CHAPTER 20 - START A BETTER
LIFE – LESSON 3 – (PART V) – WALK THE TALK
Rationalists, service oriented and
devotion minded are the three ways to keep trying to control the organs and
associated thoughts. So even if it is difficult to control senses, if every
time we become aware of the need to control the senses, half the battle is won.
The journey towards trying to control the senses physically and mentally is
difficult but if we achieve through a medium of our bent of mind of being
rationalists, service oriented or devotional then the same journey becomes joy
filled and constructive. The attempts made to control the senses and attempts
made to remain mentally unattached with the senses either by reasoning, or by
indulging in serving or by devotion bears fruits which gives satisfaction,
enhances mood and positivity, refurbishes self-esteem and brings in a state of
happiness. Even the attempts in controlling give the satisfaction.
All three mental makeups are capable
of giving a person a direction so as to live a happy contended life. The paths
chosen are equally good and give peace, joy and lasting happiness. What happens
is either we falter in correctly identifying our mental makeup or we dither and
don’t tread the chosen path sincerely. We don’t walk the talk. Consistency in
approach is important. There are no
short cuts and there is no easier or difficult path. If we don’t choose path as
per our mental makeup then we find difficulty in treading that path and we don’t
get satisfaction.
Action leads to some kind of reaction.
The after effect of action sticks and gives happy and sad moments. To avoid any
happy or sad moments if action is shunned then also some kind of action takes
place. If not anything the action needed to maintain day to day body needs such
as taking food or having bath or even having daily ablutions is an action. Any
physical activity can be termed as an action and it’s required to sustain our
life. The minimum possible action brings along with it good and bad experiences
making us happy or sad. The fact is one cannot shun action altogether. So instead
face it in a different way by not getting emotionally attached to the action..........keep reading !!!!
CHAPTER 19 - START A BETTER
LIFE – LESSON 3 – (PART IV) – SADHANA
The suffering starts with getting
attracted to materialistic things and indulgence of sense organs. This desire
then leads to an action with the intention of a favorable outcome. Action brings
in contact with things which are external to self. Till the time the action
leads to favorable outcomes we are happy and enjoy the outcome. When we don’t
get what we desire makes us angry and frustrated. Anger is a side product of
ego. Anger makes a person lose logic. Once the rational sense is lost, person
gets into trouble. Trouble and unfavourable outcome makes the person sad and
restless. This cycle keeps repeating. Every now and then the person hopes, he
can get what he desires then tries to control things which are not in his
control. He loses the sense of what he can control and what is not under his
control. The truth is other than his mind to some extent, nothing is under his
control. Actions emanating from the mind looking for a favorable outcome then
end up in frustration as the outcome may not be to his likings. To lead a happy
life there is no prior requirement of happy situations or conditions. A person
can be happy in any situation. It is a choice and a state of mind rather than
depending on external factors. Happiness is mind dependent and mind can be
conditioned.
It is important to control our senses if we want everlasting happiness. We are under ignorance when we think we are happy by as a result of happenings in our lives which are external creations. Such kind of happiness won’t last long. In fact moments of happiness ends when the action ends and we start our craving for happiness and get more and more frustrated. Unless we control our sense organs our mind won’t be focused enough to see the happiness which is within. Controlling sense organs is not easy. Even if physically we control them it is seen that thoughts about the indulgence of the sense organs and senses gives even more frustration and restlessness. Moreover action starts with appearing of thoughts and thoughts are the main drivers of sense organs. Actions are the result of thoughts driven fueling of organs with the aim of achieving some desired results. We have to control the senses, sense organs and the thoughts behind that. It is difficult but we have to keep trying it. This is called ‘sadhana साधना’...............keep reading...........!!!
So even if a person who has
achieved highest conscience don’t undertake any desireful action, the person
still keeps carrying out righteous actions for the universal good. For one if
he stops, the followers will stop carrying out actions. Ordinary people do what
is done by the role models and leaders because it is seen that when a role
model accepts a thing as correct, the same is followed by people.
