Mahatma
Gandhi and his Ideas in the Modern Political System
Dear Sir/Madam,
Please find through attachment some
of the writeups written recently by Dr. Ravindra Kumar, Former Vice-Chancellor,
Meerut University, India, Editor-in-Chief of Global-Peace International Journal
and the Founder of the World Peace Movement Trust for your Web/Buletin.
Thanks and regards,
Mrinal
Former Vice-Chancellor, CCS
University, Meerut (India)
Editor-in-Chief, Global Peace-An
International
Journal of Education, Culture,
Civilization…
23-B, Lane: 2, Mansarovar,
Civil Lines, Meerut-250001 (India)
Phone: 0091-121-2645551
Mobile: 0091-9319090160; E-mail:
ravindrakumar5@rediffmail.com; ravindrakumar5@hotmail.com;
ravindrakumar5@sify.com
BRIEF
BIO-DATA OF DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR
(# 23-B, Lane: 2, MANSAROVAR, CIVIL LINES,
MEERUT-250001, INDIA)
Phone: 0091-121-2645551; Mobile: 9319090160
E-mail: ravindrakumar5@rediffmail.com, ravindrakumar5@hotmail.com,
ravindrakumar5@sify.com
Born at
village Kakrauli of Muzaffarnagar District [U. P.], India DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR (M.A.
Political Science & Philosophy, PGD in Gandhian Studies and Ph. D. in
Political Science) is a universally renowned Writer, Thinker, Scholar, Political
Scientist, Peace Worker and Educationist, who has authored/edited more than 100
works on great personalities of the Indian Sub-Continent including Mahatma
Gandhi, and on various social, religious, political, historical, educational
and cultural issues. Some of his works, of which many are of international
repute and have been translated into Marathi, Tamil and Thai languages apart
from Hindi and English languages include ‘MORALITY & ETHICS IN PUBLIC LIFE’ (1999),
‘RELIGION
AND WORLD PEACE’ (1999-2003), ‘GANDHI AND GANDHISM’, PART-I
(2001), ‘CHAMPARAN TO QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT’ (2002), ‘THEORY
AND PRACTICE OF GANDHIAN NON-VIOLENCE’ (2002), ‘NON-VIOLENCE AND ITS PHILOSOPHY’
(2003), ‘FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF INDIAN CULTURE’ (2003), ‘TOWARDS
PEACE’ (2003), ‘CIVILIZATION: ITS PRINCIPLES AND EVOLUTION’
(2004), ‘MAHATMA GANDHI AT THE CLOSE OF TWENTIETH CENTURY’ (2004) etc.
A noted
Indologist and the Former Vice-Chancellor of the C. C. S. University, Meerut,
India,
DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR has been associated with a number of
national and international academic, cultural, educational, social and peace
organizations/institutions/bodies such as ‘FRIENDS AT ARCHIVES GROUP’, N. A.
I., New Delhi, India (1985-90), ‘COMMON-WEALTH HISTORIANS’ SOCIETY’
(1990-91), ‘EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, MEERUT UNIVERSITY’, Meerut, U. P., India
(1993-4), ‘EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, M. D. UNIVERSITY,’ Rohtak, Haryana, India
(1993-5), ‘SENATE, GANDHIGRAM RURAL INSTITUTE,’ Gandhigram, Tamilnadu
(1994-7), ‘UNITED WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION,’ Chennai, Tamilnadu, India (Since
1997), ‘PEACE EDUCATION COMMISSION,’ U. S. A. ( Since 2000), ‘U.
N. UNIVERSITY FOR PEACE,’ C.R. (Since 2000), ‘GANDHI INFORMATION ZENTRUN,’
Berlin, Germany (Since 2001) etc. He has visited many countries of the world as
a Visiting Professor and Scholar.
As a
Representative of Indian Culture, DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR has delivered 200
lectures/ talks at the ‘LUCKNOW & AHMEDABAD T.V. CENTRES’
(1992), ‘DECCAN GYMKHANA’ Pune, Maharashtra (1992), ‘MUMBAI
HINDI VIDYAPEETH’ Mumbai, (2001), ‘SARDAR PATEL UNIVERSITY’, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat (2002), ‘GANDHI PEACE FOUNDATION’,
New Delhi (2002), ‘MANIBHAVAN GANDHI SANGRAHALAYA’, Mumbai, (2003), 'J.T.V.'
(2003), ASSEMBLY of the ‘NOIDA SENIOR CITIZENS’ FORUM’,
Noida, U. P.(2004), ‘INSTITUTE OF GANDHIAN STUDIES’ Wardha, Maharashtra (2005); ‘A.D.M.
UNIVERSITY’ Manila, Philippines (1996); ‘THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY, MAHACHULA
BUDDHIST UNIVERSITY, ORIENTAL CULTURE ACADEMY, SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY &
CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY,’ BANGKOK (Between 1996-2003), ‘PRINCE
OF SONGK0LA UNIVERSITY & RADIO SOUTHERN THAILAND,’ Pattani (Between
1996-2001), ‘MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY,’ Salaya, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand (Between
1998-2002), ‘THAKSIN UNIVERSITY’, Songkla (2005) and ‘MAHAPANYA MAHAVIDYALAYA BUDDHIST
COLLEGE’, Hat Hai, Thailand (2005); ‘UNIVERSITY OF LEIDEN,’
Leiden, The Netherlands (1997); ‘NORDIC INSTITUTE OF ASIAN STUDIES,
COPENHAGEN PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE & REDIO FREEDOM,’ Copenhagen
(1998), ‘ODENSE UNIVERSITY,’ Odense (Between 1998-9), ‘CENTRE
FOR ADULT EDUCATION & VESTFYNS GYMNASIUM,’ Glamsbjerg (1999), ‘UNIVERSITY
OF AARHUS’ (2001), AALBORG UNIVERSITY,’ Aalborg,
(2001-2005) and ‘DANISH ACADEMY OF PECAE’, Denmark (2005); ‘ST.
PETERSBURG STATE
UNIVERSITY’, St. Petersburg, Russia (999); ‘UNIVERSITY JAUME I,’ Costello, Spain
(2001); ‘PEACETIME FOUNDATION’ and the ‘LEGISLATIVE YUAN’
(Parliament Premises), Republic of China (2001); ‘CENTRO STUDIO SERENO REGIS’
and the ‘UNIVERSITY OF TORINO’, Torino, Italy (2002); ‘VIENNA
UNIVERSITY’, Vienna’ and ‘FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE IN AUSTRIA’
(2003); ‘GANDHI INFORMATION ZENTRUM’, Berlin, and ‘OKUMENISCHES ZENTRUM BERATUNG
FUR KRIEGSDIENSTVERWEIGERER-FRIEDENSPADAGOGISCHE MEDIENSTELLE’,
Spandau, Germany (2003); the ‘ACADEMY FOR WORLD WATCH’, Shanghai,
People’s Republic of China (2004);
‘MALAYA UNIVERSITY’, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2005) and ‘DEMOCRATIC VOICE OF BURMA’,
Myanmar (2005) on subjects related to Asian Values, Civilization, Culture,
Economic Cooperation, Gandhism, Human Rights, International Understanding,
Journalism, Terrorism, Value Education, Way of Life and World Peace.
As a
Peace Worker, DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR started ‘PEACE-REVIEW’- an International
Journal of Peace Studies in 1998 and worked as its Editor-in-Chief till 2000. In
2001 he started ‘GLOBAL PEACE’- another International Journal of Philosophy,
Peace, Education, Culture and Civilization. He has inspired thousands of people
all over the world for commitment towards non-violence by signing pledges. DR.
KUMAR has been the Chief Organizer of a National and International
Seminars organized in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Science
Research at Meerut, U.P., on ‘RELIGION & POLITICS,’ in July
1993 and at Pune, Maharashtra, India on ‘MORALITY & ETHICS IN PUBLIC LIFE’
in January 1996. Also he has been the Convener and Secretary General for the
International Seminar and Symposium organized at Meerut, U.P., India on ‘EDUCATION,
PEACE & DEVELOPMENT’
in November, 2000, on ‘NON-VIOLENCE & DEMOCRACY’ in
April, 2002, on ‘HUMAN RIGHTS’ in January 2003 and in Mumbai on ‘MAHATMA
GANDHI’ in February 2004.
Many of Dr.
Ravindra Kumar’s highly researched papers/articles have been adopted
time to time by renowned institutions like INSTITUTE OF GANDHIAN STUDIES, Wardha,
India, SYDNEY PEACE FOUNDATION, Australia, THE CENTRE OF CIVILIZATIONAL
DIALOGUE [CCD], Malaysia, THE DANISH ACADEMY OF PEACE [DAP],
Denmark, The FGM, Pune, India, THE
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF RECONCILIATION
[IFOR], The Netherlands, THE TRANSNATIONAL
FOUNDATION FOR PEACE AND FUTURE RESEARCH [TTF], Sweden, THE
UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE [USIP], USA etc. as the source
material. He is a leading contributor for A-Grade Journals of the world viz. The
Gandhi Marg, The Bhavan’s Journal, The Taiwan Journal etc.
DR.
RAVINDRA KUMAR’S works contribute significantly for
bringing about reconciliation among social groups, religious communities and
sects. They focus on equality, humanism, integration, international
understanding, non-violence, social change, unity and global peace. Apart from ‘MEERUT
RATNA’ (1993), ‘NIRALA SMRITI SAMMAN’ (1998), ‘SHAN-I-KAUM’
(2003), ‘SANTIDOOT’ (2004) ‘AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE’ (2005) and
other honours, ‘PADMA SHRI’ was awarded to Dr. Ravindra Kumar by H. E. the
President of India in 2001.
______________________
1-Mahatma Gandhi and his Ideas in the Modern
Political System
-Ravindra
Kumar*
Presently a big portion of the world happens to be
under Democratic system of Government.
Theoretically, this system stands out to be the best up to now. This is a truth. It is the best because people are
connected with it directly or indirectly at every level. Not only this, it is this very system,
which provides maximum opportunities of public progress and development. People can themselves decide in this
system the mode of their welfare. However,
even though being theoretically the best system of government, if we peruse the
democratic nations, we first of all find that there is non-equal development of
the citizens. We subsequently find
that these nations are more or less victimized by regionalism. They have
problem relating to language. They are under clutches of terrorism and
communalism. There is also the problem of negation of human rights in these
nations. There are other vivid problems akin to mention above and peace is far
away so long as these problems exist. These nations should get themselves rid
of these problems in toto, all citizens of them must have equal development and
they should have communal harmony towards making all citizens collective and
unified partners in progress. But, in reality, it is not so.
It is essential that the nations of democratic system
of government should be free from above-mentioned problems, must be capable of
ensuring equal development of their all citizens and the citizens concerned
must march forward on path of progress in unified way along with rendering
contribution to world peace. Gandhism is very much contextual today on this
accord. It is significant. Let us grasp importance of Gandhism while analyzing
it in brief.
Gandhism:
In quite simple and clear words, Gandhism consists of
the ideas, which Mahatma Gandhi put forth before human world. Along with that,
to the maximum possible extent, Mahatma Gandhi treated his individual life in
accordance with these ideas. Clearly, Gandhism is a mixture of Gandhi’s
concepts and practices. I do not hold merely his theory to be Gandhism. The
basic groundship of Gandhism happens to be non-violence.
The non-violence is the most ancient eternal value. This
non-violence is the ground of ancient-most civilization and culture of India. Mahatma
Gandhi said on this very account while making his concepts and practices based
on non-violence:
“I have nothing new to teach you… Truth and
non-violence are as old as hill.”
As we know, non-violence and truth are two sides of
the same coin. After knowing Gandhism, it is imperative for us to know clearly
the concept of non-violence also as it accords the ground for Gandhism.
Non-Violence:
What is non-violence? Ordinarily, we attribute
non-violence as a dictum that prescribes non-snatching of anyone’s life. Really,
this is not complete derivation pertaining to the concept of non-violence. Non-violence
is quite opposite to violence. As such, it would be better to know the position
relating to violence in order to know non-violence and to be in knowledge of
its meaning. According to a Jain scholar:
“Whenever, we hurt some other living being through our
thought, utterance or action under non-cordial stipulation and non-apt
learning, such an impure spirit or act of destroying life of some other one,
including the impure tendency, utterance or presuming, is taken to be full of
vice of violence. In such a situation, even if there is no sort of violence
externally, it intrinsically ipso facto
remains a tendency of violence.”
As a situation opposite to violence is non-violence,
we can firmly state, “Total non-violence consists in not hurting some other
one’s intellect, speech or action per own thought, utterance or deeds and not
to deprive some one of his life.” We can clearly say this in a few words as
follows: Abstinence in toto from violence is non-violence.
Mahatma Gandhi fully agrees with above-mentioned
derivation of non-violence. He himself has said, “Non-violence is not a
concrete thing as it has generally been enunciated. Undoubtedly, it is a part
of non-violence to abstain from hurting some living being, but it is only an
iota pertaining to its identity. The principle of non-violence is shattered by
every evil thought, false utterance, hate or wishing something bad unto some
one. It is also shattered per possession of necessary worldly things.” In this
chain Mahatma Gandhi clarified in an edition of Young India:
“…To hurt some one, to think of some evil unto some
one or to snatch one’s life under anger or selfishness, is violence. In
contrast, purest non-violence is epitome in having a tendency and presuming
towards spiritual or physical benefit unto every one without selfishness and
with pure thought after cool and clear deliberations… The ultimate yardstick of
violence or non-violence is the spirit behind the action.”
Mahatma Gandhi, while in principle admitting his
concept of non-violence, clarified further in this respect and said:
[A] Non-Violence
is Perpetual:
In context of non-violence being perpetual, Mahatma
Gandhi states, “…When we peruse the era from beginning unto now relating to the
period for which we gain historical evidence, we find that man has been
ultimately treading path of non-violence”. It is, as such, that non-violence
came into existence along with man. “In case it has not been with man from the
very beginning, there might have been self-doom by man”.
However, it has not been that and not only human race
is alive in such a huge number but there has been gradual enhancement in
development and nearness in spite of presence of various obstacles and
nuisances. This could never have been, but because non-violence is perpetual,
it happened.
[B] Non-Violence
and Truth are Complementary to Each Other:
Non-violence is governing because it is perpetual and
permanent. It is on this accord that Mahatma Gandhi says, as I have already
enunciated that “Truth and Non-violence are two sides of the same coin. Both
have same value. Difference consists in approach only. On one side there is
non-violence, on other side is truth”.
The derivation is that Truth stays with permanence or
that Truth is permanent. Non-violence on account of being permanently present
stays to be true.
[C] Non-Violence
and Cowardice Unrelated:
Mahatma Gandhi always believed in active non-violence.
He always desisted inaction like a brave man. It is a truth relating to
non-violence that it is not a weapon of a week person. It has no place for
cowardice. In own words of Mahatma Gandhi, “…Non-violence should not be
mistaken to be a true battle against every sort of evil”. He further states:
“In contrast, non-violence of my conception is true
battle against evil; it is active confrontation and not a device of tit for
tat.”
Mahatma Gandhi clarified to those who were keen to
take non-violence to be a weapon of the weak or those who terming it as
concrete and was upbringing non-action:
“…Non-violence and cowardice are not at all
inter-related. I can think of a person to be coward at heart even if he is
totally armed. In case it is not taken as cowardice to be equipped with arms,
it is certainly symbolical of fearfulness. Pure non-violence is impossible
without pure bravery”.
