Nation - An Extension of Man

The basis of our culture is this concept of 'family' and unless the family is rooted deeply, the society cannot exist, the country cannot exist, the culture cannot exist. Our culture is basically rooted in family and our world view also is rooted in family. How did we look at the world? We say the world is the family. You have heard "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam". The whole Vasudha - Earth is one family. So the family concept is there. The western concept is different. What is the western concept? UNO! United Nations Organisation. It is an organization of Nations on the basis of a constitution. So it is a constitutional arrangement. World Trade Organisation is a constitutional arrangement. UNO's Security Council is a constitutional, legal body. It is not a moral arrangement. So, many immoral things take place there. America says, I will do this, I will do that, because I have got more nuclear bombs. So, America dictates.

A family is run on moral grounds. Not legal grounds. Have you ever thought of filing a suit against your father in the court? Normally not. But have you ever found the constitution of your family? A written constitution, the rules, the regulations. The rights of the husband, the rights of the wife. Nothing is written. But we know it. If anywhere there is a violation, then immediately we feel. So it is a moral, cultural basis on which our family rests. In the West it is on legality. It is like a machine in the West. It is not a living being. Here it is a living being. So what is living is more permanent. A machine is not permanent. A living being is permanent. A living being begets other living beings. The continuity is there. The machine has no continuity. This is very important to remember. In our country, this National character was cultivated. Not only you should be a good individual, you should be a good son of Bharat Mata also. You should be a good son or a good daughter of Bharat Mata. Your relation with Bharat Mata is that which is with the mother. Therefore, you must place the interest of Bharat above your personal interest or even the family interest.   

We have no love for our country. Love for our countrymen. We don't feel for them. So many of our houses are places of exhibitions for foreign goods. This should stop. We should make a determined effort. I will not use foreign goods. If something is not available, we must ask ourselves, "Do I need it? Can I do without it?" Then do not purchase, if you really do not need it. Simply because your neighbor has got it, you must also have it is wrong. If there is a particular colour TV in his house, why should you buy a similar or better one? A status symbol? This mentality should go. So a war of independence does not mean we should go to war with others. We should go to war with ourselves. We have to wage the war with ourselves. That sort of a war of independence is required. What should be the priorities? India should be the priority. Now that does not get priority. Priority should be India, Bharat, our culture, our way of life, our systems, our languages-all these things. If you can speak in your mother tongue, speak in that. Only when the compulsions of communications make it necessary, you have to use English, of course, rather than not communicating at all. But that is not the ideal thing. So, have correct priorities.

Not that Kendra workers are not aware of the social backwardness, the economic backwardness of vast sections of our people. If we were not aware of it, we would not have undertaken these rural development activities, providing water, giving medical aid, etc. But as I told you, every organization has got its own speciality, its own priorities. Vivekananda Kendra was started in a particular atmosphere and that gave it a particular tenor. We are influenced by Swami Vivekananda and his message-every improvement in India must start with a religious awakening. The unity of India depends upon the religious unity. Spirituality is the life mission of India. He said, "even the poverty of the land will be cured if the spiritual stream flows clear". So these were the sources and base of our inspiration while starting Vivekananda Kendra. So that became the top priority. 
..... Mananeeya P Parameswaran ji