RSS: Character Building in the “Saffron Brotherhood”
Picture Courtesy: Readoo India
While the Lok Sabha results announced on June 4 this year are now a part of electoral folklore, the commentaries on the results continue to fill columns. Among one of the most discussed subjects has been the perceived veiled criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak in his speeches. Some see it as a power struggle between the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (1). When asked about the statement made by current BJP President J P Nadda that the party is capable of running its affairs, Sunil Ambedkar, a senior RSS functionary remarked that RSS resolves family matters like family matters and does not discuss issues on public platforms (2). In the same interview, he also emphasized that the RSS focus, since its inception in 1925, has been on “man-making” (an archaic term that the RSS still uses) and nation-building (3).
Though literature is abundant on the supposedly tenuous link between RSS and the preservation of “secularism” in India, a serious study of the man-making mission of RSS has received comparatively much less scholarly attention. One book which is widely acknowledged to have examined the RSS training system in some detail with “understanding and objectivity,” is The Brotherhood in Saffron: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Revivalism (4) co-authored by Walter Andersen of the Johns Hopkins University and Sridhar Damle of Chicago. It was first published in 1987 (5). A sequel to this titled, RSS: View to the Inside, was released in 2018 (6).
In the introduction, Andersen and Damle highlight that RSS was established in 1925 to train Hindu men who would then work to unite the Hindu community towards attaining independence as a country and renewing creativity in society. Committed to nationalist ideals, this well-trained cadre would be the driver of a fundamental change in social attitudes.
The bedrock of the RSS training is the activities in its shakhas (branch/group). Sessions are held almost daily to foster character-building in the swayamsevaks (volunteers). The objective is that the participants develop identical behavioral norms and a common worldview. As the training progresses, it is expected that the swayamsevaks will grow into a “band of brothers” who transcend parochial identities such as those of language, region, and caste, and help restore social harmony and reshape Hindu society in a way compatible with RSS thought.
RSS training starts in the pre-adolescent stage itself. As the participants grow, they start to work out the relationships between them and society. They often try to seek a cause to which they can give their unflinching support. RSS appeals to this sentiment by advocating the sacrifice of the egoistic self for the social good. This finds organizational expression through service in the RSS and deference to RSS leaders. The vision of a society is a reformed social order that motivates young swayamsevaks to dedicate themselves to the “nation” (represented by RSS). The participants, in their commitment to the cause, develop a sense of transcending worldly affairs. They start to see themselves not as individuals but as part of a larger group and a historical continuum. This is achieved through inculcating a sense of strong discipline and through multifarious rites, which fuse the individual’s identity with the larger Hindu identity that the RSS intends to represent. Strong group cohesiveness developed within the shakha is the glue that binds the swayamsevaks to the organization.
RSS ideology and training
In the chapter on RSS ideology, Andersen and Damle say that the RSS founder Hegdewar, continuing with the Hindu revivalist thought well-articulated earlier by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Swami Vivekananda, and Sri Aurobindo, was convinced that the Hindu past and Hindu thought possessed the conceptual tools which could help achieve independence and restructure society.
The Rig Veda envisions human society as evolving from the “Supreme Person/Cosmic being” (Purusha) and compares the four social divisions with the various body parts of the “Supreme Person”. This vision was employed to emphasize the organic interdependence of all members of society as constituents of a single body politic. RSS thought maintains that a social body functions well when individuals perform their social, economic, and religious duties (Dharma). The Hindu social body is weak and disorganized because of a lack of comprehension and observance of Dharma. The disintegration is generally traced back to when the Islamic invasions of India commenced, about a thousand years ago. Hindu thought thereafter lost its capacity to creatively respond to changing conditions.
Transformation of “man” is the necessary pre-requisite for a sustained revitalization of society. M.S. Golwalkar, the second RSS Sarsanghachalak, in his writings, mentions four characteristics of the “ideal person”: the first is “invincible physical strength,” which is more about the calm resolve needed to lead a disciplined life; and the second is “character,” a commitment to a noble cause. The other two characteristics are “intellectual acumen,” and “fortitude,” which enable one to persevere. These attributes along with a steadfast adherence to dharma, make for a virtuous life. Character-building training in the RSS is focused on developing these qualities.
Dharma has been often construed as a set of obligations determined by the jati into which the individual has been born. Most RSS writers reject this and postulate that an individual needs to discover his dharma within his social construct. He should contribute towards the well-being of the social body and not cause conflict between its constituent parts. Such a person is a Karma Yogi. In its developed form, Karma Yoga is combined with a form of Bhakti Yoga.
While all forms of bhakti (devotion/faith) are recognized as valid on the path to realization, within RSS thought, one form is considered superior. Golwalkar writes that “murtis” in temples come alive only for persons of extraordinary merit. For ordinary persons, they are non-feeling emblems. As karma yogis, the RSS cadre wants a “living” God. The corporate “Hindu Nation” is identified as the living God. RSS training prepares the mind of the young so that individuals will act in a detached manner for the well-being of the divine entity (“Hindu Nation”). The purpose is deemed achieved when the individual experiences a greater loyalty to the “Hindu Nation” rather than to any other form of attachment. Instruction in other forms of realization is not a key RSS consideration and is left to teachers whose teachings have a stronger metaphysical focus.
The imagery of the “Divine Mother” (as Bharat Mata) is used to describe both the nation and the sacred geography of the nation. Both are viewed as material emanations of Shakti (energy, power, might…). The image helps develop and sustain feelings for the motherland, that part of the earth that has nourished people through history. The partition in 1947 is remembered as a great tragedy.
