Pujya Bhaishri inspires Sandipani through his address on the republic day of India
On 26th January 2011, the republic day of India, Pujya Bhaishri, the students, teachers and many citizens of Porbandar honoured Bharat, India, at Shri Hari Mandir. The morning began with the hoisting and honouring of the flag of India. The outside of Shri Hari Mandir was decorated with great elegance on the day. Pujya Bhaishri then addressed the audience with the following speech:
“Today is the 62nd Republic day of India. If there is anything more important than independence or self-rule, it certainly is Surajya (good and efficient ruling). It is essential that the independence we acquired on 15th August does not merely remain as transfer of power, but develops into surajya. Today is the day to review and ponder on how far we have travelled in our journey of transforming from swarajya to surajya. India is a republic state with a rule of democracy. However, this freedom provided to the citizens via democracy is enjoined with responsibility. On reviewing the history of India, we will notice that not all citizens of India have satisfactorily carried out this responsibility. Forget righteousness, even basic courtesy is gradually declining. Instead, we are seeing an extensive spread in corruption.”
“A large sector of the people of our country is still poor. Exploiting the rich natural sources of states like Orissa can be used fruitfully to alleviate poverty. From the natural sources and cultural traditions to diverse languages and spiritual debates and discussions, India is filled with rich treasures, which perhaps no other country has. It is possible to speed up the economic progress in India. We are not a poor country, but a poorly managed country; and this poor management cannot be blamed on only leaders and politicians. In a republic, the Governments reflect the peoples’ opinions. We may criticise the leaders and rot set in the governing system. However, someone needs to amend the criticisms. Why can that someone not be ourselves? If the process has to begin from somewhere, why not begin from Sandipani? And why not from today? Gandhiji used to say that India is my lab and the world is my goal. Similarly Sandipani can become our lab and India can be our goal. Hence, all the teachers, trustees and people working in Sandipani need to set an example.”
“Looking at the current state of democracy in our country, we will notice that instead of ‘for the people’, it has turned into ‘far from the people’ and ‘by the people’ has switched to ‘buy the people’. Votes are being purchased. The masterminds in software in India can make any changes requires, whether right or wrong, in the electronic voting machines recently introduced in the country. There is no dearth of intelligence in the people of this land. However, character is more important than intelligence. A good nation cannot be built without good character; and educational institutes play a very imperative role in building good characters. Every individual working in education from now on will be responsible in inculcating good values in students, including children in playgroup to students in primary and secondary schools and those in further education.”
“I consider those schools and colleges merely involved in criticising the corruption and faults in the Government and leaders as lifeless. Our job is not just to criticise. I recall Chanakya’s words who said that a teacher is not an ordinary person; both construction and annihilation take place in a teacher’s laps. A teacher like Chanakya can change the entire Government. Chanakya not only changed the Governing system, but also the character of the country. He changed the way people thought. I have mentioned in several of my kathas, a teacher will be unable to perform his duties if he ceases to be a Guru and becomes only an employee. He may be an educated person, earn his livelihood and support his family, but he will not be able to bring the required good changes for the benefit of the country. As an example, if an idol made from stone is to be worshipped as God, then the ritual of pran pratishtha (sacramental rituals) will need to be performed. Similarly, to bow to a teacher, the teacher needs to be initiated as a Guru. The ritual of pran pratishtha needs to be performed in his mind. One does not become a teacher by merely obtaining a degree and passing an interview.”
“Let us begin improving the country with ourselves. A Gujarati proverb states that water can only be drawn out of a well and stored in a tank, if there is some in the well. A teacher can only inculcate good qualities in students who are the future citizens if the teacher possesses a strong, good character and is committed. A scholar has rightly said that if he is questioned about what he thinks the future of a country will be, his reply would be, ‘let me observe where and what values are being imparted to the students. This will provide a good indication of the future of a country.'”
“Therefore, if we desire India’s future to be glorious, we will need to make a beginning from now, today and with ourselves. Republic day is the day to make this resolution. If we only hoist the tricoloured flag, sing the national anthem and patriotic songs and then relax, the country will be static even after decades. We may perhaps progress economically, but our character will decline gradually, leading to a hollow progress accompanied with moral decay. The imperative point is that the citizens of the country should be internally strong; and we will acquire this strength if our characters are pure.”
“We are in Porbandar, the land of Sudama and birth place of Mahatma Gandhi. We are on the land of Shri Hari Mandir. On one side of Shri Hari Mandir we have Shri Sudamaji standing along with Sushila Maa and on the opposite side stand Gandhiji with Kasturbaa, who symbolise virakti (absence of greed), bhakti (devotion to God), courage and adherence to truth. We have installed these statues so that they remain in front of our eyes as our national and spiritual icons and remind us of the above values. Corruption will remain if our characters are not built despite introducing many laws in the country; and only educational institutes can help build good characters. As citizens of this country we have today’s republic day to make this pledge of dedication towards our country.”
“I will conclude with a short story. A king gave orders to build a new temple. Several people were working hard to build this temple. Some sculptors were carving out pillars while others were constructing the dance hall; some were constructing the sanctum sanctorum while others were busy putting up the dome; some where involved in carrying stones from one place to another. The king used to visit the construction site from time to time to see the progress. One day, the king asked one of the sculptors, ‘What are you making?’ The sculptor replied, ‘Oh King, I am constructing the dance hall.’
“The king went to the second sculptor and asked, ‘What are you making?’ The sculptor replied, ‘I am sculpting stones.'”
“The king then went to the third sculptor and asked the same question. The third sculptor said that he was putting up the dome. Similarly the fourth sculptor said that he was constructing the sanctum sanctorum. All of these sculptors were highly paid craftsmen. Thereafter, an unskilled poor labourer passes by the king. His job was to lift the heavy stones and carry them to the heavy craftsmen. Despite earning very little money, his face was expressed joy that words could not describe. The king called him and asked, ‘What are you doing?'”
“The labourer respectfully bowed to the king and replied, ‘Oh King, I am building the temple.'”
“While the highly skilled craftsmen had a narrow view of the activity they were carrying out, the unskilled worker looked at his job in totality and had a much wider vision. Therefore, we should also look at our activities and jobs widely and in totality. A sweeper who cleans the towns of Porbandar should not just thing that he is merely a sweeper, but feel in his heart, ‘I am building India. I am building my nation.’ Our India will be shaped by our good work. It will be shaped by the spirit that we nurture for it in our hearts. Therefore, let us all join in the task of building India. Jai Hind! Vande Mataram!”
