Madhusudan_Das

His Life and Achievements 165
body suffers that part requires treatment. But the treatment of
that particular part of the body amounts to the treatment of the
body as a whole. All our aims to develop Mother-Utkal is the
progress of India.. .This day we are seated in the lap of Mother-
Utkal, whose lap is the very lap of Mother-India too. Let each of
us take vow that, every day I will think for five minutes for my
country and I will henceforward devote at least five minutes for
the service of Mother-India for Mother-Utkal and for this Utkal
Sammilani. (Oriya Speeches)
MADHUSUDANS PHILOSOPHY OF NATIONALISM
Madhusudan harmonised Provincial or State-patriotism with that
of National-patriotism through a unique line of reasoning :
The ultimate ideal of the progress of human Civilisation is
progress towards altruism with progressive elimination of selfinterest.
In the physical world two objects cannot produce a third
unless and until the initial two forsake their former characters.
National-consciousness cannot unite us till we abandon our
individual self-interests. Being thus nationally united what is
the ideal of National Service for the sons and daughters of Orissa?
To serve the interests of Orissa and of the Oriyas means to serve
for the upliftment of Orissa's peasantry and artisans and to develop
national industry so that every one in Orissa would be
benefited(Madhubabunka Odia Vaktruta O Geeta - ed.
Nabakishore Das, p. 31)
He declared in the same vein:
...this Sammilani is established to infuse National spirit in the
hearts of all people of Orissa. Its aim is not to cater to the needs of
any particular community. This Sammilani is established to serve
those aspects of National interests which benefits all the people
of Orissa. He, who says to himself 'I am the son of the Mother
Utkal, I am bom here and I wish to die here, may he be a Bengali,
a Muslim, a Brahmin, a Karan, an untouchable like Kandara or
Pana or a Punjabi— they are all sons of Utkal, What is the meaning
of the term Oriya Nation? It means and includes nothing less
than this— He who considers himself as the son of Utkal and
feels proud of Her past glories and desires a glorious future, I
consider him to be included in the category of the Oriya Nation.
(Ibidp.46).