As per mental makeup of the
person, upbringing, experiences (bitter or good during growing up), influences
and situations a person becomes a desireful action doer or desireless action
doer. Desireful action results in suffering and desireless action results in mental
peace. Although the desireless action is better as it takes a person on a
higher conscience level, but majority of the persons are entangled in desireful
actions for various reasons. They are either convinced or unknowingly follow
that path. With desireful action the fruits are sweet as well as sour. Thereby
making a person happy or sad depending upon the outcome.
A balanced person of higher conscience and a leader should not be in a hurry to change a person’s orientation from performing desireful action to desireless action. Let the person himself through the journey of life discover the futility of desireful action....... keep reading
CHAPTER 17 - START A BETTER LIFE
– LESSON 3 – (PART II) – ACTION OR NO ACTION
A doubt arises that – if, a balanced
mind is the only reason which results in a non-doing (desireless action) then why
should there be an action at all. Only keeping a balanced mind is enough to
attain higher conscience or salvation or release. A gyani/ jnanin is a person
who has achieved a rational mind. Lokmanya Tilak in Gita Rahasya Book 2 pg 930 writes
- “On a question asked by Arjuna to Krishna that - It is then not necessary for
a person who has achieved a balanced mind (gyani/ jnanin) to personally perform
any action; and it will be quite enough if he imparts knowledge to people
thereby making them wiser. Imparting knowledge itself is an action! To this,
the Blessed Lord replies that: ‘if knowledge is merely orally imparted to those
persons, who have not got into the habit of righteous and desireless action,
(most of the people belong to this category), cannot rise in attaining higher
conscience nor can they experience bliss. Temporary happiness on favorable
outcome and sadness on a setback is all that they get by listening to a
spiritual discourse. Unless they walk the talk, joy is away and permanent bliss
is unachievable. If a gyani/ Jnanin absolutely gives up all Action, that
becomes an example or illustration for the Ajnanin or ignorant (A person who
carries out action with attached mind) to remain idle. Therefore, the Gita has
laid down the important doctrine that, it is an important duty of a man who is
a gyani/ Janin, to remain himself in worldly life, for the purpose of
‘loksangraha’, that is, in order to make people wise, and put them in the
righteous path of living a desireless action, leading to joy. Knowing the path and
walking the path are two different things. A stable mind walks the path. keep reading .............
UNIFORM CIVIL
CODE
Part IV, Article
44 of the Constitution states that “The State shall endeavor to secure the
citizen a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India”
Courtesy – Wikipedia – “Personal
laws were first framed during the British Raj, mainly for Hindu and Muslim citizens. The
British feared opposition from community leaders and refrained from further
interfering within this domestic sphere. Indian state of Goa was separated from India due to colonial rule in the erstwhile Portuguese Goa and Damaon, retained a common family law known as the Goa civil code and thus being only state in India with a
uniform civil code till date”.
Why Uniform Civil Code (UCC)?
At present though IPC is present matters of faith, religions are allowed to manage matters such as
marriage, property rights, adoption, maintenance, divorce. Having
Uniform Civil Code would strengthen secularism in our country and make all the
citizens equal having same rights irrespective of class, faith and gender orientation.
UCC is supported by liberals and opposed by conservative
religious bodies for their personal narrow short term gain. For one nation
there has to be one law. This will ensure fair treatment to everyone and ensure
justice to everybody irrespective of his religious orientation, class, creed
and gender. An apt example is of Shah Bano case where court could not give
justice to the lady where she got a unilateral divorce based on Sharia. A 73
year old lady married for 40 yrs could not get maintenance when unilaterally
based on triple talaq , her husband divorced her. The SC remained a mute spectator
when Indian National Congress supported a bill to protect the muslim personal
law and with the brute majority of congress the law was passed and the lady did
not get justice. To read more on it one
may google it.
