Acharya Tulsi
Some so-called wise men think of saints which bygone ages do them belong to. This is the age of science. They feel what these people would do in the present age that follows an unscientific pattern. I feel what good will science do that proves all the universal values unscientific. In my view the greatest science is the principal of non- violence. 'अहिंसा समयं चेव, एयावंतं वियाणिया'—No science greater than non-violence has not ever come nor will it come in future. Anything lacking non-violence is not science. In that case we need to add a prefix ‘un’ before the word scientific or etymologically we have to define the word negatively like—‘विगतं ज्ञानं यस्मात् तद् विज्ञानम्'— (Whatever lacks knowledge is science). Real science is that which provides the right direction to life, that which makes life holy and helps one to emancipate and teaches one to lead a non-violent life. A science which lacks all these virtues rather on the contrary carries the opposite elements is a science that leads oneself to a wrong path.
Definition of Life
Who is human? What is human life? Is it mere conglomeration of bones, flesh, marrow and blood? Should we consider drinking, eating, bathing, producing children, rearing them as life‘? Such activities are done by animals as well. Then where is the difference between an animal and human being? All those instincts or traits that people associate with science are not really scientific. To achieve such material pleasures and to get imbued in them has been considered non-religious, atheistic and animalistic life in Indian philosophy.
Man is conscious. He must realize his inner beauty. He must think if he has not done something that has been the cause of someone’s suffering. This is known as non-violence. What kind of life is this which thinks only of itself‘? To get entangled in scientific complexities, to become materialistic, to adhere to material objects is it some kind of life? The real life is least thought about these days. The true principles of life are getting obscured. So the wise of present situation are worried. They are discontented with this life-'हा! कष्टमापतितम्, हा!कष्टमापतितम्|'
The obscurity of the values of life is a big loss. This crisis needs to be eradicated at all costs. The flood of hedonism is spreading across the nation.-People are getting homeless. At this situation they must be taken care of wholeheartedly. ‘Anubrat’ movement is a small step taken toward this direction.
On one hand the glory of Indian culture is sung. Our culture is the best of all; highest of all and religious in essence, one feels great while bragging about our culture but on the other hand the same Indian culture is getting eclipsed by other cultures.
Culture
Indian Culture is a non-divisible factor. In reality there can be no classification of it. This is Indian culture or this is non-Indian culture such division is not possible. What culture has got to do with being Indian or non-Indian? Can sky be divided into two parts? If one need to draw a distinction then it may be divided into human culture or inhuman culture or it may be a good culture or bad culture. The good values of people residing in India become the symbol of Indian culture. The Indian culture means high culture, culture of renunciation, culture of restraint and culture of spirituality.
Why India is idealized?
A question may arise why India is being regarded as an ideal for the whole world. This country is not so interested in competing with other nations in terms of producing nuclear arms. In technological revolution she is not far ahead. Even from the viewpoint of material accumulation she is not in the first row but still people have enough respect and a feeling of glory for it. The main cause for this seems to be one and that is wherever any Indian leader had reached any place in the world, he had sung the glory of non-violence. From the viewpoint of establishing non-violent values in the world if any country becomes the representative then it is only possible for India because non-violence is still deeply embedded in the soul of this nation.
The Ideal of Indian Culture
The rate of violence is increasing at a rapid pace. The human life is being affected of negativity all around. What is the cause of it? There may be many causes. One of the main causes behind it is money oriented perception. Today man’s perception is fixed on millionaires. He tries to develop his financial status by hook or by crook. People laying importance on religion also touch the feet of rich people. This situation is a symbol of culture’s degradation.
There was a time when non-accumulation had a significant place in Indian culture. People here would not bow their heads before emperors or political leaders but would bow their heads before a enunciate recluse. Many emperors and wealthy men had come here and gone. Who remembers them? But those seekers of truth, great saints and recluses are still being remembered with great reverence who had liked a life of renunciation.
The history of India reveals that thousands of emperors and kings had renounced their kingdom, the comforts of palace and hedonistic pleasures to take the vow of renunciation. The great poet Kalidasa had written about the lifestyle of the emperors of Raghu dynasty. - ‘They would lead the life of a student in their childhood, lead the life of a family man in their youth and with advancement of their age they would renounced their home, family and go on for the penance of restraint and at the end they would finally complete their life’s journey. The misery and turmoil are the ill-consequences of it. If human beings want to lead a life of peace and happiness then they have-to accept the life of renunciation, non-violence and restraint.
