Social cohesion and leadership
A good leadership guides the masses and motivates them to work like a Man. Leadership brings social cohesion for progress.
THE HUMAN society that moves forward on the pre-determined path to reach its goal is indeed progressive. It comprises individuals, who are selfless and keep the interest of the society before that of the self. With a view to achieving the goal, the social set up has to be homogenous and should have the advantage of being guided by the leadership with a vision. In many societies of the world, especially that of India, the plural character of the population is pronounced. The United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, People’s Republic of China and many other countries have citizens, who profess different faiths, speak different languages, dress up differently and have different eating habits. If the different ethnic groups living in a country are centripetal, the problems of leadership in guiding them to move on the path of progress are minimal. However, if the different ethnic groups are centrifugal, the leadership may find itself at a loss in charting a safe and beneficial course of action. India is particularly affected by the thought and action of different ethnic groups. With the result the progress is not only slowed down but at times comes to a halt. India gained independence on 15 August 1947. The present communist regime of China came to power after winning a civil war on 1st October 1949. Although India moved forward on the path of progress two years ahead of China but now in the year 2010, China is a world power financially, militarily and in taking decisive actions that affect not only Asia but the world. China staged the Olympic Games in 2008 successfully and the Shanghai Expo in 2010 but we are yet to make a breakthrough in staging the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Let us examine the factors that took China miles ahead of India on the path of progress. The Social Cohesion in China is made to order. The aim is determined by the central authority and others work day and night to achieve the said aim. History tells us that the Mobilisation of Manpower has been the greatest asset of China. The Great Wall of China bears testimony to it. A gigantic task like that cannot be achieved today unless the whole society moves forward in that direction. The mass moves like a man. Some critics say that there is no individual freedom of thought and action in China as it is enshrined in the Constitution of India. To enshrine a fundamental right in the constitution is fine, but tell me if it is acted upon on the ground. A book called the Red Sari, allegedly based on Sonia Gandhi’s life, and written by Javier Moro is not allowed to be published in India under threat and coercion of political goons who take recourse to unconstitutional means. The book is a best seller in Italy and Spain. Many a movie made on one member or the other of the Nehru-Gandhi family perforce remained canned for want of a clearance from the censor board. The income tax sleuths swoop upon those intellectuals who do not toe the line. And yet we take pride in calling ourselves a free democratic open society. Notwithstanding use of unconstitutional powers of State every now and then, like the Emergency of 1975, India has not made the same progress as China. Social Cohesion is lacking in India. Some ethnic groups that thrive here consider a foreign land as their home. There is no unity of purpose and no commonality in achieving the aim set by leadership. Rule of Law is an important ingredient of keeping the men and women together. The age-old maxim is “However high you may ever be, the LAW is above you.” However, some political leaders take pride in flouting the law of the land and go scot free because of their clout in corridors of power. Leaders of political parties of different hues make money illegally and stash them away in foreign banks. The government of the day turns Nelson’s eye to these corrupt practices. On the contrary, in China many communist party leaders were executed in public for financial corruption. Indeed, China is not free from financial corruption but the defaulters are punished too. I shall be failing in my duty to my countrymen if I do not mention the result of social cohesion in defence preparedness. The Indian social cohesion fell apart when under threat of adverse law and order situation arising out of hanging by the neck of terrorists condemned to die by the Supreme Court were kept alive on one flimsy pretext or the other. It indeed lowered the morale of the security forces. China brought a fully functional railway line to Lhasa, Tibet and enhanced its defence capabilities on the India-Tibet borders. India has yet to build a railway line through Pir Panjal and take a train from Jammu to Srinagar. India has not bought a new gun for the Army for the last thirty years or so. China is well prepared on all fronts. China has built blue water Navy from the scratch burying stories of corruption of a dowager empress who withdrew money from her own exchequer to build war ships but built a ship-like pleasure palace in the middle of a big lake for fun and frolic. The Chinese Navy now shows the Red Star flag through the Indian Ocean right up to the Middle East. Lack of an aircraft carrier is China’s Achilles heel that she proposes to overcome this by 2012. ETHNIC MINORITIES IN SOCIAL COHESION One of the biggest disturbing factors in achieving social cohesion in India is behaviour of few ethnic, read religious, minorities. These communities in India have unfortunately not been gelling with the main stream of social living. It is possible to do so and contribute to social cohesion while maintaining one’s religious identity. The main stream of social life in India has been promoting SARV DHARM SAMBHAV. All faiths are to be respected by one and all. No wonder, there is recitation from the Vedas, the Gita, the Quran, the Bible, the Buddhist scriptures and what have you while death anniversary of Gandhi Ji and other leaders is observed. Fine. However, when the death anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad is observed, there is recitation from Quran only. It is a drawback and brings the Sarv Dharm Sambhav thought many notches down. The leadership making an endeavour to cement social cohesion must give a serious thought to this lacunae and redress it. When I wrote an article on a Mizo Brahmacharini in Doon Gurukul and how she has vowed to be a Ved Pracharika, I got hate mail from some Evangelist Mizos, who went to the extent of writing that my article was a sheer figment of imagination. I sent a polite reply via email that they may buy a ticket to Dehra Dun and visit the Mizo brahmacharini, Lal Sang Puii,now named Nandita to clear their doubts. No one turned up. However, the number of Mizo girls learning the Ved mantras and reciting them has gone up to Five now among 150 brahmacharinis from all over India. The point at issue is that men of religion should be liberal and not dogmatic to bring in social cohesion. The Vedic Dharm is an Inclusive one. The Vedas are for all – the Vedas are for the Mankind. The Ved mantras of the last sukta of the Rig Veda should be recited and meditated upon by men and women of all faiths to bring in Social Cohesion in India and other countries.
MANTRA 1: SAM SAMIDYUVASE VRISHANNAGNE VISHWANYARYA AA ,
IDASPADE SAMIDHYASE SA NO VASUUNYA BHARA.
(The first Mantra is devotee's prayer for sound & stable prosperity.
Next three Mantras
are the exhortation in response to the prayer.)
O Anand Swarup Ishwar ! You are present in ALL that is there, and you
reside in our hearts
and speech when we sing your praises with devotion. Bless us with
prosperity that will stay
and will bind us.
MANTRA 2: SAM GACHHADHWAM SAM VADADHWAM SAM WO MANAANSI JANATAAM
DEVA BHAAGAM YATHA PURVE SAM JAANANAA UPAASATE.
O Men! You should all be together, should speak to each other freely
avoiding discord,
and should have feelings & understanding for each other. When you all
have same objective,
you can derive real happiness from life; just as the learned and wise
men have lived happily
heretofore.
MANTRA 3: SAMAANO MANTRAH SAMITIH SAMAANII SAMAANAM MANAH SAHA
CHITTAMESHAAM ; SAMAANAM MANTRAMABHI MANTRAYE WAH
SAMAANENA WO HAVISHAA JUHOMI.
Your thinking should be similar, your assemblies should be alike, your
hearts and feelings
should be similar. I motivate you to think and pray in a similar way.
MANTRA 4: SAMAANII WA AAKUUTIH SAMAANAA HRIDAYAANI WAH,
SAMAANAMASTU WO MANO YATHAA WAH SUSAHAASATI.
You should all have pride in self, as well as similar desire for all. Have no
jealousy and ill-will or bad
feelings for anyone, and all should work with a spirit of unity and
cooperation..
( Based on Bhashya by Shri Swami Brahmamuni Parivraajak Vidyaamaartand.)
Comments: An unprejudiced mind can reason out that all strife and
misery in the world are
due to following reasons.
(i) Men are not together in thoughts and actions. So called prophets
have made the
divisions even more intractable, and set the groups against each other.
(ii) Power-seeking leaders have caused huge tragedies in the world.
Even the efforts
like those of the United Nations become ineffective in face of power-mongering.
(III) Racism, religious dogmatism and imperialism are the greatest banes for humanity.
(iii) Excessive exploitation of nature, driven by rank selfishness,
has resulted in a
calamitous situation.These negative thoughts present a road block to the road map of Social Cohesion.
A culture supportive of universal brotherhood (VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM) is the need of the hour. LEADERSHIP FOR SOCIAL COHESION Indeed a strong and decisive leadership is required for bringing in social cohesion. The leadership should give thought to a proposal before it makes a considered decision and stick to it in face of opposition from vested interests. Leadership must Name the Enemy and devise ways and means to fight and defeat it. If you are too afraid to name the enemy, you will not have the WILL to defeat it. The will power of the Leadership matters a lot. Lack of will of the leadership sinks the nation. A nation must draw inspiration from its great men and women who led the people through thick and thin and won laurels. Stories of great leaders of a nation who lived and fought against odds inspire the new generation to emulate them and be patriotic. Yogeshwar Shri Krishna, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, Subhash Bose, Rani Lakshmi Bai are some of the names of great leaders who lived and died for the Nation. They brought in social cohesion to keep the people united under their leadership.A leader is never scared of laying down his life for the cause of the country. He is inspired by the lines given here: “How else can a man die better,Than facing fearful odds,For the ashes of his fathers and Temples of his Gods.” Indeed, we recall the last words of the martyr-soldier who said to the surviving soldiers, “When you go home, Tell them of us and say, For their tomorrow we gave our today.” A leader is inspired by these anecdotes and in turn inspires his fellow countrymen to bring in social cohesion and make the Nation Great. A leader is a Thinker, a Planner, and Executor of plans. Above all, a Leader is a Patriot.