He clearly said at innumerable occasions in time of
national struggle for freedom that was being bravely carried out with fearlessness
under his very leadership:
“…Non-violence is an active force. There is no
possibility of cowardice or weakness in it”.
Further… “There can be hope of a violent person being
non-violent one day but there cannot be such a hope in relation to a coward”.
[D] Non-Violence:
A Social Value:
Non-violence permanently exists in human nature and as
I have stated, it came on earth with man. It can be said that one who is
CREATOR of man on earth, is also ONE who kept non-violence permanently in human
nature. Our existence could not have been if it was not so. We not only
safeguarded our existence in its permanent presence but also progressed deeply
and that is all clear before us. We are well aware that any progress is
impossible without co-operation from others. When progress has been there, it
is imperative that co-operation has been there. Co-operation is possible only
when there is non-violence. As such, the non-violence, which is individually
present, remains present socially also. It is in this accordance that Mahatma
Gandhi says:
“…Non-violence is not only individualistic, it is
social also”.
Logically, he further states in this regard:
“It must be developed. We are bound to admit that
regulation of mutual relations in society is through non-violence to a
considerable extent. I wish it to be developed on large scale”.
To those who take non-violence to be merely an
individual notion, he said without mincing words, “It is not true that society
cannot be organized or operated on basis of non-violence. I oppose such a
statement”.
[E] Non-Violence:
All-Timely and all Welfaristic:
As I have said, non-violence emerged on earth with man
and Mahatma Gandhi took it to be perpetual and eternal. In this chain, he
called upon the people to continue to develop it in practice throughout life
while taking non-violence to be the basis of life. He said, “Non-violence
should not be practiced on specific occasion only”. It is well timely. It is
not short-lived or casual. Along with this, Mahatma Gandhi admits non-violence
along with dogma of all-welfare and equality in toto. He separates it from
utilitarianism completely and instantly from this point of view. In his own
words:
“A worshipper of non-violence cannot ditto
utilitarianism. He will work towards ‘Sarvabhoothitaya’
that is maximum benefit of all and shall perish himself while constantly
endeavouring to gain the ideal. Maximum pleasure of all includes maximum
pleasure of maximum number also. Follower of non-violence and utilitarianism
will be found so many times at a path but ultimately an occasion will be there
when they will find themselves forced to tread separate paths. In certain
directions, they will also have to oppose each other. A utilitarian cannot
sacrifice himself for the sake of saving his argumentation whereas a
non-violent is always ready to face perishment”.
[F] Non-Violence and God:
Mahatma Gandhi integrally combines non-violence with
God. According to him, “It is impossible to tread path of ‘Truth and Non
violence’ unless one has vital faith in God. God is that alive force which
incorporates all remaining forces of the world. This force does not depend upon
anyone and it exists even when all other forces in world come to an end. In
case I do not believe unto this all glittering light, that incorporates
everything, I fail to understand as to how am I alive!”
God is really the Lord of universe. He accorded
non-violence on earth along with man so that man can progress along with his
existence and gain ambition. God kept all within the region of equality along
with that. He has no consideration towards discrimination all small or big,
high or low, rich or poor etc. It is possible only through developing
non-violence that a man attempts to tread his life while practicing these
non-discriminations in life. When man does so, he cannot at all ignore God who
happens to be the Lord and who kept non-violence permanently in his nature.
These are some significant clarifications, which
Mahatma Gandhi offers in context of non-violence. No doubt, non-violence is
natural, true, and perpetual and a device that is far away from cowardice. It
is social value also along with being an individualistic one; it is all-timely
and all welfaristic. It is essential to believe in God if one cherishes to
believe and practice non-violence. When I myself ponder over, I firmly believe
that all eternal values get themselves comprehended unto non-violence. Forbearance
can be there only while non-violence is in existence. Unity, compassion,
fraternity, justice or equality is also for its help alone. It is basis, mother
and up bringer of all the values.
Mahatma Gandhi, Non-Violence and Democracy:
While accepting dictum of all-welfare as basis and not
that of majority, Mahatma Gandhi is certainly a staunch supporter of democracy
and along with that, he wants that it should be intermingled with non-violence
in every manner. In such a democracy, “Quantum of interference in liberty of
people happens to be minimum”.
In fact, Mahatma Gandhi takes real democracy to be
that admits governmental interference at the minimum, which has peace at the
maximum and all progress on the basis of equality. It is possible only when
non-violence is imparted the supreme status in practice as well as in principle
and at social as well as individual plane. Only such a democracy can be
successful in its real goal.
We could know the derivation pertaining to
non-violence and also by perusing Gandhian point of view, its significance for
human race. We could clearly know that it is only non-violence, which can make
life prosperous at every level. When it is so why should not the democratic
countries make themselves prone to non-violence in the event that these
countries with democratic governance system accept welfare of all citizens to
be their ambition or goal? Mahatma Gandhi wants this very all out of the system
of government and it is really a thing of significance. It is such a
significant matter that this reality cannot be denied by me or by anyone
amongst you. It is on this accord that Gandhian non-violence is immensely
significant in system of today’s governance, especially in a democratic system.
Presently, the democratic system in operation in
worldly nations is not according to Gandhian principle. We are not getting what
Mahatma Gandhi ultimately cherished from democracy. If it was so, these nations
could be devoid of atmosphere of violence and presence of fear. There could not
have been corruption and divided human society. I have already emphasized that
there could not have been problems pertaining to terrorism, communalism,
regionalism and problems relating to languages. More than this all, there could
not have been observance of ethical and moral degradation in public life. Such
degradation is being observed constantly. The main cause after all these things
remain that all activities of these nations are not non-violent. There cannot
be any possibility of violence while there is Gandhism in democracy. Violence
is not sacred, pure or welfaristic from any point of view. Whatever is gained
on basis of it is impure and temporary. It is on this accord that it cannot
pace with democracy even for a moment. Mahatma Gandhi says, “Democracy and
violence can never be mutual”.
Basis of democracy is non-violence in toto. And, there
cannot be any diminution in it. Non-violence should be real; not merely
titular. Democracy shall be pro-people only while so. Mahatma Gandhi said in
this context, “If they are to be truly made democratic, they must be valiantly
non-violent”. In case of absence of this attribute, democracy shall be there
for name sake only and it would be better for it to…clearly be supporter of
dictatorship.
Present System and
Non-Violent Gandhian Way:
After above-mentioned analysis, the question arises
before us as to how to guide modern system of government, especially democracy,
towards Gandhian way, which undoubtedly has non-violence as its basic root. Then,
it is to be made and quotable towards equal development of all citizens. This
democracy must be such that “it should not warrant power of punishment”
In it, “… people will certainly be conscious regarding
their duties: they may sometimes, of course, be ignorant towards their rights”.
In case there is something anti-people in it, the
people shall make it favourable to them through non-violent means.
As we have analyzed, Mahatma Gandhi is in favour of
spontaneous development of non-violence. To make democracy ultimately in
accordance with non-violence remains to be his goal. This is possible. He
rightly said in this regard, “… Non-violence is not merely an individual
concept. It is social concept also. It must be developed in this form”.
Development is essential and it is in sight. He again
states in this regard along with citing a nice example, “Mutual practices in
society are regulated by non-violence to a considerable extent. I want it to be
at development at larger scale”.
This should of course, be done in right direction and
with truthful spirit.
It is the inference that the non-violence permanently
present in human nature should be developed in practice from its present state
towards progressive one in right direction per truthful spirit. A true and
cherished democracy shall be established only in such a condition. A system
shall be commendable in proportion to non-violence in it. This is important
regarding every system, however, the government of the people-democracy-remains
foremost in this chain. We have accordingly assigned it topmost place under our
discourse.
Polity must be fearless, full of equality, providing
protection to all eternal values and only then it can be pro-people. It can
accord apt dimension to development. Man can contribute to world peace only in
such a system of government along with gaining his goal. Government should be
welfaristic to people and above being non-violent as enunciated by Mahatma
Gandhi. Gandhian principle of non-violence is very much significant in modern
system of government from this point of view. This significance is likely to be
of permanent nature perpetually.
The Democracy of Gandhi’s Imagination:
Yes, the democracy of Mahatma Gandhi’s
imagination-fully encircled with non-violence -exists in no nation of the world
as up to now. Democracy of his imagination happens to be one, which does not
have any provision of punishment and even an organization like ‘State’ happens
to be obsolete in it. This is because Mahatma Gandhi holds, “…State is
symbolical of centralized and organized violence”.
As non-violence is connected with human soul, man can
be non-violent whereas in opposition to it, “… State is a soul-less machine. On
this accord, it is impossible to get rid of violence. Its very existence
depends upon violence”.
Non-existence of state as cherished by Mahatma Gandhi
is impossible instantly or in near future. Even then, it is incumbent on the
people, who are living in state organizations, to develop non-violence that is
permanently present in their nature and to enhance it gradually up to adequate
level. Along with that, all systems [specifically democracy] should, work in
direction of development of non-violence at individual, community, social and
national levels. The atmosphere of fear which we see, the diminution of values
in life and the problems having cropped up vividly cannot be eradicated without
developing it.
There is no alternative to non-violence. The whole
human history is within our purview. Whenever polities were under clutches of
violence, tacitly or expressively, they could not get anything except doom and
disaster to their citizens. Their own peace was fully shattered per this doom
and others were also badly affected. It is in this regard that in accordance
with philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, non-violence should be admitted as
invariable part of our life and it is on the basis of this dictum that modem
polities must operate. This will be very nice for them.
I have stated that polities cannot all of a sudden
operate as per expectation of the Great Mahatma Gandhi. Non-violence cannot be
a part of conduct instantly, but Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion is very important
in this regard as I have already mentioned. However, the polities must forward
certainly in this direction. Needless to say that non-violence is true,
natural, and enemy of fearfulness, stands at top amongst eternal values
including the equality and has been gradually progressive. Its nice and vital
example is before us in the form of its development unto today, since the
inception of human race-that is since initial human-state. We clearly see that
in spite of differences to whatsoever extent, ultimately there is an innovative
desire for peace. This is because non-violence happens to be in human nature,
as I have said again and again, and human being like it.
Gandhism calls upon modem
polities to march in this direction and to make them prone to non-violence. This
is really welfaristic. We cannot at all minimize significance of Gandhian
non-violence in modem polity.
* Dr. Ravindra Kumar is the former
Vice-Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut [India]. Also he is the
Editor-in-Chief of 'Global-Peace'-an international journal of philosophy,
peace, education, culture and civilization.
2- Gandhi: The Mahatma
-Ravindra Kumar*
It was in 1969
that I had an opportunity to discuss a little about Mahatma Gandhi with my
teacher for the first time. What conversation I had about is now lost in the
abyss of time. But later I always wondered – why an international political
leader like Gandhi was addressed as
Mahatma, an honorific frequently used for a spiritually elevated
soul. To find an answer, I think it is essential to review his life not in
parts, but as a whole.
Gandhi
affectionately called Bapu was a great leader endowed with a spiritual yearning for truth. The
quintessence of his philosophy of life was the realization of Satya
[truth] and Ahimsa [non- violence]. His purpose of life was as he says,
“to achieve self- realization, to see God face to face, to obtain Moksha
[Salvation].” But his approach was different from that of other seekers.
Gandhi received
good Samskaras [pre-disposition] by virtue of his birth in a religious
Vaishnava family of Gujarat, particularly from his mother who left an indelible
impression of her saintliness on his tender mind. He imbibed truthfulness from
the characteristics of the hero of the play ‘Harishchandra’. He wondered – ‘why
should not we be truthful like Harishchandra?’ The question haunted him day and
night. The king Harishchandra became the ideal hero of his dream and the
paragon of truth. He so inspired him as to remain truthful all through his life
even under trying circumstances and stands firm on his convictions.
Gandhi’s
endeavours for self-realization were through strict observance of truth. He
moulded his actions on the basis of truth, only the truth that he perceived
within. The word truth ordinarily connotes not to tell lies. But for Gandhi it
implied much more. Even hiding the truth from someone was deemed as untruth by
him. He considered that the narrow implication of the term had belied its
magnitude. Defining Truth he writes, “The root of ‘Satya’ [truth] lies
in ‘Sat’. Sat means the ‘Being’ and Satya – the feeling of
the Being. Everything is perishable except ‘Sat’. Therefore, the true
name of God is ‘Sat’, thereby implying ‘Satya
[Truth] so, instead of saying ‘God is Truth’, it is better to say ‘Truth is
God’. A question may now arise whether the realization of Truth and the
realization of Self were one and the same for him or the two entities. We get
the answer from Maharshi Raman, “What is Satya except Self? Satya
is that which is made of Sat. Again Sat is nothing but Self. So
Gandhiji’s Satya is only the Self.” It is now clear, what Gandhi meant
by Truth was in fact the realization of Self. He writes, “ What I meant to
achieve – what I have been striving and pining to achieve these thirty years –
is self-realization, to see God face to face, to attain Moksha
[salvation].”
How to realize God
is a complicate question. The realization of God can be attained by purity of
mind and heart and sadahna [constant practice]. Bhagvad Gita, the dialogue
between Lord Krishna and Arjuna in the epic Mahabharata, is regarded as a
sacred Hindu scripture and an infallible guide of daily practice. Lord Krishna
tells about four paths of God-realization. They are the service and sacrifice [Karma
Yoga], devotion and self- surrender [Bhakti Yoga], concentration and
meditation [Raja Yoga], discrimination and wisdom [Jnana Yoga]. There
is no line of demarcation between one and another and one path does not exclude
the others. A seeker can follow any of them according to his/ her temperament. Ultimately
they all lead to one goal – the realization of God.
Gandhi held
Bhagvad Gita in high esteem. He writes, “Those who will meditate on Gita will
derive fresh joy and new meanings from it everyday. There is no single
spiritual tangle which the Gita cannot unravel.” He found answer to the above
question in Gita – Vairagya [non- attachment] or Abhyas Yoga
[practice]. Vairagya means total indifference to worldly things and
concentration only on the Absolute. Lord Krishna says in Gita:
“Fix thy mind on
Me only, place thy intellect in Me; then thou shalt no doubt live in Me alone
hereafter.”[Chapter XII: Shloka – 8]
And further says
he, “If thou art not able to fix thy mind steadily on Me, then by Yoga of
constant Practice [Abhyas Yoga] do thou seek to reach Me”.
[Ibid: 9]
Gandhi was born to
serve humanity. He was a practical man; he chose the path of practice and the
path of renunciation of the fruits of action. Absolute faith in God and
surrender to His Will became his object of observance [Niyam] and the
constant thought of the Truth – Practice [Abhyas Yoga]. His mind was
always occupied with truth in all walks of life – personal, social or
political.
Gandhi was a
seeker and introspection was the method of his sadhna. He writes, “I
have gone through deep introspection, searched myself through and through, and
examined and analyzed every psychological situation.” The study of Gita and the
process of self- introspection brought him face to face with the true meaning
of Ahimsa [Non- Violence] – no violence in thought, speech and act. He came to
the conclusion that the realization of Truth was impossible without adherence
to the supreme conduct of man – Ahimsa.
