KANNADA RAJYOTSAVA 54: WHITHER HIGHER EDUCATION

Invited article on the eve of the Karnataka Rajytsava Day 2010 published in the current issue of Vijaya Next.

ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕ , ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಯೇ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅವರೇ ಕೇಂದ್ರೀಕೃತ ವಾಗಬೇಕು.   ಶಿಕ್ಶಕ ತಯಾರಿಸಿದ ಪಠ್ಯ ಎಂಬುದು ವಿಧಾನಸೌಧಕ್ಕೆ ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆಗೆ ಹೋದರೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಏನು ಮೌಲ್ಯ ಸೇರ್ಪಡೆ ಆಗುತ್ತೆ ಹೇಳಿ.? ಶಿಕ್ಶಕನ ಉತ್ಸಾಹವನ್ನೇ ಕೊಂದು ಹಾಕಿದರೆ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣದ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಹೇಗೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯ? ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ವಾಯತ್ತತೆ, ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯವಿದ್ದಾಗ ಶಿಕ್ಶಕ ತನ್ನನ್ನು ತೊಡಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಹೊರುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಈಗ ಎಲ್ಲದಕ್ಕೂ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಅನುಮತಿ ಬೇಕು. ಇದರಿಂದಾಗಿ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಉನ್ನತಿಗೆ ದುಡಿದವರು ಮೂಲೆಗೆ ಸೇರಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಒಬ್ಬ ಶಿಕ್ಶಕ ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬರ ಅಡಿಯಾಳಾಗಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾದುವ ಸ್ತಿತಿ ಇದೆ. ಇದಾಗಬಾರದು.

ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಸ್ತಿತಿ ಗತಿ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥೂಲವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಲು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೇರೆ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳಿಗೆ ಹೋಲಿಸಿದರೆ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಮೊದಲಿನಿಂದಲೂ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಂಚೂಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿತ್ತು.ಮುಮ್ಮುಡಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾಜ ಒಡೆಯರ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮಹರಾಜ ಕಾಲೇಜು ಕಲಾ ವಿಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ, ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಸೆಂಟ್ರಲ್ ಕಾಲೇಜು ವಿಜ್ನಾನ ವಿಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಸರಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮಹರಾಜ ಕಾಲೇಜಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಡಾ. ರಾಧಾಕೃಷ್ನನ್, ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ್, ಗೋಪಾಲಸ್ವಾಮಿ, ಕುವೆಂಪು, ತೀನಂಶ್ರೀ, ಡಿ. ಎಲ್. ನರಸಿಂಹಾಚಾರ್, ಸಿ. ಡಿ. ನರಸಿಂಹಯ್ಯ, ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ ಅಂಥವರು ಪಾಠ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಜಿ. ಪಿ. ರಾಜರತ್ನಂ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಸೆಂಟ್ರಲ್ ಕಾಲೇಜಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾಠ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.ಮುಮ್ಮುಡಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾಜ ಒಡೆಯರು ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ಕ್ಶೇತ್ರದ ಉನ್ನತಿಗೆ ಬೆಂಬಲವಾಗಿ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದರು. ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ತಜ್ನರೇ ಈ ಕ್ಶೇತ್ರದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.ಮಹಾರಾಜರು ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ಕ್ಶೇತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ವಾಯತ್ತತೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಗೌರವ ನೀಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು.

ಹೀಗಿದ್ದ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ಕ್ಶೇತ್ರದ ಮುಂದಿನ ನಡೆ ಏನಾಯಿತು? ಕ್ರಮೇಣ ಅವನತಿ ಹಾದಿ ಹಿಡಿಯಿತು. ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ನೌಕರಶಾಹಿ ಹಾಗೂ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಒಳಪಟ್ಟಿತು.ಇದರಿಂದ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಗುಣಮಟ್ಟ ಉತ್ತಮವಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ೧೯೭೬ ನೇ ಇಸವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂದಿನ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಕಾಯ್ದೆ ತಂದಿತು.ಅಲ್ಲಿಯವರೆಗೂ ಪ್ರತಿ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯಕ್ಕೂ ಅದರದೇ ಆದ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಗಳಿದ್ದವು. ತನ್ನ ವಿವಿಗೆ ಯಾರು ಕುಲಪತಿ ಆಗಬೇಕೆಂಬುದನ್ನು ಅವರೇ ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆದರೆ, ೧೯೭೬ರ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಯಿಂದ ವಿವಿಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಪ್ರಮಾಣದಲ್ಲಾಯಿತು. ಶೈಕ್ಷಣಿಕ ಸ್ವಾಯತ್ತತೆ ಮೊಟಕಾಯಿತು. ವಿವಿಯ ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಸ್ವಾಯತ್ತತೆಗೆ ಈ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಯಿಂದ ಏಟು ಬಿತ್ತು.

