What is India?--Know the answer from the world renowned intellectual giants

INDIA in the eyes of the western greats

Dr. Deepa Majumdar, Associate Professor, Philosophy, Purdue University North Central, USA

               Every nation has its native essence, its unique historical destiny as carved by this essence, and its unique trajectory towards this destiny. At any point in its history, the citizens of a nation will be existentially apart from their nation, for they each have a birth and a death existentially separate from the birth and ongoing life of the nation. Therefore no citizen can, rationally speaking, claim in essence to belong wholly to any particular nationality. Much as we may love India, no Indian citizen can claim to be essentially Indian. We are each essentially human, and incidentally, by circumstance of birth, citizens of India.

Nevertheless, citizens define their nations and contribute to its ever living history. To do this consciously is far more effective than to do this out of blind patriotism. Inasmuch as our colonial wound is yet to be fully healed, the temptation towards blind patriotism is great indeed – all the more, given the uniquely marvelous history of India. The solution lies not in avoiding patriotism, but in engaging in this love for nation in the most circumspect way possible, with our focus wholly on the heart of our ancient civilization. More than ever before, it is now that we need patriotism to fight the biggest temptation India has ever faced in her chequered history -- namely the temptation of mammon through the unguarded onslaught of capitalism. Since we may not yet be self-conscious enough to comprehend our own exceptionalism, to be articulated realistically and without egotism, we have no choice but to depend on the accolades heaped upon India by the intellectual giants of the western world, some of them from nations that were former colonizers.

Today, the greatest danger faced by a poor “third world” country, when confronted with westernization (understood as capitalism, science, and technology), is the terrible loss in wisdom (and the concomitant anguish) that comes as the inevitable price to be paid for the “benefit” of rank materialism. Whether or not a nation falls into this trap of materialism depends again on its inborn acumen and native telos. In the case of India, this immortal telos was declared by revered Swami Vivekananda to be entirely spiritual and mystical. We are, in essence, not militaristic. Nor are we, in essence, commercial.Our unique heritage, bequeathed by generations of sages, is that which mammon can never destroy, nor money ever purchase ... namely, divine wisdom with a total focus on attaining the mystical state of nirvanic enlightenment. Yes post-independent India has shown few signs of such spirituality. She has fallen far from the Gandhian ideals of non-violence and tolerance. She has surged towards capitalism with a ruthless greed. But what we see so far is perhaps only the short run. Before she turns around to her own native telos, like any other nation, India has to make her own mistakes. This makes it all the more imperative that we Indians remain keenly circumspect about our unique history.

It is in the light of this background that I appreciate all the more, Mr. Salil Gewali’s unique anthology of original quotations on India, collected painstakingly from some of the greatest intellectual giants from the west. Titled, What is India: Know the answer from the world renowned intellectual giants, this illustrated work, published by Academic Publications, is, I suggest, all the more welcome and necessary at this phase of India’s history. If we are to overcome not only external dangers like post-colonialism and capitalism, but also internal dangers like caste prejudices and the oppression of women --- if we are to fight the greatest danger of our times – namely the danger of rank cynicism --- we must return to the mystical pinnacle of our civilization to understand our uniqueness. For India stands alone among the nations of the world in having made the direct empirical experience of God realization the heart, hallmark, and principle acumen of her unique historical journey. Where others explored the arts and sciences, or wrote elaborate intellectual theologies, India charted the science of mysticism aimed at the direct, unequivocal realization of God. It is from this fountainhead of God inspired experience that Hindu wisdom draws its power.

