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by Padma Edirisinghe

That women are equally or even more committed to the cause of peace may sound rather a trite observation. That this deep concern for peace ingrained in the female genre springs from the fact that they envisage a safe and secure world for their offsprings too may sound rather simplistic. But it cannot be denied that both these facts are true to a very great extent. Today many energetic women play a centre stage role in this drama of search for world peace that almost appears elusive.

Once such female, Rajyogini Mohini by name was in Sri Lanka last week. her work is based in New York which she regards as one of the world's foremost centres of spiritualism. To the query whether it was the grisly debacle of September 11, 2001 that has made New Yorkers veer towards spiritualism, her reply was negative. They are innately spiritual, she says, adding that it may sound paradoxical to many attuned to the materialism that the city is famed for. So it is this fact that has made this Indian lady dressed in pristine white and of very sober demeanour, choose this city as the nerve centre for her world webbed campaign for peace.

An experienced spiritual educator of over 42 years with the Brahma Kumari World Spiritual University she is actively engaged in administrative matters for the University nationally in the USA, regionally in the Americas, and the Caribbean and on an international basis at the Untied Nations. Skilled in delivering lectures in oral and written communication, personnel matters, fiscal management and program management she trots the world today on a mammoth mission in a search of world peace.

During the past 42 years of life as a spiritual educator, Mohini has been exposed to a multiplicity of cultures, religion, languages and nationalities through which multiplicity she has been able to catalyze unity and co-operation via a life style based in the teachings and principles taught by the Brahma Kumari Movement begun by a diamond merchant way back in 1936 in the Indian city of Karachchi. The Movement is based on the axiom that peace comes natural to humans and that violence is an artificial entity in human behaviour. It goes further to state that peace based on dialogue understanding and communication is a massive power in itself. Mohini herself is interested not in persuing dialogue among those at the helm so much (which of course she says is also very important) but mostly in fostering dialogue among the varied human communities and to this end she directs her activities. Her ideas and thoughts are churned from the increasing violence the world has been subject to in the recent years, from the myriad tragedies from the massive earthquakes in Gujerat, the attack on the Twin Towers of New York and all what is going on in Afghanistan.

Listening to Mohini was an experience. She raised many queries that lie dormant in many a mind today. There are so many wise people in the world but something is lacking somewhere. There is a perplexing paradox that exists between the marvellous technological advances made up to date and the simultaneous decline in the overall quality of human life.

Her "Dialogue" initiated at Savsiripaya was titled "The call off peace and inner power". Inner power is a facet that Mohini believes in to the optimum. In fact, according to her, it is the highest form of power that provides the requisite visions, world view and foresight for taking correct and benevolent actions. It is based on an understanding of the self, the inherent goodness and worth of the self, moral rectitude and practical value of adhering to the higher values of life.

Of course Rajayogini admits that she is almost fighting against the tides. The world is getting tainted everyday. Almost everyday brings grosser manifestations of abuse, exploitation greed, injustice, violence, corruption, deprivation, conflict and obsession with material gratification. Almost a crisis has sprung in the moral fabric of society. But the consoling factor in the whole set up is that the human is innately good, the most cardinal concept of the Brhama Kumari Movement. At least for the sake of their offsprings, adults yearn for peace and a world of positive values, a world that is free of injustice, lawlessness and violence.

To contribute her share to materialize such a world, the radiant faced and white clad Rajkumari Mohini, despite her advanced age, trots the globe with her colleague Meera working and talking to varied groups of people and answering questions put to her by men and women, bewildered by all what is going on a round the poor world of humans.

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