Indian society is nothing but numbers of people grouped together, with many languages, customs, and its illustrious traditions. The cultured and the educated society find humanity in righteous thought, in philosophy, in arts, sciences and in different types of religions.
Indian society lays great emphasis on spiritual life and virtuous living. Spirituality is still in a higher plane, deals with the ancient scriptures and philosophy. Society becomes greatest, where truth become practical.
The Indian culture teaches us to lead virtuous life. The culture implies extreme gratitude towards mother, father and teacher. This makes the Indians most obedient to the parents and teachers. Conservation and preservation of the values is handed over by the ancestors to the next generation with all its glory.
Bhagavatham is for Divine life,
Ramayana is for Ideal life,
Mahabharata is for Real life.
Spiritual values are still at a higher level. Generally the cultural values stand in between moral values and spiritual values. The cultural values stand for the society and Nation. The culture is the out come of long standing practices which come down to the Indians from their ancestors. Purity is the main stream or process of the culture under reference.
A highly cultured man is fully equipped with moral values. The principles of moral values are honesty, respect to elders, gratitude, humility. Moral values are very much social and they involve man’s behavior in relation to others. Cultivation of moral principles leads to cultural values which are much visible in noble persons.
Elders insist on moral values in order to gain cultural values. The spirit of listening to elders and scholarly persons and implicit obedience to such worthy characters bring out refined manners and inner culture. Some moral values are much more important than whether you make a profit or not.
A man’s main job is to take care of the people who depend on him. Man is guided by the stomach. When we walk, the stomach goes first and the head afterward. We work not with our body, actually, but with our mind and intelligence.
The family is, by nature the fundamental building block of society, the institution designed for continuance and development of human race. Adjusting with the society and maintaining limited selfishness are the out come of moral values and cultural values.
A house holder's life is as important as that of a sage or saint. Unless, ONE is a householder, one cannot be saintly. A house holder is the sheet anchor of the society, working for the welfare of the community and development of the country. He is the true nation builder.
“Woman should be given protection and respect at every stage of life. Worship to the woman is worship to the Gods”, says Manusmrithi
Traditional values serve you best. There is a traditional belief in Indian culture, that any offense and abuse done to a female and mother become a terrible curse. A Woman shedding tears is more than curse by God; offense mainly those against mothers. No one can discredit or discard traditional wisdom lightly or in an arrogant spirit.
Woman’s dignity is in the way she conducts herself in public. – Lata Mangeshkar
Indian culture has lot of emphasis on chastity of women folk. Indian woman is considered the jewel of the entire world, in transforming human life and society. Chastity has always been considered the highest value. Chastity is the corner stone of all morality and of all religion.
Hinduism accords very high importance for showing compassion to others. Hinduism is built on duties and no much on rights. We don't have faith and so we suffer. We must have immense faith in our eternal religion and its truths.
Religion is surviving as a kind of social service and mild ethical sensitivity. Religion should be a matter of conscience and personal faith. The real principle of religions, faith is situated in the mode of pure goodness. Any religion which brings peace is the true religion for humanity.
The religion of noble soul, the identity of truth with all other virtues; The lesson was to be found in every great teaching, not just in religions. - Mahatma Gandhi
Religion is the manifestation of the natural strength that is in man. Religion is the art of re-modeling man into divinity. The secret of religion lies not in the theories but in the practice.
Religion must become rational; Rationalism must become religious. - Paul Brunson
Harmonizing the various expressions of the religion is oneness; so that each may choose the path that suits him best. To be good and do well is the whole purpose of religion. Whenever any religion succeeds, it must have economic value. There is a need for “connectedness” with the society.
Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes becomes fanaticism; while philosophy without religion is mental speculation.
Whether you believe it or not there is God; the purpose of cultural religions way of life is in saint Tukaram’s words.
India has always been a land of charity. Duty minded individuals form a strong society and sacrifice their lives for the sake of Dharma (religious duty). Religious approach of the Nation is the outcome of being obliged to obey elders and all the observances stand obligatory but not imposed, by any Government. Fear which implies respect for the Vedas, word of law, elders and Government is the savior of the society even today from unhealthy trends towards disorder.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know, they shall never sit in. – Greek Proverb
A monk is the highest order of life in the Hindu society. The renunciation with enlightenment and dedication is the highest peak in the history of mankind’s civilization and culture. The rich, the rulers and the scholars bow down to the feet of a sanyasi who renounces the world by his teachings.
Truth does not pay homage to any society, ancient and modern. Society has to pay homage to truth. Society should be molded upon truth, and truth has not to adjust itself to society….. – Swami Vivekananda
Psychological treatment towards gradual improvement of the personal character and conduct is much visible in Indian Culture. No one can make another person wise; one has to acquire wisdom at one’s own expense and experience. It needs healthier mind for greater wisdom.
Wisdom is a common feature to the spiritual life and the real life. Spiritual wisdom occupies itself with the future prospects of life.
Wisdom teaches judicious activity and shows how a certain undertaking or enterprise is to be accomplished in a convenient and economical manner. Knowledge tells what to do; wisdom teaches how to do it. The highest type of wisdom and humility gives courage and a sense of self sacrifice.
The problems of material existence - birth, old age, disease and death – cannot be counter acted by accumulation of wealth and economic development. In many parts of the world there are states which are replete with all facilities of life, which are full of wealth and economically developed, yet the problems of material existence are still present. They are seeking peace in different ways, but they can achieve real happiness only in spirituality.
