Yato’bhyudaya-nihshreyasa siddhih sa Dharmah -Professor Dr. Ravindra Kumar

The title of this short write up, Yato’bhyudaya-nihshreyasa siddhih sa Dharmah, is, in fact, a couplet defining Dharma according to Maharishi Kanada, the founder of the Vaisheshika philosophy –one of the six foremost schools of thoughts* within the ambit of the Vedic-Hindu philosophy or the view of life, and which is known as empiricist school of atomism minutely explaining, discussing and analyzing issues related to matter, apparent universe, atom and nuclear in particular. The meaning of this couplet is as follows:          

“That, which directs and leads to the attainment of abhyudaya in the world; that shows the pathway to cessation of grieves and pains in toto, and get the one to nihshreyasa thereafter, is Dharma.”

This definition accorded by Maharishi Kanada through this short couplet is considered as one of the best descriptions of Dharma revealing not only the basic spirit in the root of the word Dharma itself, but explaining the purpose and importance of Dharma in life simultaneously. Along with this, Kanada’s definition categorically divulges the eastern viewpoint of Dharma –the great Indian perspective pertaining to it in particular. It could be well analyzed, comprehended and understood on the basis of the review of just two words incorporated in this statement, which are, in fact, the central points of the whole of the proclamation made by Maharishi Kanada. The reality of the couplet could also be well realized by the review of these two words.          

The two words emerging predominantly in this couplet are: Abhyudaya and Nihshreyasa. Abhyudaya signifies rise, progress or development of a human being. It is undoubtedly dedicated to his prosperity. Nihshreyasa on the other hand divulges eternal bliss –infinite happiness with contentment, which is, in fact, the state of Mukti, Moksha or the Nirvana –liberation of soul.                

Hence, Dharma is, if analyzed by having these two words in the centre, the way and means to lead a human being to the prosperity in the world on the one hand, and to direct him to achieve the state of Moksha –liberation on the other. In other words, Dharma is an injunction to direct man to his all-round development, to attain prosperity in the world on the basis of development and prosperity to achieve Moksha, which is the real goal of life. Thus, just from the brief analysis of these two words –Abhyudaya and Nihshreyasa, which have been used by Maharishi Kanada in his above short couplet or the statement, the meaning and the basic spirit in the root of the word Dharma become clear and it reveals its significance in life all together. Along with this, through this the eastern viewpoint pertaining to Dharma, the great Indian perspective predominantly and that is based on the Vedic-Hindu philosophy in particular, also becomes obvious.       

In this very perspective it should be borne firmly in mind that the short discussion, which we have had about Abhyudaya [rise and prosperity] and Nihshreyasa [attainment of goal], despite deeming individualistic or focusing on an individual, is, in reality, not an individualist viewpoint. The Vaisheshika school of thought developed by Maharishi Kanada is a part of the Vedic-Hindu philosophy that is dedicated to the universal acceptance and unity of all. Therefore, it cannot confine to the welfare, prosperity and development of an individual. In reality it cannot be individualist; otherwise, in case of its being so, it would categorically violate the great proclamation of the Atharvaveda in which it has been said, “Prithvim Dharmana Dhritam” –meaning thereby, this world is uphold by Dharma.       

Reality is this that the beginning of Abhyudaya –prosperity takes place from the individual level. The goal is achieved on the strength of one’s own righteous acts. However, both the achieved prosperity and the goal of the one work simultaneously in following two ways for the welfare and rise of others:

·         By making efforts for the rise and prosperity of others along with one’s own self; and

·         By emerging as an ideal and, thus, by inspiring others to follow the suit.

Hence, similar to the message of Gautama Buddha in which he called all, general and particular to follow the principle of “Appo Dipo Bhava” [be a light unto yourself], it is the prime duty of man to make his own life meaningful and worthy first, while passing through the inevitable process of Karmas on the one hand, and to inspire and assist others simultaneously to their rise and prosperity on the other. This is the basic spirit in the root of the word Dharma in reality.     

Not only this, through one’s own righteous and continuous practices, while passing through the inevitable process of Karmas –actions, overcoming of numerous obstacles, difficulties and miseries at various levels, which are also investable in worldly routines, getting rise –Abhyudaya and on the basis of it achieving the goal –Nihshreyasa is the focal point or the part and parcel of the basic spirit in the root of the word Dharma and the purpose of following it. That is why; Dharma has been declared as the eternal and natural law, which leads man to realize and follow the sense of duty, and also leads him to the pathway to liberation –the Moksha. The popular message of the Gita, “Yato Dharma Tato Jaya” –victory is where Dharma prevails, could be well observed in this very perspective. It could also be seen categorically in another short statement, “Yato Dharmastato Jaya”, which appears in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad [1:4:14], and which views Dharma as the universal principle of law, order and harmony, and meaning of which is, “Where there is Righteousness [Dharma], there shall be victory.”

