Passage 1

bharatadēśambu ārañji paṇḍu pōlca

His poems 351

Also in his talks (1)

brāhmaṇa kṣatriya vaiśya śūdrādulu

His poems 350

Tap any word for its meaning.

In plain words

Compare the land of Bhārata to an orange: look, its races and its religions are its segments; however many tribes and callings there may be, to be born in the land of Bhārata is itself good fortune. Bestowing unity and Jñāna, this is the very land that lights the lamp of Jñāna. What more than this shall I make known, O members of this gathering, gentle and honoured for your virtues!

Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras and the rest: see them as born of one womb; the twice-born are the elder brothers, the śūdras the younger; to show them great Prema is good fortune indeed. Every varṇa is formed by guṇas and by deeds; it is the guṇa you must take to heart. If a twice-born has bad qualities, look, is he not a śūdra? Is not a śūdra of good qualities a god on earth? Is there any difference between fathers and sons? Through unity the growth of all things grows strong; cast off discord and see the oneness; only then will this land prosper.

Embodiments of the divine Ātma!

From ancient times the people of Bhārata held Satya alone to be the God before their eyes; guarding it and serving it, they have gone on attaining divinity. The people of Bhārata were vowed to Satya, devoted to Dharma; justice itself was their home. Today, because we have forgotten Satya and Dharma, we cannot attain the unity of the country or the unity of the nation. The Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west: the meeting place between these two is the Indian Ocean itself.