Sangh's Global Prayer Shift: Bharat Mata to Vishwa Prarthana

Hyderabad: The Vishwa Sangh Shibir of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) concluded with the ‘Vishwa Prarthana’ – “Sarva Mangala Mangalye Devi Sarvaartha Saadhike Sharanye Tribhuvane Devi Narayani Namostute” – instead of the RSS prayer ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhume’. Present at the event were RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale, and senior functionaries who joined 1,610 foreign delegates from across 76 countries.

This rare departure from norm was meant to symbolize the unity between the RSS in India and HSS, its global affiliate. The event underscored the Sangh’s commitment to ‘Vishwa Dharma’, drawing participants from every continent for discussions on Hindu organisation, service, and world peace. A senior RSS functionary noted that ‘Vishwa Prarthana’ is the prayer for HSS activists, while Namaste Sada Vatsale hails “Mother India.”

Shyam Parande, Sewa International in-charge overseeing HSS activities, told Deccan Chronicle that the RSS respected the host nations’ laws, registering HSS independently worldwide. Outside India, HSS holds mostly weekly family shakas – inclusive gatherings for all ages and genders – alongside grand celebrations of festivals such as Diwali, Holi, and Raksha Bandhan. This contrasts with RSS’s daily Bharat-centric shakas, where Namaste Sada Vatsale, composed in 1940, honours Matrubhume with patriotic fervour ending in “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” HSS’s version broadens to “Vishwa Dharma Ki Jai,” avoiding national specificity for diaspora harmony.

Delegates hailed the gesture as a milestone for global Hindu cohesion, with Parande emphasising service and self-reliance. The shibir concluded on a high note, inspiring renewed vigour for dharma’s worldwide propagation.

In his address, Mohan Bhagwat observed that RSS swayamsevaks have spread worldwide yet remain committed to uplifting Hindu society and protecting dharma. He stressed that India’s world leadership should come through example, not domination: “We will lead through our way of life, placing our living example before the world,” he said, urging Hindus to embody values of balance and harmony.