Dharma, thus, accords an art of living well in the world and to make the life meaningful thereafter. So, explanation of Dharma, “Yato’bhyudaya-nihshreyasa siddhih sa Dharmah” given by Maharishi Kanada through this short couplet deems not only the best, but seems real as well.                                      ______________________________________________________________________________

*In the six schools of thoughts besides Vaisheshika, the other five include: 1-Samkhya –expositioning consciousness and matter; 2-Yoga –emphasizing the importance of meditation, contemplation and liberation [Moksha]; 3-Nyaya –exploring source of knowledge; 4-Mimansa –emerging as an anti-ascetic and anti-mystic school of orthopraxy; and Vedanta –the last segment of knowledge in the Vedas [Janna-Kanda]. 

      

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Adi Shankaracharaya: A Matchless Propounder and Propagator of Universal Unity –Professor Dr. Ravindra Kumar

       Universal unity or universalism is an undeniable reality. The universe is thoroughly governed by one order –one rule. That very order –rule is the universal rule, the universal order. Nothing is beyond the ambit of this order or the rule. Universalism is, undoubtedly, the basis of the entire unity.

       The Vedic philosophy or the view of life, generally known as the Hindu philosophy or the view of life now, is fully dedicated to the universal unity in theory and practice, both. For the proper conduction and continuity of an order, and to maintain unity on the basis of it, there is always inevitability and necessity of a conductor or the director. Therefore, to conduct, maintain and accord continuity to the universal order, a manager or the director always exists and that is Brahman –God. He is called by so many names such as Prabhu, Parameshwara, Paramatman, Parabrahman, Ishwara, Bhagawan, the Supreme Being and the Highest Authority –Sarvashaktiman. He is unborn, self-sovereign and self-illuminated, manifested as well as un-manifested Brahman. He is changeless and the Absolute. 

       The whole of the Vedic-Hindu philosophy, its chief treatises like Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita in particular are committed to this reality. In the centre of teachings of all of these scriptures is Brahman –God. For, they focus on a matchless and great idea and call for acquiring knowledge pertaining to it, which is also known as the Brahmavidya, so that life could be made worthy and meaningful while passing through the inevitable process of karmas –actions.

       Adi Shankaracharaya, who rightly earned fame as the Shankara Bhagavadpada and the Jagadguru all over the world, presented the above reality wisely, in a beautiful and adaptable manner before the world on the basis of his intensive analysis and realization. For this, sound arguments and minute observation remained the part and parcel of his critical analysis in particular. Especially, through his commentaries on Brahmsutra, Upanishads, the Ishopanishad –Ishavasya-Upanishad and the Kathopanishad in particular, and Shrimad Bhagavad-Gita, he categorically established the supremacy of Brahman, His rule over all –movable or immovable, and truly declared Him to be the basis of universal unity. For, he called for overcoming of all superfluous suspicions or doubts.

       In his commentary on the Brahmasutra, he emphatically stated Brahman to be the only and ultimate truth and the source of the Vedas. He proclaimed that the soul in the body, which is made of the Maya –illusion, is, in fact, the revelation of Brahman Himself, and there is no separate authority of soul at all, “Brahma satyam jagan-mithya jivo brahmaiva na aparah.”

    Moreover, he asserted that the whole Jagat –universe is created by Him –Brahman, He is an Indivisible Whole, and along with Vedas He is the nucleus of the Vedanta –the Upanishads, which straightforwardly call for acquiring knowledge by wisdom. In this very perspective, the second foremost and long memorable contribution of Adi Shankaracharaya, in my opinion, should be observed in his manifestation of monotheism –belief in the existence of One God or in the Oneness of God, to repeat again as an Indivisible Whole. His commentaries of the Ishopanishad and the Kathopanishad in particular well prove this fact. The Vedic-Hindu Triumvirate consisting of Brahma –the Creator, Vishnu –the Protector or the Up-bringer and Shiva –the Destroyer is, in fact, the three great attributes of Brahman –the Supreme Himself. All the three are the symbolic of His active state, and even Brahmin-Kshatriya etc. are the part and parcel of His own dynamic process as is revealed in the Kathopanishad [1/2/25]. 

