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Friday,
June 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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All over
joint patrolling Environment
as right
Kaun
banega Rashtrapati |
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Name
fiddling
Time to bridle
religious impulse Policy
to check sexual abuse
New
device to detect internal bleeding
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All over joint patrolling IT is not clear what exactly prompted Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to come out with the proposal for joint patrolling by India and Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC). Did the suggestion come from the West as a possible wayout to de-escalate the present tension between India and Pakistan along the border? Or, was it a brainwave of some bright persons around the Prime Minister at Almaty to ward off pressures either for third party intervention or the deployment of UN forces along the LoC? Whatever might have been the motivation, it is obvious that Mr Vajpayee mooted the proposal in all seriousness at a Press conference at the end of his four-day visit to Kazakhstan. India is dead set on preventing any third-party intervention and rightly so. It has consistently stuck to the position that bilateral issues between the two countries must be sorted out amicably across the table. This is in tune with the Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. However, the problem of Indian leaders is that they have to deal with the highly deceptive General-turned-President who thrives on half lies and quarter truths and can take varied positions to hide his real intentions. And in the intricate world of global diplomacy, South Block is yet to find the right answer to dubious games constantly played by the military dictator in Islamabad. More than Pakistan's gameplan, what is particularly disquieting is the absence of coordinated thinking and action on the part of Indian leaders. While the Prime Minister was seriously conveying the joint patrolling idea to the world, Defence Minister George Fernandes virtually poohpoohed the proposition on Wednesday at Bangalore. He said such a mechanism was possible only if Islamabad was ready to give up its policy of fuelling cross-border terrorism. Mr Fernandes is absolutely right in his assessment of Pakistani attitude. In the present situation, the joint patrolling idea is just not a practical proposition. However, when pointed out that the Prime Minister himself made the offer, Mr Fernandes replied that if Mr Vajpayee said so, the latter must have done it after giving due consideration and thought to it. Fair enough. But hasn't the damage already been done? What is particularly disquieting is that the Prime Minister should have mooted such a crucial proposal without formally discussing it at the Cabinet Committee on Security. Apparently, the Defence Minister was not aware of the factors that influenced the thinking of the Prime Minister. Similarly, Mr Vajpayee had no inkling about his Defence Minister's perception. This is yet another typical case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is up to. Mercifully, Pakistan is cold to the idea and has saved India from a possible embarrassment. All the same, the moot question is: how can the people feel reassured that national affairs, especially relating to the sensitive areas of defence, are properly examined and coordinated in the face of the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister working at cross purposes, howsoever unintentionally? Both the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister owe an explanation to the nation. |
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Environment as right YET another Environment Day has come and gone. The usual noises and promises on the importance of safe environment were made by all and sundry. Yet, the situation on the ground continues to appear as dismal as it was when the United Nations designated June 5 as World Environment Day for raising the level of global awareness. A safe environment is the sum total of many factors. It is a goal that cannot be achieved without beginning the task from our own homes. The poor add to the atmospheric pollution by using coal and wood as fuel. The rich make their contribution by using gizmos and products that are making holes in the fragile ozone layer. There were reports about the alarming reduction in the size of the glaciers that feed most of the rivers in India, including the holy Ganga and the Yamuna. If the trend continues, the region will have to cope with a catastrophe of mind-boggling dimensions. However, without a collective global effort there is little that India can do to reverse the trend. Yet, there is much that can still be done for saving the environment from man-made disasters. Take, for instance, the criminal neglect of the depleting forest wealth in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal and its impact on the weather cycle. Uttaranchal is a new state and may take time to put into place effective measures for spreading the forest cover for saving the fragile mountain range from literally collapsing under the weight of man-made follies. But Himachal has no such excuse. No one after Y. S. Parmar has even bothered to prepare a roadmap for saving the state’s rare forest wealth from loot and plunder. Nature is being raped in front of the powers that be in Shimla itself. This city was once called the queen of the hills. Today it has grown into a dangerously fragile concrete jungle that may come tumbling down in the event of an earthquake. The ban on the use of plastic has not been enforced. However, an advertisement issued by GAIL on June 5 added to