Anandamath

Chapter IV

After finishing his evening prayers Satyananda called Mohendra and said: “Your daughter is alive.”

Mohendra: Where, Maharaj?

Satyananda: Why do you say Maharaj to me?

Mohendra: Because everyone says so. The head of a math is addressed as Rajah. Where is my daughter, Maharaj?

Satyananda: Before you hear that, tell me one thing for certain. Will you accept the religion of the Santans?

Mohendra: There is no doubt about that. I am determined.

Satyananda: Then do not want to know where your daughter is.

Mohendra: Why, Maharaj?

Satyananda: He who accepts this vow cannot keep in touch with his wife, son, daughter or any other relation. If he sees the face of his wife or children he must perform penance. As long as the goal of the Santans is not attained you cannot see your daughter’s face. So if you have decided to accept the vow of the Santans then it is useless to know the whereabouts of your child, you will not be able to see her.

Mohendra: Why this difficult rule, my lord?

Satyananda: The work of a Santan is most difficult. He who sacrifices everything alone deserves to accomplish this work. He whose heart is bound in the chains of maya, like a kite attached to a peg, he cannot leave the earth and soar to heaven.

Mohendra: Maharaj, I have not been able to understand properly what you are saying. He who sees the face of his wife and children, can he not deserve to do great work?

Satyananda: If we see the faces of our wives and children, we forget the work of the Gods. The rule of the Santan Dharma is this, that, whenever it is necessary a Santan must sacrifice his life. When you remember your daughter’s face can you leave her and die?

Mohendra: Even if I do not see her can I forget her?

Satyananda: If you cannot forget her, do not take this vow.

Mohendra: Have all the Santans forgotten their wives and children and taken this vow? Then the number of the Santans must be very few.

Satyananda: Santans are of two kinds. Those who are initiated and those who are uninitiated. Those who are uninitiated are either householders or beggars. They only come at the times of war. They take their share of plunder or other reward and go away. Those who are initiated sacrifice their all. They are the guides of the association. I do not request you to be our uninitiated Santan. At the time of war there are many wielders of lathies and lances. Unless you are initiated you cannot do any responsible work of the association.

Mohendra: What is the initiation? Why should I be initiated? I have already been, initiated by my Guru and taken a mantra.

Satyananda: You will have to discard that mantra. You will have once more to take a mantra from me.

Mohendra: How shall I discard my mantra?

Satyananda: I shall instruct you in that method.

Mohendra: Why should I have to take a new mantra?

Satyananda: The Santans are Vaishnavas.

Mohendra: I do not understand this. Why are the Santans Vaishnavas? To the Vaishnavas non-violence is the highest religion.

Satyananda: That is the Vaishnavism of Chaitanya Dev. The Vaishnavism which was the outcome of the atheistic Buddhist religion— non-violence is its sign. The sign of true Vaishnavism is the suppression of the wicked and the salvation of the world. Because Vishnu is the preserver of the world. Ten times he has taken form in order to save the world. In order to destroy Daityas such as Keshi, Hiranya Kasipu, Madhu Kaitava, Mura, Naraka etc., Rakshashas like Ravana or in order to destroy in battle kings like Sishupala, He has taken birth. It is He who is the Conqueror, the Giver of victory, the Saviour of the world and the deity of worship of the Santans. The Vaishnava religion preached by Chaitanya Deva is not the real Vaishnava religion, it is only half a religion. The Vishnu of Chaitanya Deva is Love incarnate. But God is not only Love incarnate, He is also infinite Power. The Vishnu of Chaitanya Deva is all Love. The Vishnu of the Santans is all Power. We are Vaishnavas of both ideal. But we are both half Vaishnavas. Can you follow me?

Mohendra: No. All these are novel ideas to me. In Kasimbazar I met a Christian priest. He spoke in the same way i.e. “God is Love. You should love Jesus.” You speak in the same way.

Satyananda: I am explaining our doctrines to you as all our ancestors have done. Have you heard that the three gunas reside in God?

Mohendra: Yes, Sattwa, Raja, Tama — these three gunas.

Satyananda: Well! Each of these gunas has a separate mode of worship. From Sattwa comes compassion and its allied virtues. You must attain it through bhakti or devotion. The followers or Chaitanya do this. From Raja His Sakti is born. This is attained through war — through the suppression or the enemies of the Devas. We do this. And through Tama, God has assumed willingly the four-armed and other forms. Through the gift of garlands, sandal-wood paste etc. we should worship that guna. The average man does that. Do you now understand?

Mohendra: I have understood. The Santans then are a particular sect of devotees.

Satyananda: Yes, that is so. We do not want kingly power. Only because the Mussulmans are the enemies of God we want to destroy them totally.