ADARSH – A ROLE MODEL

Adarsh Society is in news for nexus between Men in Uniform – Bureaucrats – Politicians. Sanskrit word Adarsh means – Role model! What kind of role model our leaders have put before us. Should the Gen next emulate this, then there is a great danger of out country decaying because of corruption.

A true man earns money on his skill, talent, strength and not by selling his integrity and self respect. One cannot be priced and purchased for a few thousand rupees by an unscrupulous character. One cannot then stand up and tell his own family and himself that it is himselh, who have sold the self and family respect for a pittance. Remember there is always a greedy family behind a corrupt person. You cannot say that “he forced me, or they forced me” because; ultimately the decision is of the individual to succumb. Our sensitivities have become numb. People have started taking corruption as an instrument of showing one’s smartness. Those who resort to corruption and don’t get caught are considered as ‘smart’. Those who don’t resort to corruption are branded as ‘weak’ or considered as ‘not getting opportunity to indulge in corrupt practices’. This can be judged from the name the society promoter has given – Adarsh. This is the sad reality today.

We must understand that, those who are corrupt and resort to corrupt practices are anti nationals and should be treated as traitors of out nation. One cannot be corrupt, resort to corrupt practices and then keep on trumpeting his patriotism and nationalism. It is hypocrisy and those who think they are nationalists should boycott such persons. Those who think they are patriots and nationalists therefore should take a Rashtravrat ( To know more about it please read the following links - http://rashtravrat.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html    or

http://rashtrarpan.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post_29.html or

http://bolghevda.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post.html . The last blog is in Marathi).

These scams put a brake on the real problems which our country is presently facing such as

– Kashmir issue and the act of sedition by the ilks of Ms Arundhati Roy

– Naxal carnage

– Terrorists activities.

These issues take a back burner in the face of the massive scams such as Adarsh society, CWG scams and 2G Spectrum scam.

To day we require a Parshuram to annihilate the corrupt people. Is there any Parshuram amongst us??

Friends of Antinationals

There was a seminar held in New Delhi promoted by the ilks of Arundhati Roy, Varavara Rao and self professed guardians of Human Rights. The known separatists, Hurriayat leader Mr Syed Ali Shah Geelani addressed this “Convention on Kashmir – Azadi: The only way” organised by the Committee for the Release of Political prisoners (CRPP). (Refer ‘The Hindu’ News Paper of 22 Oct 10) where in Arundhati Roy and Varavara Rao expressed their solidarity with Kashmiri seperatists who were ranting on self determination.

This act of organizing, being there for such event and expressing solidarity at the least should attract a charge of Sedition under IPC Section 124A. Sedition which says – ‘whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards. the Government established by law in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine’ and at the most along with slapping the IPC, Indians and particularly those who have undertaken a Rashtravrat (for knowing more about Rashtravrat please refer to http://rashtravrat.blogspot.com/2010/05/rashtravrat.html and if you are not getting to the required page then copy paste this link)  should collectively and instinctively boycott these self proclaimed eminent personalities and stop reading their books unless they regain their lost consciousness.

Some more aspects which require more deliberations are as follows:-

(a)       Personalities like Arundhati Roy, just to remain in public gaze can go to any limits. We as citizens should be watchful of their gimmicks.

(b)       People like Arundhati Roy should have basic pride of being Indian and therefore should have respect for Indian unity. They should know that these aspects should not be compromised in the course of their pursuit of being famous, wealthy and relevant in the society. If they fail in complying to these basic nationalistic aspects then we as concerned citizens of India should boycott them and their views till they learn these basic concepts of nationhood.

(c)        Govt of India and the party heading it should be ever vigilant about these so called ‘seminars’ and should probe the source of funding to such groups and seminars. In all probability, these seminars and NGOs may be resourced and supported by Pakistan and other not so friendly countries.

(d)       Govt of India should promptly act by slapping the appropriate IPC on these so called ‘eminent personalities’ and citizens should support such an act of Govt of India whole heartedly and instinctively.

Remember that as Abraham Lincoln has said “the idea of secession is the essence of anarchy”. Let our state not follow that path and for this we should remain ever vigilant.

MAKING PEACE WITH HISTORY

What America would have done if it found out overnight that Osama Bin Laden has constructed his memorial at the erstwhile WTC site?

Part I – Formation of Nation and Civilization

I have a strong belief that there are different states of consciousness, and levels within these states. This belief keeps getting augmented as I read our scriptures. Wisdom is just an offshoot of consciousness. Humans are in certain state of consciousness. There are obviously different levels of consciousness in it. Each person according to his level of consciousness perceives things before him. Tries to answer the questions that crop before him. Tries to face the problems. At each level of consciousness, it is an endeavor of the human race to enrich the level of consciousness or mental ability. At each level of consciousness there is a limit to which he can think, collate and comprehend. He cannot go beyond that. To go beyond, he will have to go to the next level of consciousness. The moment he goes to higher level of consciousness, there is a paradigm shift in his perception. His thoughts become more inclusive and tolerant. The scope widens. He becomes more liberal in his thoughts. This change in perception and accompanying change in the outlook would not have been possible staying in the earlier level of consciousness.

Talking of consciousness here is a poem written by Jalal ud-Din ar-Rumi in thirteenth century – a Persian poet.

I died a mineral and became a plant.

I died a plant and rose an animal.

I died an animal and I was man.

Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?

Yet once more I shall die as a man, to soar

with the blessed angels; but even from angel hood

I must pass on. All except God perishes.

When I have sacrificed my angel soul,

I shall become that which no mind ever conceived.

O let me not exist! For Non-Existence proclaims,

“To HIM we shall return”

Our scriptures have always professed this idea and much beyond like the idea of “Sarve Santu Sukhinaha, Sarve Santu Niramaya, Sarve Santu Pashyanti, Ma Sarvavidh Bhavanti” or concept of “Sarva Bhutahitarth”. This concept is more comprehensive and inclusive than “Sarva Dharma Samabhav” as it not only incorporates all religions but also all life styles, all ways of leading life, atheists, agnostic people and people who don’t owe any allegiance to any school of thought and above all includes non living things also. The concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” is far older than the word “Global Village”, which is just a century old.

When human beings attain such a level of consciousness, then for him the notion of different countries and nations becomes a triviality, because now he thinks about the mankind – saints belong to this level of consciousness. They do not remain anchored to a religion, don’t remain shackled in the realism of a country or a nation. Saints identify themselves with the whole world. Whole universe belong to them. The saint’s religion becomes religion of ‘humanity’. For him, the meaning of ‘nation’ is ‘mankind’. For him then there are no neibouring countries, there are no enemy nations. This is a sign of saint hood. How many of us have achieved this level of consciousness?? These people with advanced level of consciousness are but miniscule of the population cross-section of a country at any given time. The majority of the humanity has not reached that level of consciousness and therefore they cannot comprehend the concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. If humans with such average level of consciousness have to progress, it has to be gradual and commensurate to their abilities. These humans make small groups, called societies and civilizations. The concept of nationhood emerged from this need of grouping the human societies into smaller parts so that these smaller parts called nations start their destiny to evolve the consciousness of its subjects. The civilizations or nations take on the responsibility of developing their part and so contribute towards overall development of the humanity. The nations in their journey of developing superior consciousness, refine their culture, become progressive and bring clarity into their national policies. This happens because the world has got divided into different nations. So though the goal and aim is to have “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” the road towards that goal passes through individual development of nations. Some times contradictions are felt on the surface like a crust of snow on the river surface, but beneath there is a smooth flow of the river of progress towards the final goal of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.

The saints who profess to the idea of “Global Village” or “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” when preaching to the commoners or average people with limited human consciousness, then would like to preach in the language which can be comprehensible to the commoners. Even if it may be a trivial subject for these saints, they still preach about the concept of religion, rituals, Bhakti and Nationhood. We can find many examples. Ramdas Swami during 16th century exhorted Raja ShivChatrapati to establish a Hindavi Samarajya against Muslim invaders and atrocities of the then Muslim kings. Guru Govind Singh espoused Sikh religion against Muslim and foreign invaders. Our national leaders during freedom struggle actively influenced the aam janata to take up violent and non violent movements against British Raj. The concepts have different meanings and connotations to people with different consciousness. For saints it doesn’t really matter, the struggle for independence or freedom; as for them these are small trivialities. Had these saints and higher conscious people preached the same concept then we would have by now become a British colony, our identity would have permanently merged with Britishers (though not colour!) and wealth transferred to them like the immense wealth already plundered by them during British Raj days. It is like the organizers of a sports event. In a game of football, for the organizers both the sides are equal. For the organizers, rather than the result of the game, the conduct of the game is important. It matters a little to the organizer who is the ultimate winner of the game. It is not the same for the captains of the team. For them the respective team is important. Progress cannot be achieved without competition. The captains of the team must have a killer instinct to win a game. If the mental make up of the captain of the team becomes same to that of the organizers then, the game would become dull and there will not be any display of skill. The organizer and the team captains should play their role to have a perfect game. Same is the case with the saints and people with higher consciousness.

Hence the concept of nationhood is profound if we want our civilization to progress. To make a country alive, to keep people united by a thread of common beliefs, common traditions, common culture and history – religion is an important binder. Our religion or way of life – evolved over thousands of years from the basic fundamental vedic concepts of “atmanbrahma jagan mithya” and applied practically for saints and people with higher consciousness to follow this school of thought as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “Sarva Bhute hitartha” or Dnyanmarga or Sankhyamarga. For the saints and people with higher conscience don’t see God in Idols. They are not idol worshippers. They connect with nirgun. The same vedic concepts when applied to commoners but with slightly more evolved consciousness to follow as Karmayog. These are idol worshippers. Finally to commoners who are not yet evolved there is a ritualistic religion, dictates and Bhaktimarg to follow. The basic and fundamental principle remains same. In the present age one can say that the philosophy espoused in veda’s is akin to the binary code in zeros and one in the computer. The concept of zeros and ones is surprisingly close to the concept of advait as explained in the Upanishads and Brahma sutras. Concepts of “Vasudhaiava Kutumbakam” is like assembly language of the computer and the rituals and religious dictates for commoners is like various applications as accessible to the common computer users. Such profound thinking was the basis of Hindu religion or more appropriately way of life. In fact there was never a mention that this way of life is called “Hindu” by our scriptures. We always believed in ‘this way of leading a life’. This ‘way of life’ is earlier to the concept of religion. It is no surprise then that in any of the sacred scriptures such as Vedas, Upanishads, Brahmhasutras or Gita – Hindu word has not mentioned. In fact for many years this word was not known to our people, only when invaders started calling us by this word we have started using it. That does not mean we were at fault for not naming our religion. The people had taken it as a way of life and there being no other invasions and no exposure to other religions of that time, there was no need felt to identify this ‘way of life’ by a name. At that time in history, there were no major religions developed. There were great civilizations – like Egyptians, Mangolians, Roman, Greek, Hispanic, etc there was no need to name any of these as separate religions. The concept of religion came much afterwards. Probably the great civilization living beyond Hindukush ranges or beyond Sindhu river was called as ‘Hindus’. The word Sapthasindhu has got a mention in Vedas, depicting the seven perennial rivers flowing that time including river Saraswati. In Persian language ‘Sa’ becomes ‘Ha’ and there is a thought that Sindhu therefore became as Hindu on normal linguistic corruption. Other wise our religion used to be called by names such as ‘Sanatan Dharma’, “Ishta Dharma” or “Vedic Dharma”. Now it can be argued that since this name has not been originated by us and given by others, whether it should be accepted or rejected. This can be debated till the cows come home without result. Rather than wasting time we should accept it and move forward. Like wise many would argue that rather than now harping upon Ram Janmabhomi, we must accept the Babri Masjid and move on. Yes there is merit in this thought. We should make peace with the History. By accepting the fait accompli with grace, we not only save on time and move forward but also save lot of blood letting and reduce animosity amongst two religions. For that matter this argument then should have been taken to more logical end by accepting the British rule in India and our freedom fighters should not have wasted their time in awakening the people of India against the British Raj. This was not done for two reasons. First reason is - A great nation should not suffer because of apathy or non awareness of the masses. The feeling of compromising the sovergnity of a nation is insulting. It must be understood that, no country with imperialistic intentions come to rule the other country for developing it. Britishers did not come to do social service here. East India Company was a Special Purpose Vehicle to achieve a well thought out plan. Primary reason to rule the country was to create more jobs for their people, to get loot from the country which is ruled and to make their nation more prosperous. If while doing all these, the ruled country achieves some progress, then it is a byproduct, it was just a means but never an end to the ruling country.

