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Nagpur, Nov 30 (PMI News): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday voiced strong concern over the diminishing usage of Indian languages and mother tongues, warning that the situation has reached a stage where “some Bharatiya people no longer know our own languages.” He was speaking at a book release programme held in Nagpur.
Bhagwat urged the audience and society at large to reflect on the gradual erosion of India’s linguistic heritage, emphasising that language is not just a medium of communication but a cultural foundation.
He recalled that there was a period in Indian civilisation when everyday conversations, scholarly exchanges, and administrative communication widely took place in Sanskrit. “Today, an American professor teaches us Sanskrit,” he remarked, pointing out the irony that the world studies Indian knowledge systems while Indians themselves neglect them.
Bhagwat expressed concern over children growing increasingly unfamiliar with basic words of their native languages. “Many children speak a mixture of their mother tongue and English even at home. The problem has grown to such an extent that some Bharatiya people do not know their own Indian languages,” he said.
While clarifying that English-medium education itself is not the issue, Bhagwat stressed that the reluctance of families to speak Indian languages at home is deepening the crisis. “If we speak our languages properly in our home, things will improve. But we do not do it,” he added.
He also noted that even spiritual leaders today often communicate in English to reach a wider audience—understandable, yet reflective of shifting preferences that distance younger generations from traditional languages.
Citing the example of Sant Dnyaneshwar, he said the saint translated the essence of the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi centuries ago to help common people grasp profound spiritual teachings. “Today, many of the concepts expressed in our regional languages have no equivalent in English. A single word used by Dnyaneshwar often needs multiple English words, and even then the depth is lost,” Bhagwat explained.
He highlighted culturally rooted terms such as ‘Kalpavruksha’, the mythological wish-fulfilling tree, asking, “How will you translate Kalpavruksha in English?” According to him, such concepts illustrate the limitations of foreign languages in conveying the richness of Indian cultural thought.
Bhagwat also spoke about the philosophical foundations of Indian civilization, which emphasize unity amidst diversity. He recounted how an Indian seer once told foreign guests that debating whether God is one or many is unnecessary—what matters is the acceptance of a divine presence that binds humanity.
He added that Indian traditions encourage people to look beyond personal interests and consider the well-being of family, society, and the larger community. “Our teachings have conveyed this message in different forms across generations,” he said.
Referring to the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwat said contemporary debates over whether it prioritises knowledge or action often miss the point. “Just as a bird requires two wings to fly, a human being needs both knowledge and karma. And the bird itself is your faith. Knowledge without faith becomes destructive, like the character of Ravana,” he concluded .(pressmediaofindia.com)
