To sledge is Australian, to forgive Indian?

Around 100 years back Swami Vivekananda said the main difference between Indian culture and Western culture is that in our(Indian) family mother is adored, but wife occupies that position in Western culture.

                                                 “Matru Devo Bhava

                                                  Pitru Devo Bhava

                                                  Acharya Devo Bhava

                                                  Adhiti Devo Bhava”

In Indian culture we treat Mother as God, Father as God, Teacher as God and even the Guest as God.

India is a country known for her hospitality. The recent example for that is the Australian Cricket team’s tour to India. The hospitality provided by Rajasthan Cricket Association was appreciated by the team members and the Australian Cricket Board even though there are rumors that it was extravagant.

After 7 weeks of stay in India one of the team members (after reaching the home nation) announced that India is a third-rate country!  

Let’s go to another quote by Swami Vivekananda: “The human nature of a man is skin thick; when you scratch the animal comes out”. Is it possible for a human-being to forget about the fortunes he had, in 7 weeks? How can we blame the Sardaji Cricketer who called his Australian counterpart a monkey?  

But the outcome of the above incident was severe. Just like we see in Hindi movies, the hero got depressed and started drinking day in and day out. If the Indians would have responded in the same manner to the assaults they received over the years, the liquor shops in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi were filled with men in blue.  Hope the Aussies, known for their “mind game”, have understood the patience the Indian cricketers had shown in and out of the Cricket field. If you use boomerang as a weapon you must know how to catch it when it comes back to you. 

Are we educated illiterates?

What is the meaning of education? Is it merely filling the brain with information? One may get many colorful definitions for education; but the one ‘To bring out the knowledge with in’ sounds different. There is a saying that ‘all the knowledge in the world are inherent in every child that takes birth in this earth’; if it is so, we all are educated by the time of our birth. Then what really makes a man educated?

A sculptor can make idols of different forms from the same stone. An individual’s character can be moulded like anything; parents, teachers, society etc. are responsible for the development of a child as a useful human being.

The true nature of a man is reflected in the way in which he behaves in different situations. Swami Vivekananda once said, “the human nature of a man is only skin thick, when you scratch the animal comes out”. Animal nature is inherent in all human beings; one who keeps that animal silent can be treated as educated.

What does education provides in this era? A mind that questions everything he sees? or bargaining power for getting more returns? or the ability to give a blind eye to the good works happening around? or a mixture of all these?

Ancient education system provided the students, the courage to fight against non-righteousness, mentality to serve the fellow beings and more over the ability to see everyone alike. Adi Sankara, Sree Narayanaguru, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa all belonged to that category. Ancient education never taught to take pride in whatever things one does. The good thing is that India still has leaders, who head NGOs that spread across the five continents, always keep a smile on their faces and motivates thousands of youngsters across the globe.

What all good things can the youngsters give(back) to the society? All the youngsters should ask themselves the questions…. how much amount our government had spent for us?, how many people had extended their valuable service for our well being?

What we often does is to forget all these things and think only of climbing more heights with lesser number of steps. It is our duty to take up the challenge to help the less fortunate fellow beings. Youngsters should shoulder the responsibility to impart the knowledge they have gained to the people living in under developed villages, known to be the heart of India. There are lots of opportunities in the fields of education, health care, law, like helping a student in his studies or offering free medical attention or giving awareness about law.
Social status, power, money, strength etc. can give temporary happiness but they can be lost at any time. Youngsters should realize the fact that the happiness derive from selfless service will have no bounds. For the youngsters the ABC of life should be Always Be Cheerful.

God's own country !!!

Oh God! I owe you for sending me here;
This is the land of joy,
This is the land of love,
This is the land of sacrifice,
This really is the land of God.
Oh God! I owe you for sending me here;

This is the land that gave birth to Parasurama,
This is the land that gave birth to Sankara,
This is the land that gave birth to King Bali,
This is the land that gave birth to Guru,
Oh God! I owe you for sending me here;

Why am I not take birth in another place?
Why am I take birth in this holy land?
Is there anymore birth for me in this world?
If so, Oh God! send me to this holy land again and again;
Oh God! I owe you for sending me here.