       Hence, Adi Shankaracharaya through this truth-based unique, lucid, comprehensive and unprecedented ideas pertaining to monotheism left an exemplary impression directly-indirectly, more or less, or in one way or the other upon almost all spiritual-religious philosophies of the world. Along with this, through his ideas pertaining to the supremacy of Brahman and affirming the reality of monotheism by taking the course of critical analysis and arguments, the Jagadguru accorded an unprecedented strength to the Vedic-Hindu philosophy and the view of life. He accorded the best and a unique dimension to it. 

     On the basis of his high wisdom Adi Shankaracharaya emerged as such an influential spiritual-religious philosopher of the Indian tradition, who left great impression of his ideas on crores of people all over the world in general and the Sub-continent of India in particular. The influence of his exemplary ideas still remains intact. Especially, his exclusive analysis and review of the Vedic philosophy and view of life on the strength of wisdom [which essentially includes the judgment], knowledge and arguments, propagation of reality of universal unity while having the Brahman –God as the nuclei, and its acceptance by crores of people itself proves the significance of the extraordinary viewpoint of Adi Shankaracharaya and the great contribution made by him in this regard.

      Shankaracharaya’s views, particularly pertaining to the Brahmavidya and monotheism have for centuries been nuclei of studies and research of thousands of people around the world. Many of them may not agree to his ideas or the analysis, which he made about the supremacy of Brahman or monotheism, but no one of them can deny the fact that he was a matchless propounder and propagator of universal unity, and he is perhaps the only great philosopher of India who still impresses the most by his viewpoint the life of people of the Sub-continent directly, and so many others in the world indirectly by his spiritual-religious thoughts pertaining to the Advaitism. For his matchless contribution towards illuminating the reality of universal unity on the basis of the supremacy of Brahman, and for this calling people to act accordingly, Adi Shankaracharaya remains unparalleled, and it will be so in times to come. His glory will remain intact for a long.

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Ahimsa and Unity: The Two Fundamentals of Harmony in Religions –Professor Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Religion –the Dharma, in context of adopting goodness, as it is the real meaning and purpose of it, or in perspective of discharging one’s duty by her or his righteous acts, or in the form of an injunction, the Shasana, is eventually committed to harmony. It is, in fact, the essence of religion –the Dharma. 

All religions established or developed on this planet, from time-to-time, by making harmony as the nuclei of their foremost fundamentals, in one way or the other call their followers to carry out day-to-day practices accordingly. Along with giving a clarion call to followers to make harmony the basis of their activities, at all levels and in all walks of life, religions indicate practical and adaptable pathway to be followed in this regard. In this very process, important, relevant and the most valuable reality is that all religions make human unity, unity of all living beings in a broad perspective, the basis of harmony. It is because in harmony, the consonance is necessary for conduction of practices and their continuity in diversities prevailed in the world as truly and beautifully revealed and explained in the concept of Anekaantavaada, [अनेकान्तवाद] in Jainism in particular, and also due to the realty of ever existing law of change. Along with this, for the construction, development and continuity of harmony, religions make laudable efforts on the strength of the supreme human value of Ahimsa –non-violence, which is, in its finest form, the revelation of pure love and goodwill towards all living beings. Hence, Ahimsa and unity, with Ahimsa remaining as the supreme, natural and eternal value and the basis of unity simultaneously, emerge as the two foremost fundamentals in religions for the development and continuity of harmony.

Further, religion –the Dharma has, through the ages, been directing and impressing the most the life of one and all –general and particular. After passing through numerous stages of changes and development, the role and contribution of religion in life remain important in present. In current perspective when the fields of science, communication and information technology are touching heights, one after the other in particular, and resultantly development at all levels and in all walks of life naturally multiplies every day and for prolonging the progress, harmony emerges as the foremost and sound basis to succeed in real sense. In other words, taking one and all within the ambit of development, a fair analysis and true development of harmony prevailed in religions, which, to repeat influences the life of everyone, on the basis of Ahimsa and unity is necessary and inevitable. From this, not only the importance of harmony in life will become apparent, but its necessity in continuously increasing process of advancement, from local to global levels, when this planet especially seems now converting rapidly into a global village, will also become visible further to pave the way to proceed accordingly.   