In this work, Mr. Gewali includes quotations from credible intellectual giants like T. S. Eliot, A. Einstein, W. Heisenberg, J. R. Oppenheimer, F. M. Voltaire, Mark Twain, R.W. Emerson, and A. Schopenhauer, among others. All these quotations express awe for ancient Hindu wisdom, often seen as the cradle of European knowledge – that very knowledge that was foisted on India through colonialism. Some of these western intellectuals are humble enough to openly acknowledge the far greater maturity of Indian thought compared to European philosophy. Thus, if we have at one extreme, the poet T. S. Eliot saying, “Indian philosophers’ subtleties make most of the great European philosophers look like schoolboys,” then we have at the other extreme, the scientist A. Einstein saying, “We owe a lot to Indians who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.” Most important perhaps is the fact that there is no quarrel between ancient Indian philosophy and modern western science. In fact, as some western scientists quoted by Mr. Gewali have declared, Indian philosophy makes clearer the ideas of Physics. Thus we have the words of W. Heisenberg, “After the conversations about Indian philosophy, some of the ideas of Quantum Physics that had seemed so crazy suddenly made much more sense.” Of the ancient Indian texts, the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita have been singled out by the western intellectuals quoted by Mr. Gewali. Thus in the words of Arthur. Schopenhauer, “In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life; and it will be the solace of my death. They are the product of the highest wisdom.”

As to why these western intellectuals express so much awe, notwithstanding their own great accomplishments, can perhaps best be explained in terms of the uncalculated method used by the ancient Hindu sages – a method quite the opposite of that used by western thinkers. Unlike the latter, who use mainly speculative discursive argumentation, the Hindu sages first experienced the loftiest experiences. Only after this direct proof, did they write. There is therefore in their accounts of the divine, an indelible and scintillating stamp of the authentic – a stamp so alluring that foreign intellectuals easily detect in this Hindu wisdom, the highest knowledge of God.

The great love for India, which Mr. Gewali bears, is evident in the care with which he has compiled this work. He has taken care not only to collect quotations on India by source, but to provide us also with valuable biographical information and pictures of the intellectual giants he cites.

I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Salil Gewali for this unique labor of love.

“What is India?” earned worldwide appreciation

" Indian philosophers' subtleties make most of

 the great European philosophers look like schoolboys."

-- T.S. Eliot, a great American poet and critic

                           If you are suspicious about the heritage and culture of your country, a book of quotes  entitled “What is India?” by Salil Gewali would be an eye-opener, says John Palmer of Las Vegas, Nevada. Palmer is a big fan of  Indian classical wisdom and spiritualism.  A book of quotations compiled and published by Salil Gewali of  Shillong, Meghalaya (INDIA) is doubtlessly a remarkable attempt to showcase the views of the world renowned scholars about India and her classical literature , particularly Vedas, Upanishad and Bhagavad Gita. The book provides how Indian wisdom inspired ‘the greatest of the great’ scientists, writers, poets etc that include Werner Heisenberg --- father of Quantum Physics,  T. S. Eliot --- great American writer, Voltaire, Friedrich Hegel, Ralph Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, H G Wells, Mark Twain, Bernard Shaw, Erwin Schrodinger--- father of Quantum mechanics. The compilation has already earned the world-wide appreciation.

                 A US based renowned writer  Prof Chitra Divakaruni  whose famous novel ‘The Mistress of Spices’ was released as a film starring  Aishwarya Rai, says -----  "Salil Gewali has lovingly compiled an excellent set of quotations that illustrate how highly great thinkers from all over the world valued Indian spiritual culture and how it transformed their lives. An inspirational read that reminds us of our amazing ancient heritage and why we need to incorporate it into our lives as modern Indians." The book illustrates how the father of Atomic Bomb, Julius Robert Oppenheimer got immersed into the treasure trove of oriental knowledge who even had gone to the extent of proclaiming ---- "What we shall find in  Modern Physics  is an exemplification, an encouragement and  a refinement of old Indian wisdom." 

               The book has even won the fascination of an internationally acclaimed NASA scientist, Prof. A. V. Murali, who comments --- “ 'WHAT IS INDIA' is simply outstanding!  I never knew that such a compilation exists and we all should be thankful to Salil Gewali !  These great quotes should be embossed  on plaques and displayed on the walls of our Parliament, State Assembly Halls, and at all our educational institutions.   Most importantly, the material should be made a compulsory reading for all the school students --- elaborating  more on ' who is who' and the monumental contributions of these intellectual giants.”  