In his opinion Truth and Ahimsa were so inter- mingled as the two sides of a
coin. For the achievement of one or the other, complete control over the senses
of Action [Karmendriya] and those of Perception [Jnanendriya] is
essential. Lord Krishna also says in Gita:
“Control Raga-
dvesha [attachment–malevolence], obstructions on spiritual path; Do your
duty well. Control desire and anger – the enemies of wisdom. Master first the
senses. Kill this enemy - desire by restraining the self by Self and by knowing
Him who is superior to intellect”. Chapter III; Shloka 37 – 43]
Truth and Ahimsa
appear to be at the same level as a pair Truth – Ahimsa, yet Gandhi regarded
ahimsa as means [sadhna] and Truth as the ultimate goal [sadhya].
It is said ahimsa is the super- most religion [ahimsa parmodharmah],
Truth for Gandhi was the Almighty God. He, therefore, strived for and adhered
to perfect Truth in thought, speech and act all through his life and thereby
achieved the realization of Self. It is most likely that he practiced also
Kriya Yoga he was initiated in by Paramhansa Yogananda, who, who visited
him in Wardha ashram in 1935. Although lean and frail in appearance, he was
strong in body and mind and glowed with spiritual health.
Gandhi once
admitted that he had little knowledge of religions even of Hinduism, yet he
believed, like every Hindu, in God, in rebirth and Salvation. He had a broad
perception of Hinduism. In this perspective he says, “I believe Hinduism is not
an exclusive religion. In it there is room for the worship of all the prophets
of the world. It is not a missionary religion in the ordinary sense of the
term. It has no doubt absorbed many tribes in its fold, but the absorption has
been of an evolutionary, imperceptible character. Hinduism tells each man to
worship God according to his own faith or dharma and so live at peace with all
religions.” So, he regarded all religions with Sambhaav [equitability]. He
perceived no religion was superior or inferior. He had studied about all
religions of the world and came to the conclusion as he says, “I believe the
Bible, the Koran, and the Zend–Avesta to be as divinely inspired as the Vedas.”
He even tried in his mind to unify the teachings of the Gita, Sermon on the
Mount and the Light of Asia and found Renunciation in Gita as ‘the greatest
philosophy of all religions’.
Gandhi said,
“Nothing delights me so much as the music of the Gita or the Ramayana by
Tulsidas.” It will, therefore, not be out of context if we consider here the
influence of Ramayana on him. Ramayana is an epic like Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’
- a grand story, of a grand Man, in a grand style. But unlike ‘Paradise Lost’,
Ramayana is a sacred scripture of Hindus. Therein, Tulsidas has portrayed the
persona magnum, Rama, as an incarnation of Vishnu as well as a model
human being with high moral values to serve as example for common man. Frank
Whaling writes, “Rama has remained a symbol of dharma, human relationship and
kingship; for others he has been a symbol of ‘Brahman’ or a symbol of the
loving Lord.”
In his childhood,
the repetition of ‘Ramnaam’ [Rama’s name] suggested to him to ward off
his fear of ghosts and spirits became an infallible guide’ for him later in
life. Gandhi was highly impressed with the characteristics of Rama. Gandhi’s
heart was the permanent abode of Rama who was endowed with the attributes of
Brahman. Rama’s obedience, ready submission to the vows of his father, his love
for his subject, protection to the weak, and equanimity to all beings he met
during his exile, left deep impressions on Gandhi’s mind and heart. But what
impressed him most was Rama’s way of administration – Ramarajya, in
which justice prevailed and the voice of the low of the lowest was given due
regard. In fact, he regarded ‘Ramarajya’ as the true model of democracy.
In introduction to
his autobiography, Gandhi has written, “My experiments in the political field
are now known. But I should certainly like to narrate my experiments in the
spiritual field, which are known only to me and from which I have derived such
power as I possess for working in the political field.” Indeed, he relentlessly
pursued truth all through his life and achieved self-realization.
It is an anomaly
that he is remembered and evaluated only for his political achievements. Little
attention has been paid to the spiritual force within him from which he derived
power to work in personal, social and political fields. According to Maharshi
Raman, Adhyatmik Shakti [spiritual force] was working within him
[Gandhi] and leading him on. He always listened to his inner voice and took
decisions accordingly. His inner- self prompted him to serve the wounded in
Boer War and Zulu rebellion in South Africa. He was always in front line and
fearlessly led people in Satyagraha and Non-Cooperation movements. Undaunted he
walked unarmed without any protection through the riot- hit areas at the time
of partition of India, giving message of faith, love and peace.
Gandhi was a yogi-
householder living amidst people. He was a Nishkam
Karmayogi with no aspiration for any recognition or reward. He had limited his
desires and needs to the bare minimum. Whatever he did, he did with right
intention, right spirit and conviction, and worked for the benefit of others
irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Notwithstanding the power he wielded
over the Congress party and the masses, he never aspired for or accepted any
kind of office. Had his name been proposed as the first President of India in
recognition of his services to the nation, I am sure, none would have opposed
it but he himself. He was such a great and magnanimous person. Rabindranath
Tagore, a poet and visionary, recognized his greatness and spirituality and
called him Mahatma, an attribute he aptly deserved.
Lord Krishna says
to Arjuna in Gita, “Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness becomes
powerful then I myself come to birth.” [Chapter IV – 7]. If we turn to the
pages of the history of the world, it is evident that there have descended
super- beings whenever the righteousness or ethical values are on decline to
guide people on to the righteous path. The Indian soil is credited with the
birth of many a super-being or the lofty spiritual personages who inspired
people to forsake the evils of materialism that cause suffering,
dissatisfaction and misery and to follow the path of spiritualism. Rational
explanations of Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and acts will certainly place him in
history in line with Lord Mahavira, Gautama Buddha and Jesus Christ. Gandhi
stood for Truth, Ahimsa, Compassion and Service all through his life. ‘To serve
humanity is the service of God’ was the principle of his life. He was a social
saviour of the oppressed and down- trodden people and fought for their right of
equality and justice. It is not all; he was the political saviour of nations in
political turmoil. The leaders of many subjugated races and countries drew
inspiration from him for their rights. Like Jesus Christ, he was Forgiveness
personified. He had no feeling of malice towards anyone in his dying moments
and breathed his last remembering his chosen deity ‘Rama’. Paying a
glowing tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein has written, “Generations to
come, it may be, will scarcely believe that such one as this ever in flesh and
blood walked upon the earth.”
Today, we are
passing through a crisis – a crisis of identification of values. The world is
entrapped in gross materialism. Man has become so selfish as to have utter
disregard for others whether an individual or a society or a nation. Scientists
are vying with each other to play the role of the Creator. It is high time to
create a balance between materialism and spiritualism. In the chaotic circumstances
prevailing all over the world today, we are looking for peace as elusive as the
mirage in a desert. I think, Mahatma Gandhi’s life and his teachings can serve
as beacon- lights to guide us and lead us to steady peace.
______________________________
*
Dr. Ravindra Kumar is the former Vice-Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut
[India].
3-Mahatma
Gandhi and Problem of Communalism: An Analysis
-Ravindra
Kumar*
Communalism is one of the most serious problems that
India has to face after her freedom from colonial rule in the mid of 20eth
Century. This problem, which has
existed among the followers of two principal religious communities- Hindus and
Muslims – many times raised a great challenge before the secular structure of
India. In the name of religion
such acts have been committed that are no doubt shameful and a act of fleeing
from the message of Mahatma Gandhi who lead the country to the door steps of
freedom through non-violence, the sacred human value.
Mahatma Gandhi devoted his entire life for propounding
communal harmony. He whished in
‘India of his dream’, “I shall for an India, in which the poorest shall feel
that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice; an India
in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; [and above all]
an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony.”
But it is unfortunate that after independence to this
year, i.e. up to the year 2004, there have been over five thousand communal
riots in India, and most of them occurred between Hindus and Muslims. After all, why have there been riots in
such a large number? In other
words, what is the reason for them?
Whether is it one reason or are there many reasons? What is the impact of such riots on
common man? What situation is
created at national-international level due to these riots? These are the questions we become
curious to get an answer to. Along
with this we want to know, how to get rid of this problem. Come let us try to find answers to
these questions pertaining to the problem of communalism in India. But prior to it, let us know and
understand the meaning and definition of communalism.
Not only in India but also all over the world,
scholars and subject-specialists have defined communalism in different manners. And, all these definitions,
unfortunately, do not reveal the complete meaning or sense of communalism in
clear-cut terms. However, Richard
C. Lambert, who has given the definition of community according to the
conditions prevailing in the country, provides us a correct picture regarding
the position of communalism in India.
According to Richard C. Lambert, “The word Community
is used in India for the unequal social units.” It may be said that communalism is the negative aspect of
the community. That is to say,
when the people of a particular community care only for their own narrowly
concerned interests, through the means of their religious faiths, old customs
and conservative practices, disregarding the interests of whole society, then
it may be termed as communalism.
In general, following four main things can be found in
a state of communalism:
l Negativeness;
l Narrowness;
l Unfair
means; and
l Disregard
to the interests of society.
The unfair means that are adopted in a state of
communalism, neglecting the interests of society, instigation on the basis of
religious sentiments is the main among them, which can be observed clearly in
communal violence that occurred during the last 57 years in India.
II
India has a history of communal riots. The problem of communalism, especially
relating to the modern age, and seeds of which were sown during the 19th
century, is a gift of colonial rulers to India. In other words, the colonialists played the main role in
starting communal tension in India in the 19th Century. Along with this, some people from a
particular religious community were also involved in this act, who keeping
aside the interests of entire Indian Society and filled with narrow-minded
thoughts, joined hands with the colonialists. They were also in favour of bargaining with the colonialists
for the benefit of their co-religionists.
It was an easy task for them.
India is a country of diversities, a land of different religious
communities and sects. In such a
country, if the government protects the people of a particular community who
are ready to fulfill their own interests even by spreading communalism, what
can be difficulty for them? They
can do so without any fear.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, who was one of the great political leaders of India at that
time, started “Ganesh Pooja” and “Shivaji Mahotsav” in Southern India,
especially in Maharashtra and its nearby regions, with the aim of creating
awakening among the masses. I
hope, even today, nobody can believe that while starting “Ganesh Pooja” or
“Shivaji Mahotsav” programmes, he would have contemplated about Hindu-Muslims,
or there would be any thought in his mind in the interest of Hindus – his
co-religionists. He was one who
always thought and worked for Indians, Indian nation and Indian
nationalism. The programmes
related to “Ganesh Pooja” and “Shivaji Mahotsav” was not initiated to support
the interests of Hindus. However,
both “Ganesh” and “Shivaji” were associated with the emotions of a number of
Hindus.
A procession connected with the above programme was
passing through the streets of Mumbai in the year 1893. When it reached near a place of prayer
of another religious community, it was pelted with stones. The quarrel ensued between those
participating in the procession and attackers, and finally resulted in a
communal riot. Similarly, another
incident occurred in the coming year, i.e. in 1894 at Pune. Behind both these incidents was the
support of colonial rulers to the narrow-minded people involved in the acts.
From here, started communalism, which was also evident
on some occasions in the Gandhian era of the national liberation movement of
India? Mahatma Gandhi, as I have
already said, was committed to communal harmony. He was of the firm belief that if the followers of two
principal religious communities – Hindu and Muslim walk hand in hand, come
forward together to solve the problems, small or big, become identical to
nationalism, only then the progress of the country will be possible in real
sense and the cultural heritage of India will be protected.
According to his firm belief, Mahatma Gandhi entered
in the “Yajna” of national freedom along with others, whether they were Sikhs
or Buddhists, Parsis or Jains, Christians or Muslims, or his own
co-religionists. He, as all know,
accepted ahimsa as both, means and
goal. He made it the basis for
achieving freedom for India. In my
opinion, ahimsa holds its due place
in all religious communities. I do
not believe that it does not help the followers of any community to perform his
or her duty. Rather I believe that
it is ahimsa alone that assists to
enable us to fulfill our duties in the best possible manner.
But it was unfortunate that many people could not
become identical with the firm and true message of Mahatma Gandhi pertaining to
non-violence. Even then, he, time
and again, repeated his message of ahimsa
till the last breath of his life; worked for communal harmony declaring it
a value supplementary to non-violence.
He, time and again, conveyed suggestions for peace brigade and for
volunteers to work for harmony. These
suggestions are more or less important even today for a country like India.
III
After independence there came a change in social,
political and economic conditions of India, which was quite natural. There were many reasons for change in
social conditions such as : the provision of equality before law, equal
opportunities to all to get job etc., and above all, liberalization of the
ownership of land. The change in
political conditions mainly depended on adopting a democratic system for which
all adults [men and women] of the country got the right to choose their
representatives. Similarly, there
was a definite change in the economic conditions as well. The freedom of earning livelihood by
fair means, without any fear or pressure, was given to everyone. And, all rich or poor, so-called high
or low, became entitled to government jobs without any distinction. All these things were truly symbolic of
change in economic conditions.
With these unprecedented changes, the best atmosphere
of communal harmony should have been created in India and according to the
expectation of Mahatma Gandhi this country should have become an example in
this direction. But this did not
happen. Then, what happened? The same I have mentioned in the
beginning. Communalism has become a serious problem in India and it has greatly
damaged the country. After
independence, there have been many reasons behind this problem. Along with this, it has also undergone
numerous changes. Besides two
religious communities, two sects of the same community, or even between
sub-sects, you can we the atmosphere of conflicts. Even then, most of the problems of communalism in India
revolve around Hindus and Muslims, which is a matter of great concern.
In my opinion the reasons for the problem of
communalism in India are mainly two – silent and apparent. Side by side, there is also a third
different reason that can be observed in several other countries of the world.
The reasons, which I have termed as silent, must be
analyzed very carefully in relation to the problem of communalism in
India. Among these reasons is the
large number of unemployed youths, that comprise nearly ten per cent of the
total population, i.e. ten crores, illiteracy and poverty is the main. Perhaps, you know that there are
twenty-five provinces and seven union territories in India. In some of these provinces, even after
fifty-seven years of independence, fifty or even more percent people are
illiterate. Also in the entire
country 26 per cent people live below the poverty line.
Poverty, illiteracy and unemployment create a lot of
compulsions, especially before younger generation. That is why, many from younger generation, because of lack
of right thinking, remain unemployed and in a state of poverty, get involved in
the evil like communalism. In this
context, as I have already mentioned, a minute and careful analysis is
necessary. After this analysis
certain remedial steps must be taken.
The efforts being made for uprooting poverty, illiteracy and
unemployment are not as fruitful as they should be.
With reference to communalism whatever apparent
reasons are discussed generally, among them the first one is religious, and the
second one is political. Third one
is socio-economic and the fourth one is international. In the first, i.e. religious, its
fundamentalism should be considered responsible for communalism. Malevolence like reactionary attitude,
traditional bourgeois and conservative approaches etc. are mainly behind
fundamentalism.
After all ‘Our belief alone is true’ and ‘rest is
untrue or incomplete’, we find this kind of mentality of fundamentalists. As per this mentality, when the
followers of any religious community, sect or sub-sect indulge in their
activities, they certainly come in conflict with others. Reason is quite evident. They do not have tolerance, which is
absolutely necessary for a country like India – a land of different religious
communities. They become the cause
of confrontation, malice and struggle.
Politicians also have played a villainous role in creating
serious communal situations in India.