Part II – Curse of Ashwathama

All know the history that the great invader Mohammad Babur invaded India in the 15th century AD. It is a common knowledge to the basic student of History that there is ample evidence to show that all Muslim invaders and plunderers after the loot defaced Hindu temples and razed them to the ground. It is a basic tactic of any invader – in order to psychologically gain an upper hand on the invaded society, destroy the revered symbols so as to give the invaded society a psychological shock and leave them broken. It was always a practice of the conqueror, in order to prove its superiority the symbols of reverence were demolished and vanquished had to face this brunt. Even if our country was not united at that point of time, the various regions in this peninsula were bound by a common thread of ‘Hindu’ way of life. There were many attempts to unite the regions by various satraps at that time. The most successful being Chandragupta Maurya engineered by Chanakya. They were successful in cementing these vast regions of Bharatwarsh. The period was such that none of the great countries were united as they are now. Each country had its own period of clashes, wars and battles. Although historical boundaries were established, political boundaries of many countries were not established. India or Bharatwarsh had its historical boundaries established beyond doubt. Political boundaries were yet to get crystallized. The Bharatwarsh was manifested by the people leading similar way of life.

Even if for a while we believe that there was no temple existed at the place of Babri Masjid, the fact still remains that Babur was an invader who invaded this country in the year 15th century and to any true Indian this was a direct insult on their civilization, country and nationhood. It warrants same type of reaction from Indians as was meted out to the imperialistic Britishers leading to an end of the British rule. The ouster of Britishers was possible only because of concerted effort put in by the people of India. It was the direct result of assertion by Indian national will. In the case of invader Babur, this national will is missing. It is missing because of three reasons. First reason is that some Indians don’t know the history because of general apathy towards history – The fact that Babur was an invader, an outsider who invaded our land, our country and insulted our nationhood is just not known to many. Second reason is some of us - even though are well aware of history don’t want to consider Babur as an invader and therefore an outsider as then there will be no other option left but to give up the claim of the land as no Indian will support an invader and would want to have a tomb of the invader for the people to remember in the posterity. Therefore very conveniently they forget that Babur was from the same school of imperialistic invaders as Mohammad Ghori, Alexander (who faced a stiff resistance from Pauras and ultimately died on his way to Greece) or waves of Shak (around 100 BC), Hun (around 400 AD) and Kushans (around 50-100 AD) which came from the eastern frontiers of this land. After all Babur, is not our national heartthrobs like Ram, Krishna, Rahim or Kabir. The third reason is that the matter of faith is in the court of law. There is a dual between mythology and history. In India there are many historical facts which have become myths over a period of thousands of centuries as our ‘way of life’ is very old. There were no records of history kept in those times. History was never officially documented nor was there any necessity felt at that time. The history though which was never documented some how was kept alive from many folklores, many legends that got evolved over a period of time. The lines between the history and mythology have blurred. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata were actually an earlier attempt in documenting the history in a different form. Ramayana and Mahabharata are the silken borders of our cultural fabric. These silk borders have made our fabric unique. The neo secularists have started cutting these silken borders and we are getting carried away. All this is being done only to be politically right. Only to be relevant politically and to get the votes.

Can anybody tell what good did Babur do for our country so that he should be remembered and revered by the way of the mosque which was any way built just to prove his imperialistic success at that time in the history over northern part of India.

What America would have done if it found out overnight that Osama Bin Laden has constructed his memorial at the erstwhile WTC site? Will it forget history and make peace with history and let it remain there? For the coming American generations to accept that Osama Bin Laden was a powerful personality who terrorized USA in 21st century or it would like to correct the insult inflicted upon by the terrorist called Osama Bin Laden? To make peace with history in such matters means to teach the coming generations to accept national insult mutely. To make them swallow their national pride. Tomorrow people would become disinterested and indifferent to the enemy incursions from our western or eastern boundaries. Where is the religion coming in here? This is something of national interest, a correction of nation for the insult inflicted upon it by some bigot. It is unfortunate that, Babur, a Bigot was a Muslim who inflicted an insult on our nation.

Making peace with history at the cost of swallowing national insult? At the cost of Teaching indifference and turning our Indians and citizens of India into mute spectators for any insult that may be heaped on us in future? We must understand that national pride is very expensive and it doesn’t come cheap. Here is the list of how this great country has already made peace with History.

- Bharatwarsh is witness to divisions from its historical boundaries in the form of Pakistan, Bangladesh, POK and Aksai Chin and various other incursions over the years because of complacency, indifferent attitude towards nationhood and political compulsions. We have made peace with History in accepting these incursions and divisions.

- Thousands of HINDU temples and worship places were destroyed and demolished during various invasions by the Muslim invaders. We the citizens of India have made peace with this fact and are keeping quiet to move forward. If Islamic bigotry could blast Bamyan Buddhas in the age of television in the 21st century, are we to believe that religiously inspired temple-destruction didn’t happen in medieval India?”

- Wakf board has 3rd largest land after Railways and Defense. We have made peace with it and accepted the fact.

- It is unfortunate that a prominent road in New Delhi is named after Aurangzeb, the most ruthless and cruel of the many ruthless and cruel Muslim rulers, oppressor and mass-murderer of Hindus. What are we as a nation doing about it? Majority citizens of this country have already made peace with history or are numb to the insults inflicted upon our nation.

Our country, India with the present political boundaries - is what is left after the divisions of Bharat. What is wrong then if we as citizens of India yearn for a national will to preserve and resurrect the historical symbols of faith and beliefs of this great country? If we don’t preserve and resurrect then nobody from outside is interested in preserving and resurrecting these symbols. What is wrong in having a strong desire to correct the illness and malaise of complacency which almost destroyed our Nationhood and ‘way of life’?

To punish ourselves for our extreme complacency, let the ‘remains’ at the disputed site remain in the shape as it is now. So that we Indians are always made to remember the cost of complacency when waves after waves of invasions and invaders after invaders like Mohammad Ghoris and Baburs were tearing our fabric, we did not give them a united fitting reply at that time and as a result we are faced with numerous problems. The manifestations of these problems are now staring at us in different forms, from Babri Masjid to large scale terrorism witnessed in every part of our country. From infiltration to Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The mind set of extreme and illogical tolerance has led to this situation. So to remind ourselves, let the site remain as it is like the unhealing wound on Ashwathama’s head due to a curse by Lord Krishna in Mahabharata – till the NATIONAL WILL awakes.

RASHTRARPAN

WHAT IS AFSPA?

This is the definition of AFSPA as taken from WIKIPEDIA for your information please. Remember Armed forces would become sitting ducks if this is not there!!!!!

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), was passed on September 11, 1958 by the Parliament of India.[1] It conferred special powers upon armed forces in what the language of the act calls "disturbed areas" in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. It was later extended to Jammu and Kashmir as the The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 in July 1990.[2]

According to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), in an area that is proclaimed as "disturbed", an officer of the armed forces has powers to:

"Fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law" against "assembly of five or more persons" or possession of deadly weapons.

To arrest without a warrant and with the use of "necessary" force anyone who has committed certain offenses or is suspected of having done so

To enter and search any premise in order to make such arrests.

It gives Army officers legal immunity for their actions. There can be no prosecution, suit or any other legal proceeding against anyone acting under that law. Nor is the government's judgment on why an area is found to be "disturbed" subject to judicial review.

- AFSPA is an act of Parliament. If govt wants to withdraw the AFSPA from J&K (or any other part of the union) then Army should not be deployed for internal security matters. Let Army concentrate on their basic task of defending the boundaries of the nation against foreign aggression. Let CRPF and the police do the job of internal security and maintenance of law and order. If Army is called for internal security then AFSPA is required.

मराठी भाषीकांसाठी

हनुमानाचा शाप व त्यावर उतारा – भाग २

माणसाचा स्वभाव हा जात्याच ‘पोझेसीव’ असतो. म्हणजे हे माझे, हे मी मिळवले आहे, माझी गोष्ट अशी असावी, मी मग असे करीन – अशी वाक्ये आपण नेहमी ऐकतो ते हेच दर्शवतात. मग भारतात राहणा-या हिंदु मनाला ह्या गोष्टीची जाणीव निर्माण करुन दिली पाहीजे की ही जी महान संस्कृती म्हणजेच विचारसरणी त्याला लाभली आहे ती त्याची स्वतःची आहे. ती त्याच्या पुर्वजांनी स्वतः संपादन केली आहे. ती त्याच्या साठीच, आयुष्य सुकर करणारी व प्रेरणादायी विचारसरणी आहे. ह्याच विचारसरणीने आज ह्या देशाला इतर देशांपेक्षा वेगळे केले आहे. ह्याच विचारसरणीने, सगळ्या भारतियांना विचार बंधांनी बांधलेले आहे. ह्या विचारसरणीत एवढी शक्ती आहे की तिचा जर अवलंब केला तर, लोकांचे कल्याण होईल ह्याचा प्रत्यय आज हजारो वर्षे आपल्याला येत आलेला आहे.

आज भारतात अनेक वेगवेगळे रितिरीवाज आहेत – उत्तरे कडुन दक्षिणे पर्यंत व पुर्वे कडुन पश्चिमे पर्यंत. पण प्रत्येकाला माहीत आहे की आपण वेगळे नाहीत. कारण मनाच्या कोप-यात वा अंतर मनात दडलेले असते की आपली विचारसरणी म्हणजेच धर्म एक आहे, व हा एवढा एक व एकच दुवा पुरा आहे लोकांची मनं बांधून ठेवायला. पहा ही कल्पना नुसती मनाच्या कोप-यात असल्यानीच केवढे कार्य केले आहे, त्याचीच जर प्रत्येकाला जाणीव झाली तर त्यातूनच केवढी मोठी सांघीक शक्ती निर्माण होईल. हीच शक्ती प्ररणा देते की आम्ही एक आहोत. हा देश आमचा आहे. ही विचारसरणी टिकवण्यास व प्रगल्भ करण्यास आम्ही कटीबद्ध आहोत. आम्हाला आमच्या विचारसरणीचा म्हणजेच हिंदुत्त्वाचा अभीमान आहे. हे आमचे आहे. आमच्या देशाला काही अपयश आले तर नामुष्की आमची स्वतःची होणार आहे. देश यशस्वी झाला तर यश माझे आहे. माझा भारत बलाढ्य झाला पाहीजे, कारण माझी विचारसरणी, माझी संस्कृती, माझी इच्छा प्रबळ आहे. हजारो वर्षांच्या परंपरेतून तावून सुलाखून निघालेली आहे. विचारसरणी पक्की आहे, खोटी आमच्या कडुनच आहे. पण हे सगळे आपल्या विचार धारणेवर विश्वास नसला तर मुळीच होणार नाही. म्हणूनच प्रत्येक हिंदु मनाला आपण हिंदु आहोत ह्याचा आभिमान पाहीजे व तो योग्य त-हेने प्रगट करता आला पाहीजे हे महत्वाचे. हिंदु धर्माचा अभिमान बाळगणे व तो योग्य त-हेने प्रगट जर करायचा तर आपल्याला खालील सुत्र अंमलात आणावी लागतील. ती सुत्र अशी आहेत.

- आपल्या व आपल्या भोवतालच्या लहान मुलांना योग्य वळण लावणे व जागृत करणे, राष्ट्रव्रती बनवणे.

- अहंभाव कमी करणे.

- राष्ट्र सुधार कार्यात नेहमी अग्रेसर राहणे.

- लाचखोरी व वित्तिय घोटाळ्यां पासुन स्वतः दुर रहाणे व दुस-याला परावृत्त करणे.

- आपल्यातले कला, नैपुण्य सतत वाढवणे व छंद जोपासाणे. शरीराला व्यायामाची सवय ठेवणे.

- कामाच्या चागल्या सवयी लावुन घेणे. तसेच कोणच्या ही कामाची व काम करणा-यांची उपेक्षा टाळणे.

- नितीमत्ता व चांगल्या आचारणांचा वापर सतत करणे.

- टोकाच्या आवडी-निवडी टाळणे. छांदीष्टपणा टाळणे व स्वतः बद्दलची कीव कमी करणे.

- दुरदर्शी बनायचा प्रयत्न करा व स्वतःचे विचार उत्तम, उदात्त व उत्तुंग बनवा.

- आपल्या धर्मातल्या चागल्या नियमांचे पालन काटेकोरपणे करणे.

ही सुत्र जो अमलात आणतो तो हिंदु हा राष्ट्रव्रती असतो. ही सुत्रे आपल्या हिंदुधर्मात वेळोवेळी व वेगवेगळ्या संतांनी, स्मृती, श्रुतीं मधुन निर्देशांच्या रुपाने आधिच अस्तित्वात आहेत. येथे फक्त देश काल पात्राच्या मर्यादेत राहुन एकत्र केली आहेत. हेच हिंदुत्त्व, हेच राष्ट्रव्रत. राष्ट्रव्रताच्या दहा सुत्रांचे आकलन होण्या करता ती सुत्र काय आहेत ती पाहूया.

