Unity means togetherness. We join together and work for a common cause, aim or object as a group. We need unity at all levels. All the members of a family need to work together to fight a common enemy, such as poverty. We need social unity to protect our common identity as a community.
The people of a State or a country may need unity to defend their common interests as against other States or countries. Similarly, we talk about unity in a trade union, political party.
Individually one member of the family may have liking for a different food, colour of dress, hair style, from the other. They may choose different educational courses, occupations with different levels of income. But when it comes to dealing with another family, they will be together, they all will be united. They will have a common approach, common thinking, common decision and common action on that particular issue, matter or occasion.
In the same way, we talk about our unity at State or the national level. Precisely, this is what we call “unity in diversity”. Individual units enjoy their own freedom in the matter of thought, speech and action, but when it comes to a common cause, they rise together and act together as a group and, if necessary, fight with the same zeal and favour.
Even when we talk about religious unity, it keeps us confined or focused at performance of certain ceremonies, rites and rituals. We are united because we believe in the same prophet, visit the same places of worship, attend the same congregations and have the same mode of worship.
Oneness goes far beyond unity, unity in diversity and uniformity. Here we are more concerned with the spirit, the soul, a particle of the over soul - God.
Oneness takes its roots from the formless one – Nirankar, the Almighty God, God exists in every particle of universe.
So, for oneness we must know this supreme uniting power – God.
For this we have to seek the company of saints who are themselves enlightened spiritually.
Hitherto, we were dealing with others as physical bodies. We found them distanced and we also discriminated against them as Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and so on. We alienated from them on the basis of the name of God they used, the prophets they believed and holy scriptures they read and recited. This sense of alienation gave rise to hatred, jealousy, enmity and violence. We fought in the name of religion, caste, creed and colour. We fought in the name of language, religion and culture. But now we realise that the same Almighty God resides in every human body; we call it soul.
The Sant Nirankari Mission organised its first Nirankari International Samagam (NIS) in Birmingham on August 11 and 12, 2012 and devoted the same exclusively to the theme of oneness.
The crusade for oneness, as His Holiness Baba Hardev Singhji Maharaj says, has to continue till every human being knows and unties with God.
This is the only path to take us beyond the diversities of rites and rituals and strengthen religious tolerance and communal harmony.
(The writer is in-charge of press and publicity, publications and internet of Sant Nirankari Mandal)
