Spirituality is our wealth as a nation
Children, some people say that the reason for poverty in Bharat is her spiritual culture. But spirituality is not an obstacle to earning wealth or making material progress. On the contrary, spirituality fosters even material progress.
Earning wealth has long been accepted as one of the goals of life, together with dharma and moksha. However, we must be careful not to accumulate wealth unethically or for selfish reasons.
Long ago, the people of India were steeped in spirituality. For this very reason, she was also materially prosperous. But gradually, some people started becoming greedier. They began to compete with each other for wealth, power and position. Their pride and jealousy made them abandon dharma and forget God.
Discord intensified, adversely affecting the country’s unity and strength, and this, in turn, led to conquest by colonial powers, who ruled India for many centuries. They plundered the country of its wealth and left it utterly bereft of riches.
How hard it would be to sow a seed in a desert and nurture it until it sprouts and becomes a healthy sapling! Such is the state of this country; we must work hard to make it lush and green again.
Sadly, the truth is that we have not learnt even from such bitter experiences. The majority are focused on personal gain rather than national development. They do not realise that true material prosperity can be gained only by embracing spirituality. If we continue like this, forgetting our own heritage, we will suffer greatly for it.
Nature has provided enough for the country’s sustainable development. If we utilise our resources properly, there will be no poverty here. But after India became independent, we did not harness our natural resources properly. Whereas other countries are turning deserts into farmlands, we are turning our fertile fields into wastelands.
Rural development is still not a priority. For this to happen, educated youth must go the villages and make the villagers aware of the government schemes supporting them. They should motivate people to regard the country as their own home. They must inspire people to use farmlands for agricultural activities. At the same time, they must also share our spiritual culture with them.
It’s not enough to simply wave a flag, everyone has to love their country, and should have the love for their motherland. All the nations of the world are just created by us. We have a role to play and a dharma towards our country.
When you have an expansive mind, you will never invade or exploit another nation. We have to develop love and compassion for this awareness to grow. Even though our country became free, are we really free from the clutches of our mind?
Spirituality teaches us to give more than we take from society. When we assimilate spiritual principles, we become more considerate towards others. We will begin to see others as ourselves and be willing to share whatever resources we have with them. The ancient sages advised us to make money with a hundred hands and to share it with a thousand hands. If we assimilate this message, India’s future will be glorious.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian
The majority are focused on personal gain rather than national development. They do not realise that true material prosperity can be gained only by embracing spirituality