Nation and Development

by Prof. M. D. Apte

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Nation is a philosophical term describing a geographic portion of land where all people staying had similar thinking and common heritage, traditions, culture and inherent affinity towards one another. The heritage sites were pilgrimage centers spread all over the land and they are equally sacred to people whichever corner of the land they may be staying in.

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A Country is that Geographical portion of the land where people reside. The Geographical region, where the people have the same culture, have similar belief systems about life and have same respect for sacred places and great persons born anywhere in the region, can be called Nation. It is not necessary that the whole Nation be governed by the same ruler/s or has the same administrative system. Such country where one ruler rules under same administrative system is called The State. A Nation may have many states within as was the situation in ancient India.

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In ancient India, the states were small having mostly only the Capital as a town while all other localities were rural and about 10-20 Km apart. The Jungles as well as high hills outside the state belonged to the Nation; so also were the rivers and other water courses. In the hilly jungles or river bank regions many a times some small kingdoms of Nishad, Dheevar or Kirat tribes of people flourished. The Jungles on the boundaries of the states had Gurukuls established by Rishis as (residential) learning centers for the young people in Vedavidyaa. The Gurukuls were supported by all the states around whose students were taught in the residential organizations. The students used to enter the Gurukul after their Upanayan Sanskaar by 8 to 12 years of age, complete their education in about 12 years at the Gurukuls after which they used to return to their homes for entering Grihasthashrama, and performing duties normally following their fathers’ vocations. Since the Gurukuls were common for many states, the Rishis used to advise the rulers in religious and Social matters as well as in those aspects that can reduce any tensions that may be generated amongst the states/rulers.

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The states used to be at peace normally. Occasionally, a rular might feel like initiating a battle with his neighbouring state for some reason but very soon it stopped as one or the other got defeated. Then also the winner won’t rule the subjugated state directly, but some local chieftain (normally heir of the deposed/killed Ruler only) was anointed as new Ruler and administration went on. The defeated state may pay some Tribute, Compensation or (ransom) Fine to the successful one and the animosity vanished between them. All the state rulers were advised by their Rajgurus as Dharmic (moral and ethical ways) controllers of the States. The duties and responsibilities of the rulers of the states have been seen described quite in details in ‘Shantiparva’ of Mahabhaarata, and most of the rulers used to follow them. The people were free to travel anywhere in India for pilgrimage, sight-seeing or trading. The people, having educated in Vedic studies, had only love and affinity towards India as a Rashtra or other Bhaarateeya people as brothers. The boundaries of India were rather extended towards West to include Persia and Aravastan and towards East to Vietnam. It was Vishaal Bhaarat and was living as one Rashtra having same culture, traditions and respect towards the Scriptures, sacred places, The Nation and its people. The language being spoken was Sanskrit with some modified versions in some states. There never was any problem amongst the States about the

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languages being spoken. After the huge destruction in Mahabhaarata War by the start of Kali-Yug the Western boundary was contracted to the NW passes and Eastern one to the Malaysian Peninsula. Even then India was so prosperous that foreigners used to attack through the NW passes to rob riches. The NW states along with occasional support from interior States like Magadh (at Pataliputra or modern Patna) used to fight and defeat the invaders. Most of the times after getting defeated, the tribal invaders as a group got assimilated in Indian population. They became Indian Nationals. Sanaatan Dharma ruled the Nation. It became Rashtra Dharma. This Dharma could be called Manav Dharma since it was quite effective for all persons living.

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The people in India were following the guidelines for life which were laid down+ in Vedas. The Vedas gave out guidelines in its Adwait philosophy indicated in Vedaant. To practice this philosophy Rishi-Munis were following Meditation as per the Vedas teachings. The Meditation has power to clean your mind of negative thoughts as well as of bad habits like selfishness, hate, anger, jealousy etc after adequate length of the practice. The Vedic Meditation being part of Bhaarateeya Culture, the bad thoughts that it drove out of people’s minds made the people loving the Nation as their motherland. Similarly they had developed human bondage as brotherhood with all people in Bhaarat as well as those coming in contact. This was possible since the Sanaatan or Bhaarateeya Dharma was having a Universal appeal, it did not exclude anyone just because he liked to worship something/someone else in different manner or even if he did not believe in God. It was not restricted to people of unique religious practices The Rishi-Munis who practiced the Vedaant for long could develop their minds to such an extent that other minds in their vicinity could be influenced to love Bhaarat and its people. This is the reason that though to start with, Bhaarat had its Eastern and Western boundaries limited by Hindukush and Arakaan mountains, the people beyond them also were influenced by the Sanaatan Dharma and in no time Bhaarat became Vishaal or extended Bhaarat including countries up to Vietnam in the East and up to Arabian Peninsula in the west. All this was possible because the helpful nature of the learned Bhaarateeya people. This Vishaal Bhaarat was so united that their culture had become one and the people were intermarrying amongst various states involved therein. During Dwaapaar-Yug, Dhritarashtra the samraat of Hastinapur married the princess of Gandhara (Kandhahar in Afghanistan); Gandhari and her brother Shakuni was the principle advisor of Duryodhan, the Yuvraj of Hastinapur. Similar to this well known one, many such relations existed amongst the states in Vishaal Bhaarat

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In Satya Yug all people lived by Sanatan Dharma Principles and hence the Rashtra was quite stable. All people were Satwic. They were enjoying peace and comforts in life. There was neither illness nor any painful experience for the people. The traditions established mainly had the triod of Vedas, Adhyatma and Samashtee as their base. No conflict was experienced by people. When Treta-Yug dawned, one leg (out of four for stability) of Dharma was broken. People became less Satwic and personal characteristics of people with little selfishness became more predominant. But since Rishi-Munis were plenty and Gurukul system was functioning well for Vedavidya learning, no major difficulties arose and whole of Bhaaratvarsha flourished peacefully. At the dawn of Dwapar Yug one more leg of the Dharma was lost and many people started losing their morality and indulging in selfishness. Rishi-Munis in Janpads reduced. Vedavidya learning only at State level Gurukuls. A king may invite a Rishi to teach the

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Vedavidya to people staying within his state boundaries. Occasionally some powerful state might have controlled the common areas like jungles and watercourses creating difficulties for minor states in their functioning. Wars between states increased due to selfish motives of some (large?) state rulers. Rajsooya Yadnyas increased and large wars broke out between states for supremacy. Dwaapar-Yug appears to be full of such wars (culminating in Mahabhaarat war, the mother of all wars!). It will be apparent however that people’s faith in Vedas was not reduced and Learning was getting knowledge of Vedvidya. The Rishi-Munis and Pandits having faith in Vedaant and practicing it were quite large in number throughout Bhaarat This ensured that all people in Bhaarat were loving the Nation and none had any grouse (for selfish motive) to hurt anyone in Bhaarat. This was the effect of what is now recognized as ‘Maharishi Effect’ of the Meditating people. This gave superiority to Bhaarateeya traditions and trading and it made India Suvarn Bhoomy for all foreigners.

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During Satya-Yug most people were having their faith in Vedas and Vedic Instructions. Large proportion of them was practicing Vedaant and were interested in making their minds strong and pure. These practicing people or Rishi-Munis had profound effect on minds of other people and therefore no occasion arose when any one had any grouse about Bhaaratvarsh and wanted to do any harm to it and its people. Some foreign people used to have interaction with Bhaarateeyas from N-W countries and they also were covered by this mental insurance against harming India. {This power of minds of meditating people over others around has been re-discovered now by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and has been named as ‘Maharishi Effect’. Maharishijee has pointed out that ‘Maharishi Effect’ is active over minds of (at least?) one Hundred people in the neighbourhood of the Meditator}. In Treta-Yug some people lost their faith in Sanaatan Dharma and still no anti-Bhaarat activities/thoughts were experienced since the Meditators were lot more than 1% of the whole population of the Bhaarat Rashtra. As Dwaapaar-Yug came some more people had lost their faith in Vedas, Vedic rituals and instructions to reduce the proportion of Meditators to just about 1% of the whole population. The dwindling strength of meditators fell below 1% of the increasing population only after lapse of 3000 years since commencement of Kali-Yug (5000 years ago approx) when many people lost their faith in Vedas and Vedic instructions. The last fight against invaders from N-W that the Bhaarateeyas won was against the Greek prince Alexander (The Great?) in 4th century BC. The full effect of ‘Maharishi Effect’ then available was inadequate to fully clear any selfish motive of all locals to think against the Bhaarat Raashtra or its people. Soon after that people (invaders) following Christian and Islam religions entered India and started forceful conversion of Indians to their religions. With their insistence in following their (non-Bhaarateeya) traditions, the continued dwindling strength of Meditators fell well below the essential for clearing the minds of all Bhaarateeyas of bad feelings about Bhaarat or other Bhaarateeyas and then only a conflict started in Bhaarat about Vedas and their Instructions.

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Even in ancient times when Bhaarat comprised of many states being administrated under different systems like Democracy, Republics, Kingdoms, Empires etc, outside world was calling all the citizens staying in Bhaarat (whether they were from Magadh, Vaishali, Malwa or Saket states) as Bhaarateeyas and nothing else. Their culture was same and hence there was hardly any difference or variation in behaviour and treatment amongst the people of various states in Bhaarat. This is another specialty due to which Bhaarat happened to be one Nation since then.

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Concept of development was incorporated in the philosophy of Nation. The Ruler was NOT for developing the Nation or the people. When all people are developed the Nation can be considered developed was the basic thought. The Rulers’ responsibility was only to remove any obstacles that may be visualized in the development of the individuals. Development meant raising the mental caliber of the individual to that of the God. Individual’s efforts were always towards that end. While taking any action to that end his consideration was to see that the action will not be detrimental to the welfare of the (whole) community or even the environment. The Rulers had to ensure that no individual citizen (mainly weak and poor) suffered from non-fulfillment of their essential needs or due to the actions/thoughts of the majority or the strong/rich people around him.

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Dharma is nothing but the codification of the duties and responsibilities of individuals towards other people or entities in the Nature in order to have a happy and contented life for everybody on ecosphere. Bhaarateeya Dharma that was established by the Vedas and Vedic Rishis in ancient times was really only (Sanaatan) Dharma. It was suggested and was applicable to all people on earth. Since no other culture as developed as Bhaarateeya was existent then, it was really Manava Dharma only. One can see that whatever basic concepts, later (subsequently raised) religions (established after some great Individuals like Son of God or Prophet etc) were founded on, were only some that (may be with modifications) were already included in Sanaatan Dharma. The followers of these later religions considered other people, having different (or other than theirs) religious practices, as their enemies. Thus these religions considered themselves to be Exclusive. Thereby differences between different religions came into existence. To underscore these differences, foreigners called Sanaatan Dharma as Hindu Dharma. In Sanaatan Dharma, idol worship is considered inferior to ‘NIRAAKAAR’ (Brahma in Adhyaatma) one and is accepted till the idol-worshippers become well-versed enough in conceptualizing ‘BRAHMA’ for worshipping Him. Similarly Sanaatan Dharma catered for most of the possible variations in worshipping, praying as well as human characters in behaviour. Since such variations exist since time immemorial, the people became tolerant and no extremism could develop any roots in Sanaatan Dharma followers. Their motto was ‘Live and let live’. Since it was ‘Manav-Dharma’, no need of converting people into Hindu Dharma was felt ever. Anybody fitting in the Sanatan pariwar can declare to be Hindu and he is. The Shakas, Hoons and other tribesmen who invaded Bhaarat frequently in ancient times were defeated and were absorbed in Hindu fold. They became Bhaarateeya since they accepted it. High morality and ethics were foundation stones of Sanaatan Dharma mainly because its basic concepts were the triad of Faith in Vedas, Samashtee and Adhyaatma. Veda’s teachings must be respected, individual’s benefit is considered inferior to that of the community as a whole and develop yourself, are the basics of Sanaatan Dharma followers. Make efforts to reach the Brahma by end of your life.

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The religions like Shikhism, Buddhism, Jainism etc were developed when some specific necessity was felt by their leaders(initiators). Though they had minor differences with Sanaatan Dharma, they never became extremists in their thinking and remained tolerant like Hindu Dharma. They had no hard feelings amongst one another and they lived happily together. This was because of the essential quality of tolerance in the

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Bhaarateeya religions. They are all Bhaarateeya religions and hence they flourished together without any mutual animosity. Except their religious activities, they all have common traditions ever.

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Dharma is a philosophical term which means a moral and ethical behaviour of individuals in their life so that all are comfortable and contented at the same time. ‘Nature is abided by the Religion’ is a phrase describing a path of life as directed by a Great Individual for his followers for their own good. The path generally is not contradictory to the Nature. It is quite apparent therefore that the religions will vary depending upon the circumstances under which their great leaders found solace. When natural circumstances change (from the time at the establishment of the religion) certain changes in human behaviour become necessary to be in conformity with Nature. The man is expected to be under the shelter of Nature. Once he is under Nature, he is not likely to come across any problem from nature. His Adhibhautik Taap will be over. In this world he is expected to carry out his duties through his body only. This necessitates that he is physically fit at all times. Once he starts avoiding physical labour he is likely to have pain in body or some physical discomfort may manifest. In case man strays from Nature, he is likely to suffer for want of Nature’s help to treat any of his ailments developed by him. Only recently the scientists in USA have established that if a person plays (with naked feet, of course) in soil, his immunity system improves to fight successfully against the germs in the environment. If he remains away (or behaves against) Nature he does not develop immunity against likely sicknesses due to germs in environment. To have comfortable, peaceful and healthy life on this planet the man must neither leave nature nor avoid physical work.

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Man is expected to develop himself while living in this world. Every man has certain feelings like anger, love, hate, negative thoughts, positive thoughts, selfishness, jealousy, liking and disliking etc. His efforts are always to try and get what he likes and avoid what he dislikes. Actually ‘he’ means the senses through which he enjoys the subjects of their interest. In short, he likes to keep his senses happy by getting items of their liking, and avoiding those that they dislike. Since the taking in the items of their liking results in sorry state once the enjoyment of the item is over (after a very short time), his efforts to get similar ones are re-initiated. This procedure continues till he realizes that hankering after the likeable/attractive items/subjects from outside gives pain and sorrow instead of happiness that he desired. Then he gets frustrated and slowly leaves the efforts and struggle to receive only likeable items. Thus one reduces his desires and tries to turn the senses from external attractions to inwards.

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The mind of everyone appears to be flickery. It has thoughts of varying nature and continuously changing its subjects. One feels therefore that mind is not stationaryby nature. It likes to jump from one thought/subject/location to another without the individual’s control. Actually the mind does not find any suitable and interesting object to stabilize itself. Since it is subtle in structure, it needs an interesting object (only if it is) subtler. The Being or the Soul is such item. Since the Soul is part of the Brahma, it is subtler than anything and largest (to be covered) of anything.. This is the reason, the Saints have kept their minds at the God or Paramatmaa where they remain stable quite happily without problem. This is Bhakti-Yog. Then the mind does not worry about keeping the senses happy by offering some outside objects for their (temporary) enjoyment. In Dnyaana-Yog the persons turns their minds (from external sense-

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satisfaction mission) through the conscious-subconscious mind to the super conscious mind across the Transcendence. The mind becomes stable at the higher consciousness and the individual starts to become a witness to the birth and growth of thoughts. Under both conditions the individuals get their minds stabilized and at peace, the most suitable situation for Nature to commence development of the individual.

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Once he starts observing the mind and its situation, the sanskaars etched on the inside of the lower conscious portion of the mind start getting wiped out and the bad habits and characteristics start clearing. The mind gets cleaner, the transcendence starts getting clearer and one starts settling down in higher conscious portion of the mind. He leaves his Asmita and ego. He starts on the road of (self) development. He starts progressing himself towards Godhead naturally. All obstacles stand removed from his selected path to development.

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While functioning in lower consciousness portion he has to be in any one of the three consciousnesses; Waking, Sleeping and Dreaming (and NOT as per his choice). While he is in any one of these consciousnesses he KNOWs that the other ones are non-existent and therefore false. Once he gets frustrated from continuous failures of getting happiness on having sensual wants fulfilled, he becomes inward oriented and makes his efforts to overcome the Transcendence between the lower and higher consciousnesses. He changes from BADDHA to MUMUKSHOO.

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As per Adhyaatmic thoughts every man has four stages in his developmental progress. One is Baddha when he is enjoying life here and is busy and attached to the Sansaaric responsibilities fully. When he develops nausea about the desires (as described above in the Sansaaric functioning) he starts thinking about getting towards Adhyaatma and he becomes Mumukshoo. While thinking on these lines he undertakes sincerely the Adhyaatmic practices like penance, Gurusewa, Tapas, Vedavidyaa studies etc he is known as SADHAK. Once he is fully established in Adhyaatma and reaches the highest stage therein, he is called SIDDHA. Then he can be called to be fully developed.