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Education and Rehabilitation of Disabled Children -Professor Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Child disability is, in fact, a serious and challenging problem of the world. In India approximately one of every ten children is disabled. Among two crores twenty lakhs declared disabled in the whole population of the country, 35. 29 percent are children. The same situation stands at the global level. In the whole world more than sixty five crores people are disabled and among them approximately 40 percent are children. This state categorically reveals the seriousness of the problem.

We are perhaps well aware of the chief reasons of disability –child-disability in particular. In the main reasons for that even though we can count for improper diet to women during their pregnancies or in other words their malnutrition; improper looking after of children in their early age, which includes malnutrition again and sudden accidents, or strikes of natural calamities. However, all of these reasons are connected in one way or the other with negligence, recklessness, unconsciousness and lack of knowledge –illiteracy. There can be a few exceptions to this. Particularly, as mentioned already, those related to sudden accidents or strikes of natural calamities. Therefore, we can resolve these challenging problems to a large extent by imparting proper education –awakening, consciousness and knowledge. In this regard the utmost need is to realize responsibility by all of us and to work at social plane in particular that too getting free of prejudices in toto.

In this regard, however, the most important task relates to the availability of means for nutritive diet in particular. This is, in fact, the most challenging task. In India more than thirty three percent of the total population [37, 87, 87, 878 people in number] live under the poverty line. The daily income of each one of them is below rupees sixty five. The total number of such ones in the whole world is approximately 5, 60, 00, 00, 000. In such a situation crores of people are unable to meet two ends meals. Approximately, 22, 000 children die every day due to lack of food –hunger and malnutrition. This is really unfortunate –painful, terrible and a matter of serious concern. Child disability is to a large extent connected to this. Not only this, the problem of rehabilitation of handicapped children is also connected to it. It is a compulsion for those wish for proper cares for their children, but they cannot due to poverty. They are means-less and unprivileged. It is really a spot on the forehead of the whole of humanity.

In this regard it is the responsibility of the community of teachers-professors, who are, undoubtedly, more or less, prosperous in these days, multiplies many fold. For, they should step forward for the awakening through education on the one hand and discharge their duty to what extent it may be possible towards the abolishing poverty on the other. All of us must bear this in our minds that until and unless immeasurable inequality prevails in the world, poverty, hunger, discrimination and lack of means exist, people are deprived of opportunities, serious and challenging problem like this will also subsist. For this we can make efforts and we must do so for sure. Whatever is gained through efforts made individually and collectively, that will be the achievement.

Note: This piece is based on extracts of the speech of Professor Dr. Ravindra Kumar at a two days national seminar organized on education and rehabilitation of disabled children by the faculty of education, MJP Rohilkhand University, Bareilly [India] on March 22, 2013.   

Reflection of the Inner Self through Spirituality, Humanity and Power -Professor Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Spirituality, humanity and power [or energy], all the three, are, in fact, connected to the inner self of a human being.  In other words, all the three are the subject of the self –the virtues of the soul. Spiritualism, especially from the great Indian viewpoint is a process of searching the self through continuous practices. It is not merely a concept, but an active way of achieving the goal of life by meditation, prayer and contemplation while having high human values as the nuclei.

Further, humanity is not just a word connected to human beings. Rather, it divulges the identity and reveals human characteristics. Along with this, humanity is not only a word covering the whole of human race, but has, simultaneously, the spirit of larger welfare of human beings in its root. Equality of all is its chief attribute.

Power or energy signifies capability. Which capability? The capability of physical strength, or the capability earned by worldly materials? None of them. It signifies that capability, which exists within everyone and which is a subject of realization and continuous development; moreover, which is the best means of all-round development of the self. After the development of the self, welfare of all is expected from this. This very capability is also the education in reality; it is the basis, meaning and purpose of education for which Socrates had said, “...to draw out what are already within.” It means to realize and develop the virtues, which are inherent in all humans.

Hence, it can be said in conclusion that spirituality, humanity and power [energy] are the virtues of the soul. They are the subject of realization and development. They call for indentifying the self, inspire for developing the self and after that expect for working in larger welfare of one and all. Spirituality, humanity and power also raise morality and ethics to the highest level on the basis of duty and responsibility and, thus, get a human being capable of successful execution of what is expected from life.

What is expected from human-life has been clarified already –to develop the self on the strength of righteousness to the extent it is necessary and inevitable to make the life meaningful or to achieve one’s goal and thereafter to dedicate her or him to the welfare of one and all by having the spirit of sacrifice as the nuclei.

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