MANTRA 1: SAM SAMIDYUVASE VRISHANNAGNE VISHWANYARYA AA ,
IDASPADE SAMIDHYASE SA NO VASUUNYA BHARA.
(The first Mantra is devotee's prayer for sound & stable prosperity.
Next three Mantras
are the exhortation in response to the prayer.)
O Anand Swarup Ishwar ! You are present in ALL that is there, and you
reside in our hearts
and speech when we sing your praises with devotion. Bless us with
prosperity that will stay
and will bind us.
MANTRA 2: SAM GACHHADHWAM SAM VADADHWAM SAM WO MANAANSI JANATAAM
DEVA BHAAGAM YATHA PURVE SAM JAANANAA UPAASATE.
O Men! You should all be together, should speak to each other freely
avoiding discord,
and should have feelings & understanding for each other. When you all
have same objective,
you can derive real happiness from life; just as the learned and wise
men have lived happily
heretofore.
MANTRA 3: SAMAANO MANTRAH SAMITIH SAMAANII SAMAANAM MANAH SAHA
CHITTAMESHAAM ; SAMAANAM MANTRAMABHI MANTRAYE WAH
SAMAANENA WO HAVISHAA JUHOMI.
Your thinking should be similar, your assemblies should be alike, your
hearts and feelings
should be similar. I motivate you to think and pray in a similar way.
MANTRA 4: SAMAANII WA AAKUUTIH SAMAANAA HRIDAYAANI WAH,
SAMAANAMASTU WO MANO YATHAA WAH SUSAHAASATI.
You should all have pride in self, as well as similar desire for all. Have no
jealousy and ill-will or bad
feelings for anyone, and all should work with a spirit of unity and
cooperation..
( Based on Bhashya by Shri Swami Brahmamuni Parivraajak Vidyaamaartand.)
Comments: An unprejudiced mind can reason out that all strife and
misery in the world are
due to following reasons.
(i) Men are not together in thoughts and actions. So called prophets
have made the
divisions even more intractable, and set the groups against each other.
(ii) Power-seeking leaders have caused huge tragedies in the world.
Even the efforts
like those of the United Nations become ineffective in face of power-mongering.
(III) Racism, religious dogmatism and imperialism are the greatest banes for humanity.
(iii) Excessive exploitation of nature, driven by rank selfishness,
has resulted in a
calamitous situation.These negative thoughts present a road block to the road map of Social Cohesion.
A culture supportive of universal brotherhood (VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM) is the need of the hour. LEADERSHIP FOR SOCIAL COHESION Indeed a strong and decisive leadership is required for bringing in social cohesion. The leadership should give thought to a proposal before it makes a considered decision and stick to it in face of opposition from vested interests. Leadership must Name the Enemy and devise ways and means to fight and defeat it. If you are too afraid to name the enemy, you will not have the WILL to defeat it. The will power of the Leadership matters a lot. Lack of will of the leadership sinks the nation. A nation must draw inspiration from its great men and women who led the people through thick and thin and won laurels. Stories of great leaders of a nation who lived and fought against odds inspire the new generation to emulate them and be patriotic. Yogeshwar Shri Krishna, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, Subhash Bose, Rani Lakshmi Bai are some of the names of great leaders who lived and died for the Nation. They brought in social cohesion to keep the people united under their leadership.A leader is never scared of laying down his life for the cause of the country. He is inspired by the lines given here: “How else can a man die better,Than facing fearful odds,For the ashes of his fathers and Temples of his Gods.” Indeed, we recall the last words of the martyr-soldier who said to the surviving soldiers, “When you go home, Tell them of us and say, For their tomorrow we gave our today.” A leader is inspired by these anecdotes and in turn inspires his fellow countrymen to bring in social cohesion and make the Nation Great. A leader is a Thinker, a Planner, and Executor of plans. Above all, a Leader is a Patriot.
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