the confusion about the use of plastic. The quarter page ad emphatically asked readers to say “ yes” to plastic although the popular trend is to say “no”. According to GAIL, the only way to save the country’s forest wealth from further depletion is by encouraging the use of plastic as a substitute for products made from wood. Be that as it may, it is about time for Greenpeace as also human rights organisations to close ranks and collectively raise their voice against the big polluters like the USA and Russia who between them generate more than half the life-threatening greenhouse gases. America does not tire of telling the globe about the need to protect human rights. It must be told by the rest of the world that a safe environment is, perhaps, a more basic human right than freeing adults and children from bondage. A safe environment is a fundamental right of every human being on this planet earth. But unless the principle of “polluter must pay” is enforced, powerful nations like the USA would continue to cock a snook at the world by taking away from individuals the right to safe and healthy life. The Kyoto Protocol enjoins on industrialised nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent of the 1990 level between 2008 and 2012. The USA is among the countries that have refused to put its signature on the document. Why? |
Kaun banega Rashtrapati THE die is cast. The final round for the selection of the country's highest office has begun. A number of outstanding persons have of late been figuring in the calculations of various political parties. Each major party has its own agenda as well as preference and would, therefore, like to have someone to suit its interests, especially on critical occasions. In other words, every political party would wish to have a Fakharuddin Ali Ahmad, who, with all his dignity and wisdom, had acquired the reputation of dittoing every move and proposal of his mentor, Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister This reminds me of the famous cartoon of Abu Abraham showing the late President dutifully signing the ordinance proclaiming the Emergency in 1975 in his bathtub! Looking back, I don't wish to cast aspersions on the honourable leader from Assam. Some other occupants of Rashtrapati Bhavan too compromised the dignity of office and conscience as a matter of political convenience. Adjustment is, of course, part of political life. Confrontation between the President and the Prime Minister can hardly serve the nation's interests. Theirs must be a relationship of mutual trust and courtesy. A Prime Minister is expected to observe certain norms and niceties while dealing with the Head of State. However, occasional aberrations have often taken place in this regard. One such example was the way Rajiv Gandhi tried to ignore Giani Zail Singh in his youthful immaturity. He deliberately kept the President in the dark on policy matters. It must be said that Giani Zail Singh was loyal to the Gandhi family for which he was adequately rewarded with the Presidentship of the Republic. There were, of course, other factors at play as well, but that is besides the point I wish to make. Gianiji used to become emotional while talking about Indira Gandhi and her family. I still remember what he told me in the face of grave provocations from Rajiv Gandhi. "If Madam (Indira Gandhi) would ask me to sweep the floor, I would not hesitate to do so." Rajiv Gandhi's attitude to the sensitivities of the former President was known in New Delhi's political circles. Pushed against the wall during those nerve-racking days, the Gaini told me at Rashtrapati Bhavan that though he was badly "hurt at Rajiv's conduct, he would not like to harm Indiraji's sons". All the same, he wanted to teach him a few lessons on how not to treat the President. So he hit back and expressed reservation on a number of issues, including the controversial Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill. Not that the Giani suddenly developed unalloyed concern for citizens' civil rights. His was a calculated move to put the Rajiv government on the mat and, for once, he had the last laugh. He succeeded in scuttling the Bill. Emboldened by the success, the Giani questioned the government's television policies, summoned the Chief Election Commissioner to explain the delay in the Haryana Assembly elections, sought an explanation on the government's policy on the appointment of judges and even asked the then Andhra Pradesh Governor not to get entangled directly in state politics. The Giani-Rajiv Gandhi row was not the only instance of tense relationship between the President and the Prime Minister. Looking back, differences did crop up from time to time at the highest level. Dr Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru differed sharply on the interpretation of their respective constitutional roles. Their differences came into the open on the controversial Hindu Code Bill. It is also no secret that Dr S. Radhakrishnan was highly critical of Nehru's policy towards China. He was also not happy at the way Defence Minister Krishna Menon handled certain crucial matters. The going was not smooth even between N. Sanjiva Reddy and Morarji Desai. They differed on a number of matters. But they never stooped low in the process. The boisterous late President, V.V. Giri, once remarked, "I was not a rubber stamp and I can point out several instances where I differed with the Prime Minister," he asserted over the supersession of the three Supreme Court judges. "I told them then this was not an opportune time," Giri remarked. I am citing these examples to discuss the qualities that should go into the making of a President. True, we had a lovable person in Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of the