Tomorrow afternoon, from 4-6pm in Ticknor Lounge (Boylston Hall), we will be officially launching Swadharma with a discussion of this week’s Question. So it is an appropriate time to ask ourselves again about the nature of Swadharma.
The purpose of Swadharma is for us, Hindu college students raised in America, to develop a practical Hinduism that helps us live our daily lives, with the library of history as our advisor. It is to help us determine what Hinduism means to each of us, and to discuss that meaning with peers who seek the answer to the same questions.
For this reason, we often call upon the writings of Swami Vivekananda, which are freely available online. They have the benefit of proving their own merit — consider this excerpt, which encapsulates the mission of Swadharma:
“My children, the secret of religion lies not in theories but in practice. To be good and to do good — that is the whole of religion” (VI.245).
To be good and to do good — to ascertain how our chosen beliefs can improve our life as college students, through the application of principles (e.g. detachment) and considering the results. So during discussions, we may flex our intellects, but the aim is to produce tenets by which we can live our lives. Theory which informs practice — that is the goal of Swadharma.
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That was a wonderful launch event and discussion! Congrats to Saketh and Sonali for getting the online version into full force!
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