                 The global recognition that the book earned is doubtlessly something remarkable we Indiana  people can take pride in. A scholar from Scotland says --- ‘I congratulate Salil Gewali for this beautiful quotes book on Indian classical literature. True intellectual minds who are free from prejudices always appreciate Indian wisdom. Indian wisdom is secular and universal. A big proof is Salil's book with eminent scholars' comments who are mostly scientists and philosophers.’

                

The book was released by the Governor of Meghalaya and forwarded by the Education Minister of the Meghalaya itself. ‘Sri Ramanuja Mission Trust’ of Chennai has undertaken the task of translating and publishing Gewali’s book into seven languages, as - Tamil, Hindi, Marathy, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit and Malayalam. ‘While the West has excelled at investigating and manipulating the Exterior world, the East has specialized in understanding and transforming the Interior world. This book is a superb eye-opener’, opines Dr  K Bruder of  Michigan, USA.

भारत क्या है?

--अरविन्द पाण्डे

भारत आज भौतिक उन्नति के पथ पे है. ये हर्ष और गौरव की बात है. चाहे हम वैज्ञानिक उपलब्धियों  की बात कर ले या आर्थिक मोर्चे पर अपनी  स्वर्णिम सफलताओ पे नज़र डाल ले तो हम ये  पाएंगे कि भारत अपने तमाम विरोधाभासो के बावजूद  एक महाशक्ति के रूप  में उभर रहा है. ये उस देश के लिए गर्व की बात है जिसने एक लम्बे समय तक दासता झेली हो. पर क्या उस देश को सिर्फ इन   उपलब्धियों को ही सर्वस्व मान लेना चाहिए जिस देश में ज्ञान  के उच्त्तम सोपानो पे विचरण करना नैसर्गिक माना जाता रहा हो. भौतिक उपलब्धियों पे गर्व करना अलग बात है पर उनको सर्वस्व या अंतिम लक्ष्य मान लेना अलग बात है. दुःख की बात है की जिस देश में ज्ञान की महिमा का बखान होता रहा है आज उसी देश में कंचन और काया की प्रधानता है.

          ऐसा क्यों हुआ कि पूंजीपति कि इज्ज़त ज्ञानियो से अधिक हो गयी. ज्ञान का पलड़ा पूँजी से हल्का कैसे हो गया? पाश्चात्य संस्कृति से महज अच्छे  गुण लेने के बजाय हमने उसको अपना पथ प्रदर्शक क्यों मान लिया? विश्लेषण करने वाले कह सकते है कि भाई ये तो लॉर्ड मैकाले कि शिक्षा पद्वत्ति का कमाल है . उसने चाहा था कि हमारे न रहने पर भी एक ऐसी नस्ल तैयार हो जो कि सिर्फ तन से भारतीय हो. उसने चाहा कि ऐसी प्रजाति का जन्म हो जिसे अपने प्राचीन श्रेष्ठ गुणों को आत्मसात करने में शर्म महसूस हो,एक ग्लानि बोध का भाव उत्पन्न हो.एक ऐसी नस्ल तैयार हो जिसे अपने ही गौरव को धिक्कारनमें रस का अनुभव हो. मुझे कहने में सकोच नहीं कि मैकाले ने जो चाल चली उसमे वो कामयाब रहा. अगर वो आज  जिन्दा होता तो अपनी सफलता पर खुश हो रहा होता. आज आप कही भी नज़र डाल के देखिये सब उसी के  चेले आपको नज़र आयेंगे.एक ऐसा देश अस्तित्व में आ गया है जिसमे लोग सरस्वती पूजा को तो लोग सांप्रदायिक मानते है पर वैलेंटाइन डे को अंगीकार करने में कोई हायतौबा नहीं मचती.