There was politics at the root of painful division of India in 1947 in
the name of a particular religious community. But even after paying a heavy price in the form of
partition, in many riots provoked thereafter, we can find the involvement
directly or indirectly, of political parties or their supporters. Along with this for the sake of vote
bank, the policy of appeasement, selection of candidates on the basis of
community, sect, sub-sect and caste, and flaring up religious sentiments at the
time of elections, led to the rise of communalism. These practices are still continued and the country is
bearing heavy loss because of it. We
can witness many adverse results of these practices.
Economic and social reasons can be found mainly in
competition among the people living at lower and lower-medium levels and in the
involvement of professional hooligans, speculators and the anti-social elements
in communal riots. This
involvement is, purely for economic gains and to attain overwhelming influence
on society. I find the above-said
realities and reasons in riots occurred
a few years back in my own city and also in other cities like Mumbai.
External elements also have a role in worsening the
problem of communalism, and making it serious. I may not mention the name of any particular country in this
regard but scholars and those who think on this problem from time to time are
quite aware of this fact.
The main reasons for involvement of external elements
or their role in riots are as follows:
·
To create an atmosphere of instability, so that it becomes socially
weak;
l
To hope for gaining sympathy from minorities;
l
To try to weaken the economic structure of a foreign country; and
l
With the aim to conceal their own incompetence.
Besides above-mentioned facts there can be more -
silent or apparent – reasons in all areas, which create communalism or enhance
it, or make it serious. There are
also some such reasons that rise instantaneously and result in communal
disturbances or in riots of serious nature.
Other that silent and apparent, the third reasons,
that I have mentioned earlier, will come before us in brief in remedial
suggestions by me, and I do hope that we will understand it.
IV
In India, since the year 1947 up to the year 2002, the
amount of property that has been lost in communal riots, with that, if not
more, at least 2 crores and fifty lacs people could easily be given employment;
the problem of housing and education of the same number of people could be solved.
Due to the communal outbursts the occupational
activities were affected, and that would be considered as national loss. With this loss the day-to-day problems
of crores of people could be solved
and their life could be made happier and more peaceful. But it is unfortunate that wealth and
property, lost in riots, was burnt without any aim in a country like India in
which crores of people are under poverty line. What should be done so that such situations are not
faced? I once again appeal that if
at all three levels-individual, community and government – something in a
concrete manner is done stage by stage, the country would be free of
communalism.
Let us, first of all, discuss the steps to be taken at
individual level. India has a
population of more than one hundred crores, in which 12 or 15 crores are
Muslims. More than 80 crores are Hindus. It is possible that, due to differences
with Hindus, such a large number of Muslims will disappear? Certainly not. Then, will they leave the country? It is also not possible. Most of the Muslims, more than 90 per
cent of them, are Indians, i.e., they are born here. This country belongs to them too, and living here they have
to build their future. There is no
doubt about it. They have no other
alternative other than this.
More than eighty crores
Hindus cannot dream of a truly progressive India advance on the path of peace
without co-operation of Muslims and other communities. It is only possible when all from
majority and minority communities walk hand in hand.
Each and everyone have to make a balance between his
or her own religious community and national interests, he or she has to unite
with nationalism, and then should move forward. The teachings of a religious community may be great, but the
followers of the community concerned should understand that nationalism is
greater. If they do not become
familiar with this fact, they will be away from national stream; they will
suffer. This fact relates not only
to India but also to many other countries of the world.
Each and every religious community has been founded on
the basis of certain values that were best and necessary for circumstances of
the country and times. Goodness
like adjustment with others, or co-operation, or consistency can be found in
their teachings. But by not
moving according to the teachings
of their religious community those who depend upon fundamentalism and
conservative practices, or those who use their co-religionists taking advantage
of their poverty, illiteracy or innocence, are dishonest towards their own
self, their co-religionists and also towards those great leaders who founded
the religious community. Everyone
must understand this fact also. Along
with this, leaders of all communities, by knowing it, must come forward for an
atmosphere surcharged with harmony, in which lies their welfare too.
Policies like appeasement, fun and frolic with the
sentiments of people for individual and party interests, and selection of
candidates on the basis of religious community or sect by keeping aside the
qualifications, one, certainly, does the things against national interest or
nationalism; are reflections of lower national thinking. That is why; these kinds of acts should
be stopped at government level and also at the level of political parties.
There is a great need to work towards eradicating the
problem of unemployment among the youths, illiteracy and poverty and that too
with honesty and without any discrimination. This will help in solving many problems, and will create awakening. The result will be in checking on
communalism to a great extent. That
is why it is expected that a lot of work have to be done at government level in
this direction.
Thus, in order to get rid of the problem of
communalism in India, there is a need of collective efforts. All will have to discharge their
duties. If we do so, definitely
harmony will prevail. Everybody
will prosper. This must be done;
this was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi for a free India.
________________
Dr.
Ravindra Kumar is the former Vice-Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut [India].
4-Gandhi: An Embodiment of Indian
Cultural Heritage
-Ravindra Kumar*
Speaking in a
conference at Allahabad on April 5, 1936, Mahatma Gandhi said about India
Culture, “Many of us are striving to produce a blend of all the cultures which
seems today to be in clash with one another. No culture can live if it attempts
to be exclusive. There is no such thing as pure Aryan Culture in existence in
India Today. Whether the Aryans were indigenous to India or were unwelcome
intruders, does not interest me much. What does interest me is the fact that my
remote ancestors blended with one another with the utmost freedom and we of the
present generation are result of that blend.”
Gandhi’s above
statement with special reference to the Indian Culture is extraordinary and
factual, though at the first glance, it may appear general and ordinary. Extraordinary
it is for the reason that Gandhi has said a lot in brief for the simple reason
that this statement would be of great help, to some extent if we intend to
explore the main features of the Indian Culture.
The first most
important point about the culture that Gandhi has brought out in this statement
is that any culture that tries to remain exclusive cannot survive. It means
that for the long life of a culture, it has to remove rigidity and avoid
parochialism. The rigidity and parochialism are in fact two demerits which keep
one isolated from others and ultimately prove themselves self-defeating or in
other words result in self-destruction. As opposed to it, flexibility and
liberality are the two attributes that bring on synthesis and continuity in
life. They function as a force of unification and not of segregation. It is
necessary here to clarify while talking about flexibility; I do not mean that
we have to break loose from all constraints and to refrain from being firm. Though
the Indian Culture is known for its liberal and magnanimous attitude, it has
never deviated from its fundamental values. This is the reason that it is still
alive even after a lapse of thousands of years whereas, the other cultures
about which we study in history are now non-existent. The main reasons for
their disappearance are those that I have enumerated above.
In the perspective of Indian
Culture, the second important point which Gandhi has raised is that there is
nothing like pure Aryan Culture in the country. Discarding the concept of Aryan
and non-Aryan cultures as unimportant issue, he says that our ancestors mingled
with each other so well that the outcome is the present day generation. It
clearly shows that Gandhi has on one hand struck at fundamentalism and on the
other has brought out the basic principle of harmony. It is evident from
history that the Indian Culture many a time was subjected to fundamentalism,
but it could not deviate from its basic principles of patience, tolerance and
above all non-violence. Sometimes it appeared that Indian Culture would lose
its form because of fundamentalism and other attacking forces, but it did not
happen and the culture remained firm on its course of progress. Consequently,
the fundamentalism and the other weakening forces proved to be momentary and
disappeared like water-bubbles.
Synthesis is a significant
feature of the Indian Culture. We can also say that is the basic principle of
the culture, the history of which goes back to the ancient past or we can
certainly line it up at least with the Dravidian era. Later on, many other
cultures came in contact with the Indian Culture and easily merged themselves
into it according to the circumstances and conditions that prevailed in India
rather than those in the land of their origin. In the same context, Gandhi is
very true when he says, “It [Indian Culture] nurtured the synthesis of those
cultures which stayed in this country. They affected the Indian way of life and
in return got influenced by it.” Continuing further Gandhi regarded the
homogeneity of the Indian environment the basis of this synthesis.
History is witness to the fact
that all those cultures that came in contact with the Indian Culture were not
completely or partially devoured by it. Not only did the Indian Culture through
its great values make am impact on other cultures, it also imbibed their
befitting features. This is the reason that there was no possibility of any
pretence of harmonious blending of cultures. There was not anything forced
upon, nor was their existence ever questioned. After the synthesis of Aryan and
Dravidian cultures the vast Indian Culture came to be viewed in its entirety by
the people of the world. Later on, many other cultural streams that flowed into
the Sub-Continent from Greece, Persia, Arab countries or any other parts of
Europe merged themselves into the vast ocean of Indian Culture. If we put aside
the question of how and why these cultures arrived in this country, the picture
that emerges before us reflects the unique characteristic of synthesis of
Indian Culture.
It is fact that the Indian
Culture is grand and unique and has fostered other cultures. Gandhi, in his
time, was a great exponent and representative of Indian Culture. We can call
him an embodiment of Indian cultural heritage glimpse of which we can have in
his brief statement on Indian Culture exposing its characteristics of
magnanimity, flexibility and above all of synthesis. Whatever views Gandhi held
on Indian Culture and spoke about, he himself acted accordingly. He occupied
himself with re-establishing the genuine cultural values throughout his life. As
he has himself affirmed in the opening lines of his statement, he has in
principle and practice remained firm on his views, “To remain aloof from the
rest of the world or do erect walls around us…it is [definitely] to go astray.”
It means that to keep ourselves with in the confines of narrow-mindedness and
rigidity is to get lost and ultimately lose our entity. To do so will also be
against the everlasting and coordinating culture of India which is replete with
non-violence and its supplementary values such as patience, tolerance and
progressiveness. Therefore, he urged his colleagues and the countrymen to act
upon the real cultural values, but prior to it, he advised them to assimilate
them.
Gandhi was justified in his
grievance that the prosperous Indian Culture in which there is no alternative
to the great values it represents, has not been given due recognition, made a
subject of study and the specific features of which have not been properly
evaluated. It is not all; he was unhappy with the disregard for it and the
indifference to its values in their day to day application. Hence, in one of
the issues of Young India, he wrote, “Our culture is a treasure-house of such
great values as are hardly found in other cultures. We have not given it its
due recognition; have seen it and learnt about it disregarding its proper study
and undermining its values. We have almost discarded it by not conducting
ourselves according to its tenets; [but] without the conduct, more intellectual
knowledge is just like a corpse that may be preserved as mummy. It seems good
to look at, but fails to inspire.” It means to observe the characteristics of a
culture in right perspective and to comport oneself accordingly. It is does not
happen so, in his own words, “…will be like a mass suicide.”
Gandhi’s views as a
representative of Indian Culture are founded on facts, for they present it in
right perspective; they make him an embodiment of cultural heritage. In brief,
these views along with his conduct conforming to them will always remain capable
of guiding one and all who would work with a desire to keep the true Indian
Culture alive. It is not all; they will also be a source of inspiration to all
other cultures of the world for their longevity.
___________________________
*Dr.
Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice-Chancellor, CCS University, Meerut, India; he
has been the Consultant to UN University of Peace for Gandhian Studies.
5. Non-Violence: A Natural, Dynamic and Live Value
-Ravindra Kumar*
Non-violence, that is ahimsa, is not a rough thing,
nor is it an inactive thought or a value established by man. Non-violence is a
natural, dynamic, active or live value. Because of its permanent existence in
human nature, its being dynamic and active non-violence is an essential
condition for existence, development and the ultimate goal, and for this very
reason it is the first and absolutely necessary base of civilization.
Best manifestation of non-violence took place in Lord
Mahavira. For Mahavira non-violence is the soul-force. Besides being nucleus in
Jain philosophy, the form of non-violence that shaped in his individual
practices and daily routine, nevertheless, it did not exist in the life of any
of his contemporaries. It this regard Mahavira is unparallel even today; and
after him anybody equaled him or has been able to follow him completely, is
beyond my knowledge and belief.
Further for Gautama Buddha, and in modern times, for
Mahatma Gandhi, non-violence is, ultimately, a natural value. As for many
incarnations, prophets, philosophers and thinkers, since ancient to modern
times, for Buddha and Gandhi also it is the principal human value. Although
Gautama Buddha did not directly accept the naturalness of non-violence, but the
manner in which he has repeated love for life as innate desire by all [Sabbes
Jeeviyam Piyam), and disliking for violence and punishment [Sabbe Tashanta
Dandassa], the conclusion is drawn that non-violence is a natural value. Buddha
laid stress on maximum purity in daily practices and he called for practical non-violence
as much as possible. For this reason, non-violence became the subject of more
and more practices in his philosophy.
Mahatma Gandhi’s arguments that ‘man has made
consistence progress in direction of non-violence’ and in a natural way
‘mankind moved towards non-violence for progresses’ spontaneously confirm the
naturalness of this value from his side also. For Gandhi too, non-violence is
the subject of maximum practices and ultimately its yardstick is the intention
behind the action. According to Mahatma Gandhi, importance lies in making
non-violence conducive to circumstances of time and space; it is the base on
which success of non-violence depends. No doubt, this conception towards
non-violence is acceptable to all-general or particular.
Non-violence of Mahavira is the soul-force whereas
non-violence of Buddha and Gandhi is a natural value. By speaking so, readers
may presume that there is a difference in views of Mahavira, Buddha or Gandhi
regarding non-violence. In other words, there is a difference between
above-mentioned concepts relating to non-violence in which it soul-force
according to Mahavira, while it is a natural value according to Buddha and
Gandhi. But in reality it is not so. Definitely soul reflects the nature, or we
can say that nature is influenced by soul. Therefore, the one that is the
soul-force is, more or less, natural also.
So far as the question of non-violence being dynamic
and live or an active value is concerned, in that Mahavira, Buddha, Gandhi and
many other also, are unanimous. Let us now have some discussion regarding
non-violence being a dynamic and active value.
As historical evidences confirm, in its primitive age
man adopted the technique of living and stabilizing together. By doing so, man
showed co-operation towards fellow man, which, like affection, is another
supplementary value of non-violence. And interestingly, even in primitive age,
after mutual co-operation humans did not make a final stop. Man did not stop
satisfied at the feeling of his own safety and that of his contemporaries. On
the contrary he had a keen desire to move forward. In other words, man was
crazy enough to further develop the sense of mutual co-operation. And this was
the reason that he continuously co-operated with others and established new
records, one after the other. Because of this natural instinct man is still on
the path of progress and he has to go further and further. Despite the presence
of many hurdles, worldly competitions and envy, the instinct of co-operation
with others could not elope from human nature and it will never elope. Because
of this instinct man will remain active as far as possible, he shall continue
to proceed towards prosperity.
Not on the strength of any theory, but on the basis of
day-to-day practices and self-experiences, any one can reach the conclusion
that non-violence and non-violent activities, and mainly co-operation,
increases further with more efforts; it becomes conducive to us. Therefore, it
can be emphatically said that non-violence is dynamic besides being an active
value. Needless to say that non-violence is in our nature and it has the
capacity to consistently develop. Any one who has least doubt in the activeness
of non-violence or its dynamism, he can remove doubt by experiences of worldly
practices of his own and others. There can be no question mark on non-violence
being an active, dynamic and natural value.
Natural, active and dynamic value non-violence is
entirely linked to heroism, or in other words, heroism is a necessary condition
for it, and also an acid test of non-violence. There is no correlation between
non-violence and cowardice. Vardhamana became Veera [the brave] on the strength
of non-violence and he became Mahavira by adopting it his life.
