Jealousy Reigns in the heart of 'Modern' People

Some people don't study hard when they are kids. Why? God knows why. Maybe they are too lazy. Then when they are older and can't earn the same as those who got educated they start shouting that it is unfair.

I am not being inhuman. I am being realist.

I know some people who worked hard when they were children and today they are leading a comfortable life just like any educated person does.

One person, of higher caste (oh it's so important for the press) lost his father when he was 6 years' old. His parents were poor and he was not an only child. He had no choice but to sell second/ third/ fourth hand used books, magazines and newspapers on the road when he was a child. But he didn't go home and sleep. He worked hard and he studied hard, too. Of course, given his poverty he didn't have the money to go to private (called Public in India) schools. He studied in a government school.

He worked day and night. Then he succeeded in breaking that bond that stopped him... the bond of lack of education.

Today, he is an example. I consider him to be more successful than I have ever been. I am proud of him (though he is not from my family but is from my family of living beings as is taught in Hinduism). He is a human being par excellence.

We tax-payers pay taxes. Government uses these taxes to operate government/ municipality schools where children can study for free.

We, in India, have book banks in schools. Children can get books from the book banks because once you pass the class, you don't need the same text-books in the next class so donate it and other children can take and use the same books.

These are not created by aliens but by human beings… no, not by foreigners or by people of another religion, but by us.

But some people don't use these and then you cry foul because some people are better off than you today. But did you work as hard as they did?

I remember the story of Dheerubhai Ambani. He was not from a rich family. He was a poor man, too. But he worked hard… really hard. And thanks to his work and intelligence and ability to risk all that he had, today, his family, his children are rich.

So why should we feel jealous of him? Did he steal something from our house? So many people work for Reliance industries. Of course, they are not as rich. But where would they be had Sh. Dheerubhai Ambani not done anything, not taken any risk?

Several years ago, they made a movie about him. Of course, it never became a blockbuster. Maybe it's not 100% true (as it is a movie) but still it taught me how important it is to work harder.

Look at today's politicians who cry unfair because Ambanis are so rich. Your parents didn't do anything that is not Ambanis' fault. You can do something so that your children have a better life. Of course, you are not Ambani. Do little that you can. Don't depend on others. That's the lesson we learn. We have to work hard. Dreaming is not enough.

Hard work is the key to success. Of course, you can't succeed a lot if you are not intelligent and/ or if you don't study and work hard as a kid.

Two examples: Examples of people of different castes. But their lives were difficult. If they succeeded, it was because they were intelligent and hard-working.

You may say that I am lazy but I am not rich. But I am not materialist or jealous of the two either. I am proud that in India poor people can become rich if they are intelligent and hard-working. Of course, some politicians and materialists will keep shouting against the Ambanis because they are rich and those who shout are from middle class families. I won't. My happiness doesn't lie in money. I have enough to eat. That's enough for me.

My role model has never been someone like Ambani.

My role model was and is Madame Marie Curie. She led a difficult life but I would have loved to be at least half as good and happy as she was with little that she had.

What about you?

We study Indian History. Do we really?

Recently I watched a documentary about the excellence of Roman empire. A pity that none of our directors ever made such beautiful documentary about our civilisation. It is one of the most ancient places where certain things existed but no... they look at India from the point of view of those who attacked and want to teach what the attackers wanted to teach.

This documentary speaks of a technique of heating and the technique that they show also existed in several palaces and forts in India. Only it was used to reduce the temperature in Indian forts and palaces.

BC and AD have become BCE and CE. CE - Common Era and BCE - Becore Common Era.

But remember that before Christ we had our own Common Eras in Asia and Indian Subcontinent.

Do you remember - Vikrami Samvat and Shak Samvat?

Of course, a country and civilisation that lost the war becomes submissive and we have remained submissive even when India has become a Free Nation.

We are more in number. But we want to resemble the attackers. Hey, look at what they and their countries were before they came to India. How did they live? Oh, may be you think our ancestors would have loved to live the way they lived. Or may be you would.

