1. Our USP is Danda-niti & Viveka-buddhi (IQ+EQ+SQ), i.e., Justice-punishment & Differentiation between Nitya vs Anitya i.e. Changeless vs Changing: The Chairman of our Constituent Assembly, at its Opening, on 9th Dec. 1946, Quoted: “Yunan-o-Misr-o-Rome sab mit gaye jahan se, Baqi abhi talak hai nam-o-nishan hamare, Kuch bat hai ki hasti mit-ti-nahin hamari, Sadion raha hai dushman daur-e-zaman hamara” – Iqbal


2. Wisdom says, a General may win battles and a king may subdue his kingdom; but he who rules his own mind is the greatest of them all! Look at our common people, mothers, traditional farmers and skilled workers, artisans, craftsmen etc.; they may not be educated with IQ and knowledge of the world, but look at their viveka and powers of mind – how much self-control, forbearance, concentration, patience, virtues, they have.

3. Our problems as the educated leaders of society today is the same as expressed by Duryodhan in Mahabharata who laments: I know what righteous conduct is but I feel no inclination to follow it. I know what actions are not good but I cannot resist from doing it. I am guided by my inborn tendencies and inclinations. Whatever these tendencies goad me to do, the same I willy-nilly do!

Duryodhan breaks no rules; simply invites Pandavas to game of dice and intellectually argues to justify ‘disrobing’ and refuses to return even 5 villages. He uses all legal, IQ, intellectual skills, rules to justify and get what he wants; but he ignores the “nitya”.

4. Our educated similarly promote a profit and self-oriented work-culture where we may manage and be within legal rules but we don’t care for either our or societal good. In politics or management or as Judges, lawyers, we may manage to be within the letter of law but we generally ignore the necessity of walking, guiding, mentoring and rising towards “nitya”; being a Karma Yogi, having love, care for all.

5. Education and Religions must be a Self-development process to awaken Viveka and learning to develop Powers of mind to walk towards the “nitya – our common North” in and thru’ our work.

Thus, education must be a process of Daily Reflection and Practices to i) Awaken Viveka to know the higher, be convinced of the highest and best “nitya”, ii) Learn to be in “Sur”, “Rtm” by striving to Harmonize our Thoughts, Motives, Worldview, Beliefs, Values, Goals towards “nitya”, and iii) Develop powers of Mind – strength, will, self-control, to walk the critical path towards highest, “nitya”. To be a leader we must reflect: Am I the master or slave of my mind?

6. Modern Society needs to look at our ancient wisdom of Danda-Niti (Justice and Punishment) to ensure good, ethical governance. Mahabharata discusses Danda-Niti and stresses the need to balance between law and morality. Danda is needed to enforce punishment and be an umbrella to maintain social order. Punishment must be swift and the Panchayats of five wise respected elders had the wisdom to give on-the-spot judgments not merely to punish but to reform the individual and preserve the larger societal balance. The idea was to guide all towards the “nitya” and justice wasn’t blind and dependent on false witnesses, but as mentoring and corrective, not merely retributive.

7. Niti refers to Righteous and ethical actions and the policies that must be adhered to while delivering justice to ensure justice with compassion and without arbitrariness. The primary duty of the ruler is to maintain law and order, protecting the righteous and punishing the wrongdoers without abuse of power and fair and transparent. Rulers should be aware that excessive punishment, cruelty, unfairness will lead to unrest, while insufficient and delayed punishment leads to lawlessness.

 

8. The USP of India because of which we still survive, is the Wisdom of Viveka buddhi, i.e. the ability to differentiate between the “nitya” and “anitya”, and the powers of mind to not only choose but remain focused on the “nitya” even while focused on just ‘eating’ and ‘enjoying’. Just as a Ball dropping on the Stairs will continue falling, without Viveka we will continue falling towards the ‘anitya’, pleasures of the world.

9. ‘Know Thyself’ is an age-old Question for the West and their Answer is to give us Identity cards and Passports with our Photo – the “anitya”, the changing! Then am I just a name and form, changing body and mind?

10. We’re the “Nitya” the one Subject: In simple words that even a child can appreciate, a Jivatma, living-being, is a visible “body”, which is “anitya” inert-matter, enlivened by the “nitya” – Life, Consciousness, Singular Subject! Somehow, we’ve never questioned: What is Life? From where does it come, where does it go?

Our ancient superstitious uncivilized forefathers sought and actually experienced the idea and ideal of “nitya”, the holistic picture of the whole Creation that Vedanta shares with us; which we call and fight over as my vs your God, the changeless Cause of which we all are the “anitya” Effects. The entire scheme of Indian heritage, our USP is based on our wisdom of the “nitya”, divinity of man, life and all creation. Its ignorance has resulted in schooling of today, focused on IQ and rule by political ‘animals’, so termed because they’re unconcerned with quality of character to inspire and walk-the-talk towards the “nitya”.

Unfortunately, we’ve allowed Preachers to preach my vs your God in scriptures, rituals, temples and churches and ignore God as LIFE, the “nitya'” present everywhere as the Effect of which God is the singular Cause!

Linkedin
Disclaimer

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE