A celebrated anthropologist once said to have remarked, “My grandmother wanted me to be educated; so she did not send me to school.” That is what probably Janardan Pattnayak did for his son Sarat Chandra, who was born in 1939 at village Dhauli Muhan near Tapang. Sarat Chandra Pattnayak deliberately lost the benefit of formal education as he refrained from going to school after Standard V. A gifted child with an analytical mind, he remained contemplating on one cosmic principle of sound that connects the universe intimately together. No wonder then that after six decades of his profound research, he has been held in high esteem in international scientific forums, a rare honour that few persons in the world can boast of. The American Biographical Institute has conferred upon him 2,000 millennium gold medal of honour issued from the White House. At home, a noted management institute of Delhi has awarded him outstanding personality gold medal in 1998. The Friendship forum of India New Delhi has decorated him with a gold medal in 2000. The VSPI Management Education Institute has conferred upon him the title “GEM of new millennium” award in 2000. The International University Harmony College of Applied Science, los Altos, California, US, has admitted him to the degree of doctorate in literature with all rights and honours. The World Congress of Psychiatry, Hamburg, Germany, had extended him an invitation in 1999. These are but a few mentions on the awards and accolades over this man and a complete list would be unending! His theories like “One world, one language” and “World in a match box” have arrested the attention of the international scientific communities. But then, success has not entered into his head and he remains as humble as dust of this good old mother earth. Currently working as a manager of the Panchayatiraj Canteen, Pattnayak (77) sits glued to his seat in a meditative mood, always remaining engrossed in thoughts of being and nothingness, sound and silence. In an interview to The Pioneer, Pattnayak spoke to Sugyan Choudhury from his institute Sabda Gabesana Kendra nestled in the hills and valleys of the historic Tapang Garh. (Some inputs contributed by Sunil Mishra)
What do you say with regard to the principle, philosophy and application of sound in this worldIJ
Sound is not only an indispensable necessity for mankind but it is also a must for exchange of ideas, thoughts of all the living things including the animal kingdom. In order to find out the basic principles and application of this principle of sound, men starting from ancient Indian sages to the present day scientists, sociologists, philosophers, researchers have been straining their every nerve. The ancient Indian scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanishadas have ample evidences to prove that the sages of yore could achieve wondrous results through these principles and applications of sound. But it is a lamentable fact that we are unable in modern times to make use of the principles, applications and the efficacy of sounds. By realising the inner principles of sound and by knowing its application, a lot of meaningful results could be achieved. The philosophers and the psychologists have admitted it that by uttering the words Om shanti, shanti, shanti, a powerful source of energy that comes cascading down from above and takes hold of man fortifying him with a rare delightful energy. Hence, sounds are a most potent source of energy that can achieve wonders. This is how my Sabda Gabesana Kendra could be floated through my endeavours to carry on with my research activities.
What is your concept of “One world, one language”, which has received global attentionIJ Could you explain it for the benefit of the common massesIJ
A sense of restlessness, ennui prevails in all the concerned spheres of man such as environment, health, sanitation, food, employment, political, social and economical settlement as well as physio-psychological states. Beginning from prehistoric time till date, the earth has witnessed this kind of restlessness for innumerable times, but since ‘to pass away’ is the go for the world, all such conditions have ultimately dissolved into peaceful settlements after the chaotic conditions have reached their climax and the balance has always been maintained. It is time to realise that the evil forces in man have shattered the balance of a peaceful coexistence and a chaotic condition has crawled into the life of not only the individual but also into the socioeconomic and political setups. No bomb is mightier than a single kind human utterance. If everybody’s thoughts and ideas can be translated into one single language with a little spice of human kindness, it will enkindle the lamp of knowledge in everyone to the virtue in man burning away the vices into ashes. Thus, one love-smeared sweet world of imagination will manifest into reality only through one language when there will be no obstacles in reading human minds and understanding human hearts. Then only the Dharma or the law of piety can be reestablished. The objective of ONE lANGUAGE is to bring about oneness of the human race. Modern science has amazingly discovered that all earthly living things are members of the same great family. All species of animals and plants beginning from the microorganisms to the big elephant have descended from the same stock. Ancient scriptures of India also bear the supremacy of this oneness. Hence, with my idea of “One world, one language” we serve the purposes of all human beings, thereby turning the whole world into a single unit of a family. This is surely going to happen one day in course of our various stages of revolutions and through our scientific inventions.
What is the present status of your Sabda Gabesana KendraIJ Do you receive any financial support from either the State or the Central GovernmentIJ
My institution is on its qualitative progress despite the terrible resource crunches. But I have to carry on with my mission although the State Government or the Central Government does not provide me any assistance. In the pursuit of knowledge, I shall go ahead, and that is why I have sold most of my parental properties.
Do you think that either the State or the Central Government will give due weightage to such a noble missionIJ
All muskets are on the shoulders of both the Governments, but not a bullet comes!