- आपल्या व आपल्या भोवतालच्या लहान मुलांना योग्य वळण लावणे व जागृत करणे, राष्ट्रव्रती बनवणे. हे प्रत्येक हिंदुत्त्ववाद्याचे म्हणजेच राष्ट्रव्रत्याचे कर्तव्य असले पाहीजे. आपल्या राष्ट्राला अग्रेसर बनवणारी अशी लहान मुलेच मशाली ठरणार आहेत. त्याना हिंदु असण्याची कल्पना व देशाला प्रगतीपथावर नेण्यासाठी लागणारी विचारांची योग्य सामुग्री त्यांच्या बालपणीच बालकडु म्हणुन द्यायला हवी. हे साध्य करण्यासाठी काही रुपरेषा दिल्या आहेत –

• लहान मुलांना कामाचे मह्त्व शिकवावे. कोणचे ही काम खालच्या दर्जाचे नसते. काम करणा-यांची उपेक्षा करणे घातक असते. त्यांच्या मनात ठसवा की ज्याना काम मिळाले आहे ते खरोखरीच नशीबवान आहेत.

• त्यांच्यात स्वछतेची जाणीव जागवा. स्वतःची स्वछता व सार्वजनिक स्वछतेचे मह्त्व रुजवा. सार्वजनिक स्थळे घाण करणे म्हणजे अतिशय निचतेचे वागणे आहे हे पटवा.

• वहानांचे योग्य नियम शिकवा व ते पाळायला शिकवा.

• मुलांना रांगेत उभे राहण्याचे मह्त्व बिंबवा. आपल्या देशाचे नियम पाळायची सवय लावा. नियम पाळणे वा न पाळणे हे कोणी बघताय वा बघत नाही ह्या वर अवलंबून असायला नको. नियमां विरुद्ध अर्ज करणे व नियम का पाळला नाही त्याला कारणे देणे आपल्यात भिनले आहे ते थांबवायची गरज आहे. लहानांना हे पटवले पाहीजे की नियम न पाळणे ह्यात काही शहाणपण नाही. माणसाचे थोरपण तेव्हाच कळते जेव्हा तो नियम पाळुन यशस्वी होतो.

• लहानांना व्यायामाचे मह्त्व शिकवा. सुर्यनमस्कार शिकवा. निटनेटकेपणा अंगी बाणायला शिकवा. कोणचीही गोष्ट चांगल्या त-हेने सादर करायची कला आत्मसात करायची सवय लावा.

• आपल्या देशाच्या मालमत्ते चे रक्षण करायची सवय लावा. विरोध जरी प्रदर्षित करायचा झाला तरी वहाने जाळुन व कोणच्याही प्रकारची नासधुस करुन प्रदर्षित करता कामा नये ह्याची शिकवण लहालपणापासुन द्या.

• थुंकायची सवय चांगली नाही हे मनात बिंबवा.

• छोट्या छोट्या गोष्टीत आनंद घ्यायला शिकवा. टोकाच्या आवडी निवडी सोडायला शिकवा. त्यानी त्यांचे पुढचे आयुष्य आनंदी व प्रसन्न होण्यास मदत होईल.

• सकाळी लवकर उठण्याचे मह्त्व शिकवा. जो सकाळी लवकर उठतो त्याला दुस-यां पेक्षा जास्त वेळ मिळतो.

• लहान मुलांन मध्ये मिसळा. त्यांच्या बरोबर संध्याकाळी खेळ खेळा. जर लहान वयात मुलांना नुसते मोकळे सोडले तर मुलं वाईट सवयी पटकन धरतात. नाहीतर गणकयंत्रावर लहानपणीच विविध हानीकारक खेळ खेळायचा वाईट नाद लागतो मुलांना. त्यामुळे त्यांची मनोवृत्ती विकृत बनु शकते वा शारिरीक प्रगती खुंटते. जर का आसपास खेळायचे मैदान नसेल तर त्यांच्याकडुन पळायचा व्यायाम करवुन घ्या. सुर्यनमस्कारांचे मह्त्व पटवुनद्या व त्यांच्या कडुन सुर्यनमस्कार घालुन घ्या.

o लहान मुलांमध्ये कसे मिसळायचे व त्यांना जागृत कसे करायचे ह्याचे थोडक्यात वर्णन करत आहे.

 साधारणपणे दररोज १ तास लहानांना मध्ये घालवायचा प्रयत्न करावा. लहानात मिसळा तुम्हीही आनंदी बनाल. तुमच्या आवडी नुसार व वेळेच्या उपलब्धते नुसार वेळापत्रक करावे. पण जे ठरवाल त्यात नियमीतता असली पाहीजे.

 पहीला अर्धा तास व्हॉली बॉल, फुट बॉल सारखे मैदानी खेळ असावेत. ह्या खेळांनी एकमेकांमधले सामंजस्य वाढते, मुलांची शारिरीक प्रगती होते आणि दमायला होते. लहान मुलांनी खेळ खेळुन दमायलाच पाहीजे. पुढची १५ मिनीटे, त्याना एखादी गोष्ट सांगा. ही गोष्ट अशी निवडा कि ज्या पासुन जिवनाबद्दल चांगले धडे शिकायला मिळतील. ती गोष्ट, पुर्वीच्या आपल्या भारतवर्षाच्या उज्वल काळातली असु शकते, आपल्या इतिहासातल्या झालेल्या चुका असु शकतात, आपल्या स्वातंत्र्य लढ्या बद्दलच्या गोष्टी असु शकतात, किंवा एखादी आपल्या स्वातंत्र्योत्तर काळातील भारत पाक लढ्यातली गोष्ट असु शकते. किंवा एखाद्या थोर लेखकाने लिहीलेली गोष्टही असु शकते.

 पुढची १५ मिनीटे मुलांना हल्लीच्या ज्वलंत प्रश्नांबद्दलची माहीती करुन द्यावी. त्यांना त्याचा विचार करुन त्या प्रश्नांवर उत्तरे शोधायची सवय लावावी. लोकांपुढे बोलायची सवय लावावी. सभे पुढे बोलायचे धैर्य वाढवावे.

 हा एक तास तुम्ही जेवढा नीट आखाल तेवढा त्याचा फायदा मुलांच्यात योग्य जागृती होण्यात होईल. मुलांमध्ये तुमचा मेळ बरोबर बसला पाहीजे तरच मुले तुम्हाला मित्र समजुन, किवा तुमचा आदर करुन चांगल्या सवयी उचलतील.

हे करताना आपल्याला स्वतःचा अहंभाव जरा बाजुला ठेवावा लागेल. मुलांना शिकवायची मनापासुन इच्छा व्हायला पाहीजे. कोठे मुले चुकताना दिसली तर, मला काय करायचे त्यांचे पालक बघुन घेतील ही भावना सोडुन देऊल मुलांची चुक दुरुस्त करायचा प्रयत्न करावा लागेल. मुलांना चुक समजावुन द्यावी लागेल व पालकांनीही उगाचच मुलांची बाजु घेण्याचे टाळले पाहीजे. हातुन झालेल्या चुकांचा मुलांना पश्चाताप होणे हे चांगले लक्षण आहे ते जोपासले पाहीजे. ज्याला पश्चाताप होतो तो चुका सुधारु शकतो.

- अहंभाव कमी करणे. ब-याच वेळेला आपला अहंभाव कृती करण्याच्या आड येतो. आपल्यातल्या अहंभावामुळे ब-याचवळेला कृती कराविशी वाटुन सुद्धा गोंधळ उडण्या सारखे भरपुर प्रश्न आपल्या समोर उभे ठाकतात. कधी वाटते – माझा दर्जा, माझी ‘पोझीशन’ पाहुन मी का म्हणुन असले काम करु? कधी मनात येते, मी कशाला त्या मुलाला शिकवू किंवा चुका काढु? – कारण, तो मुलगा ज्या घरातला आहे त्याच्याशी आपले फार काही जिव्हाळ्याचे संबंध नाहीत. कधी कोणी आपल्या राष्ट्रासाठी छान कल्पना पुढे ठेवली तर मी मदत तर सोडाच पण साधा पाठींबा पण देणार नाही. बाजुला होऊन गंम्मत बघेन. फारच झाले तर, मला जर श्रेय मिळणार असेल तर मग विचार करीन. आपण जेव्हा आपल्याकडे कामकरणा-यांच्या मुलांना शिकवत असु, किंवा एखाद्द्या दारिद्र्यरेषे खालच्या घरातल्या मुलांना शिकवत असु तेव्हातर प्रामुख्याने आपल्या अहंभावावर नियंत्रण ठेवायला शिकले पाहीजे.

- राष्ट्र सुधार कार्यात नेहमी अग्रेसर राहणे. राष्ट्र जो पर्यंत समृद्ध होत नाही तो पर्यंत स्वतःचा व स्वतःच्या कुटूंबाचा सातत्त्याने विकास होणार नाही. हे ज्याला पटले तो आपोआपच राष्ट्र सुधार कार्यात अग्रेसर होईल. आपण स्वतःचा विकास जेव्हा आपले राष्ट्र निकोप, सुरक्षित व संघटीत होईल तेव्हाच ख-या अर्थाने करु शकु. आपल्या धर्मा मध्ये गरजुंची मदत नहमीच प्रतिपादीली आहे एवढेच नाही तर शास्त्रांमध्ये ती कशी करावी ह्यावर मार्मीक विवेचन आढळेल. शास्त्रे सांगतात, आपल्या मिळकतितील १० टक्के आपण गरजुंना द्यावेत, १० टक्के आपल्या वृद्ध पालकांवर व थोरांवर खर्चि घालावी, १० टक्के भविष्यासाठी साठवुन ठेवावी आणि बाकी उरलेली स्वतःवर व परिवाराच्या कल्याणार्थ खर्ची घालावी. ही काही काळ्या दगडावरची रेघ नव्हे – पण एक घालुन दिलेला पायंडा आहे. कोणाला गरजे नुसार, इच्छे नुसार, आपल्या शक्ति नुसार, आपल्या आत्म्याच्या प्रगल्भतेच्या स्तरानुसार, आपल्या आवडी नुसार त्या प्रमाणात कमी जास्त बदल करायचा असेल तर त्यात काही गुन्हा नाही, तो त्याने करावा. पण समाजासाठी असलेली आपली जबाबदारी ओळखावी एवढे समजले व त्याप्रमाणे वागले म्हणजे शास्त्रपालन झाले असे समजावे. स्वतःला असे करण्यात किती समाधान मिळेल ते बघा. स्वतःचा स्वभिमान वाढीस लागेल.

राष्ट्र सुधार कार्यात अग्रेसर व्हायचे तर काही सोप्या सहजच करता येण्या सारख्या गोष्टी आहेत.

- आपण एखाद्या गरजु विद्द्यार्थ्याला मदत करु शकता.

- जवळच्या असरकारी संघटनेत काम करु शकता.

- आपण जर वृद्ध असाल तर आजुबाजुच्या लहान मुला मुलींना गोष्टी सांगुन किवा गोष्टी सांगायला लावुन सभाधीट बनवा. तुमचा पण वेळ चांगला जाइल व लहानांना पण जाता जाता वळण लागेल.

- आपण जर गृहिणी असाल तर फावल्या वेळेत तुम्हला येणारी कोठली कला लहानांना शिकवता येईल. कला, गोष्टी, संगीत, गप्पागोष्टीतुन सुद्धा समाजोपयोगी चांगले गुण शिकले, शिकवले जाऊ शकतात.

- तुम्ही जर वैद्द्य किवा डॉक्टर असाल तर जवळच्या गरजु लोकांना सामाजिक स्वास्थ्या बद्दल सांगता येऊ शकेल व औषधेही देऊ शकाल.

- किती लिहु? तुम्ही तुमच्या कुवती प्रमाणे स्वतःच ठरवुन रामाच्या खारुटली प्रमाणे तुमचा वाटा उचलु शकता. थोडक्यात, आयष्यात एकातरी गरजु मुलासाठी देवमाणुस व्हायचा प्रयत्न करा व बघा किती अंतरिक समाधान प्राप्त होते ते.

ज्याना एवढेही जमणार नसेल त्यानी बाकीच्यांनी हाती घेतलेल्या कामात अडथळे न आणता त्यांना मनापासुन निदान चांगले आशिर्वाद तरी द्यावेत. काही गोष्टी ज्या सहज तुमच्या हातुन होऊ शकतात त्यां बद्दल आता लिहीत आहे.