The constitution exhorts us to adopt it. It has been in
the manifesto of some of the progressive political parties and was twice
considered for tabling it in parliament. This monsoon season there is a strong
possibility of it getting tabled in the parliament for consideration and Law
Commission of India has asked for suggestions and inputs from individuals and organizations.
The suggestion window is open till 13 th Jul 2023. Giving
here the procedure to register suggestions from progressive citizens of India -
Go to the following site
https://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/
GO TO
Click on Uniform Civil Code
- Public Notice (NEW)
This window will appear
Click on View
A public notice will appear like this
SUGGESTIONS FOR
UCC
There should be a common uniform
code (refer to article 44 of our constitution) of civility based on sound
ethics and values even though people are of different faith or different
religious affiliations. The values and ethics may be based on best practices
customs and traditions observed by persons of different faiths for the
following
1. Uniform Property rights
2. Uniform policies on polygamy/
monogamy/ live in relationship allowance continuance and government subsidy
cover to such families
3. Control of places of worship
in terms of govt/ trust/ private
4. Uniform Divorce laws
5. Uniformity upto 10 th
education wrt dress and appearance
6. Uniform laws for Madrassas,
Gurukuls and other faiths’ open schooling not following CBSE/ NCERT/ UGC
pattern
7. Subsidy / or no subsidy for
various ' yatras' of various faiths.
8. More incentives for family
with not more than 2 children, highest incentives for family with no children
and no subsidies/ incentives for a family with more than two children belonging
to all faiths.
9. Appointment to places of worships
as Moulavis/ Pujari/ or religious teacher to be made on recommendations of the
outcome of internal exams/ panel interviews or such boards regulated by apex
body of respective faiths/ religious body.
10. Uniform policies for trans
genders from respective faiths.
11. Abolition of certain inhuman
(and hurting flora and fauna) customs / traditions across the faiths/ religious
affiliations after due consideration by intelligentsia of the respective faith/
religions.
12. Abolition of coercive
conversion.
13. Abolition of any art forms,
depiction of any expressions denigrating any faith / religion.
14. Abolition of any local
kangaroo court based on faith/ religious beliefs such as Khaps, Fatwas and
other exhortations by local bodies not having any legal standing or is not
based on Indian constitution / IPC and other Indian jurisdictional proclaims.
15. Creation of apex body for
each faith/ religious affiliation to be met every 5 yrs to weed out time barred
customs / traditions and to welcome new ideas.
16. Strive to make a society
where there are no castes in any religion/ faith. To start with try to abolish
the Title/ Surname/ Last name from while keeping the names of the newborns.
Over the period the caste impressions would get blurred.
There is a growing chorus in the society for conscription. Conscription would instill discipline and develop the personality of youth. Government cannot afford conscription.
The pension in Armed forces is substantial. Every year the pension bill is ballooning and it eats into defence budget. It is necessary to have substantial pension for those jawans who have given their 17 - 20 yrs of prime youth for the nation. A jawan gets pension as he completes his stipulated 17 - 20 yrs of service. As he is in his late thirties, he along with pension takes up a second career to assist his family. The pension is for next 30 plus years and after him his wife / daughter gets the pension.
With a change in policy, government can bring down the pension bill, make average age of the defence forces lesser and thereby infuse more energy and still give an opportunity to the youth to start a new career outside when they are young. This midpath would usher benefits to the government, the defence forces and to the youth. When the youth comes out of Agnipath scheme, they would have 10 - 12 lakhs as bounty, a good personality with some softskills learnt as agniveers and a touch of discipline. With this capital they can make themselves employable. They would also get a preference in CAPF and other central paramilitary forces. The 25 % retention is a good carrot for them to get motivated and prove themselves. So the youth should start preparing for next 90 days to be Agniveers instead of getting swayed by the opportunist opposition parties and indulging in protests.
The defence forces have their own think tanks and any policy is after deliberations at all levels. They have there own checks and balances and so nobody should think that it is a throttled decision.
The youth of the country prepare and join the tour of duty - Agnipath.
