Namaste Sada Vatsale Matribhume

Namaste Sada Vatsale Matribhume Twaya Hindubhume Sukham Vardhitoham Mahanmangale Punyabhume Twadarthe Patatwesh Kayo Namaste, Namaste!Vande Mataram!

English translation:

Bow to Thee, 0, Living Motherland, forever!Brought up by Thee am I in happiness,0, Land of the Hindus!0, most sacred and holy Land, for Thy sakeMay this body fall! Bow to Thee, Bow to Thee,for ever and ever!

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad began his professional career by practising law in Calcutta. His interest in national upliftment led him to participate in the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917. He was a follower of Gandhi and toured all over the country spreading his ideals. He served thrice as the President of the Congress (1934, 1939 and 1947) and in 1952 was elected as the first President of India.
The following passages are taken from his speech delivered while unveiling the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi.
TRUE HAPPINESS
11 October 1954
It seems to have been taken for granted that by acquiring certain material resources we can raise the standard of living of human beings. Following this principle, all the countries of the world are set upon acquiring and multiplying their resources. It is no doubt right that a hungry man cannot think of praying. Mahatma Gandhi himself once said that the hungry man sees God only in the form of bread. But even then we should think how far this kind of material prosperity can lead to real happiness.
I have also heard that the countries, which are known to be prosperous and resourceful, are not blessed with mental peace, whereas, on the other hand, we find lots of poor people, who excite our pity, leading a happy and contented existence. The truth is that the source of real happiness is in one's own inner self and not in the outside world. We equate happiness with the world of external things and that is why there is a scramble for acquisition and accumulation of things. The fact is that these things are, at best, no more than the means to achieve happiness and not happiness itself. One can experience happiness even without them. Apart from this, it is worthwhile considering what is real happiness.
I think real happiness or peace of mind means the complete freedom from extraneous pressure or restraint or inhibitions. One basic fact, which must be recognized, is that any kind of inhibition or restraint is irksome. It ceases to be irksome only when it becomes something voluntarily accepted or adopted without restraint or coercion. It is this voluntary adoption of any line of thought or action without restraint or coercion from outside which brings real happiness. Any subtraction from complete freedom is loss of freedom to that extent and implies dependence on something else.
Man as a member of society or even as an individual has long ceased to be fully free, if he ever was or can be free. All that can be aimed at or achieved is the reduction or minimization of this restraint or coercion and increasing to the maximum the freedom which man enjoys. His material requirements can be satisfied, it is obvious, only by subjecting himself to some curtailment of this freedom. His mental satisfaction and possibly his spiritual aspiration becomes reduced in quantum and perhaps also in quality by the amount of material satisfaction which in the very nature of things implies restraint. What is generally termed progress has tended more and more to restrict man's freedom. In every department of life and activity man has to submit more and more to external restraints and inhibitions.
It follows that there must be consequential and proportionate diminution in the mental satisfaction and spiritual endeavor even though man may not feel that restraint or realize the ever-growing restraint being put on him from day to day. It is thus clear that real happiness lies in freedom from restraint, which in turn, implies man's capacity to carry on with as little dependence on others as possible. We cannot escape from the conclusion that what is generally called high standard of living has served to increase our dependence on others and to that extent has removed us further from real happiness.
We see in the world of today that distance between country and country has almost been eliminated and nations living far apart from one another have come closer so that if something happens at one place it has its repercussion far and wide. It does not hold good with regard to only dreadful things like war but also of beneficent activities. One of the results of this progress has been that man is now dependent for his daily necessities of life on far off countries. An example will clarify the point. Many of us present here today have known the days when the railway system in India not expanded to the present extent, when there were no automobiles of any kind and when we had not even heard of the aeroplanes. At that time also food was as important as it is today. Then every community depended for its food on itself and on the land, which it cultivated. True, if there was failure of a crop on account of natural calamities like floods or drought, the community suffered. But otherwise it managed to live on what it produced and learnt in course of time the wisdom and the prudence to save food for emergencies. On account of the improvement in the means of transport today food grains can be easily supplied from one part of the country to another. We saw recently that food had to be dropped by aeroplanes on areas, which were rendered inaccessible, by flood. All this sounds so nice, but we have to see whether these developments have enhanced or restricted our freedom. My feeling is that by increasing such needs, as he cannot fulfill himself man has necessarily restricted his freedom.
By giving the example of food imports, I have tried to show our dependence on other countries. That is not all. If far off Argentina, Canada or America has a bumper wheat crop, it results in the falling of wheat prices in India. Because of the improved means of transport, the availability or otherwise of things does not depend on local conditions but on the overall world conditions. If food cannot be imported from other countries because of some natural calamity or as a result of the out-break of war, the needy country will have to suffer untold misery. We saw during the last war how even people of neutral countries had to suffer because of the restrictions on export and import of certain articles from overseas. So, there are two aspects of this, progress. One promises plenty during peacetime, the other threatens to release a rich harvest of sufferings and privations in case communications are dislocated on account of hostilities.
It is necessary to remember that even if all of our requirements are satisfied, we are bartering our freedom for that satisfaction. For instance, whenever there is disease in an epidemic form in the country, we have to depend on other countries to supply us with medicines. Similarly, whenever there is a famine, others can save us from its dire consequences, but at the same time, if they like, they can also starve us by withholding the supply of food grains. If war breaks out today the belligerents need not resort to deadly weapons in order to kill others. They can do it equally effectively by disrupting the system of transport. Therefore, while on the one hand, we are endeavoring to raise the standard of living; those very efforts might result in the curtailing of our freedom and independence.
In spite of this all-round progress we have not yet reached a stage when we could produce an article in sufficient quantity so as to meet the requirements of all the peoples of the world. When we cannot say this about food, which tops the list of man's needs, it is no use talking about other things which are produced in still lesser quantities. That is why the standard of living of all the countries is not uniformly high and presents an unpleasant contrast. Those who possess more are anxious to extort more and more from those who do not possess much. The result is naturally conflict between man and man and country and country. The fear of this conflict has become a nightmare for the modern man.
It is, therefore, necessary to realize that what we have assumed as axiomatic truth, namely, that increase in material prosperity also means the attainment of happiness, is neither quite correct nor so self-evident. This assumption is true only up to a certain limit and the more we transgress this limit the more remote become our chances of being happy. This limit has to be fixed by man himself. This is undoubtedly beset with countless difficulties, but I do think that it is not altogether impossible for man to achieve happiness without the usual paraphernalia, which passes for his everyday necessities. This is exactly what is meant by the adage, 'simple living and high thinking'. It was by practising this truth that Mahatma Gandhi could enjoy that happiness which a humble follower of his is unable to have even in the palatial Rashtrapati Bhavan.
I do not suggest that ambition or high aspirations or desire for progress should be discouraged. But let us be sure that our will to progress and rise high will materialize in the true sense only after we have realized that the source of our happiness does not lie outside us but is enshrined within our own hearts. Our happiness will vary directly in proportion to the degree of our faith in the above truth. The more we try to achieve happiness, basing it on the outside world, the more we shall be inviting conflicts and depriving others of their happiness.