- आपल्याला आवडेले असेल किवा नसेल पण आपले राष्ट्र वेगवेगळ्या भाषिक प्रांतात (राज्यात) विभागले गेले आहे. आ पल्या राष्ट्राने ह्या गोष्टीचा स्वीकार केला आहे. आपले राष्ट्र आपल्या राज्यांपेक्षा श्रेष्ठ असल्या कारणाने अंतरराज्य सिमेवरुन भांडणे उकरुन काढता कामा नयेत व असलेल्या मतभेदांना प्रोत्साहन देता कामा नयेत. कोठच्याही अशा मोहीमेला बळी पडु नका ज्याने राज्या राज्यां मध्ये कलह निर्माण होईल. तुमची उर्मी, तुमची शक्ती व तुमची बुद्धी ही आपल्या राष्ट्राच्या सिमा सुरक्षित कशा राहतील ह्यात लागल्या पाहीजेत. आपल्या सिमेला धरुन असणा-या प्रश्नांशी तुम्ही नेहमी जागरुक असले पाहीजे. कोणत्या सिमा अजुन निश्छित नाहीत, कोणच्या सिमेबाबत कोणच्या राष्ट्रांबरोबर वाद आहेत, घुसखोर कोठुन होत आहे, बांगलादेशी विस्थापितांचा लोंढा अजुन का येत आहे व आपला दश तो थांबवण्यासाठी काय करत आहे ईत्यादी.

- आपण नेहमी सतर्क असले पाहीजे आपल्या राष्ट्राची संपत्ती व नैसर्गीक साठे ह्यांच्या सुरक्षीतते कडे. नेहमी मुलांना व वाटचुकल्या तरुणांना राष्ट्रिय संपत्तीच्यानाषा पासुन परावृत्त केले पाहीजे. अशा कोठच्याही मोहीमेला आपला पाठींबा असता कामा नये कि जेणे करुन राष्ट्रिय संपत्तीला हानी पोहचेल. विरोध दर्शवायच्या सुद्धा चांगल्या पद्धती आहेत त्याचा वापर करावा. कोणत्याही कायद्या विरुद्ध किंवा सरकारी धोरणाचा विरोध करायचा असेल तर राष्ट्रिय संपत्तीला हानी न पोहचवता करा.

- अशा कोणत्याही मोहीमेला प्रोत्साहन व पाठींबा देऊ नका की जेणे करुन मंदीर, मस्जीद इत्यादी धर्मस्थळे दळणवळण केंन्द्रांवर व रस्त्यांमध्ये बांधायचा विचार आहे किंवा बांधली जात आहेत.

- लोकसंख्या वाढीमुळे उद्भवणारे प्रश्न अशिक्षित लोकांना समजावुन सांगा. संख्ये पेक्षा कस का चांगला ह्याचे महत्त्व समजवावे.

- आपल्या राष्ट्राबद्दल चागले विचार मनात नेहमी आणावे, तसेच आपल्या परिवाराबद्दल मनात चांगले विचार आणावे, आपल्या समाजाबद्दल मनात चांगले विचार आणावे. हे सर्वश्रुत आहे की सार्वजनिक प्रार्थनेचा खुप फायदा होतो. मन चांगले होते व आजुबाजुला चांगले वातावरण निर्माण होईला मदत होते. चांगल्या मनाने केलेली प्रार्थना देशासाठी उपायकारक ठरते.

- मतदान हे सगळ्यात मोठे आपले कर्तव्य आहे व लोकशाही टिकवण्याचे मुख्य साधन आहे. ते प्रत्येकाने आपला धर्म आहे अस समजुन पाळले पाहीजे.

(क्रमशः)







राष्ट्रार्पण

GOD’S CALENDAR OR CALENDAR OF UNIVERSE

Hindu Shruti(s) (ancient verses that were ‘heard’ by Sages, like Vedas and Upanishad(s)), Smruti(s) (ancient scripts that have been passed down over the ages by memory like Purana(s) and Manusmriti) and epics (like Ramayan and Mahabharata based on ancient history) all depict the cycle of creation and dissolution of the universe. The cycle is continuous. The creation starts during the dawn of the Brhamadeva day and the dissolution is complete by last quarter of the Brhamadeva night. We all know that by any scale of imagination this has to be a period of considerable magnitude and probably our unit of measurement of calendar years, months is very small to measure the period. This is similar to the units used for astronomical measurements like distance covered by light is measured in ‘light years’ to measure the distances between celestial bodies. The ancient ways to measure the time and period between creation and dissolution of the universe had the provision of different sets of units.

The period between the birth and death of the universe was measured in terms of the Brhamadeva’s one day, Brhamadeva’s one year, God’s one day and God’s one year and so on. The relationship between these units and our calendar or in terms of man’s day, man’s year is given in shruti(s) and smruti(s).

We all know that our Gregorian year consists of 365 days. According to the Hindu calendar it is around 360 days. Let us refer to Hindu calendar year. It has 12 months of thirty days each.

- Uttarayan (Vernal equinox to Summer Solstice) – Six months – 1 Ayan. – God’s 1 day.

- Dakshinayan (Autumnal equinox to Winter Solstice) – Six months – 1 Ayan – God’s 1 night.

- Therefore man’s 360 yrs is God’s 1 year.

Many man’s years make one god’s Yug. These are four yug(s). Namely Krutayug – which has 4000 god yrs, Tretayug – having 3000 god yrs, Dwaparyug – 2000 god yrs and Kaliyug – of 1000 god yrs. The start and end of one yug is not one after another, but it has some intermediate years before start and end of each yug (like dawn and dusk of the day). Kruta has 400 yrs before and after the yug, Treta has 300 yrs before and after the yug, Dwapar yug has 200 yrs and Kaiyug has 100 yrs. This gives another 2000 yrs for a group of four yug(s) totaling to 12000 god yrs (10000 yrs + 2000 yrs).

12000 god yrs covering these yug(s) means our 4,320,000 years. This is our Mahayug. God’s one yug consists of 12000 yrs. Now god’s such 71 yug makes one Manwantar. Each Manwantar has one ‘Manu’. Such 14 Manwantar(s) each having intermediate Kruta yug before and after each Manwantar (15 Kruta yug(s)) makes around 1000 god’s yug (4,320,000,000 man years). 1000 god yug(s) make one Kalpa. 1 Kalpa is one day of Brhamadeva and one more Kalpa means one night of Brhamadeva. It is this one day and night of Brhamadeva (8,640,000,000 yrs) is the life of the universe where one cycle of creation, sustenance and dissolution is completed. 200 Kalpa(s) makes one year of Brhamadeva. His life is around 100 Brahmadeva years that means 20000 Kalpa(s) means life of Brhamadeva. or 86,400,000,000,000 around 86 trillion, 400 billion years.

Today we are in the first day (Shvetavarah Kalpa) of the 51st Brhamadev year. In this Shvetavarah Kalpa, 6 Manvantar(s) have been finished and we are in the seventh ‘Vaivaswat’ Manwantar. Out of 71 Mahayug of Vaivaswat Manwantar, 27 Mahayug(s) are over and we are in 28th Mahayug. In this 28th Mahayug we have finished with three yug(s) (Kruta, Treta and Dwapar) and are in the 1st quarter of Kaliyug. In Shak (Hindu Calendar) 1821 (year 1899 as per Gregorian Calendar), 5000 yrs of Kaliyug has been over. If we convert the period of Kaliyug, it is of around 396000 yrs, and then around 390890 years are left for ‘Pralay’ (of Kaliyug). One can calculate the date of ‘Pralay’ in the present Kaliyug as depicted in the Purana(s). This ‘Pralay’ is a ‘local’ phenomenon if the life of universe is considered and is limited to ‘our’ world signifying end of one yug and entry into the next yug. This ‘Pralay’ may not be only in terms of natural calamity, this can be manifested as wars, broken societies, low level of civility and other man made or rather man authored calamities. In fact this is one way of ‘our’ world getting cleansed and ready for ‘next episode’.

These mind boggling figures shows the magnitude of the period between the creation and dissolution of the universe of which ‘our’ world may be just a miniscule part. Important questions emerge from these figures about the existence of the universe. Some are discussed here, some are left for pondering and some are open for scientific validation albeit with the limited wisdom of the existing man.

Shruti(s) are claimed to be uncreated, unoriginated, unwritten (by mankind) but manifested as visualization and insight of the sages by unknown and unmanifested. Therefore many times in shruti(s) there are proclaimations rather than explainations. Smriti(s) are evolved, adapted, thought and researched by the sages. Are these figures correct? This may be debated and validated but why these figures? Why not any other? Like there are 71 yug(s) and 14 Manwantar(s) may be just to bring the addition to 1000 yug(s). Then what about other figures and the names of all those Kalpa(s), Manwantar(s)? Was it just imagination of the sages? If it was just imagination then what was the purport? After all the Hindu Calendar also has 360 days (like Gregorian 365 days) and adhikmas to compensate for the shortfall of 5 days per year and to bring equanimity between solar and lunar months, which also corresponds to one revolution of the Earth round the Sun (Gregorian has a leap year with additional day).They could have just done away with saying – the period between the creation and dissolution of the universe is thousands of years instead of convoluted figures where attention gets diverted to these figures which ultimately point out to just – many years. Then there is reference of where we are in the present context in all these mind boggling figures when it is told that we are in Shvetavarah Kalpa and in the Vaivaswat Manwantar! This shows again and again our serious attempts at peeping deep in to the black hole called the origin of universe, its sustenance and ultimate dissolution. It shows the futility of time, projections and created mental and physical edifices as if they are permanent.

As per some of the studies on age, earth is around 4.7 billion years old. Error of 10 % (which could be a possibility) offsets it by half a billion years! The age of universe is around 13.75 billion years (as per studies). The studies are in the nascent stage and no comments are offered on accuracy and error margin.

BhagwadGita (VIII.18), Manusanhita (1.66-73), Mahabharat (Shantiparva 231) and Vishnupuran (1.3) refers.

RASHTRARPAN

मराठी वाचकांसाठी

हनुमानाचा शाप व त्यावर उतारा

हनुमानाची गोष्ट अशी सांगतात की, त्याला असा शाप ऋषींनी दिला होता की जो पर्यंत त्याला त्याच्या शक्तीची कोणी जाणीव करुन देणार नाही, तो पर्यंत त्याला स्वतःच्या शक्तीची जाणीव असणार नाही, व त्या मुळे तो तिचा योग्य उपयोग करु शकणार नाही. ह्या शापा मुळे त्याला माहीतीच नव्हते पडले की त्याच्या कडे एवढी प्रचंड शक्ती आहे. हि जाणिव करुन दण्याचे काम जांबुवंताने केले. आपण लहानपणा पासून शिकतो की सगळे धर्म तत्त्वतः चांगलेच असतात. कोणताही धर्म मानव जातीचा उत्कर्ष कसा साध्य होईल ह्याच एका उद्देशाने शिकवण देत असतो. मग सध्या जो हिंदुत्त्वाचा उद्घोष चालला आहे तो बरोबर आहे का? व त्याची गरज खरोखरीच आहे का? असे प्रश्न सहजच उद्भवतात. आपण सगळे येथे सामंजस्याने राहू, उगाच हे प्रश्न उकरुन जातियवाद का निर्माण करा? व सगळ्यात महत्त्वाचे म्हणजे ह्याचा सामान्य माणसांवर काय फरक पडणार आहे? त्यांचे रोजचे सतावणारे प्रश्न सुटणार आहेत का?

ह्या सगळ्याचा विचार करायचा म्हणजे आपल्याला काही गोष्ठींचा खुलासा करुन घ्यावा लागेल. विचारवंतांचे व तत्त्वज्ञानी लोकांचे ध्येय, हे सर्व सामावणा-या, सगळ्या अस्तीत्त्वात असलेल्या जिवसृष्टीला पोषक व समृध्द करण्याचे असते. ज्ञानेश्वरांचे पसायदान हे त्याच दृष्टीकोनातून मागीतले आहे देवाजवळ.