Non-violence has the power which cannot be conquered
by anyone. In the time of Buddha, Angulimal, who wore garland of fingers
extracted from the bodies of people killed by him, once faced Buddha. Gautama
Buddha was passing on his way when Angulimal came in front of him and he
challenged Buddha to change his route, but Buddha did not care for his
challenge. He was an apostle of compassion [the karuna] and compassion is the
best supplementary value of non-violence. In this way, even being full of
compassion, Buddha was definitely a brave also. Why should he be afraid of
Angulimal? Buddha went on walking and at one time both were in front of each
other. Buddha stood before him with strait eyes, but Angulimal could not see
eye-to-eye; he got defeated and became Buddha’s follower. This was the strength
of non-violence.
Many more such examples can be cited, but here I will
discuss only one example more, which is related to Mahatma Gandhi and then give
full stop to my talk. It was the month of March in the year 1930. Mahatma
Gandhi was proceeding towards Dandi from his Sabarmati ashram of Ahmedabad. A
man of a place near Bharoach, who was opposed to the principle of Gandhi,
threatened him to kill in a lonely place. Anyhow, Gandhi got the news. He was a
worshipper of non-violence and, therefore, fearless and brave also. He knew
that anyone having ill-will cannot withstand before the power of non-violence. Two-three
days passed. In the meantime Gandhi got ascertained the name and address of
that ill-willing person and one day, in early hours, he confronted him. Gandhi
told the man, “Brother! I am Gandhi; you want my life. Take it soon, none will
know.” The man could not see eye to eye with the votary of non-violence and
became his follower. This is the reality of natural, dynamic and active or live
value non-violence and of non-violent hero.
____________________
*Dr.
Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice-Chancellor, CCS University, Meerut, India; he
has been the Consultant to UN University of Peace for Gandhian Studies.
6-Reverence for All Life: A Move Towards Cosmic Consciousness
-Ravindra Kumar*
It has been depicted, most beautifully and clearly, in the first line of
a Shloka
of Jinavangmaya
that ‘SAVVESI JIVIAM PIYAM, i.e., life is dear to all.’ Every living
being, to a very intense and significant extent, has the will to live. This is
a desire which manifest itself. A living being wishes to live so long as he
can. Any person, sentenced to capital punishment if asked suddenly to choose
one betwixt Nav-Nidhi [the nine treasures] and life, he will choose life. When
it is established that all living being want to live and no one has accorded us
a right to kill, there should not be any attempt to kill any one. No one should
be tormented. In case we cause to pain to some one, try to strike and injure or
try to take some one’s life, some or the other will also try to take revenge
upon us. This is the very stage to start animosity and hostility. Hence, it is
incumbent upon us that we respect the right of lives of all.
The second line of this Shloka states ‘PANINCHA PIYA DAYA, i.e.,
all living beings cherishes mercy’ in the same direction as they dislike attack
on life. Suppose there are two people standing at a place before an animal. One
of them holds a knife in his hand and the other a bunch of grass. Seeing both,
even the animal’s eyes make it clear that the man with grass in hand is only
acceptable to it. So, to give
protection to all living beings should be an attitude of man. It should be
remembered that one who protects others and has the tendency of daya, he
himself becomes fearless. Thereafter he has generally no fear from any person. As
such protection is the most important aspect of life. So it has been very
rightly said that among all the charities, protection to life is the best.
The third line has the reference that ‘ATMAVAT SARVABHUTESHU,
i.e., always keeping in mind AHO ATMAN meaning thereby, to
consider all living beings as ones’ own self.’ To have a feeling of pain/sorrow
for all beings of the world, keeping in mind that the affliction is being
caused to us, the pain will be suffered by us as by others. While doing so, the
last line of the Shloka directs, ‘RARASPAROPGRIGO JIVANAN’ which means
a person should contribute good will and co-operation to a great extent. The
creativity of the creature consists in the fact that he mutually co-operates. It
is the only condition to make life worth-living.
At the root of all the above four lines flows the
current of non-violence which gives the great message of harmony in the best
possible manner, having regard for all lives. This, in fact, is the only
welfaristic way for ones own self and equally for others. The concept of
reverence for all lives and their protection is relevant and cannot be refuted
because only through it anyone and everyone, keeping their lives safe and
protected, can proceed towards the goal. Come! Let us continuously advance in
this direction.
*
Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice-Chancellor of the CCS University of Meerut,
India; also he has been a Consultant to UN University of Peace for Gandhian
Studies.
7-Hiinayaana’s Motivation of Self Beginning for
Welfare
- Ravindra Kumar*
Generally, it is believed
that the Hiinayaana one of the prominent schools of thoughts of Buddhism is individualistic.
Maximum stress of Hiinayaana is to take humans towards happiness and salvation
or liberation from his personal sufferings. Some have also extended an argument
that because Hiinayaana philosophy is centralized upon individual, it is micro
in dimension; and it is for this reason perhaps that it has been linked to word
‘hiina’,
which in simple words can be translated to ‘lesser’, ‘small’ or ‘low’. But in reality, despite being
centralized on individualism, the message and objective of Hiinayaana
philosophy is neither small nor its depth can be underestimated; especially
because not only in the East, rather Western scholar like Gene Hopp also agrees that “Hiinayaana Buddhism is a good
introduction [itself] of Buddhism what the Buddha [himself] taught”.
Thus, reality is that
Hiinayaana philosophy was in existence even before the Mahaayaana, another
prominent branch of Buddhism; may be not in the name of Hiinayaana, because
nomenclature Hiinayaana came to light at the time of rising of Mahaayaana
during a broad philosophical discourse on Buddhist philosophy, which took place
after Lord Buddha. Nevertheless, Hiinayaana was discovered as a rival word by a
great intellectual belonging to the Mahaayaana school of thought. May be or may
not be that great intellectual might have meant to downgrade its rival
philosophy in comparison to their own views and for this reason he called it
Hiinayaana [lesser vehicle]. Even then, Hiinayaana is not a lesser vehicle; as
it is important and relevant even today.
As is well known, Lord Buddha
also accepted the principle of enjoying or suffering the consequences of one’s
actions. He agreed that humans are liable to the destiny according to one’s
deeds. Buddha declared the human deeds as the reason of repeated birth-death
and rebirth and accepted deed itself as the basis of ultimate salvation. The
principle of four noble truths [Dukha-suffering, source of Dukha,
cessation of Dukha and the path of cessation of Dukha] expounded by him,
firstly shows the fact [mirror] of human life and then provides point wise
knowledge and intelligence to make it purposeful and fruitful. Not only has
this, Lord Buddha’s call for determined adaptation and specific commitments and
promises for development of ideal virtues, especially Shila-the moral conduct
[which is literally linked to calmness and pleasantness], also started
virtually from individual life.
Shila turns a person
virtuous and for this reason Lord Buddha has laid so much stress on it. A
virtuous person can exercise self-control and then as a key to all happiness
and dedicated to goodness, one can reach to the entire depths of the nature of
excellent conduct. He can progress on the path of salvation of self and then of
entire universe.
In reality, one can start
from self. By renunciation of evils, a person, while developing ideal virtues
through his good deeds, leads on the path of self welfare and reaches the stage
of salvation; establishes himself as ideal for others and then inspires others
towards that path [of salvation]. An individual who is not able to proceed on
the path of self-welfare and reach the ultimate can not become ideal or
inspiration for others. This is
the universal truth. Beginning shall have to be made from the bottom; that is,
from the level of individual. This is the crux of teachings of Hiinayaana. It
contains the condition of becoming light for welfare of self first. Hiinayaana
message is to show enormous light to others after making the self luminous and
shinning.
______________
*
Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a Former Vice-Chancellor of the CCS University of Meerut,
India; also he has been a Consultant to UN University of Peace for Gandhian
Studies.
8-Present
Education: Problems and Expectations
Ravindra
Kumar*
Four years ago we
have kept pace in 21st Century. There are six hundred crores of persons in the whole world now. The population of my
country is more than one hundred crore.
A big number of people all over the world are facing many challenges and
problems in the current century of which unemployment is the foremost problem
being faced. Estimatedly, more
than one hundred crore people that
are approximately 1/6 of the population are in the clutches of the problem all
over the world. It is not an easy
task to control this problem expeditiously, thereby ensuring employment to
all. We can very well perceive
that human society is badly affected owing to this. It causes many foul resultants. Although it is not a topic of analysis here, yet it can be
conveniently grasped that one, who does not have source of income and cannot
earn in accordance with one’s requirements, can go to any extent: we can guess
all such vivid problems of serious nature. In such circumstances, only a well-directed education,
equipped with flexible methods according to the needs and the demands of the
time can be capable of resolving the problems. This alone, can be a ground for our optimism. We can expect from it a way leading to
the fulfilment of aim of human life, subsequently for freedom from varied
problems.
In every age and
time, there has been immense importance of education and its methods in
accordance with national and regional circumstances. It has accorded a base of life full of pleasure, fulfilment
and peace to human beings along with making them self-dependent. However, education and its method
prevalent in the circumstances prevailing one hundred, five hundred, one
thousand or two thousand years before cannot be as significant today as it was
then. It is noteworthy that there
has been an effect and action in every era to make education humanly fit
according to the time and the circumstances. Needless to say, this was the need of the time.
In our country, it
is being said regarding education since ancient times, “SA VIDYA YA VIMUKTAYE”. It signifies that the aim or/and
objective of education is to make a man self-dependent in every field. It has this very end within its
fold. Merely writing, reading or
alphabetic knowledge does not amount to getting any gain from education. Getting education in real sense means
sharpen the intellect, or get rid of day-to-day problems and to bring about
complete harmonous development of personality based on equal opportunity.
Population in the
world has increased rapidly. At
the time of independence, that is exactly 57 years ago, India had 33 crores of people. Now this is more than 100 crores. Primary and higher secondary schools increased in proportion
to the increase in population. Colleges
and universities, imparting higher education, also increased. Number of universities or similar
institutions is 250 in India alone.
Literary knowledge increased tremendously at the world level. It is cent percent in many nations. The
day is not far away when everyone will be literate. Number of degree holders is also on the increase. We are all observing significant
progress that has been and is continuing in the field of computer due to
advancement in science and technology.
In spite of achieving all this, we do not see a decrease in economic and
social problems pertaining to humankind.
Dreadful problem of unemployment has emerged with the increase in
population, which rendered man non-peaceful at social and economic planes.
How has all this
happened? Literacy increased. There has been much increase in number
of degree holders. There have been
research accomplishments. Education
developed remarkably not only at basic and secondary levels but also at higher
level. Then, why there is no peace
among human beings? The
straightforward and simple answer to this query is that the direction of
education is not adequate. Educational
method today is full of several flaws.
This condition prevails, more or less, in all countries of the
world. It is not only in context
of India alone. I have been to
many nations of Asia and Europe during the last one decade. All are, more or less, under pressure
of the problem of unemployment. They
are also perplexed while pondering about future. I would like to quote an example of The Netherlands. I have been there a few years
back. It is a beautiful and
developed country. Population
there is not very much. However, I
found that hundreds of young men and women were worried about their future
after getting education up to the highest degree conferred by a
university. The Government of
Netherlands provides allowance for fulfilment of basic necessities [meals,
clothes, housing, medical facility, etc.] to unemployed young men and
women. This suffices towards their
subsistence anyhow but their future life remains in dark indeed. They cannot build a golden future while
being without employment and depending upon unemployment allowance only. They are unable to carry out all
sided-development of personality. They
cannot keep pace with others in the society. It is in this perspective that when I asked a youngman,
going to complete his Ph. D. thesis, about his future planning, he replied,
“The biggest problem before me is regarding getting an employment. I shall be nowhere if I do not get it
within a year…. I want employment, whatever it may be”.
What is apt to say
for an educational system when a person is in perplexity even though he is
going to get doctorate degree and is the citizen of a developed nation. I again asked this young person, “You
get unemployment allowances in your country: why are you so worried?” He answered, “Yes, it is true that an
unemployment allowance exists. There
are many joyful on this accord…but, is it a life?”
Not all the
nations provide unemployment allowance to their citizens. However, where it is prevalent, it is
not a permanent panacea of the problem.
Let us then deliberate as to what the students achieved after getting
higher education. What could they
gain after getting education up to 20, 22 or 25 years of life at varied
levels? This is a problem oriented
question before the system, educationists and social scientists as well as
before the students. In fact, it
is the sole responsibility of the system, educationists and social scientists
to make education humanly fit according to the time and the circumstances. They cannot avoid this
responsibility. It was in this
context that 2500 years ago, Plato, the Greek philosopher expressed and gave to
the society his views on aims and methods of education. He told about gradually making it
practical. His views have
significance to some extent even today.
Not long ago,
Mahatma Gandhi called upon adopting a method with basic/fundamental
education. His call was important
and happens to be so even today. It
is antagonistic that we did not adopt it.
The loss caused to us on this accord cannot be estimated easily. In Indian circumstances, there was
absolute necessity of adopting an employment-oriented educational system
according to his view. Even today,
some guidelines can be derived from it.
We are attached to a hundred years old system and that has become
completely fruitless today. It has
become difficult today for a Ph.D. degree holder to the get job of a
clerk. I mean to say that
non-attention towards above-mentioned responsibility for so many years has
resulted in education not becoming successful in accomplishing its aims and
objectives. Especially, it has not
been successful in solving the problem of unemployment. As such, it is now quite essential that
this system should be made practical and effective as per the demands of
time. It should be made
collaborative in toto to human values.
In this context,
it is the demand of the time that technical knowledge must be recognized as a
compulsory part of education. It
should be admitted that this knowledge should be akin to conditions prevailing
in the country, resources available, etc.
Subsequently, it should be gradually developed in further education of a
student according to his capabilities, interests and attributes. I have two examples to clarify my
above-mentioned statement of mine.
I was a student of sixth or seventh class when two men came to my school
to demonstrate how to make Lifebuoy soap.
The Principal ordered all students to assemble in the playground. Both the men taught the students how to
make the soap. Next day, a student
brought such an exquisite Lifebuoy soap made by him that it surpassed even the
soap of the company. The boy went
to the Principal and presented the same to him. He praised the student very much. This definitely stimulated the courage of the student. The Principal presented this work of
student before all in the school and asked to derive inspiration from
that. This further inspired that
student. The boy became interested
in technical knowledge. He was
virtuous. Accordingly, he
continued to make Lifebuoy soap off and on at his home by ghee. The father of the boy was very angry at this. He used to come to the Principal so
often to say, “You invited the persons who told how to make soap
indigenously. My son has been
constantly increasing the household expenses”.
The father did not
encourage his son. Even then, the
son continued to take interest in soap making. Today, he is approximately 47 or 48 yeas of age and is the
General Manager of an international soap manufacturing company. The soap of this company is famous all
over the world for its remarkable quality. The son had to wait for 30 years to achieve a place but even
then he did praise worthy job because of his virtue, interest and capability. He could have achieved this distinction
within 25 or 20 years in case he had encouragement from his father.
The second example
relates to the period of my higher education. There was a girl student in my college. Her father was an ordinary farmer but was
immensely interested in sugarcane and resultant products. He had gained considerable knowledge of
these.
His daughter, the
student of this very accord, also took keen interest in performance relating to
agriculture. The student passed
B.Sc. in first division. Her
father wished her to be a candidate at Civil Service and to go for M.A. by
faculty change. The girl did not
want this but respecting her father’s wishes, she changed the faculty and
passed M.A., securing third division.