The material earthy world is the opposite image to the spiritual divine world.
Some are motivated by money, and some by a learning environment. There are others who need to feel challenged. Every heart has a yearning.
An active man or a man of action needs philosophy; a philosopher needs patience and peace to discover higher philosophical truth.
Culture, wealth, ideals and tradition do not always go together. It is God’s Grace. Grace is to the body.
There is no denying that we have a social responsibility on how our actions impact the society around, but let’s not forget that we also have the personal responsibility on how our actions affect our own life.
Every action needs the support of thought. Since a thought is always well reasoned and balanced; using strategy and diplomacy, neither very emotional nor logical to the extreme. Balance in thought, avoids extremes.
Persons who are led by the material conception of life do not know that the aim of life is realization of the Absolute Truth. They are captivated by the external features of the material world; and therefore they do not know what liberation is. Persons who have no knowledge of liberation from material bondage lead miserable lives. – Bhagavad-Gita
In modern world, excess of knowledge, money and power, without divinity, makes human beings uncontrolled. The difference between good and the evil is nothing except in unselfishness and selfishness. The evil knows as much as good, is as powerful as good; only that has no holiness that makes it an evil. The greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as the greatest virtues.
If man gains the whole world by royalty, authority loses his soul. Where too much of wealth accumulates men decay.
A man of violence has excessive energy, uses it not for happiness in theirs lives but to disturb the peace of others. Extremes in action and thought brings destruction, never bothers for the well-being of others.
A nation without means of reforms is without means of survival. - Burtham Benjamin
The roots of violence:
Wealth without work,
Pleasures without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce with morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principle, - Mahatma Gandhi.
Justice without force is powerless, Force without justice is tyrannical. - Pascal
False magnanimity is not approved by any authority. When the results of pious activities are finished, one falls down from the peak of happiness to the lowest states of life. Many rulers and rich of the world have fallen down in that way. Such down falls only constitute uncontrolled greed, thoughts and more causes of sorrow.
Time takes away all the youth, strength, wealth and life in a moment. The water on the lotus leaf is unsteady. As long as you have the ability to earn money, so long will your dependents be attached to you. After that, when you live with an infirm body no one would even speak to you a word. – Adi Sankaracharya
Destiny is powerless before divine wisdom and grace. A person is someone with an uncertain status in society, lost in an endless wait. His/Her emotional and physical well-being diminishes every passing day. An unreliable man or woman cannot go far in life.
Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, neither liberty to purchase power. - Franklin
Money does not grow on trees. When too much wealth accumulates at the top, the currency looses its value. As people get richer and richer, wealth is left circulating beneath them. People lead miserable lives because of their incredible greed. Greed, leads to down fall.
A lie has no leg, but scandal has wings. – Thomas Fuller
Indians are a forgiving and sensitive people. When people forgive the rich for their incredible greed; they would take all that for granted. Blessed is the man whose sins are covered and whose transgressions are forgiven. People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do.
Selfish good-will is greed and will not have Grace Power. To generate good-will for another is not in human power except for good souls born with it. It will not get generated easily. It must be pure, pure of good motives. A man who has control over mind can only shun greediness.
Kindness trumps greed; it asks for sharing,
Kindness trumps fear; it calls for the gratefulness and love,
Kindness trumps even stupidity; for with sharing and love, one learns.
When contentment and mercy occupy a man’s personality, equanimity and peace reigns supreme. Freedom is faith and obedience to the laws of principles.
We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give. – Sir Winston Churchill
This world is conquered, by the person who has truthfulness and endurance. Leaders, who are truthful, lead with integrity, consistently adhere to their values and code of conduct will well and truly inspire their people to follow in their foot steps. Humility is the secret of successful leaders.
A nation whose citizens have not learned self-control, cannot rule itself as a national entity. The importance of choosing righteous paths, whether for a nation or for a single man; for bad means could never bring about good ends. - Mahatma Gandhi
Visionary leaders has the power to transform and they are involved in bringing about good change. The qualities visionary leaders cultivate are imagination, knowledge, deliverance, tangible results and penetrating self reflection. They have the ability to see reality.
Man is insignificant, even like a drop of water; but in the mass, be becomes mighty and powerful like the ocean. - Mahatma Gandhi
A man derives happiness from philosophizing himself, and has faith in the goodness of others.
It’s time for greatness – not greed,
It’s time for idealism – not ideology
It’s time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.
Greatness does not lie in your simplicity. Think great and act simple; if a decision is morally right, decision isn’t in anyway detrimental to the society. If everything is positive, simple; your actions become universal law that brings goodness to the society.
A free society can continue to exist only as it meets the rightful demands of people for security, progress, and increasing opportunity for the betterment of themselves and their children - Mahatma Gandhi
Society is only a stage of growth through which we are passing. Society is changing, it must change. Let us all be honest; if we cannot follow the ideal, let us confess our weakness, but not degrade it and not try to pull it down.
The words of Mahatma Gandhi says, "A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman of the next generation."
Do not put your values in the wrong things; and it leads to very disillusioned lives. Without the present there can neither be past nor future. We must gradually, rapidly shift from a ‘thing-oriented’ society to a ‘people-oriented’ society. Refinement implies purification; do not ignore values behind the spiritual life.
History of the world is nothing but the history of significant moments.
“Live and Let Live”, Mother Nature intended in Indian Culture, moving towards growth, to make progress and prosperous Indian Society.
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