National Motto and What it Denotes

When the country became Independent, the then Leaders of the Movement selected ‘Satyam Eva Jayate’ as the Nation’s Motto. This is a pronouncement from Mundakopanishad. It means: ‘Truthfulness alone wins’. It takes us to the Culture and Values revealed in the Vedic Lore as well as the great epic Mahabharata, whose message is “Yato dharma tato jayah – Where reigns righteousness, there comes victory”.

The adage links us directly to the Cultural Values adumbrated in our ancient literature, which discusses in a singular manner the character and behaviour of the human mind. The exposition does not allow any differentiation on the ground of religion or creed. It is a rational enunciation, with its pre-historic origin, relevance and application, constituting ‘the composite heritage of the land’ and people, irrespective of any religious linkages.

It is important to keep in mind that the prolonged Independence Struggle, which passed through different phases, succeeded in arousing and involving people of all regions, unleashing a powerful National Momentum, only when people like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and others ardently instilled into the people the spiritual eternal values of Bhagavad Geeta, the eternal war gospel and the power of devotion.

Speaking various languages, differing equally in dress, food and customs, our people are inspired and led by an underlying National Cultural bond of unity. It is not spun and woven by any one individual leader or group. It is bestowed by the sheer ineffable power of the most ancient Vedic and Epic thoughts, values and ideals, which the people have disseminated, imbibed and embodied generation after generation. Like blood in the body, these cultural chords are present in the thoughts, feelings, emotions, knowledge and inspiration our people carry wherever they go.

For more than half a century, I have been a Moving University, living with people from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Orissa, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Shillong, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Delhi, Kashmir, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Kerala, may be still others. Everywhere men and women have been heartily taking to the spirituo-cultural message I disseminate. This evidences how there exists a strong cultural national bond of unity and affinity, in our people from Himalayas to Kanyakumari. And we owe it undoubtedly to the land’s great Vedic and Epic Cultural Values.

The best way to inspire any people is to enlighten them about their own enriching and empowering past. If they feel that their predecessors were indomitable in their values, inspiration and ideal, then as descendants they too would irresistibly feel the confidence and strength to march forward. This is undeniable psychological law.

The great tenets of our land have provided abundant inspiration, succour and strength to our people, in achieving their needs and goals. Many of these – like “Satyam Eva Jayate” – have been adopted by Educational and other Institutes as their cherished motto. It bespeaks how the cultural values of the land have a continuing relevance and application.

The Upanishads and Epic maxims adorn these places of learning and business as their cherished motto:

All these are pearls selected from Upanishads, Bhagavad Geeta and allied Texts, strung together with the National Motto “Satyam eva jayate”.

We have launched a number of space vehicles from ISRO. They all have names representing concepts or Cosmic Powers illustrated in our epics and Puraanas; eg. Agni, Aakash, Nandi, etc..

Finally, the question to be asked is whether we have distinct National values, worth imbibing, without which the invincible integrity and strength of the country would not survive. Also, are not these values matchless, relevant and effective even today? You have to find your own answer, on which will rest the strength and sustenance of our proposed move.

Back to Articles