Rashtra, dharma depend on each other, says Mohan Bhagwat at Vihar Seva conference

Mohan Bhagwat, head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), addressed the Vihar Seva conference on Friday (October 2, 2026). He said the nation and dharma depend on each other, and that the world faces dilemmas involving development and environment, freedom and family, and faith and conflict. He added that India holds a treasure of knowledge.

"Rashtra (nation) and dharma are not separate. The purpose of the nation is dharma, and dharma helps sustain the nation. The two depend on each other. If one exists, the other also exists; if one does not exist, the other also does not," Mr. Bhagwat said.

"The world faces trouble. Happiness lacks completion, aspiration brings loss, and loyalty ties to loyalty. Balance is absent; extremism exists," he said.

Mr. Bhagwat said India holds a knowledge tradition comprising the Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita, Jain Agamas, Tripitaka, Guru Granth Sahib, and the teachings of saints. He recalled that India had shared knowledge without seeking to conquer countries or convert people.

"The world knows that the path will come from India," he said. "The country has a treasure of knowledge, which the world needs today. Devotion provides strength to come closer to the Almighty."

He said preserving the lives and traditions of those who carry knowledge was not merely a duty of faith but a service to humanity. "You do not protect just a life. You protect the safety of the future of humanity," Mr. Bhagwat said.