(From the Book ‘Rescue democracy from Money-Power’ by Shri C. Rajagopalachari)
National character is the keystone on which rests the fate and future of our public affairs, not this or that “ism”.
National character, again, depends on and in fact is individual rectitude. Movements for the encouragement of personal rectitude, for purifying individual character, are therefore not irrelevant in the context of politics but are vitally connected with out hopes in respect of national affairs.
Individual honesty must be brought into being before we can hope for improvement of our national affairs. It is the drops that make the rain. It is no use saying ‘I shall be good after I make enough for myself. If each one continues to be dishonest, to better his affairs by wrongful means, the national character will not revive. It will continue to be in disarray as it is now. It is the totality of the character of each individual that makes what we call national character.
National character is the keystone of national affairs. It locks all the bricks together like the keystone in the arch. If the keystone is not there, the arch goes to pieces and tumbles down. It is the improvement of individual character that goes to make up the uplift of national character, which in turn becomes the keynote of the arch of national prosperity.
Every movement therefore that seeks and works to improve the character of the men and women of our country is of great importance and is intimately connected with our politics, our economy and our defence.
Gandhiji, it has been often stated, wished to spiritualize politics. He firmly held the view that we cannot keep politics and morality apart. Indeed he wanted politics to be re-built based on a true and reliable foundation, viz., individual honesty
If the parched field of Indian politics and administration has to get fresh green life and grow, we need the monsoon of purity in national character. And the monsoon consists of little drops falling and uniting to make the rain. Individual purity of character along can revive the parched field.
When will the people of India wake up, wake up to the need to work hard, to the need to be honest in all matters and in all walks of life including manufacture and trade? Character, which includes efficient work and truthfulness and purity of mind, is the keystone of the arch both in individual life and in national life. Politics, economics, administration, education, health and hygiene and a score of other things, all call for good character in the individual. Individuals make or mar the nation. We were once men and women of good character. Something has happened to us. It is possible to probe and say what is that has ruined our character, but it is waste of time. Let us regain our good character quickly and all will be well – politics, administration and economic condition. There is no doubt about it. Whether we are Christians or Hindus or Muslims or Parsis or any other, and talking of Hindus in particular to whatever denomination we may belong, the problem of being good and to love to work hard, is the same.
When one looks at things all around as they are and how they are shaping, one feels pessimistic. But this pessimism must be overcome. One’s duty is to be optimistic. And if God showers His Grace on us the optimism will be justified and bear fruit. Hard work, both bodily and brain work, and honesty will make the keystone of the arch which will cover politics, economics, administration and everything else.
In the beginning of this change, from bad to good, from laziness to hard work, there will be a sense of personal sacrifice and a feeling of walking up a steep uphill road. But soon a new sense of pleasure will be aroused within us, which will make things not only easy but sweet, and most satisfying. All the saints of our religions, holy men of all sorts, tried to realize this from time to time. But now and just when the work is most hard, we are very short of saints and men of spiritual power whom we so much need.
The great Sankaracharya told men that they were all manifestations of the Supreme Being and that there was only a screen of illusion between us and God. It was a great and powerful doctrine which, if it informed men and women, must make them unselfish and strong. But the doctrine became more scholastic than a way of thought and life. It became scholastic advaita and lost its vital power. The day-to-day advaita shaped for action is contained in two mantras of the Isa Upanishad:
He who practices seeing all other beings as if they lived and felt within his own body, and himself as if living and feeling in the bodies of other beings, overcomes all ill-will and aversion. When by practis, a man finds all beings become himself, all illusions and griefs disappear. If we thus attain the unity of oneself with all other souls, all grief automatically disappears.
Then came other holy teachers who pointed to men the way of Bhakti, not only in this country but in so many other countries, who are known as Hebrew and Christian and Muslim. They all taught that men are brothers and God the Father is thirsting for the true love and loyalty of His sons. They told me that God resides in men’s hearts whispering love and honesty. They called this voice by many names. Conscience they called it in English, Manassakshi, the witness of the mind, in Tamil and Kannada and other languages. They wanted men to listen to that voice and surrender themselves to it. They taught the true way of work.
The Gita puts the teaching in God’s own mouth:
“Work with your mind wholly dedicating the work to Me, looking on the fruits thereof not as yours, but Mine. Fill your mind with Me when you do your work. You will cross over all hurdles and difficulties through My Grace.”
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