Rani Laxmibai

Rani Laxmibai was born in 1830 at Banaras in a wealthy family and was named Manukarnika at birth. She learned to read, write, use weapons at an early age.She accepted the name Lakshmi Bai when she married Gangadhar Rao, the Maharajah of Jhansi and became the Rani of Jhansi at the tender age of 14. Gangadhar Rao's grandfather had signed a treaty with the British which granted him and his heirs and successors title to rule Jhansi.Gangadhar Rao did not have any children and he adopted one of his relatives Damodar Rao as his heir. After Gangadhar Rao's death in 1853 the British(who had colonized most of India by then) refused to accept Damodar Rao as the legal heir of Jhansi and wanted to annex the kingdom into their rule.According to Hindu law Damodar was the legal heir. Rani Laxmibai appealed to the British rulers in London to accept Damodar as the legal heir to the throne of Jhansi and not annex the kingdom but the British refused. Despite her appeal the British took over. It 1857 there was a mutiny in the British Army at Meerut. In Jhansi also the army rebelled and killed the British Army Officers. This led to a state where the Rani was left to defend herself and her kingdom from a coup. She took over the administration of the kingdom once again.
In 1858 the British army once again marched towards Jhansi. Not willing to let the British takeover her kingdom the Rani built an army of 14,000 volunteers to fight the British. The soldiers of Jhansi fought very bravely for 2 weeks and the Rani led the forces in this battle. However after 2 weeks of fighting the British took control of Jhansi. The queen escaped on horseback to the fortress of Kalpi.
Here she organized a few other kingdoms to rebel against the British. These rebel forces captured Gwalior from the British. The British were determined to win back Gwalior and lay siege there in 1858. It is during this battle that the Rani lost her life.

She became a symbol of courage and freedom for the people of India.
Did you know
The British had offered a reward of Rs. 20,000 for the capture of the rani.

Popular Song in praise of the courage of the Rani.
How valiantly like a man fought she, The Rani of Jhansi On every parapet a gun she set Raining fire of hell, How well like a man fought the Rani of Jhansi How valiantly and well!

Swami Vivekananda

Narendranath Dutt or Swami Vivekananda was a great social reformer and Indian nationalist of the 19th century. Vivekananda was the disciple of the great social reformer, Ramakrishna Paramahansa. After his master's death, Vivekananda organized the Ramakrishna Mission for the upliftment of the poor folk whom he called the 'Daridra Narayan.'
The following speech was delivered by Vivekananda at the Parliament of world religions on 11 September, 1893. In those times not many people knew about India and its great religious heritage. The presence of Swamiji was greeted with much enthusiasm and helped spread awareness about the religious tradition in our country.
AT THE PARLIAMENT OF WORLD RELIGIONS
September 11, 1893
Sisters and Brothers of America,
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome, which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.
My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration.
I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation, which has sheltered the persecuted, and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.
I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion, which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.
I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: "As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee."
The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a, vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me."
Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan

Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan, or JP, as he was fondly called by his followers was born on October 11, 1902, in Sitabdiara, a village on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where the rivers Ganges and Sarayu meet. His father Harsudayal worked in the canal department of the State government and was often touring the region. There was no high school in the village, so Jayaprakash was sent to Patna to study in the Collegiate School.