समाजात सगळ्यांनी सैनिकी शिक्षण घेतले पाहिजे व सैन्यसेवा सक्तीची केली पाहिजे असे कित्येक लोकांना वाटते. अशाने जागरूकता येईल, शिस्त वाढेल व त्याच बरोबर तरुणांच्या व्यक्तिमत्त्वाचा विकास होण्याची शक्यता आहेच. पण लोकांना जरी वाटले तरी ते शक्य होणारे नाही कारण सरकारी तिजोरीत सगळ्यांना पगार देण्याइतके पैसेच नाहीत.
सरकारी सैन्यात पेन्शन खूप आहे व त्याचा खर्च इतका मोठा व दरवर्षी वाढत जाणारा आहे की सरकारला तो झेपणारा नाही. एक जवान २० वर्षानंतर पेन्शन घ्यायला लागतो (तेव्हा त्याचे वय साधारण ३६ ते ४० असते) तेव्हा पासून तो पुढची किमान ३० वर्ष पेन्शन घेतो त्याच्या नंतर त्याच्या मागे त्याची पत्नी किंवा मुलगी पेन्शन घेते. तो ३६ - ४० वर्षाचा असल्याने व सैन्यातल्या शिस्तीच्या सवयीने पेन्शन बरोबर दुसरी नोकरी पकडून चार पैसे कमावतो व घराला हातभार लावतो. सैन्यात केलेल्या १७ - ते २० वर्षाच्या सेवेबद्दल पेन्शन मिळालीच पाहिजे.
आपल्या सेनेतल्या जवानांचे सरासरी वय कमी होऊन त्याच बरोबर सरकारचे पेन्शन बिल कमी होण्यास साध्य असे दूरगामी धोरण अमलात आणले तर दोघांचाही फायदा होऊ शकतो. त्याच बरोबर जवानांना बाहेर जाऊन दुसरा उद्योग धंदा किंवा नोकरी पण करता येईल. अग्निपथातून बाहेर पडते समयी तरुणांचे वय २२ ते २८ असणार आहे त्याच बरोबर हातात १० - १२ लाखाचा निधीही. परत २५ टक्के सैन्यात भरती होण्याच्या गाजराच्या आशेवर ते सैन्यात असताना काम पण चांगले करतील, पुढे केंद्रीय सैन्यबळात भरती होण्यास प्राधान्य पण मिळेल व काही जणांना तर १० - १२ लाखाच्या भांडवलावर स्टारटअप सुद्धा करता येईल. तेव्हा उगाच तोडफोड करून विरुद्ध पक्षाच्या लोकांनी ठरवून व लोकांना चिथवून अग्नीपथ योजने विरुद्ध निषेध करण्यापेक्षा ह्या योजनेचा तरुणांनी लाभ घ्यावा व येत्या ९० दिवसात भरती होण्यासाठी तयारी करावी.
मराठी पत्रकार (सगळे नाही, पण बहू) जे अर्ध्या हळकुंडाने पिवळे होऊन स्वतःला पत्रकार समजतात व एका कोणत्यातरी पक्षाची री ओढत बसतात किंवा रक्षासंदर्भातला कोर्स करून सुद्धा फुसक्या राजकीय घडामोडींवर चार वाक्य लिहितात त्यांनी उगाच ताशेने झाडण्यापेक्षा ह्या योजनेचा अभ्यास करून लेख लिहिवावेत. उगाच मोदी आवडत नाहीत फक्त ह्याच कारणास्तव अग्निपथाचा निषेध न करता त्याचे फायदे काय आहेत, तरुणांना कसे भरती होता येईल हे लिहावे. अशा लिहिण्याला म्हणतात जबाबदार लेखणी.
तरुणांनो उठा अग्नीवीर व्हा उगाच कोणाच्या चिथवण्यावर जाळपोळ व निषेध करून काही मिळणार नाही - आपल्या देशाला ह्याच पासून तर वाचवायचे आहे. अग्निपथावर अग्नीवीर बना व स्वतःचा जठराग्नी शमवा देशाचे भले करा.