ನಂತರ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯಗಳ ಕಾಯ್ದೆ ೨೦೦೦ ಬಂತು. ಇದರಿಂದ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಬಿಗಿಯಾಯಿತು. ಈ ಎರದೂ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಗಳನ್ನು ತಜ್ನರ ಶಿಫಾರಸ್ಸಿನ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ಎಂದು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ತೋರುಗಾಣಿಕೆಗೆ ಹೇಳಿತು. ರಾಜಕಾರಣಿಗಳು ತಜ್ನರ ಶಿಫಾರಿಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತಮಗೆ ಲಾಭವಾಗಿರುವ ಅಂಶವನ್ನು ಜಾರಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಅನುಕೂಲ ಅಲ್ಲದಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಕೈ ಬಿದುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಉದಾಹರಣೆಗೆ ನವನೀತರಾವ್ ಸಮಿತಿ ವರದಿ ಅನ್ವಯ ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯಗಳ ಸೆನೆಟ್ ರದ್ದು ಪಡಿಸಿದ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕುಲಪತಿಗಳ ನೇಮಕ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಸಮಿತಿಯ ಶಿಫಾರಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ತದ್ವಿರುದ್ಧ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಕೈಗೊಂಡಿತು. ಇದು ಶೈಕ್ಶಣಿಕ ಸಮಿತಿಗೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡಿದ ಅನ್ಯಾಯ.

ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ೨೦೦೦ನೇ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಲಾಧಿಪತಿಗಳಾದ ರಾಜ್ಯಪಾಲರು ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಸಮ್ಮತಿ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ವಿವಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಕುಲಪತಿ ನೇಮಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂದಿದೆ. ಇನ್ನು ಈ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಲಪತಿಗಳ ಆಯ್ಕೆಶೋಧ ಸಮಿತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿ ಇರುವಂತೆ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಈ ಕಾಯ್ದೆಯಿಂದ ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಮೇಲಿನ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಹತೋಟಿಯನ್ನು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ತನ್ನ ತೆಕ್ಕೆಗೆ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡಿದೆ. ಇದರಿಂದ ಉನ್ನತ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ಕ್ಶೇತ್ರ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಕುಲಷಿತವಾಗಿದೆ. ಕಸ್ತೂರಿ ರಂಗನ್ ನೇತ್ರತ್ವದ ಜ್ನಾನ ಆಯೋಗ ರಚಿಸಿದ ಉಪಸಮಿತಿ ಕೂಡ ಮೊಟ್ಟ ಮೊದಲು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದ್ದು ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಟತೆ ಬೆಳೆಯಲು ೨೦೦೦ನೇ ಇಸವಿಯ ಕಾಯ್ದೆ ಬದಲಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂಬುದನ್ನೇ.

ಶಿಕ್ಶಣದ ಉನ್ನತೀಕರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸೃಜನಶೀಲತೆಯೇ ಸೋಪಾನ. ನಾವು ಆ ಸೃಜನಶೀಲತೆಯನ್ನು ಹಾಳುಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಪರರ ಓಲೈಕೆಯಿಂದ ಮುಂದೆ ಬರ್ತೀವಿ ಎನ್ನುವ ವಾತಾವರಣ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ರಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಶೈಕ್ಶಣಿಕ ಮಾನದಂಡವೇ ಕಡೆಯ ಮಾತಾಗಿರಬೇಕು. ವಿಶ್ವವಿದ್ಯಾಲಯಗಳ ಹೊಣೆಗಾರಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಪ್ಪಾದಾಗ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಲಿ. ಅದು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಹಸ್ತಕ್ಶೇಪ ಸಲ್ಲದು.

ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ಕ್ಶೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ತ್ವರಿತವಾಗಿ ಆಗಬೇಕಿರುವುದು ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರ ಸಬಲೀಕರಣ, ಬೋಧನಾ ಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ತರಬೇತಿ, ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಆಧಾರಿತ ಗಣಿಕೆ ಪದ್ಧತಿಯ ಪಠ್ಯ. ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿ - ಶಿಕ್ಷಕ ಕೇಂದ್ರಿತ/ಆದ್ಯತೆಯ ಶಿಕ್ಶಣ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ರೂಪಿಸಬೇಕು.
      

GOD I MISSED: SHREE SHREEDHARASWAMY

1950's. I was a kid just out of Primary School. The whole of our joint family was filled with Shreedharaswamy those days. My father, and in his absence his brother(my uncle), used to do puja twice -sometimes thrice- a day with Swamy's paduka at the centre of spread with other idols of deities with Swamy's photograph too at the background. In the night it was followed by many bhajans on Swamy sung by children including myself as mandatory and often joined by adults too. Once or twice a year Swamy was invited home for pada puja and bhiksha (just three palms full of food Swamy takes, a bland one at that!) where thousands used to assemble whom the Swamy used to address, pravachana. In one such occasion I was called in the puja room by Swamy and was initiated into his moola mantra which I continued to chant. My father was one of His close 'devotee', used to accompany Him for His several tours across the length and breadth of the Country. My father used to be away months together and when he returned he spent hours in narrating the events that occur on tour including how Swamy handled different people,- the sick and the suffering in particular,- and also the detractors with customary aplomb. The narration often included the 'miracles' that happened with Him and when He is around. All these instilled in me awe and wonder towards Swamy and more importantly, I was afraid of Swamy, afraid to go near Him too, lets He admonish this erring child!

Shree Shreedharaswamy was full of inner radiance, oozing bliss and love all around. He was always engrossed in His divinity and conducted Himself in this world with highly evolved and exalted consciousness. There was never a self concern for Himself, totally selfless and strove for good of all. Thousands used to assemble wherever He was, thousands would be fed then, thousands of money was offered and all of it given away to the needy there by the end of that very day. He believed that good of all beings is possible by following sanatana dharma/eternal law, arya samskriti, and He worked tirelessly towards establishing it. His stay wherever he went was filled with performance of yaga, yajna, ashtaavadana seva, art and music shows with a grand week long celebration of the same once or twice a year, and in most of the time it was in the holy place He Himself has established, Varadahalli.

He has played very crucial role in my life too,

Shree Shreedharaswamy was a modern man with heart of Ancient Wisdom. His constant practice of yajnas, homas, was meant to check the environmental degradation such as pollution of earth, air and water. His dealing with people without any discrimination of caste, creed and gender eased social tension. He had a solution to the two most devastating modern ills such as environmental depletion and social tension. Practice of original Vedic culture was His solution and a mission too. His approach to any problem was highly enlightened, problem solving and life supporting characterised by lots of love and compassion and I can illustrate this with incidences from my own life.

I had finished my school education by 1957 and I wanted join college to pursue higher education. My father was unwilling for my education further as I being the eldest son, he wanted me to remain in the village to look after the agricultural land and property. Besides, he being a staunch follower of Orthdoxy, had reservation about modern ' English' education then. Yet, I was too keen and I was in anguish, I went on insisting. Matter went to our Supreme Court-Shree Shreedharaswamy! Every body, including me, thought that Swamy would be against modern British sponsored English education and hence I would be doomed. Swamy surprised everybody. He told my father ; "How can you change a system without knowing it. Let your son go to college and study, I may need that also". He turned towards me and said " magaa ( it is a Kannada colloquial for son ) study well and come back, ok". My joy was unbound. The most 'orthodox' man has come to my rescue!