In Patna, he stayed with relatives at a hostel called Saraswati Bhavan, which was a meeting place for students who would normally discuss the political scene. Nationalism was at its highest and the people had woken up to the call of fearless leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Aravinda Ghose. Young Jayaprakash became inspired by their speeches.
Jayaprakash was also fond of reading and excelled in his studies. He joined the Patna College on a Government scholarship.
Jayaprakash got married to Prabhavati in October 1920. Prabhavati was the daughter of lawyer and nationalist Brij Kishore Prasad and was greatly influenced by Gandhiji's ideology and went to stay at his ashram while Jayaprakash pursued his studies.
The Non-cooperation movement launched by Gandhiji in 1919 was gaining momentum. Jayaprakash too became involved and was inspired when he listened to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad speech. Maulana was a great orator and his call to give up English education had a deep impact on Jayaprakash and he left Patna College with just 20 days remaining for his examinations. He joined the Bihar Vidyapeeth, a college run by the Congress.
The movement was withdrawn after it turned violent at Chauri Chaura in UP. The disappointed students returned to college. The Vidyapeeth had no more courses to offer. So Jayaprakash decided to go to America to pursue his studies. Meanwhile Prabhavati remained at Sabarmati in Gandhi's ashram.
Jayaprakash faced many hardships in America. He was forced to shift to different universities as he did not have enough financial resources to cope with the increasing fees. He did odd jobs like picking grapes, packing fruits at a canning factory, washing dishes, a mechanic at a garage etc. to pay for his education.He pursued Sociology and his paper, "Social Variation", was declared the best of the year. In Wisconsin, Jayaprakash was exposed to the theory of communism as laid out in Karl Marx's book "Das Capital" and was much influenced by Marxism. However, Jayaprakash had to cut his doctorate short when news came that his mother was seriously ill and returned to India in November 1929.
While Jayaprakash became a believer in Communism, Prabhavati became an ardent Gandhian. In 1929, Jayaprakash joined the Congress upon Jawaharlal Nehru's invitation. For Jayaprakash it was not enough that the nation attain political freedom. To him, the definition of freedom was freedom from hunger, poverty and ignorance.
When most of the top Congress leaders were arrested after the Dandi March in 1930, Jayaprakash set up underground offices all over the nation and organized secret meetings to continue the work of the Congress. After an underground meeting of the Congress Working Committee in Banaras, Jayaprakash was arrested. He was released from jail in 1933.
Soon after his release in 1933, Jayaprakash formed the Congress Socialist Party, functioning as the social wing of the Congress party and promoting the ideas of socialism.
Jayaprakash was arrested several times for his activities to overthrow the British. He even organised a guerrilla army called the "Azad Dasta" after escaping to Nepal from prison. However the British were able to take him in when he was on his way to Rawalpindi and was taken to Lahore Fort where he was subjected to 16 months of mental and physical torture and was put in solitary confinement. Finally, Jayaprakash was released from jail on April 12, 1946.
Independence finally came on August 15, 1947. Within a year Gandhiji was assassinated. Prabhavati hid her sorrow behind the spinning wheel, but Jayaprakash's mind "churned with grief and horror." He began to see the wisdom in Gandhiji's insistence on truth and non-violence.
The 1952 elections saw the Socialists lose to Congress. Nehru invited Jayaprakash to join the Cabinet. However, Nehru could give no assurances on the implementation of Jayaprakash's 14 point plan to reform the Constitution, the Administration and Judicial system, nationalize the banks, redistribute land to the landless, revive Swadeshi, and set-up cooperatives, Jayaprakash refused the offer.
Jayaprakash fought for the rights of trade unions and was able to get a minimum wage, pension, medical relief and housing subsidy introduced. At the same time, Jayaprakash was keenly watching events in Russia. The bloody purges and imprisonment convinced Jayaprakash that communism was not for India. On April 19, 1954, at a meeting in Gaya, Jayaprakash made the dramatic announcement of dedicating his life to Vinoba Bhave's Sarvodaya movement. He set up an ashram at Hazaribagh, a poor and backward village.
Jayaprakash blended Gandhian-philosophy and modern Western democracy. His book, "The Reconstruction of Indian Polity," won him the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
In 1971, Jayaprakash set out to find out and alleviate the problems of the Naxalites and was also a key person in acquiring the surrender of dacoits in the Chambal Valley.
1974 ushered in a year of high inflation, unemployment and lack of supplies and essential commodities. So on April 8, 1974, at the age of 72, he led a silent procession in protest, at Patna. The procession was lathi charged. On June 5, 1974, Jayaprakash, while addressing a big crowd at Gandhi Maidan in Patna declared, "This is a revolution, friends! We are not here merely to see the Vidhan Sabha dissolved. That is only one milestone on our journey. But we have a long way to go... After 27 years of freedom, people of this country are wracked by hunger, rising prices, corruption... oppressed by every kind of injustice... it is a Total Revolution we want, nothing less!"
On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court held the Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, guilty on charge of corrupt practices in the election. Jayaprakash asked Mrs. Gandhi to resign until the Supreme Court cleared her name. However, she declared Emergency. Jayaprakash was arrested and sent to Chandigarh where he was kept prisoner in a hospital, sick and old.
Finally in January 1977, Emergency was lifted. Fresh elections were declared. Under Jayaprakash's guidance several parties united to form the Janata Party. The party incorporated all of Jayaprakash's goals in its manifesto and came to power. As his health worsened, Jayaprakash was but a mute witness to the collapse of the Janata Party.
Jayaprakash breathed his last on October 8, 1979 leaving the nation bereft of one of its greatest leaders. He will always be fondly remembered as "Lok Nayak" or leader of the people.

Dr. Bhimrao Rao Ambedkar

Dr. Bhimrao Rao Ambedkar was born on April 14th, 1891, in the town Mhow, Madhya Pradesh (a state in Central India). The 14th of Ramji and Bhimabai Sakpal Ambavedkar, he belonged to the untouchable Mahar caste.
Ambedkar's father was one of the few Mahars who had benefited from colonial rule, and had managed to break away from his traditional caste occupation as a village servant and messenger. At the time of Bhimrao's birth, he was a retired army officer and headmaster in a military school. Thus Bhimrao was fortunate to receive good education which otherwise, would have been denied to him.
However, Bhimrao realised the curse of being born in a lower caste while in school. He had to sit on the floor in a corner in the classroom. Teachers would not touch his notebooks. He could not even drink water from the public tank. These bitter early experiences were to have a deep impact on Ambedkar's life.
Bhim was fond of reading and realized that if were to get anywhere in life, he needed to concentrate on his studies. He enrolled in the Elphinstone High School in Bombay. Even there, Bhim faced insults but remained silent and controlled his anger. Undeterred by this discrimination, Ambedkar became the first Mahar to graduate from the prestigious Elphinstone college in Bombay, in 1908. The Mahar community felicitated him in a public meeting for his accomplishments.
Shortly after completing his graduation, Ambedkar received a scholarship to attend Columbia University in New York. Here Ambedkar studied economics. Following a brief interim period in India, Ambedkar continued his studies in London at the prestigious Greys Inn for law. Ambedkar returned to India in 1923, after almost ten years of study abroad, as the first Mahar with a college degree. The February of next year, Bhim's father and mentor, Ramji died.
Armed with a degree in law and a Doctorate in Philosophy, Dr. Ambedkar now felt fully equipped to fight for the cause of the suppressed classes. In July 1924, he founded the Bahishkrut Hitkaraini Sabha that aimed to uplift the downtrodden socially and politically. The Sabha campaigned for scrapping the caste system from the Hindu religion, started free school for the young and the old and ran reading rooms and libraries. Dr. Ambedkar took the grievances of the "untouchables" to court and gave them justice. People affectionately called him "Babasaheb."
Dr. Ambedkar firmly believed that education and political organization were the only true avenues for the social and economic upliftment of the suppressed classes.
The 1920's and 30's represent a turning point in the direction of the Dalit movement. Under the leadership of Ambedkar, the Dalit culture and politics were given a new direction. Ambedkar formed the Independent Labour Party in 1936 and contested the provincial elections. Ambedkar and his candidates won at many places.
When India became independent on August 15, 1947, Dr. Ambedkar was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee to draft the Constitution of India. Dr. Ambedkar was also appointed the Minister of Law. In February 1948, Dr. Ambedkar presented the Draft Constitution before the people of India.
The Draft Constitution was adopted as the Constitution of India on November 26, 1949 with all its 356 Articles and eight Schedules and Article 11, which abolished untouchability in all forms.In May 1956, on Buddha's Anniversary, Dr. Ambedkar announced that on October 14 he would embrace Buddhism. Many of Ambedkar's followers also converted to the faith.
On December 5, 1956, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar died peacefully in his sleep or as the Buddhists would say, he attained "nirvana."