    इस अजीबोगरीब माहौल में आज जरुरत है उन बुद्धिजीवियों ,लेखको कि जो हम भारतीयों को प्रचीन मूल्यों को गर्व के साथ अपनाने का मार्ग प्रशस्त कर सके. अगर ऐसा न हुआ तो हम भी उसी गति को प्राप्त होगे जो उन                                  सभ्यताओ का हुआ जिनमे भौतिक मूल्यो पे ज्यादा आस्था प्रकट की गयी.इसी सोच के साथ सलिल ज्ञवाली ने “भारत क्या है”पुस्तक को लिखा है. आज के युग  में गरिमामय  मूल्यों को पुनर्स्थापित या फिर प्राचीन सनातन संस्कृति के आदर्शो में लोगो का विश्वास  फिर से बहाल करना टेढ़ी खीर है. सलिल जी ने इस चुनौती को स्वीकार करते हुए एक दुष्कर शोध और कठिन मेहनत के उपरान्त“भारत क्या है” की रचना की है. यह पुस्तक विश्वव्यापी हो चुकी हैं जिसका प्रकाशन सिघ्र ही अमेरिका से भी होने जा रही हैं।

        इस अनुपम पुस्तक में सलिल जी ने पाश्चात्य विचारको, वैज्ञानिको के साथ ही भारतीय विचारको के कथन का हवाला देते हुए इस बात की पुष्टि की है कि जिस सनातन संस्कृति के ज्ञान को हम श्रद्धा के साथ आत्मसात करने में हिचकते है वही ज्ञान पाश्चात्य जगत के महान  वैज्ञानिको, लेखको और इतिहासकारों की नज़रो में अमूल्य और अमृत सामान है. वे हमारे ऋषि मुनियों के ज्ञान को बहुत आदर कि दृष्टि से देखते है. कितने आश्चर्य कि बात है कि हम आज इसी ज्ञान को रौंद कर आगे बढ़ रहे है .

            सलिल जी की  इस अद्भुत कृति में आप  आइन्स्टीन, नोबेल से सम्मानित अमेरिकन कवि और दार्शनिक  टी एस इलिएट , दार्शनिक एलन वाट्स, अमेरिकन लेखक मार्क ट्वेन, प्रसिद्ध विचारक एमर्सन, फ्रेंच  दार्शनिक वोल्टायर, नोबेल से सम्मानित फ्रेंच लेखक रोमा रोला, ऑक्सफोर्ड  के प्रोफ़ेसर पाल रोबर्ट्स, भौतिक शास्त्र में  नोबेल सेसम्मानित ब्रायन डैविड जोसेफसन,  अमेरिकन दार्शनिक  हेनरी डेविड थोरू, एनी बेसंट, महानमनोवैज्ञानिक  कार्ल जुंग  के साथ भारतीय विचारको जैसे अब्दुल कलाम के विचारो को आप पढ़ और समझ सकते है. ये विचार आप को अन्यत्र भी पढने को मिल सकते है पर जो इस किताब को औरो से अलग बनाती है वो बात ये है कि आप को स्थापित विचारको से जुड़े  कई महत्वपूर्ण विचार  एक ही जगह पढने को मिल जाएगा. थोडा सा  किताब के कथ्य पर भी गौर करे. इतना तो स्पष्ट है किताब को पढने के बाद कि भले आज अपने प्राचीन ऋषि मुनियों की संस्कृति से दूरी बनाये रखने को ही हम आधुनिकता का परिचायक मान बैठे हो पर इस आधुनिक जगत के महान विचारको ने अपने ऋषि मुनियों के ज्ञान की मुक्त कंठ से सराहना की है. अब आइन्स्टीन को देखे जो यह कह रहे है कि ” हम भारतीयों के ऋणी है जिन्होंने हमको गणना करना सिखाया जिसके अभाव में महत्वपूर्ण वैज्ञानिक खोजे संभव नहीं थी.”  वर्नर हाइजेनबर्ग प्रसिद्ध जर्मन वैज्ञानिक जो क्वांटम सिद्धांत की  उत्पत्ति से जुड़े है का यह कहना है कि ”भारतीय दर्शन से जुड़े सिद्धांतो  से परिचित होने के बाद मुझे क्वांटमसिद्धांत से जुड़े तमाम पहलु जो पहले एक अबूझ पहेली की तरह थे  अब काफी हद तक सुलझे नज़र आ रहे है.” इन सब को पढने के बाद क्या आपको ऐसा नहीं लग रहा कि आज कि शिक्षा पद्वति में कही न कही बहुत बड़ा दोष है जिसके वजह से पढ़े लिखे गधे पैदा हो रहे है जिनको अपने ही देश के ज्ञान को अपनाने में लज्जा महसूस होती है. खैर इस किताब के कुछ और अंश देखे.

