Anandamath (Dawn over India)/Part 2/Chapter 5

by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

When Mahatma Satya entered the innermost shrine where the future of Mother India was most dazzlingly portrayed, he found another person beside Mahendra seated there, gently chanting the Bande Mataram. At the approach of Mahatma Satya the stranger stood up and bowed reverently. Mahatma Satya asked him, 'Do you wish to be initiated?'

'I am awaiting your blessing, Master.'

Then the Mahatma said to both Mahendra and the newcomer: 'Have you properly bathed, fasted and prayed?'

'Yes, Master.'

'Do you swear before God and Mother India that you will obey all the laws of the Order of the Children?'

'Yes, indeed.'

'Do you promise not to live the life of a householder until we win our victory?'

'We do.'

'Will you forsake your father and mother?'

'Yes.'

'Brothers and sisters?'

'We will.'

'Wife and children?'

'Yes.'

'Friends and relatives, servants and maids?'

'Yes.'

'Wealth, property and enjoyment?'

'Yes, we renounce everything we have.'

'Will you conquer your senses? Will you never even sit beside a woman? Will you observe strictest purity?'

'We will conquer our senses. We will never even sit with a woman. And we will observe strictest purity.'

'Do you promise in the name of God and Mother India that you will not earn any money for yourself or for the members of your own families? That whatever you earn, you will donate to the treasury of the Children?'

'Yes, we will never earn money for ourselves or for our families. All we earn we promise to donate to the treasury of the Children.'

'Will you take up arms to fight for the freedom of Mother India?'

'Yes, most decidedly we will.'

'And never run away from the battlefield?'

'No, never.'

'If you ever break your promises?'

'We shall enter burning flames or take poison or die fighting for the Mother.'

'What of your caste? What caste do you belong to? I know Mahendra is a Kshatriya. What caste do you belong to?'

'I am a Brahmin boy,' the young man replied.

'Splendid! Do you both renounce your castes? For all Children belong to the same caste. In our work we do not differentiate between Hindu or Muslim, Buddhist or Sikh, Parsee or Pariah. We are all brothers here — all Children of the same Mother India. What do you say?'

'We agree to forget caste altogether. We all are Children of the same Mother.'

'Now I am willing to initiate you. You must never break your promises. God and Mother India are your witnesses. Hell is the only fitting punishment for those who break their word of honour.'

'Yes, we realise that indeed.'

'Then sing Bande Mataram.'

They sang Bande Mataram from the depths of their hearts. Then Mahatma Satya initiated them in the way that can never be revealed.