Subhash Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose was born on January 23, 1897 at Cuttack, in Orissa. He was the sixth son of Janakinath and Prabhavati Bose.
Subhash was an excellent student and after school joined the Presidency College, Calcutta, where he studied philosophy, a subject he was interest in.As a young boy Subhash felt neglected among his 8 siblings. At his English school he suffered under the discrimination faced by Indians which made him even sadder.
He wanted to work for the poor but his father, had other ideas. He sent Subhash to England to appear for the Indian Civil Service. In July 1920, barely eight months later Subhash Chandra Bose appeared in the Civil Service Examination and passed it with distinction. But he didn't want to be a member of the bureaucracy and resigned from the service and returned to India.
Back home, he participated in the freedom movement along with 'Deshbandhu' C.R. Das. He was thrown into jail but that only made him more determined. Subhash joined the congress and rose to its Presidentship in 1938 a post he held for 2 years.
In 1939, when the Second World War started Gandhiji and other leaders were against doing anything anti-Britain. But Subhash thought differently. He knew, for instance, that the fall of the Roman Empire had led to the freedom of its colonies. He decided to seek foreign help for his cause of freeing India.
He was arrested and kept in his house under detention. On January 17, 1941, while everyone was asleep, Bose slipped out of his house into a waiting car. Disguised as a Muslim religious teacher, Bose managed to reach Peshawar two days later.
Bose went to Italy, Germany and even Russia to seek help but without much use. Subash decided to organize Indians on his own. He landed in Singapore and grouped Indians there into the Indian National Army or the Azad Hind Fauj and declared himself the temporary leader of the free Indian government. Japan, Germany and Italy recognizied Subhash's government and the whole of India rejoiced.
The INA marched to Andaman and Nicobar islands, liberating and renaming them as Shaheed and Swaraj islands. On March 18, 1944, it crossed the Burmese border and reached Manipur where free India's banner was raised with the shouts of 'Jai Hind' and 'Netaji Zindabad'. But heavy rain prevented any further movement and the units had to fall back. Even then Netaji was determined. On August 17, 1945, he issued a Special Order to the INA which said that "Delhi is still our goal".
He then wanted to go to Russia to seek Soviet help to fight the British. But the ill-fated plane in which he was flying, crashed in Taipei on August 18, 1945, resulting in his death.
Some people believe that Subhash Chandra Bose didn't die, that he faked his own crash to escape the British who wanted to arrest him. There were even reports of Bose living in Russia and other foreign countries, even some claims of having seen him as a sadhu� but none were ever proved and today his death in the plane crash is the accepted version.

Bhagat Singh

Bhagat Singh was born in September 27, 1907 in the village Banga of Layalpur to Mata Vidyavati and Sardar Kishan Singh. Bhagat Singh grew up in a patriotic atmosphere as his father and uncle, were great freedom fighters and were put in jail many times by the British. Bhagat Singh grew up at a time when the Freedom struggle was all around him. Since his young age he wondered why so many Indians could not get freedom from a few British invaders, he dreamed of a free India. The massacre at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919 drove him to go to Amritsar, where he kissed the earth and brought back home a little of the blood soaked soil, he was just 12 years old then. Kartar Sing Sarabha, hanged at the age of 19 by the British was Bhagat Singh's hero.
Did you know
'Bhagat Singh' means 'the fortunate' and he was named so because his family thought that he brought good luck when he was born.
Bhagat Singh, along with the help of Chandrashekhar Azad, formed the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA). The aim of this Indian revolutionary movement was defined as not only to make India independent, but also to create "a socialist India."
In February 1928, a committee from England visited India. It came to be known as the Simon Commission. The purpose of its visit was to decide how much freedom and responsibility could be given to the people of India. Indian freedom fighters started an agitation called "Simon go back". It was in this agitation that during a police lathicharge, Lala Lajpat Rai was hurt and died. To avenge the death of Lala Lajpat rai, Bhagat Singh and Rajguru shot and killed the British Officer who had hit Lala Lajpat Rai.
In April 1929, the Central Legislative Assembly met in Delhi. The British Government wanted to place before the Assembly two bills which were likely to harm the country's interests. Even if the Assembly rejected them, the Viceroy could use his special powers and approve them, and they would become laws. Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt planned to throw a bomb in the Legislative Assembly and, get arrested. On 8th of April 1929 this is what they exactly did. The idea of the attack was not to kill anyone but to create awareness about India's freedom struggle. They were arrested after this attack.
In their trial Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt stated, "If the deaf are to hear, the sound has to be very loud. When we dropped the bomb, it was not our intention to kill anybody. We have bombed the British Government. The British must quit India and make her free."In the trial it was decided that Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were to be hanged for all their anti British activities. On 24th of March 1931 Bhagat Singh walked upto the hanging rope kissed it and put it around his neck to be hanged.
Bhagat Singh became "Shaheed Bhagat Singh" or Martyr at the age of 24. The stories of his courage and patriotism became an inspiration for many youth at that time who wanted to see India independent. Even today Shaheed Bhagat Singh's memory continues to inspire the youth and many poems and songs have been written about his courage and undying patriotism.

Adi Sankaracharya

Adi Sankaracharya was born in the year 805 (AD) and is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers, mystic and poet of all times. His parents were Shivaguru and Shivataarakaa (also known as Aryamba). Sankaracharya's father died at an early age and he was brought up by his mother. Sankaracharya was very intelligent and learned the Vedas at a very early age.Adi Shankaracharya was born during the time when Hinduism was divided into various sects and the ritualistic practice had taken a predominance over actual philosophical practice. Shankara, in his indisputable style, set out on a difficult mission to change the outlook of the country and its people by revamping the vast Hindu literature into a simplified and easy to understand form. He reinterpreted the Brahma Sutra, Upanishads and the Geeta. Shankara wrote on almost all major vedic literature, including Upanishhads, Brahma-suutra and the Gita.
In a short life-span of thirty-two years, Sankaracharya travelled all over India, establishing monasteries, reforming worship procedures in temples, writing philosophical treatises, debating with leaders of other religious traditions and instructing students who flocked to him for spiritual guidance.
Sankaracharya attained maha samadhi at the age of 32 in the year 837 AD.

Gautam Buddha

Gautam Buddha was one of the greatest religious teachers that the world has seen. He is the founder of Buddhism, a religion that is popular in Burma, China, Japan, Thailand and other South Eastern Countries. The Buddha was born in 563 B.C. as Siddhartha, the prince of Kapilavastu(In Nepal). Gautam Buddha's mother died at childbirth and he was brought up by his mother's sister Prajapati Gotami. It was predicted that Siddhartha would give up worldly pleasures and follow a simple life. Siddhartha's father the King wanted to avoid this at all costs and did not let him out of the palace. He hoped that Siddhartha would one day become king.

