A nation that bypassed its father

Nirbal ke Bal Ram – Random thoughts on Gandhi
Dr Suvarna Nalapat
Refer : August 14th The Hindu Open page article:A nation that bypassed its father

Gandhi (1928 Young India) said, the seven sins are “Politics without principles , Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality,Science without humanity,Worship without renunciation of ego” .
2011 August 15th. Eighty three years have passed. These sins have multiplied.Nonviolence, truth, Brahmacharya and abolishion of liquor were parts of national health and reconstruction programmes. Gandhi’s development programmes depended on his greater and broader vision of selfsufficient healthy environment . Gandhi knew spiritual health leads to intellectual mental and physical health
England learned vegetarianism from India . From the discussions and journals of the Vegetarian society of England Gandhi learned its intellectual and mental implications and that taste does not depend on tongue but on mind and intellect . Man has to protect living things and nature for healthy co-existence and survival of all races .Food is for health ,not for mere pleasure . By experimenting Gandhi understood ,How right his mother had been about vegetarianism and how observance made him spiritually,intellectually ,mentally and physically happy and healthy
India had discovered Ahimsa in prehistorical past .It is not just a spiritual religious observance .India’s economy , cleanliness of towns,villages,streams and atmosphere,health , food sufficiency ,protection of natural environment , depended on a lifestyle of vegetarianism . The first planned cities during Indus Valley Harappan times had battle grounds, homes of leathergood professionals,scavengers ,hospitals outside city . Not just for aesthetics but for preventing environmental pollution .In modern cities wastes from hospitals, butcher shops and houses are disposed on roads,rivers ,streams everywhere ; rats ,pests ,bacteria multiply and diseases spread . Successive Governments have tried to stop this and protect health of people but failed. Because,we are increasing pollution, changing lifestyles, and constructing multispeciality hospitals for preventing diseases in an undernourished population . Modern medicine tells us red meat is responsible for several types of cancers and high cholesterol .How much state and individual money is spent on prevention and cure of these diseases?.
Working in the Calicut Medical College Blood Bank Immunohaematology services I came across the problem of HIV –AIDS control programmes. Promoting condoms is indirectly promoting lack of emotional controls .Even animals do have control and mate only while they are in oestrous in seasons. Man is the only animal showing unnatural sex desires .For population control we are promoting abortions which is akin to killing an innocent life and this has become an excuse to kill girl fetuses . Everyone wants free unlimited enjoyment of all physical pleasures at the cost of destroying all values and humanitarian feelings .Householders had laws for controlling desires through vows like Upavasa and brahmacharya during certain days and periods of life.We find all around violent assaults on women and property .We have forgotten how to control our desires.
Brain and neuronal channels work properly ,when we abstain from liquor and drugs .Responsible householders,citizens and national leaders should think of the grassroot level reasons . Psychiatric problems , depression, rapes, crimes increase when citizens have no mental or intellectual control over desires.People say Gandhi is a misfit in today’s world. Why is Gandhi considered misfit ? we want to indulge in sense pleasures, violence,eating flesh , drinking alcohol .Gandhi is an obstacle for these.The personal needs should give way to national goals to grasp the value of Gandhi’s message and foresight ,which unfortunately does not happen . A good leader wants only the best for the entire world . Ultimately people will recognize their folly , realize Gandhi was the only “ Fit” leader for world’s peaceful co-existence . Democracy is not just for making demands . Valuebased education is essential in all strata of society for any nation. Gandhi’s Bhajan music therapy controlled passions during Freedom struggle. Neuroendocrine secretions, increase in T lymphocytes during music sessions make us resistant to pathogens .Simple life ,high thinking, clean environment , agrarian food sufficiency for nutritional requirements –Can we ever achieve these ?.”Nirbal ke Bal Ram . Eswar Allah there naam sab ko sanmathi de bhagavan” The prayer comes out of every heart concerned about the future of the world .
snalapat@yahoo.com