Besides the “sacred geography,” the nation is said to possess a soul, referred to as Chitti. It determines the social framework within which an individual discovers his Dharma. Chitti can be thought of as a higher law, which supersedes ordinary customs and laws. Only a special category of individuals is acknowledged as legitimate interpreters of Chitti.
The concept of “national soul” is based on the premise that India is a geo-cultural entity, with a common heritage. Golwakar wrote that the same philosophy of life, the same supremacy of inner spirit over outer gross matter, the same faith in rebirth, and the same samskaras (rituals) have formed the lifeblood of our society. The people of South India (Dravidians) were always considered to be as much as the “Aryan” people of the North.
Sage-like people, because of their special insights, are considered the most legitimate interpreters of Chitti. As commentators on the higher law, they endeavor to bring human law and divine will closer together. They may oppose human laws and customs when these offend their enlightened conscience. While RSS literature makes frequent reference to “enlightened sages,” it does not describe how they should be selected. Perhaps their wisdom and selflessness would lend them to easy recognition.
The concept of enlightened sages is an integral part of Hindu tradition. Sages are those who have learned to live with detachment in the world., which is the first stage of realization. They have also completed the second stage, a deep study of the Upanishads under the direction of a Guru, culminating in the realization of the “Self” through meditation. Such a person is called Jivan-Mukta. Andersen and Damle quote Zimmer’s description of a Jivan-Mukta. Such a person possesses a far-reaching all-pervading insight amounting to something resembling omniscience. It is not an encyclopedic knowledge but an intuition about things as they occur in everyday situations, which allows the enlightened teacher to address the questions posed by the children of the world.
Within the RSS, one grows towards enlightenment through training. The swayamsevaks who participate in RSS affiliates like the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) are the human instruments for the renewal of society. Swayamsevaks typically occupy senior administrative positions in affiliates and consult with RSS leaders on key issues. The RSS advice is not always accepted but is respected as the opinion of “detached” individuals.
While RSS thought is often described as “reactionary,” the fact is that it has always had an egalitarian tone. Golwalkar writes that the feeling of inequality in the Varna system is of recent origin. In its original form, Varna-based distinctions did not imply any discrimination. The work of social consolidation, which is the realization of Nation-God, can only be carried out when one sees a beggar on the street and a great scholar with equal love and brotherhood.
The term “rightist/right wing” too is not an accurate description of the RSS. While the RSS does place a higher value on the well-being of the community rather than the individual, when it talks of the essential goodness and perfectibility the human nature, it is closer to the “left”.
Some criticize the RSS as “fascist”. Certain aspects of RSS thought such as the concept of nation as an organic unit and of a national soul, do tend to support this charge. That said, there are salient differences with the European understanding of fascism, where fascism is expressed in the national will of the leader. The RSS rejects this as a reflection of Western egocentrism. In the RSS universe, higher wisdom is ascribed to individuals who have attained “realization”. They have to at least appear “detached” towards worldly matters. RSS founder Hegdewar had insisted that nobody including him should be regarded as the embodiment of RSS. Bhagwa Dhwaj (the RSS flag) is revered as the “Living Guru,” by the RSS cadre.
Andersen and Damle also quote from the diary of a swayamsevak. The underlying theme in the notes is an emphasis on the submergence of the “self” within the nation. There is an implicit understanding that this will be achieved by an unstinting commitment to the RSS. The imagery that comes through is of the RSS and society being a family. This brings along with it certain duties. Hindus owe something to each other as members of the “Hindu Nation”. It is more than being a law-abiding citizen of the Indian state and entails a personal commitment to revitalizing the Nation.
Conclusion
In “The RSS Roadmaps for the 21st Century,” first published in 2019, author and senior RSS functionary Sunil Ambekar (whose interview with India Today has been quoted earlier), echoes the same sentiment on character-building. He emphasizes that the RSS considers society as the main instrument of change. This can only be achieved through individual preparedness. The progression is viewed as “vyakti parivartan -> samaj Parivartan -> samagra parivartan” (changes in individuals will bring change in society, which will further bring complete change). (7)
As the RSS gets ready to celebrate its centenary in 2025, the organizational commitment to “character building” appears to be as strong as it was in 1925, when the RSS commenced its journey.
References
- The Print (June 18, 2024). “Mohan Bhagwat is doing what Modi is refusing to do—introspect. But don’t be fooled,”
https://theprint.in/opinion/mohan-bhagwat-is-doing-what-modi-is-refusing-to-do-introspect-but-dont-be-fooled/2135924/\ - India Today (September 25, 2024). “Family matter: RSS leader on JP Nadda saying BJP capable on its own,”
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rss-sunil-ambekar-on-naddas-bjp-capable-on-its-own-remark-family-matters-2606204-2024-09-25 - India Today (September 25, 2024). “India Today Conclave Mumbai: Sunil Ambekar –Exclusive interview on What Next for RSS?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWgDAfp_a4E - Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (May 1989). “The Brotherhood in Saffron: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Revivalism by Walter K. Andersen, Shridhar D. Damle — Review”. Pp. 156–157
- Goodreads. “The Brotherhood in Saffron: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Revivalism”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5774714-the-brotherhood-in-saffron - Goodreads. “RSS: A View to the Inside”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40959589-rss - Ambekar, S. (2019). The RSS Roadmaps for the 21st Century, p. 14