Indian Republic. Then the country was fortunate to have an outstanding intellectual in Dr S. Radhakrishnan. His philosophical and scholarly traits were cast in the best of Indian traditions. We also had an outstanding educationist in Dr Zakir Hussain whose integrity and scholarship were unquestionable. Of course, V. V. Giri, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, R. Venkataraman and Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma belonged to a special class. They discharged their role fairly meticulously. The present incumbent, Mr K. R. Narayanan, is a non-controversial and enlightened person. A soft-spoken and mild-mannered President, he is invariably discriminating in his responses and has not compromised his position as a constitutional head. At 81, Mr Narayanan may still like to have a second term. But since there is no consensus within the NDA in this regard, the unwritten convention of one-term President may prevail. The only exception in this regard was Dr Rajendra Prasad, the Republic's first President. From all accounts, it will be an interesting exercise. Mr Krishna Kant as Vice-President is a formidable candidate. He has been nursing a quiet ambition to occupy the top slot. Once known as a Young Turk in the Congress party, he has shown a remarkable quality to survive and thrive in all situations. He had a successful stint as Governor of Andhra Pradesh, and even today he enjoys good equations with Mr Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP). He has also taken care not to unnecessary annoy the BJP leadership. Left to themselves, BJP leaders would like to have a committed person at Rashtrapati Bhavan and this is the reason why the names of Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Mr Bhai Mahavir, etc, have come up. Will any of them make it? Another outstanding scholar whose name has figured is Dr Karan Singh. He is cast in the scholarly mould of Dr S. Radhakrishnan. But it is not certain whether he would be able to muster the requisite political support at this juncture. There are a number of equally credible persons who are in the race for various reasons, including Dr L. M. Singhvi, Punjab Governor Lieut-Gen J. F. R. Jacob and Maharashtra Governor P.C. Alexandar. In the next few weeks we shall know who stands where. However, taking a broad view of the state of the nation, I would like to have someone who is cent per cent Indian at heart and Indian in his outlook. One such outstanding Indian is A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Another such person whose name comes to my mind is Lieut-General Jacob. A 1971 war hero, I am impressed by his national perspective of the problems and issues facing the country. To say this is not to deny that we have a large reservoir of outstanding Indians who make us feel proud. The rest is a matter of chance and luck. What is needed today is the ability to think Indian and act Indian — beyond the majority and minority syndrome. This is where Dr Kalam stands out as among the few tallest Indians. An outstanding scientist, he is a person of integrity, commitment and dedication. A product of Tamil Nadu, he has brought India honour and glory in the sophisticated field of missile power. What makes him a class apart are his qualities of head and heart. A product of the Indian education system at it best, he does not have foreign degrees to flaunt. That way he is a true son of the soil. He has conducted himself exceedingly well in the field of science and technology. He has already been honoured by the nation with its highest award of Bharat Ratna. What has impressed me the most is Dr Kalam's vision to make India a great power. I remember his keynote address delivered at the 117th anniversary of The Tribune on February 22, 1998. He said: "Fifty years after accomplishing the first vision, freedom, the nation must have a second vision. We must dream to be living in a developed country. We are an underdeveloped or a developing nation. A developing nation means a weaker economy. And as a nation, it does not have a standing in international forums. It is time to forget all our previous problems and strive to be a developed nation." "All of us must visualise India as a big nation — a nation with nearly one billion people. Imagine a small India with about one million people. When you are big, you must think big." While thinking of the presidential position, I would like to judge a person for his qualities as an Indian. I would not like him to see himself in terms of caste, religion or community. We must rise above parochial considerations. Enough of hatred. Enough of parochialism. Much blood has been shed in the name of caste and religion and for petty political gains. The time has come to make a total departure from our flawed thinking and perverted practices. We must begin to see a new India through the eyes of outstanding and successful persons as symbolised by Dr Abdul Kalam or Lieut-General Jacob. Let merit, rather than petty partisan politics, carry the day for the country's next President. |