I had a shaven head with a tuft at the back of it as a typical orthodox Brahmin of those days would have it. The very first day in my college I was humiliated and ridiculed by my mates for it. Being a very sensitive person I had a harrowing time that day. I went straight to a barber shop, got the tuft cut and transformed into a 'crop' cut. My father noticed it on that very night and got upset. "How can a sanatani/orthodox family and that too a staunch disciple of upholder of sanatana dharma, Shreedharaswamy, could tolerate such a sacrilege", he thundered. What is more, the next day was our bhiksha/food offering day at Varadahalli for the Swamy and my father ordered me not to enter inside there at the time of aposhana/taking of holy water before food, as Swamy would never allow a 'crop' fellow . At the appointed time, all the members of the family were inside except me. I believe Swamy asked where I am and when He was told of the matter, He asked them to let me in. To the utter surprise of everybody gathered, he takes me near and consoles, telling the gathering there that how can I be concentrating on studies facing such ridicule , let I be with it and my heart is known to Him!

I was doing PhD in Clinical Psychology in National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience(NIMHANS), Bangalore, during 1967-69. An acquaintance who was doing Master's in Sociology turned into friendship and finally resulted in a marriage proposal during that period. My father objected on the ground that although she belonged to our caste but not the sub-caste and would not follow our sampradaya/tradition . After nearly an year of waiting and pleading, the matter was again referred to our Supreme Court/Swamiji!. Swamiji was in ekaanta vaasa, would not see/meet anybody and rarely talked too. Yet, behind a screen, He spoke more than an hour to me where all members of the family were also there. He inquired about my studies, the curriculum, talked on the human body with all its filth and diseases hidden inside, the human relationship based on such considerations and so on and finally after hearing my version of the issue on hand, the verdict came. He tells my father, " magaa , she was his wife in the former life, died unsatisfied, has come again for fulfilment, let him marry her". Again everyone gathered there was astounded, my gratitude to Swamy finding no boundary.

I was gradually drifting away from religious faith partly as a reaction to excessive orthodoxy prevailing at home and partly because of my acquaintance with modern European Existentialism and Literature and as such , psychologically, I was far away from Swamy and my family there. As I was moving further in that direction and studies, I happen to come across the work of Fritz Capra, Deepak Chopra, Colin Wilson and others in my own profession of Clinical Psychology who while strongly grounded in modern science started questioning its premises and laid the firm bases for spirituality and inner growth. It was somewhere around 1973. I was teaching at Mysore University. It was a crisis situation for me. My atheistic considerations crumbled, deeply shaken by the turn of events, my inner longing for spirituality hitherto neglected started surfacing and I wanted to meet Shreedharaswamy. But he was in a long- I think five year long- mouna ekanta vaasa/vow of silence and solitary existence , I was fidgeting in myself. Alas, I heard the news of His demise. I wept, incessantly and uncontrollably. At a time when I wanted Him intensely, I missed Him. A wealth of spirituality that was there all along so near to me, I had neglected and now I am repenting like a fool. I was driven, as if from an unseen hand, towards a fresh and formal initiation to Meditation in a well known centre in Mysore. Ever since, since the last thirty five years, I would have missed now and then food or sleep or interaction with the near and dear ones due to the pressures of work but never missed even for a single day, my meditation.

Swamy has played a pivotal role in my life. He supported my higher education, he permitted me to be a modern without being subservient to it, he supported my marriage and finally, before His leaving His mortal body, drew me back and put me firmly to access my spiritual domain. I often feel that His unseen hand shaped my success. Although I was very successful as a teacher, my administrative sojourn such as Chairman of the University Department, Registrar and later Vice-Chancellor of one of the largest University in the Country, I had to face several crisis. In all such situations, I was able to come clean with greater effectiveness without my very conscious effort. I felt some unseen force is guiding me in spite of myself. Who else that force would be than my Shreedharaswamy.

I think I must end with this last narration. I think it was during the 1960's. My father always insisted that I should visit Swamy whenever I go to my place near Sagar or when Swamiji visited the place where I was staying. Once in Varadahalli, Swamiji was in an intense mood. He told me that if and when rishis/sages and devatas/gods give Him green signal, He would take world tour in the cause of establishing sanatana dharma, and asked me whether I would join him. I had said " yes if You will it". Yet deep in my heart I was not enthusiastic for the reason stated above. Once I had met Him when He camped in Bangalore. He received me on the terrace of the house and had said that He is keen on launching the movement across the world but gods say the time has not come. When I asked my father, after His departure, on the mission of Swamy, I was told that destiny and gods, did not permit the launch as the time has not come and perhaps that is the reason He went on a long seclusion before departing. My father also said that He had told that he would come back to do it when time is ripe and gods ordain.