Did you know
The name Siddhartha means "wish-fulfilled" or "one who has accomplished his goal".

When Siddhartha became a young man he ventured out of the Palace and saw suffering, pain and death for the first time. This experience changed his life. Though Siddhartha was married to a beautiful princess called Yashodhara and had a son Rahul, at the age of about 30 years Siddhartha left the palace in search of the truth about life.
He spent many years in the company of saints and finally one day when he was sitting under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya (Bihar, India) he was blessed with the divine light. This was the turning point, as he realized the truth is within every human being. The search outside was pointless. After this he was known as ' Buddha' or the enlightened one.

For 45 years, Buddha spread his message of a spiritual life with 8 - fold path towards salvation -
Right speech
Right Understanding
Right Determination
Right deeds
Right efforts
Right awareness
Right thinking and
Right living.
According to Buddhism, by following this path one could overcome desires, which are the root cause of grief and misery. Buddha died in 483 BC at the age of 80 years.

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was one of the most dynamic, outspoken and revolutionary leaders of the freedom struggle. Born on May 28, 1883 into a family of 'jagirdars '(landlords) in the village of Bhagpur near Nasik. Vinayak was one of four children. His elder brother Ganesh (Babarao) was to have a strong influence in his life.
Vinayak lost his parents at a very young age. The burden of the family fell on elder brother Babarao's shoulders. Vinayak spent his youth in fighting against the British Raj. As an extremely brilliant, outspoken and confident school boy, he was famous amongst his teachers and friends. In 1898 when Chaphekar brothers were hanged for assassinating the British Officer - Mr. Rand, Savarkar was just 15 years old. But Chaphekar's martyrdom impressed him and he decided to devote all his efforts for India's freedom. His patriotic spirit found an outlet when he formed an organization called the 'Mitra Mela'. He encouraged the young, patriotic members of the Mela to strive for "absolute political independence for India" by whatever means necessary. The Mitra Mela also played an important role in Nasik during the plague by serving the victims.
After matriculation in 1901, Savarkar took admission in Fergusson College of Poona and very soon dominated campus life. He, along with a group of students began dressing alike and using swadeshi goods only. He renamed the "Mitra Mela" as "Abhinav Bharat" and declared "India must be independent". In 1905, Savarkar and his friends expressed their resentment on the partition of Bengal by lighting a huge bonfire of foreign goods.
His instigating patriotic speeches and activities incensed the British Government. As a result the British Government withdrew his B.A. degree. In June 1906 he left for London to become Barrister. However, once in London, he united and inflamed the Indian students in England against British. He believed and advocated the use of arms to free India from the British and created a network of Indians in England, equipped with weapons.
The British government arrested Savarkar in London on 13 March 1910 on some fabricated charges and he was sent to India for trial. However as the ship in which he was being taken neared Marseilles in France, Savarkar escaped and swam to the port. According to the plan his friends were to be there beforehand, but they reached late and he was caught by the French Police.
Savarkar was declared guilty and was sentenced to 50 years of 'Kala Paani' in Andaman on 24 December 1910. Life for the prisoners was very harsh and the conditions inhuman. Since 4 July 1911, he was in Andaman Jail in solitude. Savarkar withdrew within himself, quietly and mechanically doing the tasks presented to him. He was successful in getting permission to start a jail library. With great effort and patience he taught the illiterate convicts to read and write. In 1920, Vithalbhai Patel demanded the release of the Savarkar brothers in the Central Legislative Assembly. Tilak and Gandhi also appealed for the release of Savarkar. On May 2, 1921, Savarkar was brought back to India.
Savarkar remained imprisoned in Ratnagiri Jail and then in Yeravada Jail until January 6, 1924 when he was freed under the condition that he would not leave Ratnagiri district and abstain from political activity for the next five years. On his release, Savarkar founded the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha on January 23, 1924 that aimed to preserve India's ancient culture and work for social welfare.
Later Savarkar joined Tilak's Swaraj Party and founded the Hindu Mahasabha as a separate political party. He was elected President of the Mahasabha and toiled for building Hindu Nationalism and later joined the Quit India movement.
Savarkar was not only a fervent freedom fighter but he was also a good orator, prolific writer, a poet, a historian, a philosopher, and a social worker. His contribution to Marathi literature is immense.
Savarkar breathed his last at the age of 83. He passed away on February 26, 1966.

सभी देशवासियों को गणतंत्र दिवस कि बधाई

गणतंत्र दिवस का इतिहास:
गणतंत्र दिवस कि भारत में मनाये जाने वाले सभी त्योहारों में एहम भूमिका है। यह प्रति वर्ष २६ जनवरी को मनाया जाता है। इसी दिन सन् १९५० में भारत का संविधान बनाया गया था जबकि भारत को आजादी १५ अगस्त १९४७ को ही मिल गयी थी। इसके बाद ही भारत को सही मायनों में आत्मा कि आजादी, नियम और कानून मिले। डॉ राजेंद्र प्रशाद भारत के पहले प्रधानमंत्री बने।आजादी पाने के बाद देश को नियंत्रित करने के लिए कुछ कानूनों कि जरुरत थी जिसके लिए ९ दिसम्बर १९४६ को एक मीटिंग बुलाई गयी तथा डॉ भीमराव अम्बेडकर को संविधान बनाने कि जिम्मेदारी सौपी गयी। इसके बाद कई देशो जैसे इंग्लैंड, कनाडा, अमेरिका, आदि के संविधान से प्रेरणा लेकर इस सबसे बडे संविधान कि रचना हुई। संविधान मूल रूप से अंग्रेजी भाषा में लिखा गया था। जिसमे सभी नागरिको को वोट करने के अतिरिक्त बहुत सारे अधिकार दिए गए। इसके बाद हिन्दी तथा अंग्रेजी को भारत कि अधिकृत भाषा सभी सरकारी कामो के लिए चुना गया।