          ग्रीस की रानी  फ्रेडरिका जो कि एडवान्स्ड भौतिक शास्त्र से जुडी रिसर्च स्कालर थी का कहना है कि “एडवान्स्ड भौतिकी से जुड़ने के बाद ही  आध्यात्मिक खोज की तरफ मेरा  रुझान हुआ. इसका परिणाम ये हुआ की श्री आदि शंकराचार्य के अद्वैतवाद या परमाद्वैत रुपी  दर्शन को जीवन और विज्ञान  की अभिव्यक्ति मान ली अपने जीवन में “. प्रसिद्ध जर्मन दार्शनिक आर्थर शोपेन हॉवर का यह कहना है कि “ सम्पूर्ण भू-मण्डल पर मूल उपनिषदों के समान इतना अधिक फलोत्पादक और उच्च भावोद्दीपक ग्रन्थ कही नहीं हैं। इन्होंने मुझे जीवन में शान्ति प्रदान की है और मरते समय भी यह मुझे शान्ति प्रदान करेंगे .”

           प्रसिद्ध जर्मन लेखक फ्रेडरिक श्लेगल  (१७७२-१८२९) ने  संस्कृत और भारतीय ज्ञान के बारे में श्रद्धा प्रकट करते हुए ये कहा है कि ” संस्कृत भाषा  में निहित भाषाई परिपक्वत्ता और दार्शनिक शुद्धता के कारण ये ग्रीक भाषा से कही बेहतर है. यही नहीं भारत समस्त ज्ञान कि उदयस्थली है. नैतिक , राजनैतिक और दार्शनिक दृष्टिकोण से भारत अन्य सभी से श्रेष्ट है और इसके मुकाबले ग्रीक सभ्यता बहुत फीकी है.”  इतना तो यह पढने के बाद समझ में आना चाहिए कि कम से कम हम भारतीय लोग अपनी संस्कृति का उपहास उड़ना बंद कर दे. कम से कम वो लोग तो जो यह मानते है कि पीछे मुड़कर देखने से हम“केव-मेंटालिटी”  के शिकार हो जायेगे.

          इसके आगे के पन्नो में सलिल जी ने अपने लेखो में इन्ही सब महान पुरुषो के विचारो को अपने तरह से व्याख्या कि है जिसमे आज के नैतिक पतन पे क्षोभ प्रकट किया गया. कुल मिला के हमे सलिल जी के इस पवित्र प्रयास कि सराहना करनी चाहिए कि आज की विषम परिस्थितयो में भी उन्होंने भारतीय संस्कृति के गौरव को पुनर्जीवित करने  की कोशिश कि है. उम्मीद है कि ये पुस्तक एक रौशनी की किरण बनेगी और हम सब अब्दुल कलाम की तरह सोचने पे विवश हो जायंगे कि क्यों मीडिया या भारतीय आज नकरात्मक रुख में उलझे हुए है? क्यों हम अपनी  उपलब्धियों और मजबूत पहलुओ को नकारने में ही सारी उर्जा खत्म कर देते है. चलिए हम अपनी संस्कृति पे गर्व करना सीखे बिना किसी ग्लानि बोध के. आज से और अभी से!

--अरविन्द पाण्डे

इलाहावाद

India in the eyes of western greats

‘To the philosophers of India, however, ‘Theory of Relativity’

is no new discovery, just as the concept of  light years is no matter for astonishment to people used to thinking of time in millions of kalpas, (one kalpa is about 4,320,000 years).’

--- Alan  Watts, an eminent English philosopher

               

                      I thank Mr Salil Gewali from the core of my heart for providing me an opportunity to have a glimpse of the book titled “What is India ?”. It’s indeed a great experience to have a look at the views of some of the great minds, who in unambiguous manner came to endorse the unique contribution of Indian sages, thinkers and scholars born on this divine land from time to time. It’s no secret that in modern India the rise of so called secular brigade has made it near impossible task for the present youth to have access to the true image of India’s glorious past.