O Swamy, where are you? Has not the time come? Please see that I do not miss you this time before I leave! I pine for you, I long for you!


P.S. This is a two part article originally posted in http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/shreedharswami on July 26 and 30, 2008 or shreedharswami in yahoo group search

Kudos to Gutsy Woman

Mamata Sampath,abused and heckled by seven rowdy auto drivers in an auto stand in Shantinagar, Bangalore, took down their vehicle numbers, clicked their photos and went straight to Police Station, the police were able to haul them up and book. This report in Bangalore Mirror moved me. Kudos to Mamtaji, we feel immensely proud of her. The best appreciation for her would of course to emulate her by the commuters to do such things when harassed. May God bless Mamatha Sampath and, her society take care of her well! I also appreciate Ashoknagar Police Station for their prompt action and Bangalore Mirror for their prominent display of the item.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Inaugurated Mental Health Week at the Department of Psychology in SDM College, Ujjire, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka on October 3, 2010. The gist of my nearly three hour long talk and interaction: The term Mental Health is a misnomer as it smacks of Medical Model applied to mental problems too which does not do justice to the malady. Mental Health or Mental Problems are not illness in the sense of manifestation of several symptoms having an underlying single cause like a virus or a microbes as in medical illness.Often, in mental problems, the manifestation itself the whole of the malady or a single expression may have multiple 'causes'. In fact all the so called mental illness is actually, as Thomas Szasz opines, problems in living which the modern trained psychiatrist in particular is ill equipped to handle, although a Psychiatric Social Worker or a Clinical Psychologist are better off but both are put below and under Psychiatric dispensation. We are in fact fooling the public by saying that we have understood mental illness and we have treatment for all of them, assuming wrongly that the medicines in Pharmacology and Elecro- treatment will solve problems in ones life! On the same token, hospital set up for the mentally ill is also unethical. Mental problems arises in the midst of ones people around in the family, in the organization, and the 'cure' for it too must be from the people who 'caused' it! This is the true spirit in the advent of Community mental Health Movement and its advocacy of training Community Agents in the society to recognize and remedy the mental problems in the social milieu itsental illness, prevention is not merely better than cure but is cure in itself. Therefore, Mental or Inner Peace may be a better term than Mental Health.However, for the convenience of the familiarity addicted we may still use the term mental Health for our purpose here!



An ability to love and work would be the sign of mental health and the mentally ill is having a feeling of misery and an inability to manage ones own affairs.There are people who are good at work, or turn out a donkey's work as it were but miserable with people as they can not get along with them and there are people who are always happy - we may wonder what they have to be happy about! - but work wise good for nothing. Both cannot be considered as mentally healthy.



Need deprivation, unfulfilled desires especially of the need for intimacy, love and affection, in addition to the need for recognition and self expression, is often considered as the stumbling block to achieve mental health/mental peace. Not having recognized and utilized all the inner potentialities/possibilities is yet another cause to loose our mental peace. Yet, fulfillment in both the above set of needs may contribute to ones ego, self possessiveness and self aggrandizement which alienates from people, that may not be called mental illness and yet, nevertheless, is as harmful to self and society in the long run as mental illness.



Dovetail ourselves to a larger reality, a reality that is beyond our construction through our body, mind and intellect, and from which we all have come, are nurtured and return to, will ensure lasting and stable mental peace and prosperity. It is to access the spiritual domain in us in addition to dwelling in the domain of matter that would alone usher us in to the wholeness of being and living that is good for both self and all others.

Literature, Culture and Society

Salient points of the talk in Kannada delivered at Karkala Sahitya Sangha on 2nd October evening.

1. Written communication ( including all types of literature, science and art ) is the only feature that uniquely distinguish human from animal and it is this function that create, preserve and propagate culture in and across generations.

2. Generally, the art and culture evolve to satisfy the needs of the people and society such as need for food, shelter and clothing; love and affection; status and recognition; and self expression/actualization. Such a culture lead to consumerism and the aggrandizement of the ego.

3. Exploration of the inner potentialities and possibilities irrespective of their personal or social utility and regard have always enriched the culture depending on the social support it gets. Yet, it too is not free of selfishness, possessiveness and self aggrandizement at the cost of separation/isolation from the larger reality that nurtures beings.