गणतंत्र दिवस कि परेड:
गणतंत्र दिवस कि विशाल परेड हर साल देश कि राजधानी दिल्ली में आयोजित होती है। यह आठ किमी लंबी परेड राय सेना हिल जो कि राट्रपति भवन के पास है, से राजपथ होती हुई इंडिया गेट तथा फिर लाल किला से जाती है। इस परेड में भारत कि तीनो सेनाये आपने लाव लश्कर के साथ शामिल होती है। प्रधान के अमर जवान ज्योति पर पुष्प अर्पण के बाद इसकी शुरुवात होती है। भारत के राट्रपति जो कि तीनो सेनायों के मुखिया है, सेना कि सलामी लेने के बाद राष्ट्रीय ध्वज का लोकार्पण करते है तथा राष्ट्रीय गान का संगीत बजाय जाता है। यह परेड भारत के विभिन्न रंगो कि झांकी दिखाती है।इस महान परेड के बाद राट्रपति द्वारा भारत के सबसे बडे वीरता पुरुस्कारों परम वीर चक्र, वीर चक्र, महा वीर चक्र तथा भारत रतन और पदम विभुसन का सम्मान दिया जाता है।गणतंत्र दिवस भारत के सभी राज्यों में भी मनाया जाता है जहाँ पर राज्य के राज्यपाल राष्ट्रीय ध्वज का लोकार्पण करते है।

गर्व से कहो " मेरा भारत महान "

काल्पनिक प्रश्न

मुझे ठीक से याद नहीं है कि ये प्रश्न मेरे सामने कहाँ आया था । लेकिन चूँकि मुझे ये एक अच्छा मनोवैज्ञानिक प्रश्न लगा था इसीलिये आप सभी की राय पूछ रहा हूँ । दूसरा कारण है कि व्यस्तता के कारण कुछ लिख नहीं पा रहा हूँ तो सोचा कि इस छोटी से पोस्ट के माध्यम से आप सब से बात की जाये । अब काम की बात अर्थात प्रश्न पर आते हैं ।

मान लीजिये कि आपकी सन्तान की आयु १६ से १९ वर्ष के बीच में है । आप उसके लिये कालेज का चुनाव कर रहे हैं । आपको पता चलता है कि जिस कालेज के बारे में आप सोच रहे हैं वहाँ:

१) कालेज में HIV संक्रमित विद्यार्थी (लडके और लडकियाँ) भी पढते हैं ।
२) कालेज प्रशासन उन विद्यार्थियों की संख्या अथवा पहचान गुप्त रखता है ।
३) स्थिति को और वास्तविक बनाने के लिये मान लीजिये कि कालेज में पढने वाले लडके और लडकियाँ के बीच शारीरिक सम्बन्धों की सम्भावना से इंकार नहीं किया जा सकता ।

आपसे प्रश्न है:
१) क्या आप इस जानकारी के बाद भी अपनी संतान का दाखिला उस कालेज में करायेंगे ?
२) क्या आप कालेज प्रशासन से HIV संक्रमित विद्यार्थियों की संख्या के बारे में बताने को कहेंगे ?
३) क्या वो मानते हैं कि उनकी समझ में वे युवा विद्यार्थी HIV संक्रमण के बारे में इतनी जानकारी रखते हैं कि स्वयं को वास्तविक जीवन की परिस्थितियों में HIV संक्रमण से बचा सकें ?

राजा बबुआ टाईप

अत्याचारों का ये सिलसिला तब प्रारम्भ हुआ जब हम प्राथमिक विद्यालय में थे । दुबले पतले होने के कारण हमारे आचार्यजी हमें पंक्ति में सबसे आगे खडा कर देते थे । अब हमारी कक्षा के बाकी विद्यार्थी पीछे खडे होकर मौज लें और हमें रोज सुबह सुबह जूते चमकाकर, बाल बनाकर और राजा बबुआ टाईप का विद्यार्थी बनकर सबसे आगे रहना पडता था । बाकी लडके पंक्ति में सामने खडे लडके की चिंकुटी काट लेते थे, तो कभी स्याही वाले पेन से कुछ चित्र बना देते थे और हम चिल्लाते रह जाते थे कि कोई तो गोला पूरा कर लो ।
हमें सीरियस खडे होकर प्रात:स्मरण, एकात्मता स्त्रोत, सरस्वती वंदना, गायत्री मंत्र और शान्तिपाठ पढना होता था और हमारे पीठ पीछे माधुरी दीक्षित और रवीना और करिश्मा की बातें होती थी । इसी कारण हम हमेशा बबुआ बने रह गये

बचपन में वजन कम होने का एक फ़ायदा ये था कि जब शारीरिक शिक्षा के घंटे में हमें पिरामिड बनानें को कहा जाता था तो मैं सबसे ऊपर होता था । अपने बाकी मित्रों के कंधे पर चढकर मुझे लगता था मानों मैं उनके ऊपर विजयश्री की घोषणा कर रहा हूँ । कभी कभी आचार्यजी भी मुझपर तरस खाकर अपनी प्रिय अरहर की संटी को थोडा धीरे से मारते थे । शायद उनको खुद डर लगता हो कि अगर कोई हड्डी वड्डी टूट गयी तो फ़ालतू में रायता फ़ैल जायेगा, और वैसे भी पढाई में तो हम वैसे भी राजा बबुआ थे । तो कुल मिला कर सींकिया पहलवान होने के फ़ायदे कम और नुक्सान
ज्यादा ।

गुरु गुन लिखा न जाये…

हमारे जीवन को दिशा देने वाले सबसे महत्वपूर्ण योगदान हमारे गुरूजी बाजपेयी जी का रहा है। लेकिन हमारे जीवन में पढ़ाई के शुरुआती संस्कार डाले हमारे पंडितजी ने। पंडित श्याम किशोर अवस्थी जी ने। जिनको हम अवस्थी पंडितजी कहते थे।

बचपन में हम घर के पास ही आनंदबाग स्थित नगरमहापालिका के प्राइमरी स्कूल में कक्षा एक से पांच तक पढ़े।स्कूल पहली मंजिल पर था। हम वहीं पर अवस्थी पंडितजी के छत्रछाया में ककहरा सीखे।कक्षा एक से लेकर पाँच तक हमको उन्होंने ही पढा़या।बाद में वे बेसिक शिक्षा अधिकारी के पद से सेवानिवत हुये।

अवस्थी पंडित जी साधारण कद के ,खूब गोरे ,चेहरे पर चेचक के दाग होने के बावजूद खूबसूरत लगते थे।जिन दिनों हम कक्षा एक में गये उससे कुछ ही पहले उनकी नौकरी लगी थी। शादी जब हुई उनकी तब हम शायद कक्षा दो में थे। शादी का सूट पहनकर जब वे आते तो बहुत अच्छे लगते।
पंडितजी को पढा़ने का बहुत शौक था। वे हम लोगों को तरह-तरह से पढ़ने के प्रति उकसाते। रोज शाम को एक घंटा खड़े करके पहाड़े रटवाते। इसी का नतीजा है कि शायद कि आज भी सोते से उठाकर भी कोई पहाड़ा पूछे तो बिना गलती के सुना दूँ शायद।

