Madhusudan_Das

200 Madhusudan Das:
lives ? Is he to contemplate on humanity denuded of all
nationality ? What would patriotism then mean ? The rivers teach
what we should do? The streams run through the country. They
take their colour from the soil over which they diffuse fertility
and prosperity. But streams run towards the ocean. They have
double duty-- duty at the time and the duty of their nature --the
ultimate duty. if I may so call the latter. If the streams don't run
towards the ocean they stagnate and stagnant water is the hotbed
of germs of various diseases... We must work for the wellbeing
of our race and nation, but we must so work that the race
might join in the march of humanity in which we as individuals
must join whether we wish or not. for that is the law of the nature,
the will of our Creator, and the design of human constitution."
(Madhusudan Das : The Man and His Missions,pp.259-260)
Madhusudan had a broad vision and liberal world-view which are
well expressed in the above extract. But he emphasised time and again,
the 'eternal values' in the civilisational process.
With a deep 'historical consciousness' and a meticulous
professionalism, he was searching for an active 'brotherhood' of Oriyas',
who could match his futuristic perception of 'glorified Orissa'. His faith in
Christ and ecumenical attitude to the 'Dharmic tradition' found a symbiotic
relationship in his poems and other prose-writings. In essence, he sought
for an 'inner revival' and 'spiritual revitalisation' of Oriya people in his
grand schema of outlining the shape of Orissa Province. In this respect his
literary sensibility echoed the 'tribulations of the self 'of Madhusudan as
a poet and prophet of Oriya identity. This honour, he received, through
the pursuit of 'respect earned by merit'. (See his incomplete autobiography
in Madhusudan's Immortal Words p.5) His literary merit was profoundly
nationalistic in establishing Oriya identity --'engrafting of the West on
the East (Ibid: p. 11 -12). His was a life, dedicated to the nation. In his own
words:
If you give your life to nation
Nation's life is yours
Its' never got by aimless search
Carried on for years."
(Madhusudan Das: The Man and His Missions, p. 189--
translated from Oriya by Pareswar Mohanty)