Candidate or Party: What matters this Lok Sabha Election?

In Bharat, we have adopted the “First Past the Post System” of Electorate. This means that in a particular constituency, the candidate who secures the highest votes is elected as the Member of Parliament or Legislative Assembly, as the case may be. So, in our Parliamentary democracy voter chooses his candidate! Candidate is an important factor in making the choice!

On the other hand, we have a multi-party system, where people can form political parties to field candidates representing their party. Each political party has its own ideology and vision of developing Bharat. The vehemence in politics, primarily comes from differences in ideology among political parties and not their fundamental drive to contribute to the welfare of Bharat (if they have such a thought)!

In our country, the party (or allied parties of similar ideology) that secures more than 50% of seats can form the Government (whether in the State or the Centre). The person nominated by the party which secures more than 50% of seats becomes the Prime Minister. Effectively, the Lok Sabha elections is to choose the Prime Minister and also which party will lead the country.

So, is the candidate important or the party? Candidate becomes an important factor when the quality of individual candidature is high across all parties. We need intelligent and empathetic people to represent us so that they listen to the problems of people and also try their best to find solutions. In a case, where there is difficulty in choosing the best candidate, NOTA (none of the above) option is definitely not the solution. By choosing NOTA, the best candidate in the race is getting so much less votes and his chances of winning are being reduced to that extent.

In local body elections, the candidate becomes an important factor, as she / he must listen to our day to day problems. In Lok Sabha Elections, what matters the most are the security of the Nation (internal and external), our foreign relations (how world views Bharat), an ecosystem to encourage research and enterprises, overall economic performance etc. The Prime Minister and his council of Ministers play an important role here. Hence, the Political Party and its Prime Ministerial choice must be most critical scrutinized in Lok Sabha elections, rather than the Candidate. Although one feels a particular person is a good candidate and she / he does not choose the Prime Minister capable of heading our Nation, it will be a disaster for Bharat. Hence, the party and its leadership are two most important factors to consider while voting this Lok Sabha elections.

The future of our Nation depends on the kind of leadership it gets. Committed, Determined and Patriotic Political leadership can steer the Nation to greater heights! Hence, choose the party that has a decisive leadership; the leadership which motivates the people of this Nation to partner in governance and development; which is against giving freebies and making the population lazy; which is tough against the corrupt and the criminals; and which is uncompromisingly patriotic!

#BharatMataKiJai

Development Discourse _ Bharatiya Perspective

There is beautiful movie “Gods must be crazy” picturized around the tribal community in Africa. The movie shows how an empty coca-cola bottle dropped from a chopper gets into the hands of the tribals. With the coming of an object from so called modern world, the peace and order in the tribe is destroyed. Although they find the unbreakable glass useful, it becomes the reason of their fight and animosity.

This has become exactly the case of development today. Nobody is saying soft drinks are anti-development. It is equally wrong to say that having a soft drink itself shows the level of development. Soft drinks are a measure of standard for the community in which the pilot lives; the tribals have a different standard. Not one template of development can suit all communities, cultures, Nations and people. Universalization of anything can have miserable ends.

Today, when we talk of development, we are only talking about economic development; in other words wealth creation. A satire goes like this -

Development today means:-

1. Vertical development - of concrete buildings, industries etc.
2. Horizontal development - of human fat through the sedentary lifestyle.

What about intellectual, emotional, spiritual development?

Further, is economic development justified by pollution and damage to atmosphere.

It is high time to think, what development actually means to the humanity at large.

Can we give a Bharatiya way to address this issue? Do we have an answer in our age old culture? The answer is yes. Let us look into it.

Popular view of development

• Fulfillment of basic needs - food, clothing, shelter.
• Wealth creation. 
• Industrial development
• Economic progress. 
• Human well-being

Fault lines in the popular view

• Exploitation of environment:- industrial development has led to grave challenges like environment pollution causing threat to flora and fauna. It is also causing human illness. That which was started for human well being is not ensuring that itself.
• Centralized governance:- in all modern means development is centralised. In capitalism, economy is in the hands of a few. In Socialism, it is in the hands of government. Governance, in both the cases is centralised.
• Technology Transfer:- With increasing stress on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), knowledge is also restricted to a few. Transfer of technological knowledge is restricted.
• Imbalance in growth:- a few city centres are given focus and remote villages are ignored.

Let us now look into the Bharatiya view of development.

