Keep Your Ideal Firm
India is our Sacred Motherland. It is only a few years back that we have got independence after
many years of slavery. The united efforts of all Indians of all classes are now necessary to build
up the nation. But in order to proceed with this task, it is essential to have a clear conception about
the future of India. When an artist sits down to draw, his picture can be best if there exists in his mind
a clear idea about the subject of his drawing. In the same way, an engineer, before he begins to construct
a building, would certainly want to know what sort of biulding it is to be - is it meant for a school, or a
hospital, or for a government office, or a residence? Only then will he draw the plan and proceed to construct
the building. Therefore, before laying our hands on the task of Nation-building, we have to draw
in our minds a clear picture of the future of India.
In what form do we want to build India? As a nation with gigantic military power? But that cannot
be our ideal. No military power survives for long. Wealth and prosperity we need to alleviate the poverty
of the masses. But if we imagine that by mere wealth all the problems would be solved, then we are mistaken.
In western countries there is no end of wealth, but they have no peace. The boys and girl of those
countries are wandering about helplessly even after getting enjoyments of all types. Their life has become
absolutely aimless. We shall have military strength to protect our feedom not to capture the territory of our
neighbours. We shall aquire wealth to solve the food problem of the masses. But mere aquirement
of wealth will not be the principle aim of our life. Of what use is power or wealth if it cannot give
us peace of mind?
So it is necessary to study the ancient history of India. This we should do to know how ancient India had
acquired her prosperity and, along with that, has also shown the path to peace, and how her degeneration from
that high state had come about. To build the India of the future, we have to accept all those ideals that had
made us great and reject everything that had brought about our fall. And to this must be added the knowledge
of pure science and of technology.
Note the word 'Science'. Nowadays we swear by science every moment. In the name of science, it has become a
fashion to look down upon the past. Bit is it 'scientific' to disregard the past or to be ignorant
of what great things existed in the past? Is it 'scientific' to blindly run after Western ideals - ideals
which have not yet stood the test of time - without considering how we are still intact for the
last three thousand years even in the midst of so many upheavels? Isn't it necessary to know how
the problems of life have accumulated in the West? God has reared us up, He has given us the power to think.
Why shouldn't we test everything before accepting? Why should we go on revolving uselessly like
bullocks in an oil-mill and that, even in the name of Science?
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