She was under rebellion against her father now. She further worked very hard for two
years and passed M.Sc. [Ag.] obtaining first division. She undertook research assignment
subsequently and today she is an eminent scientist. It is a fact that the girl
had to waste quite a significant time of two years but she presented a good
example before others as per her virtue, interest and capability. An encouragement from her father at the
prior stage could have been better.
I intended to say
by all this that a student should come out with a certain mind from the
education that the degree earned by him is apt towards an employment unto
him. This is possible only when he
possesses technical knowledge also in the specific field: notwithstanding that,
he may have a degree in science, commerce or arts. A graduate can proceed on the way of life only after getting
an employment. It is definite that
education with technical knowledge makes employment an easy task. While doing so the graduate will not
face difficulties in thenceforth developing his personality, keeping pace with
others in the society or moving ahead at socio-economic level. Ultimately, this technical knowledge
and education paves way to social, national or international welfare. We shall now have to achieve real aim
of education through it.
India, amongst
countries of South and South-East Asia etc., even today, is based in respect of
agriculture and economy related to industries linked with it. These can be the root source of
employment in our nation. In this
very stream, in certain other countries including that of Europe, there are
also industries linked with livestock, fishery or forestry and to so many
sources of employment as well. It
is our duty now to develop technical education based on above-mentioned foremost
sources in accordance with the national circumstances and need of the
time. Further, it should be made
compulsory in educational syllabi pertaining to our nation. We should remember that if we do not
take steps in this direction in right earnest and do not accord employment
orientation to education, 1/5 part of our population in 21st
century, i.e. 20 crore people will be badly effected by unemployment. It will have evil impact on economic
and social fields indirectly as well as directly.
Our system of
education is faulty. We stressed
in by-gone years on opening more schools; having new schools, colleges and
universities. It was essential
too. This cannot be termed an
unfair step. But we did not put
stress on changing the educational system according to the need of the time
while doing so. It is owing to
that, that education today is not capable of providing employment. I have observed some fulfilment in this
direction in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and many European countries. It is, however, voluntary and exists at
higher level. This will have to be
accorded with compulsiveness. We
should work in a planned way. Only then we can get rid of the problems in the
present century. It is this very
expectation that we now have from education.
__________________
*
Universally renowned Gandhian scholar and writer Dr. Ravindra Kumar is the
Former Vice-Chancellor of Ch. Charan Singh University of Meerut [India]. He is
the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International Journal.
9-Fundamentals of Civilization
Ravindra Kumar*
Hundreds of thousands of years have passed since man has lived along
with the creatures of different shape, size and kind. It is generally
acknowledged that every being has a soul. What is a Soul? Where does it live in
a body? What is its form? I leave these entire questions to you. You may decide
to answer them according to your belief. But I can specifically say that even
though the soul is embodied in everyone, the word civilized, the derivative of
which is civilization, is used for man only not for any other creature.
In his age preliminary age1, which has also been acknowledged
and described as natural or unrefined state, man like some other creatures
lived on trees. He was bare bodied and had no permanent place to live. It is
also a fact that he did not live on a particular tree and very often moved to
another. In those days man was as fierce as any other wild animal, was
carnivorous and ate flesh after having killed human beings. The raw meat, roots
of fruit was usually his food. He moved about in a group as many animals did
and they do so even now. In spite of it, man was different from other animals
even then. The main reason of it was not only the formation of his body
structure, but also the presence of the attributes of intellect and creativity
in him. The intellect made him capable of analyzing things and the creativity
made him dynamic. This is why man is very different from other animals. He
learnt to make stone weapons at a very early stage and maintained them2.
Besides he started collecting foodstuff also.
By making stone weapons man was able to achieve objectives according to
his need at that time. They were useful for his self-security, and hunting to
satisfy his hunger. In deed, the stone weapons proved useful to him to serve
his purpose. In this chain of events, if we proceed further, we find that man
later learnt to produce fire by rubbing two stones3. The fire thus
produced served him in three ways: first to protect him from cold; secondly, to
defend him to some extent from wild animals, though he was equipped with the
stone weapons, but they were not sufficient enough to serve his purpose; and
thirdly to enable him to cook his food particularly meat.
But having qualities of intellect and creativity and being different
from other creatures, man was not civilized in his early years. There was
nothing in him then to prove that he was superior in behavior or actions to
other creatures. To be called civilized, it was necessary, even as it is now,
to have good conduct in which morality is foremost. Therefore, Confucius4
repeatedly emphasized that “a civilized person should refrain from those
activities that are against the moral values”5.
It means that to be civilized one has not to forsake morality.
In the earlier period, during the course of his development, man could
not make a significant departure from his way of life to be regarded as
civilized and which could simultaneously lay the foundation of civilization. He
was still making efforts ‘to say alive’
and ‘maintain his existence.’ He did
succeed a little as has been mentioned above. I would like to reiterate here
that it was the intellect and the creativity that helped man to learn by his
experiences and he started making further progress. Thus his path to become
civilized opened out. In other words, we can infer that intellect and
creativity played an important and decisive role in making a man civilized and
in the evolution of civilization. I hope and believe that the scholar
expressing their views on the above subject and the exponent of the philosophy
behind it would completely or partially agree with the inference drawn above;
it is another matter that the language and the way of their expression might be
different. As an example, I quote here S. Radhakrishnan ad verbatim, “Civilization is a matter of mind.”6
II
Among all other beings man only has the quality of intellect and
creativity. It implies that there is some power behind it, and that power is
named God. There is no doubt that man represents the finest creation of God and
He, besides granting him these qualities, endowed him with another excellent
value also, the realization and application of which gradually brought
improvement in his behaviour and development of moral values which eventually
led him to become civilized. It also indicates the beginning of civilization. It
is natural that you may ask what that value is or was. My only answer is that
it was non-violence which is the
fundamental basis of any civilization. So the non-violence was the first and
natural basis, while the second basis in the context of civilized and
civilization was the morality. It is also a fact that where there is
non-violence morality is naturally present.
As I have mentioned already, in his successive development, man discovered
fire, which further ensured his safety. He was also able to protect himself
from cold and to cook raw meat. In spite of this, he was not certain that it
assured his safety. Man was still worried about his existence. He still wavered
mentally and came out of this condition when an idea flashed in his mind as
well as of his fellow beings that “they
should live collectively to re-enforce their safety” and “living together, probably, became a necessity”7. They gave the idea a
practical shape. They started living together in a group and stayed longer at
one place. It assured their safety. In steed of killing each other, they were
now able to defend themselves collectively against any attack, particularly of
wild animals.
Staying together collectively symbolized co-operation. Co-operation
enhances trust. Wherever there is co-operation and trust, non-violence is
certainly at the root of it. In the atmosphere of violence, there is no
possibility of co-operation. Since non-violence is permanently in the nature of
man, they thought of living collectively, let it be for the sake of his safety
came to his mind. Contrary to it, if the non-violence had not been a permanent
feature of his nature, idea of living collectively would not have come to his
mind.8 What would have been the consequences if, in spite of his
attributes of intellect and creativity, he had applied his intellect
negatively?
According to Gandhi, man himself would have been cause of his own ruin
long ago9. But it did not happen so. Man grew in number because
non-violence is permanently present in his nature. After having safeguarded his
existence by living collectively, and having non-violence in his nature, man
applied his intellect and creativity freely for his further development. On his
way to become more civilized, he fortified himself with other excellences of
character by setting up various systems, not forgetting to maintain morality. On
his long journey to progress, man discovered an environment conducive to him
and made efforts to achieve his goal. Whatever he has achieved so far is before
us.
We should not forget that at the elementary stage man learnt to live
with other human beings collectively and to stay at one place longer than
before, he co-operated to his safety or his efforts to achieve his goal. Co-operation
does not mean depending on others, but working together freely. Hence, the
third fundamental basis of the rise of a civilization after non-violence and
morality has been ‘equal freedom to all.’
John Locke, the philosopher of 17th century had different views about freedom. According
to him, Freedom means that I should be able to act according to my own free
will in all spheres of life so long the law does not prohibit it, and that I
should not remain subjected to anyone’s fickle uncertain, unknown despotic
wishes.’ His statement appears to be incomplete unless the above-mentioned wish
of a person foresees the same for others. Since time immemorial, the meaning of
freedom, in fact, has been that a man himself should be free and make sure that
others also are free like him.
Therefore, Non-violence, Morality and Freedom are the three fundamental
basis of civilization. By depriving others of their freedom by violent means
subduing them by immoral ways, no civilization can be created nor can it be
nurtured. We have before us the history of thousands of years that tells us
that whatever efforts have been made to subject others becoming indifferent to
non-violence, which is the basis of peace, the civilizations had their
downfall. As opposed to it, whenever man has faith in the fundamental
basis/principles. As a case study, let us discuss in brief the rise and fall of
Egyptian and some centers of Mesopotamian Civilizations.
III
Rise and Fall of
Egyptian Civilization
Rich in minerals and advanced in agriculture, the
Egyptian civilization, like Indian and Mesopotamian ones, was the most
developed civilization of the world. About four thousand years B.C., several
communities called ‘Noams’ came to be known for the progress they had made through
co-operation with one another. From these communities there emerged two states
in the north and the south for leadership, which the southern state overcame
the northern one and Menus set up a powerful kingdom in Egypt. As I mentioned
before, Egypt was an agricultural country. After Menus had set up the kingdom,
many plans for systematic cultivation of land were made. From the point of
proper administration, farmers were divided into several groups. The
administration of each group was in the hands of a high council. The council
acted as a go-between especially in connection with the collection of taxes
from frames and payments to the government.
In other fields also administration was carried out in a systematic and
planned way. The advisory board was constituted inclusive of other Chief
Advisor, Chief Treasury Officer, the Chief Justice and other higher Officer to
advice the King. It was due to the good administration and implementation of
necessary conditions for an overall development and progress of civilization
that Egypt made an astounding progress. Its civilization became sky high. It
was the time when the wonder of then world, the pyramids were built. Even today
seventy pyramids are remained among which Khufu
pyramid is the biggest. It is 146.5 meters high and 2300000 stones were used to
build it. It took twenty years to complete it.
The Egyptian civilization was sky high during this period and it was not
possible for it to rise further or maintain its current position. The people of
Egypt became indifferent to the basics of civilization. Noam communities
started fighting with each other and tried to undermine each other’s position. The
result was that the government at the centre became unstable and became weaker
and weaker. The unity of the country was shattered and the civilization met
with its downfall.
About two thousand years B.C., Egypt was again united, but this time
unit was not the same as was achieved by Menus. Naturally, in spite of the
extensive system of irrigation, craft and expansion of commerce, the process of
development could not be maintained for long. There was resentment among masses
because of the partiality shown to certain communities by the administration. People
by large were dissatisfied and were unable to develop their civilization as
before. Like the unique progress made in the fields or writing, architecture,
arithmetic, science, astronomy, and medicine after the unification of country
by Menus could not be regained10 and because of dissatisfaction of
masses and their resentment, the mutual co-operation continued waning and the
distance among them growing. Taking advantage of the conditions, an Asian tribe11
invaded Egypt and subjugated it.
Having remained subjugated for a little less than two centuries, Egypt
gained independence under the leadership of Ahamose-First. After it, during the
reigns of Ahamose-First and Tuthmomis-Third12 it had also become a
military might. The then rulers mussed it in conquering the adjoining areas and
some parts of Asia, plundering them and exploiting them by making people
slaves. The great achievement of the then Egyptian Military might was the
organization of Navy and the induction of a variety of ships in it.
The Egyptian rulers who were indulged in attacking and plundering could
not stabilize the internal administration. They could not share freedom with
the people at large. Under these conditions, Egypt could not make any progress
further and lagged much behind the earlier successes. The inner conflicts
weakened the nation and about one thousand two hundred years B.C., it was
exposed to foreign invasions and subjugation and the Egyptian civilization met
with its downfall.
IV
The world famous Mesopotamian Civilization prospered in the Valleys of
the rivers Tigris and Euphrates [Dazala
and Farat]. In the south of it, the Sumerian Tribes developed a unique
irrigation system, perhaps for the first time, by constructing reservoirs, dams
and canals and gave new dimensions to farming. They had a well-developed system
of cattle rearing and had methodically separated the cattle required for
agriculture. They had a system of taxation and a very civilized way of living. About
four thousand B.C. there was twenty or twenty-five small kingdoms, which were
ruled by priests. They were called Patessi.
It was during their reign that their civilization was reckoned as one of the
ancient civilization of the world. Later on, the two powerful kingdoms, the Lagash and Umma, had a conflict just for the reason that both wanted to bring
the whole of the Southern Mesopotamian under their rule. This sort of thinking
was against the fundamental basis or the principle of civilization. The above
kingdoms fought with each other for a long time. In such an environment full of
strife, the further advancement was not possible. Along with that, in an
atmosphere of violence, there was always a possibility of damage to whatever
progress they had already made. And it happened there. Also it affected the
areas of the Southern Mesopotamia. One of the ancient and renewed civilizations
lagged behind. It was about 2500 B.C. Sargaon-First, Who was the ruler of Akkadi tribes, inhabiting the Central
and North-Western Mesopotamia, vanquished the Sumerians and ruled over them.
During the reign of Hamurabi, which was between 1792 and 1750 B.C.,
Mesopotamia was integrated once again. He was a great and an autocratic ruler
who conquered the smaller kingdom of Mesopotamia and brought them under one
banner. Though he united them by violent means, he ruled over them according to
law. His Code of Conduct containing 282 laws gives an insight to the social,
political and economic organization of the then Babylon. The city of Babylon became
famous all over the world as the center of casual, political, economic and
cultural set-up. During his time, religion, literature, culture and science all
progressed excellently. Not only this, there was development in other fields
also and the civilization that had earlier lost its brilliance flourished once
again. He achieved this goal by paying attention to the development of other
areas also like architecture, crafts, trade and commerce besides agriculture. Many
literary works of that period are still found. The most famous among them is ‘Gilgamesh’ which depicts the story of
deluge [Mahaparalaya]. Besides these
achievements, mathematics, astronomy and others too were at their peak. The
ruins of Babylon tell the story of its once prosperous civilization. During the
reign of Hamurabi, the Babylon society achieved the highest goal of its
development and it is regarded as the golden period of its history. It is an
anomaly that it did not last long. Babylon had to face many invasions, which
caused the downfall of this great civilization.
In 18th century B.C. the Assyrian kingdom emerged around Ashar, a city
in Northern Mesopotamia. During the reign of Tiglath Pilessar-Third [745-729
B.C.], who had conquered Babylon, this kingdom started making progress and it
continued further during the reigns of the later kings chiefly, of
Sargon-Second [722-705 B.C] and Asaruhddin [680-669 B.C.]. Roads were
systematically constructed, canals were dug, many cities developed and there
was international expansion of trade. Consequently, it once again attained its
glory and became a powerful and prosperous centre of the world. But it is
unfortunate that later on because of mismanagement and mal-administration there
was exploitation of the general public and this kingdom also disintegrated and
the great civilization perished.
The development of a civilization is not due to the efforts of an
individual, but is the result of the collective efforts of more or less every
member of society. As everyone in one-way or the other contributes to its
development, the credit of it should naturally be given to all. Everybody wants
his personal freedom and his peace should not be disturbed as one of the
permanent partners of civilization. But when someone chooses the course of his
progress for his own peace, development and prosperity by exploiting others, in
that case the civilization however great and prosperous it might be faces
problems and subsequently such civilization declines.