Worse, any attempt to have a look into the past is ridiculed by the progressive intellectuals as an attempt of saffronisation of education. Against this backdrop, it’s indeed laudable that author decided to bring in open the contributions of great Indian minds via the words of enlightened souls from the Western world. The youths of our times whose minds have been programmed to view the contributions from the Western world as ultimate will be forced to reshape their brainwaves after intercepting the pearls of wisdom scattered in the pages of this wonderful book penned by Mr. Gewali.

It’s high time that we come to acknowledge the contributions of our sages. At this juncture, I wish to quote the words of Radhakrishnan, which will let my readers to know why it’s so essential to be in league with the wisdom of  Indian sages. It will let you know why it’s so essential to take as much steps as possible to resurrect the glory of past. I pity the intellectuals who believe that if we started looking into past we are bound to return to cave ages. I need to tell such bogus thinkers that the nation which forgot to honour the great relics of past , sooner or later, became a forgotten past ! Radhakrishnan says : ”From the beginning of her history India has adored and idealized ,not soldiers and statesman, not men of science and leaders of industry ,not even poets and philosophers ,who influence the world by their deeds or by their words, but those rarer and most chastened spirits, whose greatness lies in what they are not what they do; men who have stamped infinity on the thought and life of the country, men who have added to the invisible force of goodness in the world. To a world given over to the pursuits of power and pleasure, wealth and glory, they declare the reality of the unseen world and the call of the spiritual life. Their self-possession and self command , their strange deep wisdom , their exquisite courtesy, their humility and gentleness of soul , their abounding humanity , proclaim that the destiny of man is to know himself and thereby further the universal life of which he is an integrated element.” ( Eastern Religions And Western Thought by S. Radhakrishnan , P.35)

I am sure the book which is primarily the compilation of intellectual giants from across the globe like T.S. Eliot, Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Julius R. Oppenheimer, Erwin Schrodinger, Voltaire, Mark Twain, Emerson , Arthur Schopenhauer, Yeats, Alan Watts, Thoreau, Romain Rolland, Abdul Kalam, Paul William Roberts and Brian David Josephson , to name few, would allow young minds to reshape their perspective. They are, at present, bit ashamed in acknowledging the contributions of our sages in open and bold manner. The compilation of the quotes has been done in excellent way which already won the appreciation of the readers from across the world. The NASA scientists Dr. A V Murali says –‘This compilation is simply outstanding! I never knew that such a compilation exists and we all should be thankful to the author! These great quotes should be embossed on plaques and displayed on the walls of our Parliament, State Assembly Halls, and at all our educational institutions. Most importantly, the material should be made a compulsory reading for all the school students (elaborating more on ‘ who is who’ and the monumental contributions of these intellectual giants).’

These candid declarations on the part of these great minds would shatter the reluctance shown on the part of Gen-Next to embrace the wisdom found in Vedas and other Indian scriptures. Recently, I came to be aware of progressive souls making mockery of the Indian civilization saying that we have tendency to overrate our achievements and as a result we are all the time lost in self-glorification. When I contrast the myopic observation of that soul with the revelations present in the Gewali’s book I must say let’s become aware of the glorious legacy instead of giving to sense of rejection caused by the onslaught of progressive literature. The term “progressive literature” makes me laugh as one hardly finds anything progressive while reading books falling in this genre. Without any prejudices in mind let those secularists ponder amazing opinions of the father of Atomic Bomb, Julius R. Oppenheimer, 'What we shall find in  Modern Physics  is an exemplification, an encouragement and a refinement of old Hindu wisdom.'

All must congratulate the author for successful culmination of herculean task whereby he managed to bring at one place thoughts of leading Western thinkers pertaining to contributions of Indian geniuses in various spheres like science, literature and philosophy. The book is a conscious reader’s delight; a prize possession of any soul who wishes to be aware of the contributions of ancient India when wisdom of sages ruled the roost.