Religion:Vishwa Guru

From HandWiki
Short description: Sanskrit phrase


Vishwa Guru or vishwaguru is a Sanskrit phrase and idea which translates to world or global teacher,[1][2] world guru,[3] tutors of the world,[4] world leader,[5] or teacher to the world or universe.[6][lower-alpha 1]

Translation

Vishwa Guru (Sanskrit: विश्व गुरु) consists of two words: vishwa or vishva () and guru ().

References in the modern world

In 1999, Rajendra Singh, the fourth Sarsanghchalak, or leader, of the Hindu nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), wrote "people have to forego and limit their personal pleasure and work for the realisation of the dream of making Bharat the Vishwaguru again. Great men such as Swami Vivekananda, Savarkar, Dr Hedgewar, Subhas Chandra Bose, Aurobindo Ghose, saw this dream and did wonderful work towards its realisation."[4] The phrase has also been used by the sixth RSS head Mohan Bhagwat.[4][5][7]

The word has been used during the premiership of Narendra Modi as a political catchphrase, as a long-term strategy, and to remind Indians of past glory.[4][8] The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, used the phrase with reference the India's National Education Policy of 2020.[1] M.S. Swaminathan, widely known as the Father of the Green Revolution in India, has been called a "Vishwa Guru in Agriculture, a teacher and a scholar who continues to leave his inspirational, ideational thought prints on the world" by Naidu.[9]

Shivshankar Menon, India's fourth National Security Advisor, has commented on the usage of the phrase under Modi, saying that India is not now, or anywhere near, being a net exporter of knowledge and ideas.[10] On a more practical level, Menon says that it is not clear "how vishwaguru status would address the immediate problems of livelihood and security that the Indian people and nation face".[10]

Further reading

References

Notes
  1. Vishwa Hindu Parishad is translated as Universal Hindu Council
Citations
  1. 1.0 1.1 "NEP will once again make India 'Vishwa Guru': Pokhriyal". 2021-03-09. https://www.livemint.com/education/nep-will-once-again-make-india-vishwa-guru-pokhriyal-11615311036086.html. 
  2. Lahiri, Swaroopa (2017-05-14). "Soft Power - A Major Tool in Modi's Foreign Policy Kit" (in en). Journal of South Asian Studies 5 (1): 39–47. ISSN 2307-4000. https://journals.esciencepress.net/index.php/JSAS/article/view/1952. 
  3. Hall, Ian (2017-01-01). "Narendra Modi and India's normative power". International Affairs 93 (1): 113–131. doi:10.1093/ia/iiw004. ISSN 0020-5850. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiw004. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Noorani, A.G. (15 February 2021). "What the RSS as 'Vishwaguru' Means for India and the World". https://thewire.in/politics/rss-vishwaguru-india-world-hindutva. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "India is rising to become 'Vishwa Guru': RSS chief". 2021-11-22. https://english.lokmat.com/politics/india-is-rising-to-become-vishwa-guru-rss-chief/. 
  6. "Time has come for India to emerge as knowledge hub, become 'vishwa guru' again: Vice President" (in en-IN). The Hindu. 2021-09-05. ISSN 0971-751X. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/time-has-come-for-india-to-emerge-as-knowledge-hub-become-vishwa-guru-again-vice-prez/article36303157.ece. 
  7. Ray, Meenakshi (22 November 2021). "India doesn't need to be a superpower, should aspire to be 'Vishwa Guru': Mohan Bhagwat" (in en). https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mohan-bhagwat-says-india-doesn-t-need-to-be-a-superpower-has-this-suggestion-101637597998731.html. 
  8. "India on way to become Vishwa Guru under Modi: Shah". 19 August 2017. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/india-on-way-to-become-vishwa-guru-under-modi-shah/1127486. 
  9. "Prof. M.S. Swaminathan is a Vishwaguru in Agriculture: Vice President". 26 October 2018. https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=184393. 
  10. 10.0 10.1 Menon, Shivshankar (20 April 2021). "Modi's India plans to be 'vishwaguru' but forgets soft power is useless without hard muscle". https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/modis-india-plans-to-be-vishwaguru-but-forgets-soft-power-is-useless-without-hard-muscle/642359/.