पंडितजी को खेलकूद का भी बहुत शौक था। हम लोगों को रोज शाम को बाहर बरामदे में लाकर पूरी क्लास को दो भागों में बांट देते तथा कबड्डी खिलाते। कभी-कभी खो-खो भी होता लेकिन कबड्डी में उनका तथा बाद में हम लोगोंका भी मन ज्यादा रमता था।

मेरे अंदर साहित्यिक संस्कार यदि कुछ हैं तो वे हमारे पंडितजी के कारण।छुटपन से ही वे हम लोगों को कविताओं तथा रामचरित मानस की चौपाइयों का प्रयोग कराके अंत्याक्षरी खिलाते । इसमें हम लोगों का मन लग गया तथा सैंकड़ों चौपाइयाँ याद हो गयीं। शुरू के दिनों की याद की हुई कवितायें अक्सर याद आ जाती हैं।

एक दिन हम ऐसे ही क्लास में कोई कविता सुना रहे थे । कविता खतम हुई तो पीछे बरामदे से एक पेंसिल हमारे पास गिरी। पता चला कि हमारे बहुत कड़क मानेजाने वाले हेडमास्टर बरामदे से कविता सुन रहे थे तथा खुश होकर पेंसिल फेंककर इनाम दे दिया था। यह कुछ ऐसा ही है जैसा कि अमरीका जब किसी देश पर खुश हो जाता है उसपर कारपेट बांबिंग कर देता है। प्रेम प्रदर्शन का इससे बेहतर तरीका अभी वो सीख भी नहीं पाया है।

पंडितजी आम तौर पर कम ही नाराज होते थे लेकिन जब होते थे तो उसके इजहार के लिये या तो बच्चों को मुर्गा बना देते या डंडा बरसाते। डंडा उनका काले रंग का एक फुट करीब लंबा तथा करीब एक इंच व्यास का था। अब बच्चों को इस तरह के प्रसाद कहाँ मिल पाते हैं!

पंडितजी दुर्गा भक्त थे। क्लास के एक किनारे बनी अलमारी में दुर्गाजी की फोटो लगायी थी जिसकी देखभाल ,साफ-सफाई की जिम्मेदारी हम लोगों की थी।
गुरूजी का हस्तलेख बहुत अच्छा था। वे हम लोगों को रोज इमला बोलकर लिखवाते थे। हम लोगों की कलम बनवाने के लिये पूरी कक्षा से पांच-पांच पैसे चंदा करके एक चाकू खरीदा गया था । मानीटर होने के नाते वह चाकू हमारे कब्जे में रहता था। जिस किसी को अपनी कलम बनवानी होती या तो हम उसकी कलम बना देते या फिर अपनी निगरानी में उससे बनवाते।

हमें अपनी खड़िया-पाटी के दिन अभी भी बखूबी याद हैं। लकड़ी की तख्ती में मंगलसूत्र सा टंगा ‘बुदका’ ।’ बुदके’ में घुली हुई खड़िया तथा बस्ते में सरकंडे के कलम। पाटी कालिख से रंग-पोतकर तथा शीशी को घोंटते। घंटों घोंटने के बाद हमारी पाटी चमकने लगती। फिर उस पर जब हम लिखते तो पहले तो कुछ अनाकर्षक सा लगता लेकिन खड़िया सूख जाने के बाद अक्षर मोती से चमकने लगते।

पंडितजी हमारे लिये सब कुछ थे। उनके ज्ञान के आगे हमें कुछ सूझता नहीं था। हम उनके सारे काम गुरुकुल परंपरा के अनुसार करते रहते। गुरूजी को पानी पिलाना,उनके लिये पास की दुकान से चाय लाना । इस सबमें हमें कभी कुछ भी खराब नहीं लगता।

धीरे-धीरे हम पंडितजी के सबसे प्रिय शिष्य बन गये। पढ़ाई,खेलकूद सबमें अव्वल। अब सोचता हूँ तो लगता है कि अन्य कारणों के अलावा जाति से ब्राह्मण होना भी शायद प्रिय बनने में सहायक रहा होगा।हमारा घर पास ही था। कभी-कभी हमारे पिताजी से उनकी मुलाकात होती। वे हमारे पिताजी को भाईसाहब कहते थे।

एक बार अपने गाँव पड़रीलालपुर से कानपुर आ रहे थे। रास्ते में टेम्पो एक्सीडेंट हो जाने के कारण उनके पैर की हड्डी टूट गयी। हम उनको अपने घर से लगभग रोज गांधीनगर से कर्नलगंज देखने जाते। कुछ देर पैर छूकर उनके पास बैठते,बातें करते, चले आते।

यह तब की बात है जब मैं तीसरे या चौथे में पढ़ता था। गांधीनगर से कर्नलगंज करीब चार-पांच किलोमीटर होगा। मैं पैदल अकेले उनको शाम को देखने जाता। आज अपने पांचवे में पढ़ने वाले बच्चे को कालोनी तक में अकेले खेलने जाने देने में हम लोग हिचकते हैं। उसके स्कूल बस एकदम घर के सामने सड़क से जाती है। जब तक बस पर वह चढ़ नहीं जाता तब तक हमारे घर का कोई न कोई सदस्य उसके साथ रहता है या उस पर निगाह रखता है।

बीतते समय के साथ क्या बच्चों के प्रति प्यार,लगाव बढ़ गया है या आर्थिक बेहतरी का मानसिक असुरक्षा भावना से कुछ संबंध है?
करते-करते हम कक्षा पांच पास कर गये। हमारे गुरूजी ने हमें नंबर दिये थे १४७/ १५० ।हमारी आगे की पढ़ाई की चिंता भी पंडितजी को थी। यह स्कूल कक्षा पांच तक ही था। आगे के लिये उन्होंने हमें जीआईसी,कानपुर में भर्ती कराने की सलाह दी। हम टेस्ट देने गये। रिजल्ट निकला तो हमारा नंबर साठ बच्चों में सत्तावनवाँ था। हमारे एक महीने पहले मिले नंबर १४७/ १५० हमें मुँह चिढ़ा रहे थे।
बहरहाल हम वहाँ भरती हुये तथा जब हाईस्कूल का रिजल्ट आया तो हमारे नंबर स्कूल में सबसे ज्यादा थे। लेकिन जी.आई. सी.में हमें कोई ऐसे गुरू नहीं मिले जिसका हम पर कोई खास प्रभाव पड़ा हो। हाईस्कूल के बाद जब हम बगल के बी.एन. एस.डी.में गये तो हम फिर हक्का-बक्का हो गये।
एक से एक धांसू अध्यापक। उसपर करेला पर नीम यह कि पढ़ाई का माध्यम अंग्रेजी।जबकि हमने अंग्रेजी कक्षा ६ से सीखी तथा रोते-धोते पास होते गये। बहरहाल हम यहाँ भी मेहनत करते रहे तथा डाँवाडोल होते रहने के बावजूद पढ़ने में जुटे रहे।

