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| ♣The Spiritual Warfare | ♣The Land | ♣Ancient Days | ♣The Heavenly Will |
| ♣The Literary Realm | ♣The Religious Arena | ♣In Pursuit of Freedom |
WHEN GENERAL NORMAN Schwarzkopf, the Commander of the U.S. Forces was deputed to lead the Coalition Forces against the Iraqi Sadam Hussein in the evening of 1990, the first thing he did was that he acquired knowledge from various sources about his opponent concerning the geography, the history, the economy, the commerce, the religion, the people and the like details thoroughly before initiating his first move.
He was also supported and supplemented by the Air and Naval Forces to a greater extent.
The result.....?
Of course every one of us knew the outcome very well!
On February 24, 1991, the full-scale ground war was started and in the very following day, the iron-hearted dictatorial Iraqi President ordered his Forces to withdraw. Not only that, but within three days, the billion-dollar Gulf War came to a grinding halt!
THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE also warrants us that we must have to inherit, as much as possible, the knowledge of the area wherein we intend to combat with the 'Prince of Darkness'.
As we are Indians, it is natural for us to think of our vast country while exploring the possibilities to begin our Spiritual Warfare. Maybe some think of opposing the Enemy by standing on their knees; some may prefer to be the frontliners. But the fact is, if we are sincerely thinking of positive results in this combat, then we must have a thorough knowledge of our Nation before we are set in.
For having first-hand knowledge, it is always well and good to go in person and assess things like our forefathers - Galeb and Joshua. But, even before that, we may, however, perambulate in our mind on those things to have a perspicacious idea.
So, now, as the soldiers of the Mighty God, come on ... let us traverse into those things prayerfully to know what is what before we go into real action!
IF YOU CAREFULLY go through the historicity of our Nation, you'll surely come across a startling truth of that the rein of Indian political and religious ascendency has always been in the hands of a group of people who sprawl approximately between 21°58'10" and 27°31'15" North latitudes and 83°19'50" and 88°17'40" East longitudes, extending to 605 kms from North to South and 483 kms from East to West.
ON THE POLITICAL side of the Indian Civilization down through the ancient era, this was the Land where the Magadha Empire had its deep-rooted genesis. Subverting this early Empire, the Maurya Dynasty came into being and it is worth noting that one of its emperors shook the very yoke of servitude of Alexander's wretched clutches from the neck of our classical Nation. Also, this land witnessed the wisdom of wile and wise Chanakya! Then emerged the Great Guptas, who brought a memorable golden period to the whole of Hindustan!
THE GREEK DIPLOMAT, Megasthenes came to this area as a good-will Ambassador. The renowned Chinese scholars, Fa-Hien and Hiun Tsang, in pursuit of knowledge, came to the highly disciplined Monastic Institutions that uniquely belonged to this Land.
Thus the earliest Nalanda and the Vikrmashila Universities of this Land had trained tens and thousands of inland and foreign students on subjects such as Buddhist ethics, Vedhas, Medicine, Occultism, Arithmetic, etc. Moreover, the conspicuous aspect was that these were the only known prestigious Universities of those olden days in this Eastern Hemisphere!
ON THE RELIGIOUS arena, this Land contributed no lesser significance.
During the 6th Century BC, when, in the then European conglomeration, the human minds were astir, this part of India became the scene of the life's work of Vardhmana Mahavir and his celebrated contemporary, Gautama Buddha.
Also this Land was a stronghold of the followers of the Arabian Prophet and some of the notable Muslim Saits and Sufis of various Orders.
This old Land has a special importance for the Sikhs also as it has the proud privilege of being the birthplace of their great Saint, reformer and warrior, Guru Gobind Sing, the tenth and the last spiritual leader of the Sikhs.
The Hinduism also had its root deeply penetrated in this classical Land
The Vedhas and the Upanishads had their prestigious origins in this puranic Land. Several Buddhist preachers had been sent to various parts of the world from this Land to spread the philosophy of Bhodhisatva.
In short, most of the major systems of Indian Philosophy - viz.
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✔ VEDANTA (from Janaka and Yajnavalkya), ✔ MIMAMSA (from Jaimuni), ✔ NYAYA (from Gautama), ✔ SANKHYA (from Kapila), ✔ JAINISM (from Mahavir), and ✔ BUDDHISM (from the Buddha) |
- owe their origin to this multifaceted legendary Land -BIHAR.
BIHAR'S RESPONSE TO the Country's clarion call for liberty in different periods was spontaneous, splendid and fruitful. Its highly significant and inspiring role in the successive phases of our National Struggle for Freedom shows a strong under-current of patriotic and unyielding spirit that thoroughly miscegenated in the very blood of the sons of this peculiar soil!
Similarly, if you analyse the whole course of the human race of our Country, you will not be surprized to realize the fact that this part of India - very well known as 'Bihar' - played a significant and superfluous role in each and every page of our political, social, religious and cultural history!
THAT IS WHY our LORD, the Most High who rules in the kingdoms of men has a specific design about Bihar.
What a marvellous privilege the people of Bihar have in Him!
The Bible says:
'No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods. except he will first bind the strong man.'(Mark 3:27)
On the same pattern, if the strong area of India - Bihar - is bound or won first, then it would be easy to have a bumper harvest in the entire India!
Till recently, this Bihar was known as the 'Graveyard of Missionaries". Now, this trend has been fully changed. This is the time of harvest; but, the only problem this land faces is that the labourers are very few compared to the vastness of the land and people.
"Therefore pray your LORD of the Harvest, that He will send forth more labourers into His harvest"in Bihar!
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"Stand up, stand up, for Jesus Ye soldiers of the Cross; Lift high His Royal Banner, It must not suffer loss, From vic'ry unto vict'ry His army shall He lead, Till every foe is vanquished And Christ is LORD indeed." |
