Light To Lamp Lights: 04 ►Relevance of Self-restraint

Anuvrat is an ideology of life. It is a view of society based on human values, or character. It is not in any way opposed to science and technology. It is opposed to lack of self-restraint. Why would a nation, in whose view of life lack of self-restraint is deeply embedded, try to accord a high place to self-restraint, character or human values? How would self-restraint be regarded ideal in a nation when there is lack of self-restraint in its very blood? Abandonment of pleasures and indulgence in pleasures are the two utterly divergent paths. Just as the ways of the East and the West are different, the paths of self-restraint and lack of self-restraint are also different. Anuvrat is the path of self-restraint.

Whatever century it may be, the fifth or the twenty-fifth, self-restraint can never be out of place. So long as self-restraint is relevant, anuvrat would ever become irrelevant. Anuvrat does not talk in terms exhorting man to renounce the world. It directs man to refine or purify life. It is not concerned with any community or sect. Nor is it for any particular class. Regional boundaries do not obstruct its movement. Anuvrat is a code of conduct, which inspires all human beings to tread the path of self-restraint.

Anuvrat talks about neither heaven nor salva­tion. It is concerned with the present life.What should be the lifestyle in modern times? Anuvrat provides one such model. Man in the present century is invaded by the problems of violence, terrorism, war, hostility, hatred etc. Incidents of communal frenzy are increasing. Politics is being played in the name of religion. Ethical values are being sidelined in professional competition. The culture of intoxicat­ing drugs is leading the young generation astray. Elections outrages have put a question-mark on the sanctity of democracy. The environmental crisis is deepening day by day. Anuvrat can provide guidance for dealing with all problems of this nature, provided man disciplines himself with deep faith by following the vows.

The ideology of anuvrat is essentially the phi­losophy of self-restraint. The principle of limiting accumulation (of wealth) and restraining indulgence m pleasures by individuals deals a severe blow to the roots of the evils growing of economic considerations. Restrained use of the earth resources, water and vegetation can prevent the pollution of environment. Even though this view is accepted in principle, in actual life, restraint is not exercised to the desired extent. The fundamental reasons for this are the counteracting forces and lack of ability to go against the current.

One way of introducing the anuvrat ideology in education is to open the doors of new possibilities of inculcating new life values, norms (sanskaras). If the teaching of anuvrat is assimilated during the student life,the pUrsuit of the way of restraint not be difficult. The time has come when we are about to enter the twenty-first century. Seven years are not a very long time. During that period if the universal philosophy of life like anuvrat can be assimilated, then we would be able to enter the twenty-first century in a grand and divine manner. It is my firm conviction that the anuvrat ideology would be able to play a significant role in brightening the coming century