Bharatiya perspective

Environment centric:- all our technologies are environment friendly. For example organic - cow based farming. Cottage industries ensure distribution of output, rather than large scale production causing damage to environment in industrial areas.

Decentralisation: In Bharat, businesses are primarily run by families. Generations after generations the technologies of metallurgy, architecture, Vedic / Spiritual Knowledge, have been transferred through the family system.   

Self governance:- Grama Swaraj & the panchayat system of self governance is an ideal system wherein local issues are addressed locally. Systems centred around a single place, or a group of people cannot confront the challenges in far off places. For example people sitting in a remote village in Nagaland will get better solutions locally than from lofty suggestions of experts sitting in Delhi.

Temple economy:- Temples in Bharat have not only been places of religious worship, but also centres of economy. Many people have and are making a livelihood out of the temple viz. the architects, priests, flower vendors, caterers, service sector, artists, etc. 

Stone Chariot at Hampi (It is said diamonds and pearls were traded in & around this place). 

Gau Mata & Organic Farming:- Cow is the center of Bharatiya culture and economy. Cow is worshiped as mother; she is also sine qua non for agriculture in Bharat. Pesticides used in farms have destroyed the fields and the lives of people living in and around the agriculture areas. Whereas, some researches have proved that even pesticide free organic farming can yield rich dividends. Cow manure is known to enrich the quality of soil and thereby the crop. The presence of cow in farm land has multiple benefits.

Dharma : Holistic Vision A holistic vision is what is needed for anything subject to see it's peak. As seen earlier, there are certain weaknesses in the present discourse of development. In fact, destruction of environment and spoling human health cannot be termed as development. In Bharatiya vision we have a complimentary approach :-

1. परम वैभवं - Reaching the pinnacle.
2. सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः - May all be happy.

Hence, economic accomplishments may not be at the cost of something else. Reaching the glory or development in another sense is all inclusive. “Inclusive Development” is the Bharatiya model of development. Inclusiveness is not just of all the segments of human society; it includes plant life, animal life and the environment at large. Only a person with such an inclusive vision can create technology that is eco-friendly, at the same time immensely beneficial to mankind. This is Dharma - attaining the crest/peak by fulfilling one's duty, at the same time including inclusive development of all along with individual self development of a human being.

This vision can be inculcated only through sanskaras (values). These values must be inculcated from childhood so that each individual blossoms into a contributor rather than an exploiter.

#DevelopmentDiscourse

Interstellar: A case evidencing that knowledge of West is slowly moving towards Vedanta

Recently I watched the movie “Interstellar” and I felt the same thing what many of you might have felt as you read this post, “Why this late?” Be rest assured that anybody who comprehends the movie will definitely be awestruck. Naturally, I too was! But what is interesting is that, the more profound the knowledge, creative thinking, and science of the west gets, the more closers it comes to the Hindu Philosophy. The finer the concepts of metaphysics becomes, the more closer it comes to the Vedanta.
The importance attached to the planet Saturn (शनि), in the movie, with regards to space time is deeply rooted in the Hindu thought.

Apart from this, two other important aspects from the movie seem strikingly similar to Vedanta, Puranas, etc.

1. Life and age of beings on different planets of various solar systems, and galaxies:

One may say science knows this all along that every minute spend by any being on earth is more than or less than the very same minute to be spent on another planet. This influences the age or the lifespan. This phenomenon as I understand is chiefly due to varies rotation, and revolution cycles, which in turn is influenced by distance and gravity.
In the movie, 1 hour spent in an unknown planet is equal to 23 years of human life spent on earth. Such fantasies (who knows if it really exists) and many more are plentifully available in our Puranas.

The Puranas always said that the lifespan of higher beings in other Lokas (Planets/Galaxies or whatever you call it) are more than that of Humans. In the Bhagavata Purana for example, Pruthu Raja and his daughter spent just an hour in Brahma Loka, where the TretaYuga is complete and the New Dwapara Yuga is also under the verge of completion. So one hour in Brahma Loka plus the to and fro travel from earth takes almost 21,60,000 years of human life on earth. So many generations of human life goes extinct while one spends an hour in Brahma Loka. Many Hindu texts, including the Manusmruti record the concept of time from the rudimentary level through human life span, to that of Devatas, through again to the life span of Brahma.

2. Metaphysics: Abstract concepts of space, time, gravity, etc.:

When the hero enters another dimension in the universe, he realizes that he himself is interacting with his own being/self in another dimension in which the earth exists. The hero says, “They have access to infinite time and space (in the 5th dimension), but are not bound by anything”. The concept of "Jnana" & "Vairagya" may also be observed here.

