciful. He orders human beings to show mercy towards their fellow human beings and other living creatures. We must follow the Divine directions.
We must repel revenge with forgiveness, cruelty with compassion and mercy, hatred with love and affection and stinginess with generosity and sharing.
I sincerely pray many more laurels and zenith of glory for the most prestigious and august organization "The Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom Trust".
Let this conference prove to be harbinger and clarion call for world peace and breaking of all shackles of discrimination among fellow human beings.
