An e-devotee from California asks about the influence of India and Hinduism on the politics of the future. Will India become the light of the world? Gurudeva explains in depth how the tradition within Hinduism was not a total separation of Church and State, like in the West, but instead the religious leaders were sought out by the heads of state and communities for guidance, advice and admonition. Gurudeva says it takes great courage for religious and political leaders to work together. But if the political leaders understand their religion and their part within the religion, it will happen.

Unedited Transcript:

A beautiful question from a cyberspace cadet, Adinath in California about India. He comes from India and wants to know if the prophecy that India will be the light of the world, how will that come true? Will religious leaders be able to influence political leaders so that they keep on the straight and narrow? How will this all come about?

An Aadheenam such as we have here and established Ashrams who have many Swamis, Yogis and Sadhaka have the duty according to Hindu scripture and philosophy to guide these political leaders, the wealthy people and the lower people of every community that they are within. We read stories about how the Maharaja travels long distance to go to his spiritual leader, the head of his family in the Aadheenam or the Ashram or the Mutt to receive encouragement, to receive advise of how he has to uplift his people. So it's very simple when political leaders of India or any country are fully in the religion that they profess that they are a member of, this will happen. They will in humility take advise from their religious leaders. We see through a lot of the Asian countries and the politics involved within the Asian countries a strong influence of Christianity and Communism and those misguided Hindu families who send their children to Christian schools and Protestant schools are turning their religion into a watered down kind of a situation when their off spring becomes recognized as a political leader or even as a business leader. He has no basis for how to make his decisions according to traditional Sanatana Dharma. I've sat on my Peedam for over fifty years and I've seen political leaders come and go and come and go in high places, Presidents and Ministers and Prime Ministers come and go. But I'm still here. It takes great courage for a religious leader and a political leader to work together and to bring a country up according to Dharma, so that the lowest in the country, the beggar on the street is treated as fairly as the multi-millionaire is treated. So my advise for political leaders is to understand your religion and your part in the religion and not get side tracked into other religions or other methods of government that is contrary to the principles of Sanatana Dharma.