The hero is unaware that he is not the one doing things. The voice says, “People could not build this (dimension beyond space time). It was them”. (The upanishadic concept of “तत्” is portrayed here). Everything is that! Thou art that! (तत् त्वम् असि|)

Everything is his play (लीला).

True remembrance is in fulfilling the unfinished dream of a Rishi

It has been 154 years since Swami Vivekananda visited this planet and ever since his name instills waves of current in all those who have read or heard about him!

The magnanimity of the persona is such that even after 154 years, the very same words of his, ushers infinite energy unto every human. From Bharata to the America in the west; to the Japan in Far East, his influence has been immense.

The life of Swamy Vivekananda is very intense and dynamic. To read and know him is to understand many facets. It seems as though that he has spoken about all those things that needs to be spoken. His life is an inspiration to all! Many persons, institutions, and societies have be set up and are blossoming on account of his words. He was the inspiration behind many revolutionaries during the freedom struggle.

Subhash Chandra Bose said these words about Swami Ji "He is a full-blooded masculine personality".

From a universe of Swami Vivekananda, I see two of his messages, as a part of his idea of education, as very important ones:-

1.  Character Building

2. Man-Making

Swami Ji said, “Education is not the amount of information that we put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life building, man making, and character making assimilation of ideas. If you have assimilated five ideas and made them your life and character, you have more education than any man who has got by heart a whole library”.

The word character is used here in the sense of “शिला”! The word sheela has an interesting meaning. Sheela is not jus honour, but character. He whose thought, words, and actions are in union is “शीलवान” (sheelawan). Now when thoughts are filthy and words are sweet, he is a character-less person, and vice-versa. Even when words are foul and actions are right, the course is not correct. That is education which directs a human in the path of building his “Character”. To build a swabhava (sheela) of union in thought, words, and action is the goal of education.
Man making may mean three things, and I think Vivekananda used the word in all the senses. 1. Manliness meaning courage, strength, valour, etc. 2. Nurturing the potentials of a human being which leads to the distinct identity of humanity from the other species on the planet. 3. Fostering “samvedana” without which a human is nothing but a wild animal or a devil.

Manliness

All through our history, we see stories of courage, strength, and valour. Bhima and other warriors, it is said, had arms as big as the bark. We hear stories of Samarth Ramdas ji who used to practice 1200 Surya Namaskaars a day. The feats of all our kshtriyas since time immemorial and even through the independence movement, and the valour displayed by our soldiers in the borders even today, are all but representation of the culture of valour in our Nation.

Human Identity

The ability to think rationally, and to address a single problem/situation in a hundred different ways is a unique a gifted potential of a human. Puranas say that Manushya Janma (Human Life) is begotten after Punya (Good deeds/merit) of many lives (Janma). This opportunity to explore  the infinite potential and expand likewise is all that is to be a human. To expand the vision and capabilities of self is an opportunity and every human being gets.

Samvedana

Vedana is the pain of the physical body. Samvedana is feeling the pain of others as ones own. The Rakshas (devils) do not see the pain of others. In fact, Schadenfreude is the exact opposite nature of a human being. To expand the identity is samvedana.

Let strength and valour be our two hands, and character and morality be the two legs. Standing on these 4 limbs a man is bound to excel in life.

He also stressed on Physical Education “You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of Gita. You will understand Gita better by your biceps, your muscles a little stronger. You will understand the Upanishads better and the glary of the Atman, when your body stands firm on your feet and you feel yourself as man.”

Swami Ji has expressed on many occasion that the purpose of his life was to serve the lotus feet of Bharata Maata. He was the first person to call for the Worship of Bharata Maata and to leave all other Gods and deities for a few years. The slogans “Bharat Maata Ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”, and consequently the revolutionary freedom struggle were all inspired from Swami Vivekananda.  

On another occasion he said,"…the land where humanity has attained its highest towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness, above all, the land of introspection and of spirituality - it is Bharat”.

For Bharat as a Nation, to reliaze his dream of Bharat becomming the "VishwaGuru" is the ultimate Motto.

Remembering a Rishi means to become like him or to try to fulfill his unfinished dream. WE must all work towards making Bharat Maat the vishwaguru, then alone we will have paid a proper tribute to Swami Vivekananda. शिवो भूत्वा शिवम् यजेत्|

वन्दे मातरम|