We can’t have value-based economics or principled politics without working in accordance with ancient spiritual wisdom,says Rajyogi brahmakumar nikunj ji

We all wish to live in a peaceful and harmonious society. However, one in which every individual or group is self-centred — is not a society in the true sense of the word, for it lacks enduring unity of minds or commonality of abiding interests of its people. Thus, it falls short of an important cohesive force or uniting factor that should give to it solidarity and integrity. Even if the groups constituting it, have some common set of customs and social norms, these groups or individuals often break these when their self-interests clash with those of others. Such a society is, at best, a loosely-knit network of communities, classes, institutions or nations, each one of which thrives by manipulating the others for its own growth. And, a logical consequence of this is that, when a situation arises for a group to choose between what is of benefit to all and what is of greater well-being to that group, it opts for the latter, thus unleashing the forces of disruption, conflict and split.

In such a weak-kneed society, pressures exerted by each ego-centric cultural, religious, ethnic, caste or political group would naturally create social, political and economic tensions. These would further affect law and order as well as stability. It would be a set-back to united efforts to attain set goals. Thus, these would work as obstacles and cause stagnation, disturbance, deadlock and at times, even destruction. The individuals and groups, in such a society, may, in common parlance, be known as civilised and they may, in their daily life, show manners and etiquette but, obsessed by their narrow interests, they can go to any length and adopt any means to achieve their coveted goals even though these are detrimental to other sections of society or humankind as a whole.

For example, a self-centred individual, who has high influence in power circles, may get a piece of prime land or a flat allotted to him by manipulating or using political pressure even though more than a hundred persons, equally entitled, may have been waiting ahead of him in the queue, for years. Similarly, a self-centred community may demand certain advantages or benefits from some political party or a powerful politician, promising, in turn, voting en bloc for that party or politician and paying no heed to the fact that these demands are unreasonable and may cause communal disharmony. Thus, the fact that a person or a community is civilised, according to common usage of the word, is no guarantee for stability and progress if the people are not prepared to make even a little sacrifice for the common good of all, in which their own well-being also is assured. So, the mantra for peace, progress and prosperity of all is to tune our mind to the wisdom, summed up in the famous Sanskrit slogan: “Sarvay bhavantu suhkina, sarvay santu niramaya...” which means “Let all be happy and prosperous and let all be healthy”. Unless and until this forms the basis of our politics, economics and business or industrial management, conflict, confrontation, tension and turmoil will always remain. But the question is how can we cultivate this attitude? For this, the second mantra is “Vasudhaiv kutumbakam” which means that the whole world is our family.

Without working in accordance with this ancient spiritual wisdom, neither can we have principled politics nor can we have value-based economics and neither can we have peace or make progress which would give us real happiness. In short, without following these two precepts or mantras we cannot have a value-based society.