Spiritual Foundation: Power of Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Part 8: RSS Centenary Sankalp Blog Series
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The Root Beneath the Resolution
When the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) announced its centenary declaration in Bengaluru in 2025, the five transformative goals—expansion of shakhas, striving for character excellence, organizing noble people, social metamorphosis, and five-dimensional transformation—drew much attention. Yet beneath all these goals lies a deeper spiritual foundation. Without it, the declaration would stand as policy and program, but with it, the vision becomes a living philosophy. This foundation is expressed most powerfully in the timeless prayer: Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah—“May all be happy, may all be free from illness.”
Dharma as the First Pillar
The centenary text affirms life “on the foundation of dharma.” In this context, dharma does not mean sect or creed but the eternal way of life that uplifts both the individual and society. Dharma is what sustains—Dharayati iti dharmah. It embodies truth, non-violence, compassion, and justice. A true spiritual foundation demands that these values are not confined to discourse but practiced daily, shaping families, communities, and nations.
Confidence Rooted in Spirituality
The declaration also emphasizes “life filled with self-confidence on the foundation of dharma.” This confidence is not arrogance but the quiet strength that flows from knowing one’s eternal roots. The spiritual foundation of confidence arises from faith in the immortal self, reverence for Sanatan tradition, and the discipline of personal practice. When swayamsevaks draw courage from their inner source, they carry resilience into society, building a community that is both self-assured and compassionate.
Prayer as the Heart of the Foundation
The prayer Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah is not a ritual chant but the very soul of the spiritual foundation. It calls for universal welfare, transcending boundaries of caste, creed, and even species. By wishing happiness, health, and peace for all beings, the prayer trains the mind to move beyond self-interest and to embrace collective well-being. The spiritual foundation here is not abstract—it is practical, guiding everyday conduct and broadening vision from the personal to the planetary.
The Power of Omkara
Every branch of the Sangh begins its prayer with Om. This syllable, symbol of the infinite, connects individual consciousness with universal consciousness. Om is not merely a sound but the essence of the cosmos, the vibration underlying creation itself. Making Omkara central keeps the spiritual foundation vibrant, ensuring that the focus of shakha activities remains rooted in unity, discipline, and higher awareness.
Collective Prayer and Character Formation
The spiritual foundation strengthens when prayer is collective. In the shakha, individuals merge into a unified consciousness through shared chanting. The effect is not only emotional but transformative: egos dissolve, unity is felt, and values are reinforced. From this emerges character—shaped by service, humility, and dedication to the nation. This collective practice demonstrates how the spiritual foundation translates into lived virtues.
The Guru Tradition as Continuity
RSS acknowledges its founders—Dr. Hedgewar and Guruji Golwalkar—as guiding beacons. Remembering them is not nostalgia but recognition of a lineage that keeps the spiritual foundation alive. By venerating gurus and their sacrifices, swayamsevaks learn that personal ambition must yield to a larger cause. This humility safeguards the mission from drifting into mere institutionalism.
Meditation, Study, and Reflection
The spiritual foundation deepens through practices of silence, meditation, and self-study. These are not escapes from society but preparations for it. By cultivating clarity, peace, and inner strength, individuals carry back steadiness into social engagement. Study of the Gita, Upanishads, and lives of national leaders links eternal truths with contemporary questions, ensuring the spiritual foundation remains dynamic, not dogmatic.
Families and the Foundation of Values
The declaration’s emphasis on “value-oriented families” draws directly from the spiritual foundation. In homes, children inherit culture not through lectures but through lived examples—daily prayer, respectful relationships, eco-friendly lifestyles, and festival celebrations with depth. Families that embody these values become nurseries of national character, extending the reach of spirituality into society’s smallest unit.
Women and the Spiritual Foundation
The spiritual strength of women finds institutional expression in groups such as the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Durga Vahini, and Vidya Bharati. Here the spiritual foundation nurtures leadership, courage, and compassion among women, ensuring that spiritual life is not confined to temples but animates education, service, and cultural preservation. Women, as custodians of family values, carry the spiritual foundation into the future with grace and strength.
From Spiritual Foundation to World Welfare
The culmination of this vision is global. By rooting society in a spiritual foundation, Bharat can offer the world models of peace, justice, and ecological balance. International Yoga Day, India’s role in climate negotiations, and the spread of meditation worldwide are already glimpses of how this foundation resonates beyond borders. The mantra Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family—comes alive when the spiritual foundation is firm.
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah as Living Vision
In the end, the centenary declaration makes it clear: expansion, training, organization, transformation—all stand on one root, the spiritual foundation. Without this, they risk fragmentation; with it, they converge into harmony. To repeat at the conclusion what begins this vision: Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah. This is more than prayer—it is the essence of the spiritual foundation that connects personal virtue with global peace, making Bharat a beacon of unity and well-being for humanity.
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Glossary of Terms
- Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah: A Sanskrit prayer meaning “May all be happy,” considered the core spiritual message of universal welfare.
- Niramayah: A Sanskrit term from the same prayer, meaning “free from illness or suffering.”
- Omkara (Om): The primordial sound and symbol in Hindu philosophy, representing universal consciousness and the essence of creation.
- Dharayati iti Dharmaḥ: A Sanskrit maxim meaning “That which upholds and sustains is Dharma,” signifying eternal duty and moral order.
- Sanatan Tradition: The timeless cultural and spiritual heritage of Hindu civilization, guiding values and practices across generations.
- Rashtra Sevika Samiti: A women’s organization aligned with RSS, focusing on spiritual and cultural empowerment of women in Bharat.
- Durga Vahini: A women’s wing inspired by spiritual and national ideals, fostering courage, service, and leadership among Hindu women.
- Vidya Bharati: An educational network inspired by Indian cultural values, emphasizing value-based education rooted in spiritual foundation.
- Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: An ancient Indian phrase meaning “The world is one family,” often cited as a guiding principle of global harmony.
- Swarajya: Self-rule or independence, denoting freedom from external control and the ability to govern according to cultural values.
- Surajya: Good governance, marked by integrity, justice, and moral order, extending Swarajya into an ethical political framework.
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Previous Blogs of the Series
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/sarve-bhavantu-sukhinah-the-spiritual-foundation-of-rss-philosophy/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/pledge-for-the-world-the-vision-of-a-harmonious-and-organized-hindu-society/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/centenary-resolution-from-shakha-expansion-to-social-transformation/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/striving-for-character-excellence-enhancing-shakha-quality/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/organizing-noble-people-power-of-social-transformation/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/social-metamorphosis-from-values-to-culture/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/panch-parivartan-the-five-dimensional-transformation/
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- https://hinduinfopedia.org/rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh-a-pillar-in-modern-hindu-society/
- https://hinduinfopedia.org/sanatana-dharma-secular-and-inclusive-values-of-hindu-philosophy/
- https://hinduinfopedia.in/nathuram-godse-murderer-patriot-or-fractured-youth/
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- https://hinduinfopedia.in/waqf-act-debate/
- https://hinduinfopedia.com/abrahamic-religions-alliance-how-global-networks-target-indias-democracy/#Modi_the_RSS_and_the_Abrahamic_Narrative_Trap
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