An Organic Blend of Mao and Gandhi – The Needed Shift
by Sathyamangalam Nagarajan
An understanding of this masterly work
1. This is the first political work that shows clearly the difference between science and religion: While science is open to refutation but not to subjective interpretation, religion cannot be refuted but is open to interpretation.
2. This is the first political work that shows the link between religion and politics: the concept of kainkaryamarga or loving service to humanity is the same as the concept of class struggle as enunciated by Mao, that is, serving the masses.
3. This is the first political work that re-states in political terms a central belief in Hinduism that there are two forms of knowledge: a lower form, such as science, a product of intellectual work; and a higher form which brings the seeker to universal truth.
4. This higher knowledge can only be attained by offering loving service to the masses.
5. This is the first political work that establishes that serving the masses is the same as surrender to God.
6. This is the first political work that establishes the political nature of much religious thought, and that much of religion and politics cannot be separated.
7. This is the first political work that establishes the centrality of the umma, the church, or the sanga for establishing a democratic non-exploitative society, and for reaching the higher form of knowledge.
8. Nagarajan's concept of kainkaryamarga is a corrective against extremist interpretations of religious texts. It emphasizes the importance of loving service within the umma; that Christian love must embrace the whole community and not just be directed towards individuals; that Buddhist compassion requires undertaking loving action in society to be truly compassion. Within Hinduism, it shows Gyanamarga cannot reach its goal without loving service, and Bhaktimarga is not complete without loving service. Karmayogis need to work with love to realize themselves.
9. Nagarajan's concept is a corrective against instituting democratic processes in a 'Western' adversarial mode. Hence all forms of governance, adjudication, and administration must be bound by the overarching principle of love, for one another, for humanity, for life, and for creation.
10. Nagarajan is able to combine the thoughts of Mao and Gandhi because both saw politics in terms of loving service to the masses, while at the same time struggling against one's egotistical self.
11. Nagarajan reformulates class struggle in a form that can be readily adopted by the masses.
12. Nagarajan intuits that class struggle as loving service to the masses brings into play the all-inclusive female shakti of humanity, and hence his appeal to women to take a lead, as did Mao and Gandhi.
Dr. Vithal Rajan. Ph.D(LSE), BA Hons (McGill)
Chairman, Governing Body, Confederation of Voluntary Asssociations
Chairman, Advisory Committee, Dappu Dalit Collectives of AP
Vice –President, Osfam India
Member, APCOT, AME, EPTRI, RLF
Am very pleased to receive your letter last week. I find it rich, philosophical, appealing, revealing and educating.
Thank you for picking interest in my article published in the Just newsletter. I quite agree with the points you raised in your letter. I believe that we can pass the message to our people by educating them.
I am now trying to secure a column in one of the widely read papers in Nigeria and God willing I will carry the message forward.
I am proud of you and thanks.
Aliyu Salisu Barau
Lecturer in Environmental Studies
Department of Geography
Federal College of Education,Kano
P.M.B. 3045