Oh! Hinduism was so bad. Our Kshatriyas had no choice but to protect the people and be Kings. They were never so rich, that third lowest caste (as the foreigners call them) had so much power. They had all the money and were so rich that they could lend money to the Kings and Kings owed them the money.

And Brahmins! So called the highest caste! Ha ha ha

The sociologists and communists would laugh.

How can someone who is so poor be of the highest caste, the highest class. They never had enough money, no big mansions, nothing. They were beggars for the modern people who think so highly of material world. Highest caste! Poor people who had nothing?

Even the royal priest, the Prime Minister, didn't have a palace. And you want us to believe that they were of the highest caste? Even Chanakya lived in a hut! And you respect him?

They spoke of Mohanbhog. One would think ah delicious meal with lots of delicious dishes. But remember what they said - Mohanbhog - One must eat whatever one can have. Even boiled kaaley cholle, chickpeas, taste like Mohanbhog when one is really hungry. So that's what they ate? And they gave such a special name to this food? So stupid!

But in India, we were different. We respected them because they were our teachers. They knew more than we did. They spent their time studying. Nothing else. Just teachers, doctors, scientists!

Strange? But that was India about which no one teaches now.

We are impressed by Ayurveda. But do you know that Chyavanprash was discovered by a biological scientist whom they used to call a Rishi. One of the things that he discovered is sold as Chyavanprash today.

But do we know? Do we care?

It is just a tonic.

Really, we have learnt a lot. We know our history so well. Don't we?

Of course, the conquerors write history. Let's follow what they teach us. Let's follow their orders.

They still have the paths that we Indians call 'galli'. And they are still beautiful. How many 'gallis' do you have in your village and/ or city?

Think.

7 billionth Baby

 

O you, who have not yet been born and whom everyone awaits, who art thou?

Once upon a time, the world waited for Krishna, who'd end the atrocities of his maternal uncle Kansa and deliver the world bringing a reign of love and peace.  Then there were these three wise men who went in search of a little child who'd be the king of Jews and followed the star of Bethlehem.  And today, the whole world is waiting eagerly to welcome another child.  Google and Twitter have become the modern day versions of star of Bethlehem.  So what is so special about this child?  Is it a religious figure or a miracle?  What is the destiny of this child?

Click and search on Google and we have the information that it may be born in either India or Philippines.  According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Philippines is the 12^th most populous country in the world with 94.9 million people while India is the second with a population of 1,210,193,422.  1.35% of the world's population lives in Philippines while India is home to 17.36% of world's population.  The GDP of Philippines is 199,591 million US$ while that of India is 1,631,970 million US$.  In terms of Per Capita Income, Philippines ranks 125^th with a PCI of 3920 International dollars and India is just a little behind at 129 with a PCI of 3408 International dollars.  According to Forbes India ranks 115 in the list of world's happiest countries whereas Philippines is at 94.  The Credit Rating of India and Philippines is BBB- and BB respectively.

In these circumstances what hope does this much welcomed 7 billionth baby have?  Will that child be happier or healthier than the rest of its compatriots?  Why are we so excited about it?  Have we done such an excellent job of taking care of those who are already on this planet? 

O the 7 billionth amongst us, I wish we could promise you the heavens and not just to you but to each and every human being who is here among us!  But unfortunately, we live in difficult times.  Economic crisis has made us even more vulnerable than we used to be.  So many people are homeless.  Banks have gone bankrupt.  Governments are corrupt.  It is going to be a cold winter... a very cold winter.  I hope you'll survive the hardships and become a symbol of successful survival rather than just a number.  You will be here soon.  And we always welcome all births.  We'll welcome you even if we don't have anything but a few drops of holy water from the Ganges and this even if you missed being the 7 billionth baby by a couple of numbers.  We, those who are already here today, welcome you with love and blessings and not just because you are a number but because you are a beautiful gift of a mother to the humanity and have come with the promise that despite of all difficulties, the humanity can and will survive.

Regardless of who you are, where you will be born, which will be your religion, remember, you'll be first and foremost a human being, a citizen of world because today the whole world is waiting for you as its seven billionth child.