Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar

Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar (February 19, 1906 – June 5, 1973), popularly known as Golwalkar Guruji, was the second “Sarsanghchalak” (supreme chief) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Place of birth: Ramtek, Maharashtra, India
Place of death: Nagpur, India

Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar

Early years

Golwalkar was born on 16th February 1906 at Ramtek near Nagpur, Maharashtra, and was the only surviving son among the nine children of his parents. He was the son of Sadashivrao, a school teacher and Lakshmibai. He spent his childhood in Nagpur.

Golwalkar completed his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Zoology at Banaras Hindu University. Later he became a teacher (Guruji in Hindi) at BHU, a name which stuck to him for the rest of his life. Golwalkar came in contact with the Ramakrishna Mission at Nagpur. Later, on the expiry of his teaching term, he returned to Nagpur and by 1935, completed his study of law and also obtained L.L.B. Degree. Recommended you read here.

On 13th January, 1937 Guruji was initiated into the Ramakrishna Order by Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and gurubhai of Swami Vivekananda. Golwalkar eventually received his ‘diksha’ and became a sanyasi.

Involvement with the RSS

In the meantime, Bhaiyyaji Dani, a student at BHU and a close associate of RSS sarsanghachalak K. B. Hedgewar, started an RSS shakha (branch). Golwalkar joined the RSS and eventually, following a meeting with Dr.Hedgewar, went to the RSS’ “Officers Training Camp” in Nagpur.

Dr. Hedgewar was deeply impressed by Golwalkar and seeing him as a potential successor, persuaded him to take a more active role in the Sangh. On his new role, Golwalkar said: “Like spirituality, organization of the Nation has also been my inclination from early days. I believe that I would be in a better position to achieve it successfully being a part of the Sangh.”. In 1939, he was appointed the Sarkaryavah (General Secretary) of the Sangh.

Dr. Hedgewar eventually died of multiple complications on June 21, 1940, and Golwalkar succeeded him as [[sarsanghachalak]] as per the wishes of Dr. Hedgewar, that he had expressed in a letter, that was requested to be opened only after his [(Dr. Hedgewar)] death.

Golwalkar was the force behind the formation of the organisations that comprise today the numerous network of socio-cultural activities in the entire country, popularly referred to as Sangh Parivar

His birth centenary was commemorated in 2006-07 in every district of India (Bharat) and also in over 30 countries.

His complete works are now available in different Indian languages and English.

Controversy

A controversial statement made by Golwalker was made in his book “We or our Nationhood Defined” which seemed to lend tacit support for the atrocities of Nazi Germany. He said:

“… Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the semitic races – the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here. Germany has also shown how well nigh-impossible it is for races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to be assimiliated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in Hindusthan to learn and profit by”

However, elsewhere in his works, Golwalkar denounced antisemitism:

“The Christians committed all sorts of atrocities on the Jews by giving them the label “Killers of Christ”. Hitler is not an exception but a culmination of the 2000-year long oppression of the Jews by the Christians.”

As for his views on Zionism and Israel, Golwalkar was supportive of the Zionist movement and also supported the creation of Israel as a Jewish State:

“The Jews had maintained their race, religion, culture and language; and all they wanted was their natural territory to complete their Nationality”

All quotes
taken from the book, “Bunch of Thoughts” by Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar,
3rd edition, 1996

Fearlessness

“All the time, circumstances are not going to favor us. We shall have to
face obstacles and adversities. Fearlessness is the first virtue of a hero, the
starting point of all other noble virtues.” – MS Golwalkar

“In our culture, worship has been offered only to such men who by their
extraordinary nerve and caliber braved the roughest of seas and storms, and
finally succeeded in turning the adverse tide of circumstances.” – MS
Golwalkar

Conversion

“Conversion of an individual does not take place after a serious and
comparative study of philosophies by him. It is by exploitation of poverty,
illiteracy and ignorance, offering of inducements, and by deceptive tactics that
people are converted. There us no question of a true change of heart involved in
this. It is but right that this unjust activity is prohibited. It is a duty we
have to discharge towards protecting our brethren in ignorance and
poverty.” – MS Golwalkar

“We in Sangh, are Hindus to the core. That is why we have respect for
all faiths and religious beliefs. He cannot be a Hindu at all who is intolerant
of other faiths. But the question before us now is, what is the attitude of
those people who have been converted to Islam or Christianity? They are born in
this land, no doubt. But are they true to their salt? Are they grateful to this
land which has brought them up? Do they feel they are children of this land and
its traditions?” – MS Golwalkar

Self-Respect

“Especially, our young men must be made to feel proud of being born in
the great lineage of Rishis and Yogis. If we to live up to their legacy, we must
live as Hindus, we must appear as Hindus and also we must make ourselves felt by
the whole world as Hindus. It is only when we learn to respect ourselves, our
national customs and manners that we can hope to command respect from the
outside world also.” – MS Golwalkar

Herd
Instinct

“A whole flock of crows assembles if we just throw a piece of flesh.
That is the herd instinct. This instinct comes into play when the wider grasp of
national life is lost sight of and narrow concepts of sect, creed, caste or some
such things reign supreme in the mind.” – MS Golwalkar

Spiritual
Giants

“History records countless examples of other countries bowing down to
our nation in utmost veneration because of the sterling character of our
spiritual giants who strode all over the world to carry the message of divinity
in man.” – MS Golwalkar

Statecraft

“The state could do good to society only so long as it remained as the
upholder of dharma – the higher law of the good life – and not as an end in
itself.” – MS Golwalkar

Real
Devotion

“Hindu society, whole and integrated, should forever be the single point
of devotion for all of us. No other consideration whether of caste, sect,
language, province, or party should be allowed to come in the way of that
single-minded devotion.” – MS Golwalkar

Our Sacred
Land

“This is our sacred land, Bharat, a land whose glories are sung by the
Gods, a land visualized by Mahayogi Aurobindo as the living manifestation
of the Divine Mother of the universe, the Jaganmaataa, the Aadishakti,
the Mahaamaayaa, the Mahaadurgaa, Who has assumed concrete form to
enable us to see Her and worship Her,…a land worshipped by all our seers and
sages as Maatrubhoomi, Dharmabhoomi, Karmabhoomi and Punybhoomi, a
veritable Devabhoomi and Mokshabhoomi” – MS Golwalkar

Supreme Goal

“Our one supreme goal is to bring to life the all-round glory and
greatness of our Hindu Rashtra.” – MS Golwalkar