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– Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya
It must be realised that the object of our economic system should not be to make extravagant use but a well-regulated use of available resources. The physical objects necessary for a purposeful, happy and progressive life must be obtained …
Usher in the new era
For want of time, I have not touched upon the natural aspects of economic structure. But one thing is clear that many old institutions will yield place to new ones. This will adversely affect those who have vested interests in the old institutions. Some others who are by nature averse to change will also suffer by efforts of reconstruction. But disease must be treated with medicine. Strength can be gained only from exercise and hard work. Therefore, we shall have to discard the status quo mentality and usher in new era. Indeed our efforts of reconstruction need not be clouded by prejudice or disregard for all that is inherited from our past. On the other hand, there is no need to cling to past institutions and traditions which have outlived their utility. We have considered what the direction of change should be.
Epilogue
We have, in the last four days, thought over the integrated form of Humanism. On this basis, we shall be able to re- reconcile nationalism, democracy, socialism and
We have set out with the determination to make this Nation strong, happy and prosperous through the medium of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Therefore, we must carry on practical programmes for the national reconstruction on this foundation
world peace with the traditional values of Bharatiya culture and think of all these ideals in an integrated form. The mutual conflict among these ideals can be removed and they can supplement mutually. Thereby ‘Man’ can gain his lost status and attain the aims of his life.
We have discussed here the philosophy. But the members of Bharatiya Jana Sangh are not mere philosophers or academicians. We have set out with the determination to make this Nation strong, happy and prosperous through the medium of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Therefore, we must carry on practical programmes for the national reconstruction on this foundation. We have taken due note of our ancient culture. But we are no archaeologists. We have no intention to become custodians of a vast archaeological museum. Our goal is not merely to protect the culture but to revitalise it so as to make it dynamic and in tune with the times. We must ensure that our Nation stands firm on this foundation and our society is enabled to live a healthy, progressive and purposeful life. We shall have to end a number of traditions and set in reforms which are helpful in the development of values and of national unity in our society. We shall remove those traditions which obstruct this process.
Whereas one need not mourn the limitations of the human body, one must undergo the required surgical operation if any part of the body has a cancerous growth. There is no need to amputate healthy limbs. If today, society is gripped with evils like untouchability, which leads men to treat other human beings as lower than themselves, and thereby threaten the national unity, we shall have to end such evils.
We shall be required to produce such institutions as will kindle the spirit of action in us, which will replace the self- centredness and selfishness by a desire to serve the Nation, which will produce not only sympathy towards our brethren, but a sense of affection and oneness with them. Such institutions can truly reflect our ‘Chiti’.
‘Chiti’ is a Nation’s soul. The power that energises and activates the Nation is called ‘Virat’, which in turn is aroused and organised and canalised by ‘Chiti’. The place of ‘Virat’ in the life of a Nation is similar to that of ‘Prana’ in the body. Just as Prana infuses strength in various organs of the body, refreshes the intellect, and keeps body and soul together, so also in a Nation, with a strong Virat alone, can democracy succeed and the government be effective. Then the diversity of our Nation does not
Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya with Leaders of the Jana Sangh
Chiti is a Nation’s soul. The power that energises and activates the Nation is called Virat, which in turn is aroused and organised and canalised by Chiti
prove an obstacle to our national unity. The differences of language, occupation, etc., are present everywhere. However, when the Virat is awake, diversity does not lead to conflict and people co-operate with one another like the various limbs of the human body or like the members of a family.
We have to undertake the task of awakening our Nation’s Virat. Let us start carrying on this task of awakening the Virat of the Nation with a high sense of pride in our hoary glorious past, taking a realistic assessment of the present and having a great ambition for the future. We wish neither to make this country a shadow of some distant past nor an imitation of Russia or America.
With the support of universal knowledge and our heritage, we shall create a Bharat which will excel all its past glories, and will enable every citizen in its fold to develop his manifold latent potentialities and to achieve, through a sense of unity with the entire creation, a state even higher than that of a complete human being. It is a state in which ‘Nar’ (Man) becomes Narayan (God). This is the eternal and continuous divine form of our culture. This is our message to humanity at the crossroads. May God give us the strength to succeed in this task.
Speech delivered by Pt. Deendyal Upadhyaya on 25 April, 1965 in Mumbai
(Source- Integral Humanism- An Analysis of Some Basic Elements)