जोजे वांछेल तो ते लाहो। प्राणिजात सकळा।।

जो ज्याची इच्छा करेल त्याची प्राप्ती त्याला व्हावी. इथे इच्छा – ह्याचा अर्थ भौतिक इच्छा नव्हे. ज्ञानेश्वरांना आत्म्याची परमोच्च प्रगती हा अर्थ अभिप्रेत आहे. ह्यालाच जिववाद म्हणतात व ह्याच साठी हे संतलोक आपला जीव खर्ची घालवतात. सर्व जिवमात्रांची अशा दृष्टीने प्रगती होण्यास हे जरुरी आहे की ह्या जिवसृष्टी चे सगळे जे घटक आहेत ते सुध्दृढ झाले पाहीजेत. आपल्या सोयी साठी ह्या जिवसृष्टीचा प्रमुख दोन घटकां मध्ये भाग करु. प्राणीमात्र व मानव. एकुणच मानव व प्राणीमात्र ह्यांचे संवर्धन - जिवसृष्टीचे अस्तीत्त्व व शारिरीक प्रगती, ह्या नियमां मुळे चालु असते. एक म्हणजे निसर्गाचा समतोल राखणे – ह्याचे थोडक्यात विश्लेषण द्यायचे झाले तर, आपण आपल्या भुतळावरचा कोणताही जीव हा एकटा असा बघायचाच नाही. सगळी पृथ्वी हा एक जिवंत. जगणारा ग्रह आहे असे गृहीत धरले म्हणजे. ह्यातले प्रत्येक जीव हे स्वतंत्र पणे जगण्याचे नियंत्रण करत नाहीत, तर सर्व जिवमात्र मिळुन त्यांच्या जगण्याने पृथ्वीच्या वातावरणाचे नियमन करत राहतात व पृथ्वीच्या वातावरणाचा फरक इथल्या जिवांवर सहाजिकच पडतो. दोन्ही घटक हा समतोल सतत सांभाळायच्या प्रयत्नात असतात. असा प्रबंध प्रोफेसर लव्हलिक ह्या अमेरिकन शास्त्रज्ञानाने मांडला आहे. आपल्या पृथ्वी वर २१ टक्के प्राणवायू आहे. जर तो, १५ टक्के असता तर कोणताही जीव जगू शकला नसता व प्राणवायू चे हेच प्रमाण जर २५ टक्के झाले तर, झाडांचे हिरवे बुंधे सुद्धा पेट घेतिल. एवढेच काय पण आपल्या श्वासनलीका सुद्धा जळतील. प्रणवायूचे इतके नाजुक प्रमाण, कोट्यावधी वर्ष पृथ्वीची होऊनही कसे राहीले. हा विचार करण्यासारखा प्रश्न आहे. प्रोफेसर लव्हलीक यांच्या मता प्रमाणे, ह्या सगळ्या पृथ्वीवरच्या जिवसृष्टींच्या जगण्यानी आपोआपच संतुलन होत असते व पूढे ही होत राहील जो पर्यंत अनैसर्गिकरित्त्या आपण वातावरण बदलणार नाही तो पर्यंत.

ही झाली आपल्या अस्तित्त्वा बद्दलची ग्वाही व ह्या बाजुने काही इतक्यात काळजी करण्याचे कारण नाही. दुसरी म्हणजे जिवमत्रांची शारिरीक व मानसिक प्रगती. हे सर्वज्ञातच आहे की, प्राणीमात्रांचा प्रवास एका पेशिंच्या जिवांपासून, मानवा सारख्या प्रगत जीवा पर्यंत कसा झाला तो. चार्लस् डार्विन ह्यांच्या सर्व्हाइवल ऑफ द फिट्टेस्ट व प्रोफेसर लव्हलीक ह्यांच्या कारणमीमांसे वरुन अजुन एक गोष्ट आपल्या लक्षात येते. ती म्हणजे पुढे आत्ताच्या मानवाच्यादृष्टीने, प्रतीकूल असे आपल्या पृथ्वीचे वातावरण जरी बदलले तरीही जी नवीन वातावरणाला तोंड देऊन जिवंत राहू शकेल अशी एखादी नविन मानवजात निर्माण होईल व ती ह्या आपल्याला प्रतिकूल वाटणा-या वातावरणात मोठ्या ऐषारामात राहील. अस्तीत्त्व व शारिरीक प्रगती हे न थांबणारे स्त्रोत आहेत ह्याची काळजी संपली की मग येते मानसिक प्रगती. मानसिक प्रगती ही ख-या रुपाने जिवमात्रांमध्ये मानवालाच लागु आहे. तेव्हा आपण आतापासून मानवजातीचा विचार करुया.

मानवाचे अंतीम लक्ष्य, हे मानव जातीची मानसिक प्रगती करणे आहे. ज्ञानेश्वरांनी ह्याच ध्येयाचे प्रतिपादन त्यांच्या पसायदानात केलेले आहे. स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकरांच्या मताने, आपण सगळे ह्या आखिल मानवजातीच्या मानसिक उत्कर्षासाठी सतत खपले पाहीजे. आपली प्रत्येक कृती त्यालाच पोषक अशी असली पहीजे. आपली वृत्ती अशीच सर्वव्यापी झाली पाहीजे. आपले प्रयत्न त्याच दिशेने नित्य नेमाने झाले पाहीजेत. ह्यालाच म्हणतात मानवतावाद.

शरीर सुध्दृढ व निकोप होण्यासाठी हे जरुरी आहे की, शरीराचे सगळे अवयव निकोप व बलवान असले पाहीजेत. म्हणजे जो शरीर सुद्धृढ होण्यासाठी झटतो, त्याने शरीराचे सगळे अवयव धष्ट पुष्ट होण्याची काळजी गेतली पाहीजे. तसेच, सा-या मानवजातीने प्रगती करायची असेल तर ती, ज्याने बनलेली आहे ते सगळे मनुष्य समुह समृद्ध झाले पाहीजेत. हे मनुष्य समुह म्हणजेच भुतलावर असलेले वेगवेगळे देश. हे शरीररुपी मानवजातीचे, देशरुपी अवयव आहेत. मग प्रत्येक देशावर साहजीकच ही जबाबदारी पडते की, त्या त्या देशाने आपापला मानवजात समृध्द करण्याच्या दृष्टीने कार्यभाग सांभाळावा. महान इटालीयन क्रांतीकारी नेता, जोसेफ मॅझीनी हेच सांगत आला आहे. ह्या विश्वात जन्म झालेल्या प्रत्येक प्रणिमात्रांचे विशीष्ट असे करायचे कार्य आहे. प्रत्येकाच्या शिरावर कोणतीनाकोणती जबाबदारी असते. ती त्याने पारखून त्या प्रमाणे कार्य करायचे असते. हे त्याचे कार्य वाया जात नाही, अखील विश्वाचे कल्याण होण्यात त्या कार्याचा उपयोग होतो. अगदी तसेच देशांचे आहे. प्रत्येक देशाच्या वाट्याला मानवजातीची मानसिक प्रगती करण्यासाठी, ठरावीक जबाबदारी आलेली असते. ती त्या त्या देशाने पार पाडल्या वाचून गत्त्यंतर नसते. सगळ्या मानवजातीचे कल्याण करण्याचा मक्ता कोणा एका देशावर नसतो व तसे चालणार पण नाही. प्रत्येक दशाने आपले कार्य ओळखावे, पहिल्यांदा स्वतः समृद्ध व बलिष्ठ व्हावे मग इतरांना बरोबर घेऊन पुढे जावे. आत्ता पर्यंत आपण ह्या मनुष्य समुहांना देश असे संबोधत होतो. पण हा सर्वव्याप्त शब्द नव्हे. देश म्हणजे – मनुष्य समुहानी व्यापलेला विशिष्ठ भौगोलिक परिसर. ह्याला जीव नसतो. कोणत्याही देशाला स्थिर अशी सिमा असते. देश स्वतः काही कार्य करणारा नसतो. फक्त कार्य करणा-यां साठी जागा देतो.

ह्याच देशाला अर्थ देणारी, जिवंत करणारी, त्यात राहणारी माणसे असतात. आता ही माणसे सगळ्या दशात सारख्याच विचारसरणीचा उच्चार व आचार करणारी असती तर मग ह्या देशांना काही अर्थ प्राप्त झाला नसता. पण तसे नाही होत. ते, ते मनुष्य समुह जे विशिष्ठ प्रकारची विचारसिणी आचरतात, जी विचारसरणी ते ते मनुष्य समुह अंगिकारण्यास प्रबळ अशी कारणे असतात. जी विचारसरणी त्या त्या देशात राहाणा-या मनुष्य समुहानी वर्षों वर्षे जोपासलेली असते. जी विचीरसरणी वर्षों वर्षीच्या विचारमंथनातून निर्माण झालेली असते. जी विचारसरणी त्या त्या मनुष्य समुहांना मार्ग दाखवते, प्रगती करण्यास आत्मविश्वास प्रदान करते, ही विचारसरणी त्या त्या मनुष्य समुहांचे मनोबल वाढवते, कारण ती विचारसरणी त्या समुहाच्या वाडवडीलांनी अनुभवानी व गाढ विचारांनी सिद्ध केलेली असते. अशी विचारसरणी व तीचा अंगीकार करणारे लोकसमुह त्या त्या देशांना अर्थ प्राप्त करुन देतात. तो देश जिवंत होतो. त्या देशाला राष्ट्र म्हणतात. देशाला सीमा असतात आणि त्याच सीमेत राहुन राष्ट्र विकासाची परिसीमा गाठू शकतो. राष्ट्राला अधोगती नसते – प्रगती असते. कारण प्रगती फक्त जिवंत गोष्टीच करु शकतात. मग ते ते राष्ट्र जगात त्या त्या विचारसरणी मुळे ओळखले जाऊ लागते व स्वतःचे अस्तित्त्व बनवते. आपोआपच राष्ट्र ज्या विचारसरणी वर बनले आहे, त्या विचारसरणी वर, व ती अनुसरणा-या लोकांवर, जबाबदारी येते की आपले राष्ट्र जर जिवंत व प्रगत बनवायचे असेल तर आपली विचारसरणी जोपासली पाहीजे. तीचा उच्चार केला पाहीजे. तीचा आचार केला पाहीजे. बहुतेक बलाढ्य राष्ट्रांनी हेच केले आहे व करत आहेत. जी राष्ट्र त्यांची विचारसरणी बदलण्याच्या मागे लागतात, त्या राष्ट्रातली लोकं गोंधळलेल्या मनस्थितीत राहतात. आपोआपच प्रगती थांबते. रशियाची सध्या हीच व्दिधा मनस्तिथी झाली आहे. कम्युनीझम् सोडवत नाही आणि कॅपिटॅलीझम् धरवत नाही. पाश्चिमात्य देशांमध्ये आयन रँड यांच्या कॅपिटॅलीझम् ह्या विचारसरणीचा पगडा कायम आहे, आणि ही विचारसरणी ज्या पासुन उद्भवली तो त्यांचा देश पण अबाधीत आहे. पाया भक्कम आहे. लोकं गोंधळलेली नाहीत, परिणाम स्वरुप, पाश्चिमात्य राष्ट्रांची प्रगती न थांबता होत आहे.

मग आपल्या राष्ट्रची अशी गोंधळेली परिस्थीती का. आपल्या देशाचा प्रवास समृद्धीच्या वाटेवर सुरू झाला आहे त्यात शंका नाही, पण त्याची गती बरीच संथ आहे. आपल्या राष्ट्रचा जीडीपी (GDP) जरी सातत्त्याने वाढत असला, व आपले उद्दयोग धंधे बाहेरील बाजारपेठेत जास्त नफा कमवायला लागले असले तरी ते किती नितीनीयमानूसरुन व कीती आपल्या सरकारी नियमांची भलावण करुन पुढे जात आहेत ह्याचा विचार आपण करायला पाहीजे. ब-याच वेळा पैसा कमवायचा म्हणुन प्रस्थापित नितिमत्ता सुद्धा ठोकरली जाऊ लागली आहे. नितिमत्तेला धरुन पैसा कमावणे व काहीही करुन पैसा कमावणे ह्यातला फरक फार थोड्यांना कळु शकतो व त्याहुन थोड्यांना त्याचे महत्त्व कळु शकते. नाहीतर हल्ली सगळ्यानी गृहीत धरले आहे की, पैसा कमावण्यासाठी सरकारचे नियम आपल्याला पाहीजे तसे लाच देऊन वळवता येतात. ह्याला उद्योगपती – ‘सरकारी शिक्षण’ म्हणतात, किंवा मग मोठमोठाली कॉनफरनसेस आयोजीत करण्यात येतात, त्यात हवे तसे कायदे बनवण्याच्या दृष्टीने पाऊले उचलली जातात. त्याचा परीणाम – आपल्याला मिळणा-या विविध निकृष्ट सेवेतून दिसुन येतो. प्रसिद्ध उद्योगपती श्री जे आर डी टाटा यांनी किती मार्मीक टिप्पणी करुन ठेवली आहे ते पहा – “मला भारत आर्थिक दृष्ट्या बलाढ्य राष्ट्र नको आहे. मला भारत सुखी व समृद्ध राष्ट्र हव आहे”. आपला दृष्टीकोण ब-याच महत्त्वाच्या बाबींवर स्पष्ट नाही. आपला राजकिय दृष्टीकोण पण त्या मुळे शिड उडालेल्या जहाजा सारखा झाला आहे.

- आपला शत्रु देश व त्याच्याशी आपला व्यवहार कसा असला पाहीजे ह्या वर एकमत अजुन नाही.

- समान नागरी कायदा व त्या संबंधातले धोरण कायम नाही.

- आपल्या देशाच्या सिमा पुर्णपणे निश्छित अजुन झाल्या नाहीत. पाक व्याप्त काश्मीर वर आपण बोलु शकत नाही.

