Acharya Tulsi
The great scientist Albert Einstein was asked a question, "Science has freed man from physical labour, provided all types of conveniences, still why has he not found happiness?" Einstein replied, "Man did not make judicious use of science."
The world is dazzled by the progress of science. Now doors of progress are continuously opening. At every new stage, a new direction is being given to the progress of mankind. Still man is agitated, weary, afflicted because science had come to be regarded as the only means to attain happiness and peace; whereas science is related to intellectual progress. Intelligence recognises the physical matter, makes discoveries in that field and shows the ways of their practical application. But it does not suggest the way to free him from overpowering weaknesses.
Spiritualism is a very lofty phenomenon. It goes right up to the root of consciousness. It shows the way to awaken the latent powers of the self. But it does not have to worry about earning the bread. It does not include in itself man's daily problems. How would a hungry man, surrounded by problems, try to discover the unknown mysteries of the self? How would he develop the thinking about the world and salvation, rebirth and previous birth, the bondage of Karma and the enjoyment of its fruits and other serious subjects of the kind?
Science and spiritualism touch the two ends of life. One is worried only about intellectual development or material progress. The other talks only in terms of spiritual progress. As long as these two remain independent of each other, man would not be able to find happiness. From this point of view, in the "year of welfare", (in 1989), we had dreamt of developing the spiritual-cum-scientific personality. Science, independent of spiritualism and spiritualism, independent of science, are incomplete. That is why it has been said.
Mere spiritualism cannot bring life to the age,
Mere science cannot give protection to the age,
When the two harmoniously combine
The age would change its course
Reckon first what all you wish to attain
Look deep within, oh saints, to know what you want to attain. [1]
It is necessary that spiritualism and science become complementary to each other. Knowing Truth is one thing, and living by that Truth is another thing. It is not possible to live by Truth merely by knowing it, and merely by living Truth it is not possible to know it. Let man's march be to attain this twofold goal—let him know the Truth and live by what he has known. The joy of knowing, when related to life, increases manifold. Similarly, the joy of living can be increased a hundred fold by relating it to knowing the Truth.
When two long—separated brothers meet after making an effort to meet or by sheer accident, new doors open for their possible development. Spiritualism and science are two such long separated brothers. Both are finding themselves in a vacuum because of this separation. It is the demand of the age that these two brothers should meet and peacefully co-exist. Only when this happens, the complexities of human life can become less. Only the combination of spiritualism and science would be able to show the path of happiness and peace.
