Epilogue
Gandhiji categorized our society's seven deadly sins as below.
- Education without character, where students are urged to only compete for marks and ranks
instead of self-development and be of use to fellow beings.
- Science without humanity, where science only teaches about external world, and does not give
a clue about how to coordinate it with inner consciousness.
- Commerce without morals: The Golden Rule or win-win situation is a spirit of morality and
fairness for all concerned should be the guiding factor for enlightened businessmen. They
provide goods and services at the fair price without exploitation of customers.
- Wealth without work: practice of getting something for nothing; get rich quick schemes, by
manipulating people and markets without providing value in return.
- Politics without philosophy, where politicians divide and rule people for selfish interests,
instead of leading them towards common good. A true leader should be like a statesman who
looks for long term benefit of people instead of short term gains or exploiting their
weaknesses.
- Worship without heart, where people cling to idols and rituals ignoring the suffering of
their fellow beings. A person truly sees God when he loves and serves the meanest creature
in the universe.
- Pleasure without conscience: The chief costs of pleasures without conscience are high as
measured in terms of time and money, in terms of reputation and in terms of wounding the
hearts and minds of other people who are adversely affected by those who just want to
indulge and gratify themselves in the short term.
Most people believe that 'materialism', refers to a culture which is mainly motivated by the
acquisition of money, possessions, material goods, and worldly success. But materialism really
means the belief that there is nothing above or beyond material life, that matter is all there
is, that everything is essentially physical and biological and that the idea of Atman and
Brahman are ignorant delusions.
The opposite of materialism is spiritualism, but this is yet another word which has become
misused, far more so than materialism. To a modern mind it may bring up images of monks begging
for alms or saffron clothed god-men living in mansions and performing cheap tricks for a living.
Spiritualism really means the belief that the ultimate reality is not something material and
physical, but rather something purely spiritual and transcendent, and that this is the source
and final destiny, of everything and everyone. It does not refuse the matter and physical
phenomena but maintains that these are only impermanent in nature, and only to be used as
instruments for spiritual experience and evolution. While a materialist loves things and uses
people, a spiritualist loves people and uses things only as tools.
To teach the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, Krishna chose battle field as the background, instead of a
hermitage or forest retreat. Hence the Bhagavad Gita is not a book that has to be kept locked in
a box and worshipped, and to be opened only after we retire from active life. It is a guide that
can be used at any time of our life. It does not tell us to renounce life and run away from
problems. Instead it guides us to run head on into life's battles with faith and fearlessness.
The gist of the Bhagavad Gita's teaching is that Arjuna performed his duty as a soldier without
getting entangled with war's karmic effects. The beauty of Gandhiji's life is that he fought for
nation's independence without using his fame and power for selfish desires.
During the middle ages, sea voyages and scientific explorations, commerce and creation of wealth,
acquiring strength to protect the weak, and so on were all discouraged. Slowly the society
slipped down into tamasic ignorance, dullness and slavery.
Desire is the fire, energy of life, and can be used for constructive purposes such as achieving
independence, inventing medicines, technological advancements, creating wealth and jobs and so
on, and to explore all the marvels of creation. Used for destructive purposes or selfish gains,
desires can lead one to his self- created fall, because ultimately dharma prevails and 'Truth
alone Triumphs'.
Our body and minds are instruments to attain liberation, pursue dharma, earn ardha, fulfil kama
and be of service to other beings. Hence we need success both in proper use of material
resources and in our spiritual evolvement.
But deep rooted tendencies such as jealousy, greed, hatred, wickedness and untruthfulness cannot
be removed so quickly and easily. Before trying to remove them from other people, we need to
remove them from ourselves first and be an example to others. We need to cultivate positive
tendencies such as faith, love, fearlessness, compassion, non-possession so that the influence
of negative tendencies gets reduced.
Many of Gandhiji's contemporary lawyers earned more income than him and amassed greater wealth.
But they all vanished into time's womb and not remembered today.
Gandhiji was not born perfect. He was born like any other ordinary person. But be became Mahatma
through self-reflection and efforts. That's what makes him a great example from which to learn.
We must make our life an experiment with Truth, the way Gandhiji coined his autobiography as 'My
experiments with Truth'.
Great saint of 16th century, Thyagaraja Swamy composed 'Bantu reethi koluvu….” in Telugu
language. He pleaded Lord Rama to keep him closer by appointing him as a royal guard.
Chatrapathi Sivaji presented his kingdom to guru Samardha Ramadas as dakshina (repaying debt).
Then upon the guru's command, he ruled the kingdom as a representative of Lord Rama.
God takes care of the protection and wellbeing of his servant and leads him in the right path.
Hence we must devote ourselves to the service of God, nation and mankind.
As a servant of Lord Rama, this book is dedicated to Him.
- Author