- काश्मीर जर भारताचा अविभाज्य भाग आपण मानत असु तर पीकिस्तान बरोबर काश्मीर मुद्द्यावर आपण का म्हणुन बोलायचे? आपला देश, आपले राज्य त्यात आणखीन पाकिस्तान कोठुन आले? बोलायचेच तर फक्त पाक व्याप्त काश्मीर वर बोलायला पाहीजे. काश्मीरीयत पाहीजे असे अजुन सुद्धा म्हणणारी मंडळी येथे सापडतात.

- हिच गोष्ट अरुणाचल प्रदेश बद्दल. चीन आपला मित्र आहे की शत्रु राष्ट्र आहे हे अजुन आपल्याला आळखायचे आहे.

- आपल्या देशा साठी काय बरे व काय वाईट हे आपण ठरवणार का जगाचे बलाढ्य आंतरराष्ट्रीय उद्द्योग ठरवणार – हा संभ्रम अजुन आहे आपल्याकडे. भोपाळ वायु गळती मुळे हजारो लोकं मेली पण कोण्या एकाच्या अमेरीकेहून आलेल्या दुरध्वनी वरुन अँडरसन महाशयांना चॅर्टर विमानाने अमेरीकेला परत पोहचविले जाते. ह्या वरुनच आपली विचारशक्ति गोंधळलेली दिसते.

- आपल्याला जो इतिहास शिकवला जातो तो आपण पारखुन घेतला पाहीजे. त्या संबंधाने आपले धोरण ठरवणारी कोणतीही संस्था अजुन नाही.

आपली विचारसरणी एवढी प्रखर असताना, आपल्या पुर्वजांनी भरभक्कम तत्त्वांवर आधारलेल्या विचारांचे देणे आपल्या पदरात घातले ते फक्त जाहीरातींवर दाखवण्यासाठीच आहे काय? ती अनुसरायला आपण लाजतो का?

आपल्या देशाने ‘सेक्यूलॅरीझम’ (सर्व धर्म समभाव) अंगीकारला आहे, पण त्याला अजुन जाणीव झालेली दिसत नाही की हा - सर्व धर्म समभाव ज्या विशिष्ठ विचारसरणीचा भाग आहे, जी विचारसरणी भारताला ज्ञात अशा ५००० वर्षा पासून मिळालेली आहे, जी विचारसरणी आपल्या पुर्वजांनी आचारुन आपला देश समृद्ध केला होता, ज्या विचारसरणी चे आजही भारतात ८० टक्के सदस्य आहेत, असा जो हिंदू धर्म आहे, त्याचाच ‘सेक्यलर’ हा अर्धवट लचका तोडून त्याला सजवून ठेवलेला भाग आहे. अहो सगळीच्या सगळीच विचारसरणी अंगीकारा ना. गणित शिकायचे तर पाढे म्हणायची लाज का. आपल्या पुर्वजांनी हिंदु विचारसरणीरुपी पक्वान्नाचा घास आपल्या तोंडाशी आणून ठेवलेला असताना, गिळायचा कंटाळा का. आपल्या देशाचे भाग्य समजा की आपल्याला सगळ्या विचारांचे सार तयार मिळालेले आहे. कोणा देशां सारखे विचारांचे दारिद्र्य आपलाकडे नाही मग हा करंटे पणा कसला. ओरपा ते विचारसरणी रुपी अमृत.

हिंदु धर्म अनुसरणा-यांनी ही जबाबदारी आपणहून घ्यावी – ही जबाबदारी त्यांच्यावर आपोआपच पडते, कि ते भारताच्या प्रगतीचे प्रहरी ठरो. सावरकरांच्याच शैलीत बोलायचे म्हणजे – आपला भारत, सांस्कृतिक दृष्ट्या जगाला मार्ग दाखवणारा एवं शिरोग्राह्य बनवण्यासाठी हिंदु लोकांनी स्वतःहून प्रयत्न केले पाहीजेत. भारत अग्रेसर बनवण्यात आपल्याला कधी यश मिळेल? असे कोणते लोक जबाबदारीने पुढे येऊन काम करतील?

ज्यांना भारत खरोखरच बलाढ्य व समृद्ध देश व्हावा, ह्याची तीव्र कळकळ आहे, ज्यांची देशासाठी झटण्याची तयारी आहे, जे स्वतःचा उत्कर्ष भारताच्याच उत्कर्षात बघतात, त्यांच्याच हातून भारताची प्रगती होणार आहे. तेच लोक भारताचे खङगहस्त बनण्यास पात्र आहेत. तेच नेते आहेत व तेच जेते ठरणार आहेत. पण ही अशी प्रबळ इच्छा लोकांच्या मनात उत्पन्न कशी होणार. कि जेणे करुन ही इच्छा अस्वस्थ करणा-या कळवळीला जन्म देईल व त्याच अस्वस्थ करणा-या कळवळीच्या पोटी देशासाठी झटण्याचा मनोनिग्रह निर्माण होऊल लागणारा आत्मविश्वास प्रदान करील व जेणे करुन, अशा प्रबळ इच्छेची व त्या इच्छेतून, प्रचंड प्रमाणात काम करणारी अशी न संपणारी मानवी साखळी तयार होईल, व हळुहळू भारतात रहाणा-या प्रत्येकाचे मन ह्या लाटेने चिंब भिजून, आपल्या देशासाठी कोणचेही काम, माझे स्वतःचे काम आहे व मी ते मन ओतून करीन असे वाटायला लावणारी तळमळ व तसे काम करणारे लोकसैन्य निर्माण होईल. हे कधी होईल? हे कसे होईल? हे होईल का?

(क्रमशः)
 
राष्ट्रार्पण

SYLLABUS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

ON THE EVE OF INDEPENDENCE DAY

We all know about the present syllabus which has been adopted by all the schools in India. We all complain about loading our child to no limits in pursuing the syllabus. We also criticize the present system where in the teachers are always burdened and thereby they cannot keep real check on the performance of the child. Present teachers can’t give enough time per child because of crowding of classrooms. Increasing the number of divisions in each class results in burdening the teacher more and to top it the teachers themselves are required to undergo never ending participation (which is more or less compulsory) in various conferences, meetings, workshops. To top it  there is always the duty of invigilating various competitive exams held on various Sundays.

With the Right to Education (RTE) becoming a reality, the burden is going to increase more in the coming days. RTE is a positive step in providing ‘Sarva Shiksha’ to the under privileged children and should be welcomed by everybody with open hands and individual proactive contribution is required towards achieving it. To make this happen and to maintain and improve quality of education, time has come to revisit and review the syllabus which we are presently following. We should usher ourselves in thinking differently and try to impart real and practical knowledge to the aspiring child by weeding out unnecessary activities which load the child. At the same time some relevant aspects of civic sense should be introduced which can help make their moral fabric stronger.

There is a need to reorient and refocus ourselves in such a manner that the child gets a firm grounding, good upbringing and rock solid fundamentals which makes him ready for the high school education. The process of firm grounding takes place in the initial phase of schooling that is during the period the child undergoes the primary education. Therefore the syllabus is discussed here for primary schools. The higher classes may continue having the same syllabus. The broad guideline of how the syllabus should be for improving the character of the child and preparing him for the high school is discussed here.

Civic Sense and Etiquettes. This should include at least the following fundamentals required to live in a civilized society –
Develop sense of cleanliness and importance of keeping immediate neighborhood clean. The importance of throwing litter in dustbins and not littering around. Public hygiene and cleanliness should be included in the syllabus. Personal and societal hygiene should become part of such a syllabus.
A sound traffic sense and adoption of correct traffic rules should be included in the syllabus.
Include in the syllabus teachings to take pride in abiding by the rules and law of the land even in case of absence of others watching. Advantages of being in queue.
Include in the syllabus the importance of guarding the national property. Ingrain in them that burning of buses / govt property as a form of protest is not good for anybody. At the worst it is crime and at the least it is tax payer’s money which is getting wasted.
Include in the syllabus the bad habits of spitting in public places.
Etiquettes should include basics such as wishing the time of the day, saying thank you and keeping a smiling face.

Reading and Writing Skills in English and Childs’ Mother Tongue. Mother tongue of the child should be developed well. There are enough studies that if the child learns his mother tongue then the comprehension in general and learning of other languages in particular becomes easy. Learning of mother tongue should be encouraged. Here parents would play a major role. Some part of our national history may be imparted as stories in the communication classes. Instead of treating it as a language class it should be treated as class of communication skills. Concentrate in developing reading and writing skills of the child.

Mathematics.    Basic Math which includes tables, simple problems in arithmetic and geometrical shapes. The present syllabus is felt adequate.

d.   Environmental Studies (EVS).    Inclusion of following aspects in the present EVS syllabus extensively is the need of the hour – hygiene, healthy diet, importance of exercise and ill effects of ‘fast foods and beverages’. 

e.    Indian History.    The class teacher should plan this subject with deliberation. The subject should be made interesting by the class teacher by telling short stories about our Indian history. Our Nation’s 5000 year old history in the form of stories should be included in the syllabus. A child should know that our nation has at least 5000 yrs of existence and history. Presently our history starts with various invasions and ends with struggle for independence. The child should know the history of the earlier period. The child should know that even if our country was not united at that point of time, the various regions in this peninsula were bound by a common thread of ‘Hindu’ way of life. There were many attempts to unite the regions by various satraps at that time. The most successful being Chandragupta Maurya engineered by Chanakya. They were successful in cementing these vast regions of Bharatwarsh. The period was such that none of the great countries were united as they are now. Each country had its own period of clashes, wars and battles. Although historical boundaries were established, political boundaries of many countries were not established. India or Bharatwarsh had its historical boundaries established beyond doubt. Political boundaries were yet to get crystallized. The Bharatwarsh was manifested by the people leading similar way of life. There has been always a dual between mythology and history. In India there are many historical facts which have become myths over a period of thousands of centuries as our ‘way of life’ is very old. There were no records of history kept in those times. History was never officially documented nor was there any necessity felt at that time. The history though which was never documented some how was kept alive from many folklores, many legends that got evolved over a period of time. The lines between the history and mythology have blurred. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata were actually an earlier attempt in documenting the history in a different form. Very definite moral values can be extracted from these tales, which can be used to make stronger the moral values of a child.   Ramayana and Mahabharata are the silken borders of our cultural fabric. These silk borders have made our fabric unique. These aspects should be given prominence and covered in a subtle way in the form of stories. The best way to tell this history is by way of short stories. There is no need of any examination; class teacher’s interesting lecture in the form of stories is enough to create curiosity and respect in the child about our great country.

f.  Art and Hobbies. The syllabus should include those basic arts like music, drawing, dance and drama. Hand skills like Origami, Pleistocene clay models which improves the basic skills of finger coordination should be included in the syllabus. The syllabus should be so structured so as to germinate the seed of good hobbies in the child at this young age.

    The teachers should be left free only to be with children and not burdened with additional jobs or tasks of attending workshops / meetings and additional invigilation. The time of the school should not be such that the afternoon meal timings are missed. Where there is a provision of mid day meals then the schools should be over by then. The schools can then have two shifts – morning and afternoon shift, so that correct use of the infrastructure can be optimized and more students can be accommodated. There would be a need of two sets of teachers then, but at least the infrastructure can be used twice, which is a major hindrance in many places.

    We must formulate our syllabus as per our nation’s requirements and not permanently fall in line with the ‘Macaulian’ way of learning. Here I am referring to Lord Macaulay’s ‘Minute on Education, 2nd Feb 1835’ and his views such as – “a single shelf of good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia”, though he is credited with an education system which is secular and scientific and at par with western world and in this respect he is credit worthy also. It is a matter of debate though after 63 years of freedom how secular this system has remained and how much this system connects with our grass root people, staying in far flung areas where there are is no ‘Sarva Shikshya’ yet.  One must not forget though that the underlying reason to bring in this system by Lord Macaulay if to be stated in his own language, I quote here “We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.” Remember we don’t want us to become ‘Indian in blood and colour, but British in culture and traditions’. We would like to absorb good aspects of other races but retain culture and traditions of our ‘way of life’. Our education system more or less is a factory to impart mere information on different subjects. Rather it should be vibrant enough to make a RASHTRAVRATI out of the child. Only being a rashtravrati would make a complete person. A person who thinks good for our nation and who keeps our nation first in his mind is a rashtravrati. In the words of Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode, when applied in our context, a rashtravrati is the one who follows–
   
“The safety, honour and welfare of our Nation comes first, always and every time.
The honour, welfare and comfort of the family you belong to come next.
Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”
                                   

    RASHTRARPAN

RASHTRAVRAT

WANT TO ACHIEVE NEXT LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS?



You will have to undertake a RASHTRAVRAT for that.



