Conscience is the light of the soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It protests whenever anything unrighteous is done or thought of. Conscience is truth transferred through our genetic stock. It is also a ledger where our offences are recorded. Conscience threatens, promises, rewards and punishes, keeping all under its control. If conscience stings once, it is an admonition, and twice, it is condemnation.
Cowardice asks, "Is it safe?" Greed asks, "Is there any gain in it? Vanity asks, "Can I become great?" Lust asks, "Is there pleasure in it?" But conscience asks, "Is it right?" Why have we become deaf to its voice, insensitive to its pricks and impervious to its criticism? The answer is: Corruption. Corruption is an assault on consciousness. The habit of taking bribes and seeking favours has become common, with more people in responsible positions becoming increasingly insensitive to their conscience. They pretend that everything is all right. Are they not aware of the law of action and reaction?
If you take bribes, your thoughts and actions are registered in the subconscious mind. Will you not be carrying forward your dishonesty to your next generations, causing them great suffering? Corruption has become a way of life, affecting all aspects of living; it is not restricted to the pecuniary. It takes other forms too. Immoral ways of people in high positions have taken the sense of guilt away from lesser mortals.
A virtuous man alone can hear the soul's inner voice clearly. In a wicked man, this faculty is dead. The sensitive nature of his conscience has been destroyed by corruption. Hence, he is unable to discriminate right from wrong. This applies also to organisations, business enterprises, institutions and governments. Is it not wise to have a clean conscience and enjoy freedom from anxiety and worry?
Once you engage in wrong actions and sinful deeds, you will not hesitate to carry out serious crimes. If you allow one sin to enter and dwell in your conscience, you pave the way for the entry of a thousand sins. Your conscience will become blunt and lose its sensitivity. Doing evil deeds will become part of your nature.
When you are corrupt, your children - who are enjoying the fruits of your corruption - will look on you with contempt for they know that what you are doing is wrong. How can corrupt parents be role models for their children? Increasingly, the ogre of corruption is challenging the immunity of the conscience of people holding important positions.
Corruption has seeped into every cell of our life-blood.
Spiritual leaders have evolved morals, codes and teachings of righteousness. Hymns, songs and prayers have been written and composed. But the possible annihilation of conscience by corruption is frightening. Religion has not been effective in evoking conscience. Who then will? Can our conscience be redeemed? Through bodies like the Foundation for Unity of Religions and Enlightenment of Citizenship (FUREC), a movement has been started to create public awareness to initiate action to weed out corruption from our midst.
President Kalam exchanged these thoughts on conscience while greeting H H Acharya Mahapragya on his 86th birthday in New Delhi recently.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com