यहीं में एक साल बाद मिले हमारे गुरू बाजपेयी जी जिन्होंने हमारे साथ अनगिनत छात्रों केजीवन को दिशा दी तथा हमें यह अहसास कराया कि दुनिया में कोई ऐसा काम नहीं है जो दूसरा कर सकता है और हम नहीं कर सकते।

आज शिक्षक दिवस के अवसर पर अपने सारे गुरुजनों को याद करते हुये यही दोहराता हूँ:-
सब धरती कागद करूँ,लेखन सब बनराय,सात समुद्र की मसि करुँ,गुरु गुन लिखा न जाये।

सुनो सबकी करो मन की

सुनो सबकी करो मन की
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एक मशहूर कथा है। एक बाप और उसका बेटा गधा बेचने निकले। पिता गधे पर सवार था, बेटा पैदल चल रहा था। थोडी दूर चलने पर उन्हें कुछ व्यक्ति मिले। एक व्यक्ति ने कहा- देखो तो यह कैसा पिता है, खुद तो गधे पर सवार है और बेटे को पैदल चला रहा है। उनकी बातें सुनकर पिता गधे से नीचे उतरा और बेटे को गधे पर बैठा दिया। कुछ और आगे चलने पर कुछ महिलायें मिली। उन्होंने कहा- कैसा बेटा है, बूढा बाप पैदल चल रहा है और खुद मजे से सवारी कर रहा है। उनकी बातें सुनकर पिता-पुत्र दोनों पैदल चलने लगे। थोडा आगे जाने पर कुछ और व्यक्ति मिले। वे बोले, दोनों कितने मूर्ख है, हट्टा-कट्टा गधा साथ में है, फिर भी सवारी करने के बजाय दोनों पैदल चल रहे है। उनकी बातें सुनकर दोनों गधे पर सवार हो गये। थोडा आगे आये तो कुछ और लोग मिले। वे बोले- दोनों कितने निर्दयी है। पहलवान जैसे होकर भी दोनों दुबले गधे की सवारी कर रहे है, ऐसा लगता है जैसे ये गधे को मारना चाहते हो। उनकी बातें सुनकर पिता-पुत्र दोनों गधे से उतर गये और दोनों ने मिलकर गधे को उठा लिया। जब वे बाजार पहुंचे तो लोग उन्हें देखकर हंसने लगे। सभी कहने लगे- कितने मूर्ख है, कहां तो उन्हें गधे की सवारी करना चाहिये थी और कहां ये दोनों गधे की सवारी बने हुये है। पिता-पुत्र ने विचार किया, बजाय लोगों की बातों पर ध्यान देने के, इस गधे से ही पूछा जाय, उसका क्या विचार है ? गधे ने मन में सोचा- जब मालिक या उसका उपयोग करने वाले भ्रम में हो, दूसरों के बहकावे में आकर जब वे अपने मूल उद्देश्य से भटक रहे हो तो लाभ मुझे ही मिलना है और गधे ने उत्तर दिया- मैं बडे मजे में हूँ। आशय यह है कि दूसरों की बातों पर अधिक ध्यान न दे। अपने विवेक का उपयोग कर जो सही लगे, वही करे। कहा भी है- सबसे बडा रोग, क्या कहेंगे लोग ?

पुस्तकें बौद्धिक बनाती है, आध्यात्मिक नही

ॐ श्री राम
पुस्तकें बौद्धिक बनाती है, आध्यात्मिक नही
यह निश्चित है कि प्रत्येक आत्मा को पूर्णता की प्राप्ति होगी। हम इस समय जो भी है, वह हमारे पिछले अस्तित्व और विचारों का परिणाम है। तथा हमारे भविष्य की अवस्था हमारे वर्तमान विचारों और कार्यों पर निर्भर है। हमारे विकास को स्फुरित करने वाला प्रभाव बाहर से आता है। वह हमारी प्रसुप्त शक्तियों को जगा देता है जिससे हमारी उन्नति का प्रारम्भ होती है। अंत में हम पावन और पूर्ण बन जाते है। हम जन्म भर पुस्तकों का अध्ययन करते रहे और बडे बौद्धिक हो जाये, पर अंत में देखेंगे कि आध्यात्मिक दृष्टि से हम कुछ भी विकसित नहीं हुये है। यह आवश्यक नहीं है कि उच्च श्रेणी के बौद्धिक विकास के साथ मनुष्य का आत्मिक विकास भी हो। बुद्धि का उच्च विकास आत्मा की वेदी पर ही होता है।
ग्रन्थों का अध्ययन करते करते कभी कभी हम भ्रम वश ऐसा सोचने लगते है कि हमारी आध्यात्मिक उन्नति में इस अध्ययन से सहायता मिल रही है। पर जब हम आत्म विश्लेषण करते है, तब पता लगता है कि ग्रन्थों से केवल हमारी बुद्धि को ही सहायता मिली है, आत्मा का विकास नहीं हुआ है। यही कारण है कि हर व्यक्ति आध्यात्मिक विषयों पर अद्भूत व्याख्यान तो दे सकता है पर जब कार्य करने का अवसर आता है तो वह अपने को बिल्कुल निकम्मा पाता है। कारण स्पष्ट है कि जो बाह्य शक्ति हमें आत्मोन्नति के पथ पर आगे बढाती है, वह हमें पुस्तकों से नहीं मिल सकती। आत्मा को स्फुरित करने के लिये ऐसी शक्ति किसी दूसरी आत्मा से ही मिल सकती है। जिस आत्मा से वह शक्ति मिलती है, उसे ही गुरु या आचार्य कहते है और जिस आत्मा को वह शक्ति प्रदान की जाती है, उसे शिष्य कहते है।- स्वांमी विवेकानन्द।