RASHTRAVRAT is that concept when undertaken, will set in the process of getting the self and the nation to next level. RASHTRAVRAT is for making our nation healthy, wealthy and happy. The elements of ‘RASHTRAVRAT’ are a mix of positive aspects from across religions, cultural and other schools of thought as relevant to our nation. It is a means to give a coherent direction in shaping the National Will on various issues that our nation is vexed with and may encounter in future. These are the believers, who would always think positive in pursuing the march towards progress of our nation. Here are the main aspects of the RASHTRAVRAT.



- Make ‘Gen Next’ in your immediate neighborhood undertake RASHTRAVRAT.

- Deliberately bring down self ego.

- Be proactive in nation building.

- Say NO to financial impropriety including corruption.

- Hone your skills, pursue your hobbies and exercise your body.

- Ingrain good work culture and respect dignity of labour.

- Stick to ethics and etiquettes.

- Abandon self pity and be less finicky.

- Be a visionary.

- Observe positive tenets of the religion you belong to.



For those who want to know more about RASHTRAVRAT.



The process of knowing what is RASHTRAVRAT is to understand about the levels of consciousness.





THE LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND CONCEPT OF NATION



There are different states of consciousness, and levels within these states. Humans are in certain state of consciousness. There are different levels of consciousness in it. Each person according to his level of consciousness perceives things before him. At each level of consciousness, it is an endeavor of the human race to enrich the level of consciousness or mental ability. At each level of consciousness there is a limit to which he can think, collate and comprehend. He cannot go beyond that. To go beyond, he will have to go to the next level of consciousness. The moment he goes to higher level of consciousness, there is a paradigm shift in his perception. His thoughts become more inclusive and tolerant. The scope widens. He becomes more liberal in his thoughts. This change in perception and accompanying change in the outlook would not have been possible staying in the earlier level of consciousness. Wisdom is an offshoot of consciousness. At the highest level of consciousness it is pure permanent joy.



I died a mineral and became a plant.

I died a plant and rose an animal.

I died an animal and I was man.

Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?

Yet once more I shall die as a man, to soar

with the blessed angels; but even from angel hood

I must pass on. All except God perishes.

When I have sacrificed my angel soul,

I shall become that which no mind ever conceived.

O let me not exist! For Non-Existence proclaims,

“To HIM we shall return”



Jalal ud-Din ar-Rumi– A thirteenth century Persian poet.



Hindu scriptures have professed the idea of “sarve santu sukhina, sarve santu niramayaa, "sarve bhadrani pashyantu, ma kashchit dukhabhag bhavet” or concept of “Sarva Bhutahitarth”. This concept is more comprehensive and inclusive than “Sarva Dharma Samabhav” as it not only incorporates all religions but also all life styles, all ways of leading life, atheists, agnostic people and people who don’t owe any allegiance to any school of thought and above all includes non living things also. The concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” is far older than the word “Global Village”, which is just a century old.



When human beings attain such a level of consciousness, then for him the notion of different countries and nations becomes a triviality, because now he thinks about the mankind – saints belong to this level of consciousness. They do not remain anchored to a religion; don’t remain shackled in the realism of a country or a nation. Saints identify themselves with the whole world. Whole universe belong to them. The saint’s religion becomes religion of ‘humanity’. For him, the meaning of ‘nation’ is ‘mankind’. For him then there are no neighboring countries, there are no enemy nations. This is a sign of saint hood. How many of us have achieved this level of consciousness?? Not many. These people with advanced level of consciousness are but miniscule of the population cross-section of a country at any given time. The majority of the humanity has not reached that level of consciousness and therefore we cannot comprehend the concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. If humans with such average level of consciousness have to progress, it has to be gradual and commensurate to their abilities. These humans make small groups, called societies and civilizations. The concept of nationhood emerged from this need of grouping the human societies into smaller parts so that these smaller parts called nations start their destiny to evolve the consciousness of its subjects. The civilizations or nations take on the responsibility of developing their part and so contribute towards overall development of the humanity. The nations in their journey of developing superior consciousness, refine their culture, become progressive and bring clarity in their national policies. This happens because the world has got divided into different nations. So though the goal and aim is to have “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” the road towards that goal passes through individual development of nations. Some times contradictions are felt on the surface like a crust of snow on the river surface, but beneath there is a smooth flow of the river of progress towards the final goal of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.



The saints who profess to the idea of “Global Village” or “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” when preaching to the commoners or average people with limited human consciousness, then would like to preach in the language which can be comprehensible to the commoners. Even if it may be a trivial subject for these saints, they still preach about the concept of religion, rituals, Bhakti and Nationhood. We can find many examples. Ramdas Swami during 16th century exhorted Raja Shiv Chatrapati to establish a Hindavi Samarajya against Muslim invaders and atrocities of the then Muslim kings. Guru Govind Singh espoused Sikh religion against Muslim and foreign invaders. Our national leaders during freedom struggle actively influenced the aam janata to take up violent and non violent movements against British Raj. The concepts have different meanings and connotations to people with different consciousness. For saints it doesn’t really matter, the struggle for independence or freedom; as for them these are small trivialities. Had these saints and higher conscious people preached the same concept then we would have by now become a British colony, our identity would have permanently merged with Britishers (though not colour!) and wealth transferred to them like the immense wealth already plundered by them during British Raj days. It is like the organizers of a sports event. In a game of football, for the organizers both sides are equal. For the organizers, rather than the result of the game, the conduct of the game is important. It matters a little to the organizer as to, who is the ultimate winner of the game. It is not the same for the captains of the team. For them the respective team is important. Progress cannot be achieved without competition. The captains of the team must have a killer instinct to win a game. If the mental make up of the captain of the team becomes same to that of the organizers then, the game would become dull and there will not be any display of skill. The organizer and the team captains should play their role to have a perfect game. Same is the case with the saints and people with higher consciousness.



The levels of consciousness are found everywhere. Hindu religion or way of life – evolved over thousands of years from the basic fundamental vedic concepts of “atmanbrahma jagan mithya” and applied practically for saints and people with higher consciousness to follow this school of thought as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “Sarva Bhute hitartha” or Dnyanmarga or Sankhyamarga. Saints and people with higher conscience don’t see God in Idols. They are not idol worshippers. They connect with nirgun. The same vedic concepts when applied to commoners but with slightly more evolved consciousness, follow as Karmayog. These are idol worshippers. Finally to commoners who are not yet evolved, there is a ritualistic religion, dictates and Bhaktimarg to follow. The basic and fundamental principle remains same in all religions.



Hence the concept of nationhood is profound if we want our civilization to progress. To make a country alive, to keep people united by a thread of common beliefs, common traditions, common culture and history – religion is an important binder.





SEAMLESS THREAD OF RASHTRAVRAT



Everyone likes to be associated with some belief which has been ingrained in them during their formative years. This can be manifested in different manner such as religion, affiliation to some political organization, member of some cultural group and so forth. By affiliating with some such schools of thought, a feeling of belonging envelops, resulting in enhancement of self esteem which gives sense of security, peace and tranquil.



We say this belief is in the right direction if it leads you to pursue your aim and takes you to higher levels of consciousness. The belief should result in activism releasing positive energy, giving the individual sense of completeness and satisfaction. On the personal level this activism should make the person happy by giving him sense of purpose and at the societal level, transform the society to new level of civility thereby creating a general sense of goodness, wellbeing and well meaning in the society. At a national level it shows up in unity, pride in nationhood and prosperity in all spheres.



As per each one’s belief, we get associated with numerous groups. At one time, they can belong to some religion, political organization, cultural organization and still have the same thread of RASHTRAVRAT. These all seemingly diverse people can seamlessly be woven by ‘RASHTRAVRAT’ to take the nation ahead. What is this ‘RASHTRAVRAT’ composed of?





FUNDAMENTALS OF RASHTRAVRAT



Those who want to subscribe and support this idea of undertaking a RASHTRAVRAT, a more detail description of the RASHTRAVRAT is given below:-







- Make ‘Generation Next’ in your immediate neighborhood undertake RASHTRAVRAT.



Developing the mind of children and making them true RASHTRAVRATIS should be in your mind always. The true torch bearers of our nation are the Generation Next. To make them true RASHTRAVRATIS is to make them aware of the importance of the aspects covered under RASHTRAVRAT. By conviction they should subscribe to the idea of RASHTRAVRAT. Children should be considered as the most important and valuable national resource and their thinking should be shaped as per our national requirements. All elders in the neighborhood should have an implicit understanding that when someone is teaching or correcting a youngster, it should be supported so that the correct training of the youngster is ensured. The following are some of the essentials that can be grooved into the mouldable minds of children. Now it is upon the interest of the elders to tune it further and make it work.



- Inculcate in them the right work values. Ingrain in them that no job is demeaning. Dignity of labour should become their next religion. Ingrain in them at every opportunity that ‘Blessed are the ones who have found their ‘job’.

- Develop in them sense of cleanliness and importance of keeping immediate neighborhood clean. The importance of throwing litter in dustbins and not littering around. Public hygiene and cleanliness should be etched in their minds. They should start feeling restless when they see dirty public places.

- A sound traffic sense and adoption of correct traffic rules should be taught to them.

- Teach them to take pride in abiding by the rules and law of the land even in case of absence of others watching. Teach them to avoid giving excuses for the lapses, resorting to appeals against any laid down rules and regulations. Our nation suffers because of excuses and appeals against laid down rules and law. Remember to cultivate in youngsters that there is no smartness in skirting the rules. The tenacity of the person is measured when we abide by the rules and win.

- Teach them at every opportunity the advantages of being in queue.

- Teach basic civic sense to our children and check errand children in the neighborhood.

- Don the role of teachers, by teaching children in the immediate neighborhood in the language they understand. Teach them the importance of exercise. Teach them importance of soft skills, presentation and tidiness.

- Teach GenNext the importance of guarding the national property. Ingrain in them that burning of buses / govt property as a form of protest is not good for anybody. At the worst it is crime and at the least it is tax payers money which is getting wasted.

- Tell them it is bad to spit in the public places.

- Teach them to be happy and derive joy from simple things. The best gift a parent can give to children is not to make them finicky about daily needs. This will make their future life simple, happy and enjoyable.

- Teach Gen Next the importance of getting up early in the morning. The one who gets up early gets more time than others.

- It is very important to mix with the children and youngsters. Take them out and play with them while trying to infuse civic sense. If left to them, these children will either loiter around learning bad language and bad habits or they would slip away and play computer games which are detrimental to their mental and physical growth. There is no substitute to field games. If there are no play grounds around or there is no place to hold field games, take these youngsters for a run or a jog. Make them do ‘Suryanamaskaras’. The ideal age group should be from 5 yrs to 15 yrs of age. By 18 years if they take rashtravrat, the rashtravrat will take firm roots.



o The procedure of interacting with youngsters / children and making them undertake a RASHTRAVRAT.

 The duration of such an interaction with children / youngsters / Gen Next of immediate neighborhood is about 1 hour. Depending upon time, interest and passion, it can be daily one hour or weekly once.

 First half hour should be dedicated to field games such as foot ball / volley ball / or any group game which enhances camaraderie, increases their stamina and makes them feel tired. The next 15 minutes may be engaged by a short story / episode told by you. The short story should be interesting and at the same time should have some moral to convey. The story could be from our glorious and not so glorious history, or it could be from our freedom struggle or an event from the wars which we have fought with Pakistan or China with an intention of bringing out our past glory and our past mistakes or it can be just a short story written by our famous literary figures.

 Next 15 minutes should be used to make the children aware of the current affairs. Involve them in the talk, make them express their opinion about the issues, organize a group discussion and increase their level of participation.

 This one hour can be developed according to the ability of the volunteer RASHTRAVRATI.

 The key issue is to establish rapport with the children. There cannot be any value teaching without establishing credibility and bond amongst the group of young children.



Underlining principle of such an interaction should be to give a positive direction to the minds of the children. In fact this is the most important activity of a RASHTRAVRATI. Keep the self ego to minimum and try and correct the youngsters whenever they go wrong. Don’t shy from correcting them. Don’t think that “it is not my kid and therefore I don’t have any responsibility to correct him”. Remember some day you will be proud of him that you corrected him. Someday he will remember you.



- Deliberately bring down self ego.



Many times the ego comes in between the action. We want to act but there are host of confusing questions in mind as a result of bloated self ego such as “seeing my position why should I do”, “Why should I correct him? He is son of a person who is subordinate to me” or “he is from that family whom I don’t like”. “Why should I support a good idea for solving a national issue? If they make me leader then I will do, other wise even if it is good for the nation I will oppose it”. “I will be a bystander and see people toil. At the appropriate time I will jump to show that I have done that thing”. “Yaa the idea is good but why should I do that, it is demeaning for me”. “Somebody should do it” – and so on and so forth. Teach yourself to bring down your ego when teaching some good things to the child of your maid or to a youngster coming from economically backward family. Build a rapport with them. The first principle to establish a relationship is to lower self ego. No one with an elephantine ego can build an understanding with other youngster or person. Those who have high self esteem can control the ego. The less the ego, your ability to forgive enhances. This helps lifting mental load. You cannot be a true RASHTRAVRATI with loads of ego with you!!!