4. People and the culture that strives to dovetail itself to the larger, holistic, reality that take cares of all beings that exist in mutual love and succor is the one that is free of self destructive consumerism, possessive and isolating egoism that harms the very Nature that sustains us and will be the one that can bring lasting peace and prosperity.

GANDHIAN VALUES AND INDIA TODAY

pOWERPOINT PRESENTAION OF THE LECTURE DELIVERED ON GANDHI JAYANTI DAY AT BUHVAANENDRA COLLEGE, KARKALA. DAKSHINA KANNADA, KARNATAKA.


INDIA TODAY: POSITIVE SIDE

Industrial Revolution of Nehruvian Era
Social Revolution – Ambedkar
Green Revolution of Agriculture – Punjab
White Revolution of Milk+ - Gujerat
Economic Revolution – Manmohan Singh
Information Technology
Biotechnology

INDIA TODAY: POSTIVE SIDE(contd.)

A NEW ECONOMIC STAR:

GNP would overtake that of Italy by 2014,
France by 2020, Germany by 2023 and Japan by 2033 (S.S.A.Aiyar quoting CIA Report)
Goldman Sacs Report – Dreaming with BRIC:
Brazil, Russia, India and China become larger force in economy in 40 years(larger than G6), next only to US and China in 30 years.


INDIA TODAY: NEGATIVE SIDE

28% of people go to bed hungry every day
52% of people living on < $1 a day
10% of people alone have purchasing power, stunting domestic market
<1% share in world trade
1% rise in food production offset by 2%rise in population
10% rise in unemployment rate

INDIA TODAY: NEGATIVE SIDE (contd.)

IT software export share in global market is only 2%
IT contribution to GDP is only 3%
Huge Forex reserve is ‘hot money’/volatile (NRI deposit and portfolio management)
Huge trade deficit:ex.314-imp.471=157bn.$
International trade practice is at disadvantage to developing countries – Trade barriers(import tariff)

INDIA TODAY: NEGATIVE SIDE(CONTD.)

Human Development Index: 127th rank/177
Corruption Perception Index(TI): 77th rank/102
Bribe money: Rs.26768 crores per year
Honesty of officials(TI): 45th rank/49
Global Competitiveness Report: 45th rank/53
Use of professional managers: 50th rank/53
Technology used: Foreign 50%, Foreign modified 45% and Indigenous 5%

INDIA, A GLOBAL LEADER ONCE

Vedas: Philosophy and Spiritual Sciences
No discrimination on caste, creed and sex (Rishikes, Panini, Gandhari)
Science and Technology: Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Bhaskara, Varahamira,
Counting: Greek 102, West 10/12, India 10/53
Education: Nalanda, Takshashila, Albureni(Iran) came to study
Science and samskrit; Yi Ching(China) came to study Rural health.
Trade and Business: Spices+, clever extraordinary.

GANDHIAN VALUES

Swaraj: Political + Self-rule and Self Control
Against communal forces, corrupt local and national leaders, international financial institutions and multinational corporations
6 ethical/moral principles: swadeshi, aparigraha, bread labor, trusteeship, non-exploitation and equity
Satyagraha: non violent non cooperation
Volunteers to empower farmers

GANDHIAN VALUES ( contd.)

SEVEN SOCIAL SINS:

Politics without principles
Pleasure without conscience
Wealth without work
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Worship without sacrifice

GANDHIAN VALUES(contd.)

ELELVEN VOWS:

Ahimsa/Nonviolence
Satya/Truth
Asteya/Non Stealing
Brahmacharya/Self Discipline
Aparigraha/Non Possession
Sharira shrama/Bread Labor
Aswada/Control of Palate
Bhayavarjana/Fearlessness
Sarvadharmasamanvaya/Equality of all Religion
Swadeshi/Use of Local made Goods
Sparshabhavana/Removal of Untouchability


GANDHI AND VEDIC VALUES

Paropakaraha punyaya papaya parpidanam
Yo vy bhooma tatsukham na alpe sukhamasti
Ayam nijaha paro vetiganana laghu chetasam
udara charitanasu vasudaiva kutumbakam
Yo mam sarveshu bhuteshu santam atmanam ishwaram/hitvarcha bhajate maudyad bhasmani yeva juhoti saha
Ahastani sahastanam apadani chatuspadam/phalguni tatra mahatam jivo jivasya jivanam