I have quoted above a few examples from the Mesopotamian Civilization. The
purpose of it is that we should have a clear understanding of those factors,
which are essential for nurturing a civilization. In fact, they are the ones,
which I have discussed above in the beginning, and they are the fundamental
principles. Non-violence is the foremost among them; the others are morality
and freedom, which are related with it. All great civilizations of the world
whether of Greece, Egypt, China or India, they prospered on the basis of these
principles and any action antithetical of these principles causes their
down-fall from time to time. People deviated from the path of non-violence,
became immoral and deprived others of any civilization however prosperous it
might be if it is indifferent to non-violence, morality and freedom to all. If
we want to be recognized as civilized or are proud of our civilization, it is
necessary that we must be mentally inclined to non-violence as our ancestors
were. Even today, to have moral values and to ascertain freedom for others is
as essential as it was for the human beings earlier.
V
There are many chapters in history that
describe the end of many civilizations caused by indiscriminate foreign
invasion. I would not like to mention any particular state or nation; but would
like to emphasize that by these barbaric invasions where violence played havoc,
the immorality crossed the limits and the freedom of human beings was totally
ignored, no invader has been able to annihilate any civilization. India at
least is the living example of it. India has faced a number of barbaric
invasions, but none of them could destroy the civilization of this country,
which is unique in its unity in diversity. Of course, these invasions proved
detrimental to its civilization, from time to time, but the people passed the
test successfully and made it up in a short time. The fact is that a
civilization has its downfall when its own fosterers do not follow the
fundamental principles of civilization. It is the ultimate truth.
*
Universally renowned Gandhian scholar and writer Dr. Ravindra Kumar is the
Former Vice-Chancellor of Ch. Charan Singh University of Meerut [India]. He is
the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International Journal.
References:
1. About one million years ago.
2. These weapons made of stone were primitive, crude
and unshielded. Therefore, we can say that these stone weapons were sharpened
pieces of stones weighing two or two and a half kilograms.
3. In Palaeolithic period.
4. Kung-Tse or Kung-Futsi [551-479 B.C.] was a famous
ancient Chinese philosopher who propounded the ‘Doctrine of Moral Politics’
making ZEN [humanity] the basis of
mutual relationship among men and gave supreme place to morality.
5. A History of Political Doctrines [H], Part-1, p.
132.
6. S. Radhakrishnan: Speeches and Writings [May
1962-May 1964], Publication Division, New Delhi, 1965, p.430.
7. It is quite different from the views of J. J.
Rousseau, the French Philosopher. He writes that in primitive stage,
co-operation with one another was not a necessity for people and that whatever
one needed was a part of ones instincts. [History of Political Doctrines [H],
Part-2, p.191]
8. Thomas Hobbes mentioned in “Leviathan” that ‘man
has a natural tendency to call for the maintenance of peace
for his safety.’ Therefore, man first thought of living collectively
and put a check on his struggle.
9. Young India, 2 January 1930.
10. The civilization of Egypt under the leadership of
Menus once again attained unprecedented heights and was regarded as the best
civilization of the world. Besides building pyramids script was invented. The
Egyptians made use of certain signs and pictographs in writing. They developed
a single script and made progress in fine arts. Magnificent temples as in KANARK were built. They were adept in decimal calculation and were familiar
with the fundamentals of science. They calculated areas of triangle,
parallelogram and circle. Calculating the movement of planets in the sphere,
they prepared an ephemeris in which a year was divided into twelve months and
three hundred sixty five days. They had also made great progress in the
knowledge of human physiology and surgery.
11. Known as HIKKOS.
12. The period of reign was between 1525 and 1491 B.C.
10-
For the Establishment of
a Peaceful World
Ravindra Kumar*
My native village Kakrauli situated in the Northern
India has inhabitants belonging to different castes and creeds. During my childhood I found all the
people of my village out to help one another in their difficulties, sorrows and
miseries. In welcoming and looking
after their guests they had no comparison. Besides, I also saw disputes erupting among them and
resultant clashes. There used to
be clashes almost daily on one issue or the other. Sometimes a small alteration tended to threaten the peace of
the village by taking a communal colour.
Many villagers would be injured in the free for all battle that took
place and the matter would go to the police, although such a situation arose
only rarely. But in most of the
cases the warring groups would lose their belligerence overnight. Non-violence would cool down their
tempers and consequently both the groups would reach a mutually agreed
compromise. This compromise was
either brought about by themselves or through the efforts of some respectable
inhabitants of the village.
When I grew up, I often heard about brawls and clashes
in the neighbouring villages. Whenever
these clashes took place between two villages, instead of two groups of a
village, the situation often turned serious. I would often be scared of such a development. Then I would hear of an amicable
settlement. The solution was often
brought about by the five chosen members from each of the two villages. These persons would sit at a place and
go over the whole problem and in due course of time strike a mutually agreed
formula. Sometimes their dispute
would lead them to the court as they would hope for a victory in their own
way. The case in the court would
drag on for days, months and years.
Soon they would get tired of this lengthy and exacting process. Then it would force them to enter into
a dialogue. Consequently they
would agree on a point that the court was not going to be helpful at all, also
the fact dawned upon them that the decision of the court could never be in
consonance with their wishes and what they had thought would never become
possible.
With the passing of time I grew up to achieve
adulthood and from radio and newspapers and magazines I came to know that such
clashes were frequent in larger towns and cities besides my neighbouring
villages and these clashes would often take a serious turn. I also came to know of disputes
specially boundary disputes and the disputes on sharing of river waters among
different states of the country. But
these disputes were quite different from the ones which arose in the villages
or towns. However, solution to all
these disputes would be made through negotiations.
Similarly I found nations involved in dispute and wars
which were undoubtedly diabolical and destructive particularly the one fought
between my country and Pakistan in 1971.
Not only that I know of such wars fought between many nations and I also
remember how these belligerent nations ultimately arrived at a compromise and a
treaty after getting tired of violence.
History is a subject of my interest. Thus while browsing through the pages
of world history I have gone through the description of many disastrous wars
the description of which even today is heart rending and moving. For instance, the Peliponishial fought
some 2500 years ago was the fiercest and the biggest war of Greece. It lasted for 27 years. The provocation of this war came from
the mutual jealousy and rivalry among the Greek city states. Similarly, three Punic wars were fought
between 264 B.C. and 149 B.C. and similarly two world wars were fought in the
present century. I do agree that I
am interested in history but I shall avoid touching upon these wars. Let us not fix responsibility for the
outbreak of these wars but I would like to bring to light the results of these
wars.
The First World War [1914-1919] claimed the lives of
as many as 10 million people besides 22.5 million who were either injured or
rendered invalid cripples. Most of
the countries of the world took more than ten years to stand on their own feet.
In the Second World War [1939-1945] not less than 50
million people were killed besides 35 million who were either badly injured or
maimed. It took the belligerent
nations more than 15 years to pave the path of development. The warring nations after getting tired
of the wars and the naked dance of death aspired for peace and pacific
measures. There efforts in this
direction resulted in the formation of the League of Nations after the First
World War and the U. N. O. after the Second World War.
A number of instances can be quoted from the later
period and the Arab – Israel conflict is a recent example. After the termination of the World War
II, this conflict continued for a long time and resulted in an irreparable
loss. The year 1967 presented a
heart-rending and ferocious spectacle.
Most inhuman incidents took place causing a big loss to man and
material. But both the sides had
to, in the long run, adopt pacificator measures and had to sit together for a
meaningful dialogue. The war
between Iran and Iraq continued for many years. It resulted into the loss of men and material, wealth, and
famous industrial towns. A huge
quantity of oil-a gift of nature to man was destroyed. And when they were completely exhausted
they had to adopt the same policy about which I have talked to you.
The following points emerge from the discussion
starting from the disputes at the village level to the wars fought at the
international level:
- Disputes, clashes and
struggles right from the lowest level up to the highest plane are quite
natural in the human society;
- Nothing has been gained
from all these disputes and clashes;
- The belligerent parties
feel completely exhausted in the long run and then they try to find out
peaceful means to solve their disputes; and
- The belligerent nations
have no alternative but to fall back upon agreements and treaties.
History provides
us instances where we find wars among nations continuing for many years and
sometimes even for more than one hundred years. Although on surface all the four points discussed above may
not be found working, yet a closer and deeper scrutiny would prove these points
fully applicable to them.
It makes amply
clear that violence based on disputes, struggles and mutual clashes are not
permanent ingredients of human character otherwise he would not get bored and
tired of them in the long run and would not try for peaceful solution to his
problems. This undoubtedly proves
that man is basically non-violent by nature and violence is born out of his actions
only. Had violence been an
essential instinct of man the whole mankind would by now have been wiped
out. It is non-violence which has
helped man to grow and keep his existence secure. Mankind can never remain unaffected from strife and
struggles which have multi-reasons to cause them. This is termed as a passing necessity of the society. But we have been taking peaceful
measures in order to initiate it as such measures are indispensable for the
existence, progress and well being of mankind. They provide protection and security to human existence and
then peaceful living is the very essence of human life. Non-violence, as has already been
stated, is permanently associated with it. Thus non-violence and peaceful measures are essential and
eternal.
Then there is a
need for making efforts at the individual and collective levels so that a
fearless and peaceful order is established. First step is to work as individual to cultivate a
non-violent permanent perception and then to give it a collective shape later
on. This is possible because one
is closely associated with the other.
Thus we can get rid of all tensions, clashes and wars after we realize
the importance of non-violence beginning with individual and then growing into
a collective, national and international realization. This is a truth and a reality. I have come to realize this fact as an essence of my
life. You too will share my belief
if you ponder over it.
I would like to
return to the point where I started my discussion from. At the very outset I had stated that
measures taken to resolve disputes emanating among inhabitants of my native
village were very simple. First of
all the two or more persons or group of persons involved in the dispute would
assemble at a place. Some elderly,
mature but impartial gentlemen would control the highly agitated persons. The starting of negotiations would help
create non-violence impressions in the surcharged atmosphere. After listening to all the concerned
parties, the situation was discussed threadbare and a conclusion reached which
would be as under:
·
The party or person found guilty was asked to express regret which he
would
willingly do and the dispute or problem was finally resolved;
·
The guilty besides expressing regret was asked to compensate for the
loss of the aggrieved person or party.
The guilty would often accept it which would finish the dispute
permanently; and
·
If the clash was of a fierce nature involving grievous injuries or even
death of some person the matter had to be taken to the police. But the above mentioned processes were
certainly followed in such matters as well. The problems were definitely resolved although it took
relatively longer time in such matters.
Similarly, I saw
disputes between two villages being resolved. Respectable persons of both the hostile villages known as Panchas [five or more number from each
village] would sit at a place and taking on the responsibility would resolve
the dispute amicably. They would
sometimes give a wonderful evidence of their maturity. Sitting at a common place, they,
accepting their lapses and realizing their regrettable stances would bring
about a permanent solution of their disputes. However, compensation was also included besides expressing
regrets and realizing mistakes in graver situations and everything ended in the
permanent solution of the dispute.
Disputes among the
states were also resolved through the efforts of Panchas who held meetings and
dialogues for this purpose. However,
the process is absolutely different so far as the nations are concerned. There is national and international
politics besides the other considerations. But they have to go through the process of a series of
meetings and talks to arrive at the final solution. There too non-violence originates from such efforts which
certainly are a step towards establishment of peace. Then start meaningful negotiations keeping in view the
larger interest of human beings. There
is an evident progress in this process which ends in inevitable compromises and
treaties. Thus the path beginning
with negotiations and ending in the solution is paved by non-violence and is
ultimately a step towards the establishment of peace which helps in the
solution of all the problems whether big or small.
In order to
substantiate my point I would like to quote a statement of Dr. Ezer Weizmen, a
renowned fighter pilot of World War II then posted in India and is at present
the President of Israel. Mr.
Weizmen, through a horrible fighting, had scored a thumping victory over Egypt
in 1967 during the hostilities between Egypt and Israel. Later on it was he who played a crucial
role in the Camp David deliberations.
In a statement made a few months ago he had stated:
“We have finally decided that we
shall have peace with our neighbours.
This notion is the result of negotiations and there is nothing on this
earth which cannot be resolved through negotiations”. [Times
of India, 28.12.96]
He also accepted
that there is no alternative to negotiations and had negotiations with Jordan
and Egypt.
The statement of
Weizmen is significant and it is a fact as well. Camp David negotiations are well-known but I can quote the
example of Hebron negotiations. It
took a long time to reach a conclusion but it succeeded in the end. The Parliaments of both the countries
ratified the decisions and accorded their consent to it. It proves that the people of both
countries really wanted it.
In 1996 India and
its neighbouring nation Bangladesh concluded an agreement which was regarding the
sharing of waters of the River Ganges. In India had constructed the Farraka
Barrage which was the bone of contention between the two countries. But at last the two countries arrived
at a mutually agreed understanding which is welcome.
The Panch system is not only
significant rather it is the best system.
It involves meetings, compromises, treaties etc. However, it does not seem to be that
much successful at the international level as the role of Panchas can not be above Board,
though there is nothing wrong with the system as it has recourse to
non-violence which helps establish peace.
Non-violence and
the allied tendencies help generate peace which is indispensable for the
existence, progress and growth of human life. As discussed earlier, non-violence is an indivisible part of
human nature. Therefore, when we
make efforts for material progress at individual, social, national and
international level, we should leave no stone unturned to make it strong and
all-pervasive.
Today, the whole
of the world is aware of the fact that nothing can be gained from violence and
war. These are not going to solve
any problem. Unfortunately no firm
and meaningful steps have been taken to eradicate violence and its creations,
the war. There is a prime need to
root them out. Schools, colleges
and universities will have to come to the forefront. I am sure that even if 5% of the revenue spent on progress
and development of the countries is directed to it, we shall definitely find a
comfortable, beautiful and pleasant world free from war and other allied
tensions.
Please ponder over it and work in this direction, I
have come here today to give you this message.
* Universally renowned Gandhian scholar and writer Dr.
Ravindra Kumar is the Former Vice-Chancellor of Ch. Charan Singh University of
Meerut [India]. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International
Journal.
11-Nuclear-Religious
Conflicts and Peace in South Asia
I am myself a citizen of the South Asian Country
India, the country that always accorded message of peace to world. It gave birth to eminent apostles of
peace like Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavira, Guru Nanak and Mahatma Gandhi. You know that India is the biggest and
a very important nation of South Asia.
It is also the biggest democracy of the world. Most of what is known as South Asia today was formerly
India. Burma was part of it up to
1937. Today’s Pakistan and
Bangladesh were its part up to 1947.
Nepal and Bhutan have remained connected with it. Not only this, several parts of today’s
Central and South East Asia have been in India. As such, India cannot be separated from any event in South
Asia – the event may be big or small.
In case of a question pertaining to peace in this region, it can be
safely stated that it is also impossible without India.
As I have enunciated, India always kept the flag of
peace high what so ever circumstances, internal or external, may have been
before it. It is an irony,
however, that such an India, its neighbour Pakistan and nearby Sri Lanka are
under a state of turmoil today. Other
nations of the region are also under turmoil. Conflicts between religious communities and sects are the
main amongst the responsible factors.
The nuclear tests undertaken by some countries recently have enhanced
this turmoil. This is a reality.