- Be proactive in nation building.



You become proactive if you are convinced after acknowledging the fact that there cannot be any long term individual or family gains if the health of the nation is not good and if the feeling of well being is not there. We can progress only if our nation is healthy, progressing and secure. Be proactive in approach.



In Hindu religion, the ‘Shastras’ give a guide line as to how much one must spend. It is about 10% of your income on philanthropy, 10% on your parents and elders, 10% savings for the future and rest on you and your family. These are guide lines evolved over the ages. I am sure other religions would also have similar guidelines. One can change this contribution according to level of consciousness, ability and interest. See how much satisfaction you get doing this and how much your self esteem gets enhanced. You don’t need to advertise this to any one.



There can be many ways where you can become proactive.



- Adopt financially a girl / boy child for fees for basic education from immediate neighborhood. The girl / boy so adopted should be from economically backward family.

- You can carry out some community service at the nearest NGO of your choice.

- If you are senior citizen hold story telling / motivational classes which are free of cost for the GenNext in the neighborhood. Children really enjoy these classes and learn many good things.

- If you are a house wife then you can take free of cost classes for the neighborhood children as per the talent you have – be it English speaking, group discussion, art and craft – the list is endless.

- If you are a doctor indulge in some health care service free of cost once in a week.

- Find some thing commensurate to your talent, ability to give back to society in kind without letting your ego or name come in between.



There can be many not so proactive ways in nation building.



- Like it or not, we have demarcated our nation into states and their boundaries are fixed. Our nation is supreme than the state boundaries and should not have interstate rivalries for re demarcation of boundaries. Be not be a prey and support any movement which indulges in creating inter state rivalry. Save all your anger, activism and zeal in guarding our nation’s boundaries, being aware of the boundary problems, infiltration, intrusion problems and illegal immigrant problems facing our country.

- The protection of national property and natural resources should be guarded with missionary zeal. Check children / youngsters from immediate neighborhood doing harm to it. Don’t support any movement that hurts the national property while displaying their opposition to a policy. They may oppose and you may support but there are ways and means to register your protests without harming national property.

- Don’t support any group or movement that intents to construct monuments and places of worship on the roads and on communication lines.

- We have enough population. Try to teach ignorant people about population control and advantages of quality over quantity.

- Think good of the nation, think good of the family, think good of the neighborhood and think good of the community. Remember collective prayer of goodness always brings in a positive ambience and feel good factor.

- Be uncompromising when it comes to voting. Cast a vote whenever there are elections.



- Saying NO to financial impropriety including corruption.



A true man earns money on his skill, talent, strength and not by selling his integrity and self respect. You cannot be priced and purchased for a few thousand rupees by an unscrupulous character. You cannot stand up and tell your family and yourself that it is you, who have sold the self and family respect for a pittance. Remember there is always a greedy family behind a corrupt person. You cannot say that “he forced me, or they forced me” because; ultimately the decision is yours to succumb.



- Hone your skills, pursue your hobby and exercise your body.



Improve your communication skills and teach children, youngsters and GenNext good communication skills. Remember there could be many misunderstandings because of poor communication skills which become vexed problems afterwards.



We have got our curriculum till graduation in various disciplines. What we require is developing of our skills in respective trades along with pedantic knowledge. Our curriculum is largely academic and where there is provision of developing skills in the curriculum and syllabus, we don’t take interest in improving the basic skills in the trade and the skills remain in curriculum only. We somehow try to learn ‘the tricks of the trade’ rather than ‘learn the trade’. We desire to become supervisors without learning skills. Our nation requires skills, more skills and even more skills in respective trades.



Cultivate a hobby and not addiction. Net chatting and computer gaming is not a hobby but an addiction. Nowadays we tend to socialize virtually on computer and have become loners in the society. Motivate the children and GenNext to cultivate a hobby. Hobby is the only true companion the child will have when he or she grows up. The hobby will see you through difficult times, sail you through loneliness, hobby will not allow you to get into state of depression in difficult times. Hobby will de-stress you and keep you on your track. Hobby will help you in unwinding yourself after a stressful work schedule. With the growing nuclear families hobby will be your companion. Teach GenNext that ultimately the cross of Jesus will have to be carried individually and nobody would help them to do so, make them ready for that. In Rabindranath Tagore’s poem ‘Ek la Chalo re’ he exhorts you to continue your journey, despite lack of support from others. Hobby will make your journey of life interesting and memorable.



Exercise your body regularly for atleast half an hour everyday. You can combine this with daily interaction with Gen Next or with children. You have to be selfish in pursuing this. You can achieve this short exercise by making your own tailor made exercise regime suitable for your body consisting of some breathing exercise, some jogging in the morning, some rigorous house cleaning schedule or some dance form. What is important is regularity. If you do it regularly for say 21 days it will become a habit and then you will start doing it regularly. Exercise is a must. For whatever health care system government or private sector offers you, whatever insurance cover you get, whatever support system you may have, still unless you don’t exercise you will not remain healthy, energetic and cheerful. Being fit and trim enhances your presentation and soft skills.


- Ingrain Good Work culture and respect dignity of labour.



A good work culture is based on skill, talent and positive attitude rather than on favoritism, incompetency and sycophancy. A good work culture is based on timelines rather than time pass and fines. A good work culture is based on self actualization rather than carrot and stick. A good work culture is based on mutual respect rather than bargaining for good prospects at every milestone in achieving a program deadline. A nation is built on generations of having good work culture and not for a limited period based on some individuals. Good work culture has to be ingrained in youngsters and Gen Next. In West Bengal a ‘hartal’ or ‘strike’ is kept on Mondays or next day to public holidays, so that people can stop work in anticipation and avail two days of consecutive holidays. In West Bengal rather than working, some people work towards making a ‘strike’ successful. This culture requires change.



No work is demeaning. No job is lowly. No skill is useless. We must have mutual respect towards all who work irrespective of trade, position and standing. Self ego kills mutual respect towards each other. Kill the self ego before it kills you. Remember modesty always pays handsomely. Take pride in your work but don’t let down others work. Positive mind would always respect others job.



- Stick to ethics and etiquettes.



Set your own ethics and stick to them. You can improve upon your build of ethics. Here conviction is important rather than copying or doing certain things out of compulsion. Conviction will make you firm in sticking to ethics. Try to encompass ethics in your work, study, relationship with other persons, neighbors and while interacting with others. Don’t outsmart yourself. Be judge to yourself. Don’t try to cheat yourself once you have decided upon some ethics. Remember a given word is important than life. Give a word to yourself to stick to the ethics which you have set. You will get lot of self confidence and self empowerment. You will become more resilient to the outside pressures. Sticking to ethics would help you find answers to imponderables in difficult times with ease.



While interacting with someone wish the time of the day. ‘Wishing the time of the day’ doesn’t require you to know whether you are superior to other person or you are at the receiving end. It sets the mood and rapport right. A smile can bring positive change in this stressful life. Saying ‘thank you’ at the end of the transaction makes a good ending and the other person carries good opinion about you. You don’t have to learn complex etiquettes. Just three of these would make you more positive, bring in good feeling and will help in building rapport.



- Abandon self pity and be less finicky.



Self pity is killing us. We try to always find an excuse to not to do a thing. We try and find an excuse as to “why the rule should not be applicable to me” and try to make a special case for our self. We try to bend the rule to suit us. Most of the times actually the rule is inconvenient for our self at that juncture and so we want to bend it, appeal against it or try to outsmart it. As soon as we wriggle out of the situation then we become fierce votaries of the same rule for others!!! We try to find some fake ‘genuine’ reason as to “why I am not able to do” social service or daily exercise, or help someone or just not get up early in the morning. If one starts on the premise that “I will wait till I completely get over my body aches and pains and then I will resume or start my daily exercise” then that day will never come. Instead shrug of self pity and start doing the exercise and miraculously your body will respond in a positive way.



If you are excessively fastidious, fussy and concerned about your daily needs such as clothes, cleanliness, tastes, food you eat then you are in for trouble. You will have frequent disturbing mood swings, you will be perpetually mentally occupied in trivial things, you will be always unhappy. If you are too choosy, you will start treating daily problems and hardships as life worries. This will make you sad. You will never enjoy the passing moment and you will always find fault in others and never be able to create any understanding with other persons, leading to unhappiness. Remember the fussier you are the fewer friends you have. The fewer friends you have the lonelier you become. The lonelier you become there are chances of you falling in the trap of depression. It is very important for you to not to become fastidious for enjoying the moment. We must teach the youngsters to become less finicky this is one of the great teachings we can impart to the Gen Next.









- Be a visionary.



There is nothing wrong in copying good things from others. Old saying teaches us that one should make six Gurus daily. That means we must learn six good things belonging to others everyday. Britishers built Victoria Terminus (now Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus) at Mumbai about 120 years ago. That time there were twenty trains and few hundred commuters. The size and shape of the Terminus is such that, after 120 years the Terminus caters for more than 3000 trains and 30 lakh commuters daily. This is called vision. We must make our mindset and train our Gen Next to develop such grand vision. Remember think big. Think grand. Our generation may use it for 40 years but while constructing and developing things we must think for next ten generations. When it comes to public utilities, we must develop monuments and not hutments.

Even if you are not in a position to make your vision bring alive, just by dreaming and thinking about a grand vision, you will become positive minded. Your actions will be more positive and you will be filled with positive energy. Just by thinking and dreaming big about our nation, you will get over the trivialities of life. You will not be stuck in day to day problems and hardships. You will be able to get over them easily.



- Observe the positive tenets of the religion you belong to.



What our forefathers have evolved, is generally a set of directions to be observed so that we live happily in a society. It helps in achieving higher levels of consciousness. The dictacts, the guidelines, the directions, the customs, the rituals are all empirical formulae for creating harmonious living environment in a society. These were influenced by ‘Desa-kala-patra’ (Time, Place and Circumstance) and therefore before applying to the present context, one should give a thought, modify if required and adapt. Remember those who don’t adapt – perish. Try to observe ones religion and emulate all the positive tenets of it. It gives tremendous sense of security, confidence and moral courage to face difficult times. It helps arrive at solutions to difficult questions. It helps in wiping out any confusion in living the life and facing day to day difficulties. It protects us from going astray. It helps in making us positive thinkers. It helps in bringing goodness and good intentions in whatever we dream, we pursue and we decide doing so.





PRACTICING RASHTRAVRAT



Who can take a RASHTRAVRAT?



All those who are convinced and want to be a rashtravrati. Recognize your level of consciousness. Ask yourself whether you are ready to take the rashtravrat. There are many who may be practicing some of the explained fundamentals of Rashtravrat already, but a true rashtravrati is the person who practice all the ten fundamentals of rashtravrat. There cannot be a part time rashtravrati. A Vrat is always to be undertaken in entirety. The person who wants to take a rashtravrat has to imbibe all the fundamentals of rashtravrat. Once you practice rashtravrat people would automatically recognize you as a rashtravrati. You will have a distinct identity. By your behaviour and way of leading life alone, others should be able to recognize a true rashtravrati. Your conduct would become an example worthy of emulating. Do this by conviction not by coercion, not to show off, not for convenience, not for monetary rewards, not for any recognition but to get satisfaction from the act of fulfilling the RASHTRAVRAT by leading life more purposeful rather than just staying alive for yourself, accumulating money and increasing the progeny.





Who controls?



Your own consciousness. It is the harshest test one can ever face.





What will happen by being a RASHTRAVRATI?



It helps in developing the individual consciousness to the next level. You will get a distinct identity. A rashtravrati could be identified by conduct and the way the person leads the life. The more you think on this subject the more you realize!!!! Best is self realization and self conviction. What will happen by not being a RASHTRAVATI? Life will still go on, albeit; without purpose!



The pride in our country should come as a conviction and not by legislation or to just ‘show off’. In the words of Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode, when applied in our context it would read as follows –



“The safety, honour and welfare of our Nation comes first, always and every time.






The honour, welfare and comfort of the family you belong to come next.






Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”







Squirrel of Ramsetu



Transforming our country into a great nation requires an unswerving effort put in by generations together. It is a continuous process and therefore making our nation great and maintaining it should become our passion, our second religion, our national creed, our national culture and a second nature. RASHTRAVRAT is a small contribution by individuals towards nation building like small pebbles put in by squirrel while making Ramsetu. It is this contribution which would not come in between family pursuits, would not burden individuals with difficult tasks and uncomfortable pledges but still achieve its purpose.







Have you taken a RASHTRAVRAT?











Concept by

RASHTRARPAN