Development of any sort, individual, social, national
or global, is not possible under a state of turmoil. You as well as I can well understand the situation that will
emerge under non-development. It
is on this accord that constant end of turmoil and establishment of peace are
essential attributes. To achieve
this goal, it is necessary for us to remedy the state that has emerged out of
turmoil caused by religious conflicts and the nuclear tests. The question arises as to how to
achieve this goal. To get a reply
we shall have to go into realities of both the religious and the nuclear
conflicts and to maximum possible extent peruse their historical perspectives,
especially the religious conflicts, that too severally.
Religious
Conflicts, Historical Perspective and Impact
In spite of indispensably being connected with
religious assumptions and rituals, if we delve into ancient history of Southern
Asia, we come to know about conflicts between religious communities and the
followers. Under this chain, we
can foremostly mention about conflicts between Aryans and Dravidians
however we do not have a clear history pertaining to that. It is however certain that after
the conflicts, the religious assumptions and rituals became assimilated1. Subsequently, the Vedic system known as
Hinduism today became life ground of most of the Indian. I never say that there was not a
conflict between those who belonged to Vedic system. There emerged vivid sects in this
system and there were conflicts also within these sets. Even when non-violence is permanently
present in human nature, time to time, there emerges a state of conflicts in
practice even if the related practices are religious. Such a state of conflicts actually emerged. However, internally no serious
situation emerged owing to the conflicts between the religious sects. India could continue sending message of
peace to world.
In Buddhist-Era2 there were many followers3
of Jainism4. There were
six sects5 under operation in Vedic community. All among Vedic were the believers
in Vedas,
and Brahmins
enjoyed supreme position/status in them.
Buddhism and Jainism-both-refused their faith in the Vedas
and challenged the Brahmins enjoying super status in the system. Although they did not accept the
concept of GOD, even though, they accepted many other virtues6,
specifically Lord Buddha from Vedic system and ideology.
Lord Buddha
opposed all inhuman actions that were prevalent in Vedic philosophy, system
and community with an aim of peace because up to now different sects of Vedic
religious community were not proving peace-oriented to common man even though
they were uniform regarding Rule of Almighty and State
of Vedas and Brahmins. The
fact was that in practice they departed from forbearance which is the
principal Value of Vedic system and ideology, and Lord Buddha was accordingly
in action as above. Lord Buddha
established a middle path towards a system where man
could safeguard his existence and could gain aim of life with equality and honour. He accorded compassion as the
position of basis of his philosophy.
It was essential in the circumstances in accordance with the time and
factors belonging to the country. India
and nearby regions became followers of Buddhism in maximum number. Subsequently, Buddhism dominated Sri
Lanka and other nations.
I hold Jainism to be quite ancient to
Vedic one. Jain philosophy
was present among Dravids prior to the advent of Aryans. So to say, a section of Dravids
adopted Jainism. It could have got
a new direction during the time of Lord Mahavira. Non-violence, permanently present in human nature, is the
basis of this philosophy or religious community. This is the way towards peace.
In this manner, in about 500 B.C., three foremost
religious communities – Vedic [Today’s Hindu], Boddh
and Jain had followers in Indian region [Today’s Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma
etc. along with Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan]. These three had sects and there were conflicts as well,
specifically in Vedic community. Even after that, a serious situation,
such as in the last era7 of Mughal dominance, as we find in history
before us, did not take place. The
time of British Empire8 and independent India9 can also
be equalled with the last era of Mughal dominance in this regard. The reason behind this had been that
there had never been intrinsic fundamentalism in Vedic religious
community. The practices of the
followers became opposite to real values.
In spite of this fact, it can be stated that forbearance and tolerance
continued to be present. A place
for internal criticism was there.
Gautama Buddha himself was born in a Vedic family. He criticized many practices and dogmas of Vedic
system and established Boddh Religious Community. Lord Mahavira was also from a royal family. He too refused Vedic rules like Lord
Buddha and, as we know, he occupied position of 24th Tirthankara
of Jain religious community.
Not only this, members of two different sects of Vedic Community could be
persons of the same family. If
husband was a follower of Sanatana sect and wife of Arya
Samaj the two could easily
live in a single home by following their respective rules.
Of course the Vedic
people deviated themselves from basic assumptions of religious community to
fulfill their individual and collective ends. This was the very cause of conflicts internally. This cause can be applied by us towards
conflicts of Vedic community with
other communities. But, I again
firmly reiterate that this conflict is not at all in consonance with dictums or
lessons of any religious community.
Every religious community was established with many values in accordance
with circumstances pertaining to the country and time. However, one among these values has
been principal and the aim of establishment was to ensure that a human being
should have development and achieve peace while carrying out daily practices.
When conflicts were there in sects and communities,
social, political and economic spheres were impacted. Culture was hurt and resultantly miseries and grievances had
to be faced. This happens to be a
reality. After Lord Buddha, there
was no serious conflict in religious communities or sects and to this what so
ever reason we may attribute. If
we study present history, which is before us, and if it is true, we see that
during the last phase of Mughal empire10, situation became serious
owing to fundamentalism. Not only
Hindu religious community but other communities and sects also became victim of
this fundamentalism. Resultantly,
there were conflicts as per opposition.
These were specifically from Hindus and another newly established
community, Sikh, amongst Hindus. We
all know that this religious stiffness, even though far away from the teachings
of Islam and Prophet or the lessons accorded by them, is one of the main
factors that caused disaster unto empire.11
It is a fact that
differences enhanced among vivid religious communities at this time, however,
it is also a reality that the people of India [mostly rural inhabitants]
grasped Indian traditions. Hindus,
Muslims, Sikhs and all others lived together and continued practices according
to their beliefs. It is, however,
a reality that there were persons who used to cause disharmony in society on
the pretext of community or sect.
The Englishmen had an ambition to strengthen their
hold pertaining to governance of the country and so they adopted a policy of divide
and rule. They not only
materialized direct conflict betwixt Hindus and Muslims but adopted such
administrative cum political measures which could deepen communal difference
between the two. Division of India
in 1947 on the basis of religious community resulted owing to this. Historians are aware that first of all
Hindu-Muslim conflict occurred in 1893 in Mumbai and after that in ensuing year
1894 at Pune and the imperialistic government had its hand in these
conflicts. Subsequently, hundreds
of conflicts ensued. The
Englishmen could not stay in India in spite of treating on the above mentioned
policy.
India became independent in 1947 and was partitioned
into two. A nation named Pakistan
emerged along with India. As this
nation came into existence on the basis of a specific religious community, the
people were exchanged from India to Pakistan and vice-versa. This was unfortunate. The two should have treaded the path of
development in spite of all this. This
did not occur. Development was
there but peace could not be established.
Communal conflicts caused harm unto each of the two severely. The arms race betwixt the two in
parallel dimension shattered external peace. Now the situation is that in India there have been about
5000 communal riots between 1947 and 1997. These riots were mainly betwixt Hindus and Muslims.
Definitely thousand of people lost their lives in
these riots and property of crores of rupees was destroyed. In Pakistan also there have been
conflicts between sects or amongst members of one particular sect and also
between two communities. The
number of such riots happens to be in thousands. Loss of lives and property in Pakistan has been as serious
as that in India. Other nations of
South Asia are also not peaceful.
In case the nations of South Asia want prosperity,
development and ultimately peace, they will undoubtedly have to establish
harmony amongst different communities and sects. Without harmony we can not imagine peace in this
region. For this ambition, it is
necessary to attempt at three levels:
- State
or government;
- Community;
and
- Individual
Nuclear
Tests and Impact on Peace
I have clearly stated that some nations of South Asia
advertently conducted nuclear tests recently in the garb of security and this
has resulted in enhancement of non-peace in the region. In case we really wish to go into depth
of these tests, we will have to deeply examine and study the series of events
on the world after the World War Second generally and in Asia,
specifically. Many of you are
familiar with this series of events.
Today, there are about 3500 atomic warheads in the world. Maximum attack capability of an atomic
bomb serves as safety measure from attack capability of atomic bomb as the
whole world becomes under this attack capability circle.
In this situation, I have no reason to hold that any
one from the nations with atomic capability shall be courageous enough to
initiate atomic war. I do not
perceive that India shall be attacking Pakistan with atomic weapons or that
Pakistan will be taking such an initiative.
Reality remains that atomic conflict or tension
thereto is not a problem that is confined to South Asia. It has increased non-peace in the whole
world. All nations with atomic
capability must, now, march forward seriously pondering over the destruction of
atomic weapons and to utilize this capability for the cause of humanity. They should come out of the atmosphere
of fear and must march forward towards peace. It is only fear that is stimulating nations to get
themselves equipped with atomic weapons and accordingly to make them. If the trend of making atomic weapons
continues, the fear will be increasing at its more rapid magnitude. This fear will one day bring humanity
to disaster and doom.
I would like to urge here that those who are playing
political game and fulfilling selfish motive in the name of atomic capability
are needed to think on all this. Is
it nice to conduct activities at the cost of whole humanity on this
accord? An action that is suicidal
is indeed deplorable. Manufacturing
atomic weapons is really a dangerous game.
We were deliberating on India and Pakistan. India is
the birth place of too many apostles of peace and it happens to be the biggest
nation in South Asia. It is my
firm conviction that there can not be any problem which can resist a solution
per peaceful means. These are the
means which were adopted by apostles of peace. Any problem or dispute, how so ever big or small in
magnitude, can be definitely solved by mutual understanding and purity of
heart.
It is in this regard that I hold that being free from
all disputes; India will have to render leadership to world towards getting the
world free from nuclear weapons. There
is no other alternative. Pakistan should imitate India subsequently. India and Pakistan are neighbours. Both these nations are facing common
problems and hurdles. Why not
these two should work for pleasantness, prosperity and peace through grasping
responsibilities unto them? Why
not these two should comprehend reality of international politics? They must fully utilize their
capabilities in the direction of solving day-to-day problems of their citizens.
Not only in India or Pakistan, in other nations also
of South Asia, 30 to 50% population happens to be below poverty line. It signifies that the people below
poverty line have no guarantee of even two-times meals. They do not possess clothes: even
though they are quite essential. There
exists no apt arrangement for their houses. They are far from the facilities of education and medical
treatment. How can we think about
peace in such a situation? We can
make progress in field of science and technology, we can gain atomic capability
but we must understand that we can not claim any development without
fulfillment of basic human necessities.
All nations of South Asia, including India, shall not only have to
ponder over it; they will have to absolutely conduct themselves in this
direction.
I reiterate that none of the nations, that possess
atomic capability, are courageous enough to initiate a war with nuclear
weapons. It is because every one
very well knows the consequences. Even
if some one dares think ahead in this respect or line of action, I guess that
it will itself back out. There
will not be a repetition of those things which occurred at Hiroshima and Nagasaki
on August 6 and 8, 1945.12
Whatever occurred there was the first act of this kind and I think that
it will remain to be the last act.
Now, when India and Pakistan have gained atomic
capability, they must fully utilize it towards nice pursuits. All nations of South Asia, including
India, are quite lacking in comparison to America and Western countries in the
field of grain-production. Other
agriculture-products are also comparably far from satisfactory. This capability can be well utilized in
the field of agriculture-produce. This
will accord us freedom from the problem of food. Those who are still in want of food, the basic need, shall
get welfare unto them. Nuclear
capability can be utilized in the field of transport as well along with a
progress in the span of agriculture.
This will ensure progress in the field in addition to ensuring freedom
from the problem of pollution.
India and other nations of South Asia have a dearth of
electricity. Every body in
countries of South Asia today is not getting benefit of the
electric-power. Nuclear capability
can bring, never-before, reforms in the field of electricity. It can increase production to such an
extent that every person can derive benefit out of it. Why is this capability remaining
non-utilized to its full extent? Nuclear
capability can be utilized for health services as well. We can utilize it towards a relief from
diseases of serious nature. We are
facing a dearth of fuel for cooking.
Atomic capability can fully bring an end to this problem on earth. Every household can benefit out of it.
Apart from above there are many other fields in which
nuclear capability can prove to be a boon. It can be an assisting factor towards upgrading the standard
of living of common man. India
will have to march forward in this very direction and field. Pakistan also has no alternative except
to follow. It is also expected
from other nations of the region.
In this manner, on one side the nations of South Asia,
especially India and Pakistan, will have to establish cordiality betwixt
different religious communities and followers of various sects and on the
other, they will have to strive hard to desist from all pursuits relating to
armament-including the desire to go ahead in the field of nuclear
weaponry. The capabilities
achieved in fields of science, technology and atomic energy shall have to be
well-utilized towards making life of common man happy. This is not only my expectations; it is
as well the responsibility of both the nations. The two cannot be indifferent or escaping in relation to
this responsibility.
I have already stated that there is no problem that
cannot be solved by mutual rationalization and through peaceful means. The dispute relating to Kashmir is a
very small problem from this point of view. There must be purity of heart. This dispute can be solved in a short time. I am myself keen to suggest a solution
if it is accepted with truthfulness.
This problem should certainly be accorded a solution positively
now. Subsequently, peace should be
established through intrinsic cordiality and external friendliness and the
whole region must pace forward in this direction.
_________________________________
* Universally renowned Gandhian scholar and writer Dr.
Ravindra Kumar is the Former Vice-Chancellor of Ch. Charan Singh University of
Meerut [India]. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International
Journal.
References:
1.
Aryans
came to India about 2000 B.C. At
this time, Dravids were the inhabitant of India and they had their own
religious assumptions. Peace
happened to be the supreme amongst them and it was based on Collectivity
in life followed by non-violence.
Dravids were peaceful but they were not uniform in respect of
religious assumption. I mean to
say that there was no uniform religious assumption in the whole Indian region
[India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Afghanistan etc.] Uniformity began to emerge here after
the advent of Aryans: whatever the means might be.
2.
Between 563-483 B.C.
3.
Amongst main followers: Veerangak, Veeryash,
Sanjay, Eneyak, Say, Shik, Udayan, Shankha, Kashivardhan. Additionally, Dashambhadra and Chetaka
were there.
4.
Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara,
was present at this time and many had become his followers along with those
belonging to royal families.
5.
Vaisheshik, Nyaya, Samkhya, Yoga,
Meemansa and Vedanta.
6.
Virtues like non-violence, stiffness, sacrifice,
tolerance and forbearance. Lord
Buddha transformed these into practice.
7.
17-18th Century A.D.
8.
18-20th Century A.D.
9.
Time up to now since 1947.
10.
Specifically in period of Aurangzeb.
11.
Mughal Empire.
12.
Atom Bombs were dropped over two cities of Japan
– Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 8, 1945. Approximately one hundred thousand people instantly died and
if we count the number of persons dead consequent to the impact of these bombs,
it comes to about 350 thousand. The
persons, who died subsequently, were victims of diseases viz. intrinsic
bleeding, leukemia, cancer and such others – the diseases that spread owing to
the impact of these bombs. Many
ensuing generations had to be under above mentioned inhuman deed informing of
victims. Many infants were
mentally and physically handicapped at birth itself. Many had to face difficulties relating to health. Temperature of the places, where bombs
were dropped, stayed betwixt 3000 and 4000 degree Celsius. Only 1550 degree Celsius is required to
liquidize iron. Many people
perished under severe heat of these bombs beneath the process of
liquidization. Their eyes were
found burst-out and in this manner they became victims of an act which was
inhumanitarian in toto.