Name fiddling LOOKING back I think I’ve been essentially a name fiddler — starting with one surname, looking for its replacement in a few months, then substituting it with yet another and finally opting for the one that suited my fancy. I could have adopted the name of my birthplace as do most of the politicians in our region — like Jalandhari or Jalalabadi — but the name of my village was far less sonorous and a bit hard to pronounce. Besides there were a few characters in the lower part of the hamlet who were said to be involved in business not strictly legal. So I never thought that my last name would be the name of my village. Not that I loved my villages less, but somehow I didn’t want anyone at any stage to point a finger at me and say that I hailed from the place that brewed the headiest hooch. My criterion of name selection was different. I wanted it to entail the mystique of my family — headman’s family owning more than a hundred acres of land, both fertile and barren. Since the first word to enter my cognitive domain was Chaudhary, I began to use it as soon as I learnt to write my name. But this honeymoon ended well before the world could salute me and my roots. A friend in school one day told me that anyone with an indeterminate lineage and a diffused focus in life was also called a Chaudhary. I shed no tears when I decided to drop this problematic tag. For a month or so I did some deep thinking and sustained doodling — scribbling a few possibilities and then taking a long look at their size, shape and sound. First I resolved to play down my real estate identity. At the same time I decided to retain my filial gratitude through a kind of baptism — picking up the name of my sub-caste. I thought that would go well with the widely spread out clan and blood relatives. I was still in high school gloating over the distinction of being the only Khajuria among hundreds of students. My heart would swell with pride when people complimented me on my innovative strategy to eternalise the name of the family tree. But as in the Chaudhary case, the Khajuria affair too didn’t see too many summers. One, it reminded me constantly of a tree that I never liked — neither its look nor its fruit — and, two, when a learned fellow explained that the real name of my tribe was Bhardwaj and that Khajuria was a minor tributary. I was impressed by this piece of genealogical research but, frankly, the few Bhardwajas I knew were both pompous and paunchy — and I envied neither. So I said goodbye to this name as well the moment I learnt the truth. Despite these two distractions, however, my quest for a suitable name continued. As I groped and contemplated for a couple of months, I suddenly saw the light — my only epiphany in life. I decided to finally end my journey with a name that embodied, besides my caste mark, some manly virtues — a bit of valour and a bit of chivalry. That is how I became a Dogra and the world rhymed well with my first name. As long I lived in Pathanti, the cultural region around Pathankot, the martial name remained the vehicle of my self-definition. Later when I moved out to the territory ahead, I felt the name was rather like a battle cry. That is the time when I quietly settled for a more urbane and generic name which, happily, takes care of both valour and chivalry. |
Time to bridle religious impulse “RELIGION, which was meant to make us better and nobler,” says Nehru, “has made people behave like beasts.” Men still behave like beasts when seized with religious frenzy. It is irrational religious hatred that has brought the Indians and Pakistanis to a nuclear confrontation. The point is: if religions turn some men into beasts, what have we done to prevent these beasts from usurping the power of the state to promote their vandalism? Very little. Look at Pakistan! The beasts are in power there. For about 1500 years, Europe lived in the “Age of Darkness”. The priests had their way. No one dared to question them. It was a felony for a professed Christian to question the “truth” and supernatural authority of his scripture. In Islam, the punishment was even worse. But Gandhi refused to accept the authority of the scriptures. “I cannot let the scriptural text to supersede reason,” he used to say. In any case, he believed that “amongst the many untruths that were propagated in the world, one of the foremost is theology.” Being the “word of God”, and written in a state of exaltation by scribes, these books have a magic influence on the faithful. It is said of Handel’s “Messiah” that it can make an atheist cry. Which explains why these books are worshipped, why an idolatry has grown around them. The Reformation, the Renaissance and the Age of Reason finally broke the spell of religion. They brought light to Europe. No such reform has come to the rescue of the Muslim world. It continues to revert to barbarism in the name of puritanism. It is said that about a hundred million might perish in a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. That is double the number of dead during the second world war. And many more millions will perish in a lingering death. Not this alone. The winds will carry death to the far corners of the world. This is a crime against humanity. But we refuse to say so. The Pakistan representative at the UN had the temerity to announce openly that his country would use the nuclear bomb. And the world body sat in sepulchral silence! Global paralysis? Yes, even worse. There was no one in that “august” assembly who could get up and tell the man that what he proposed to do is a crime against humanity and that its perpetrators will be hauled up before a Nuremberg trial. Even the Indian delegate was tongue-tied! Or, is it that the world has lost all its sensitivity, that it is ready to enter the incinerator? Not so, for much less offence — for more suspicion — America is ready to bomb Iraq! No, it is not insensitivity; it is partisanship. That is why I say that America is not fit for global leadership. A nuclear war is the work of man. It is not the work of an angry God. And yet it is being waged in the name of religion by the religious leaders. As I said, we have found no way yet to control these beasts. More so, when the beasts are under the protection and patronage of the State. Today the priests, profiteers and the rulers are in a league. The whole fraternity of the evil doers. They help each other. The ruling class in every South Asian country depends on the religious organisations — the vote banks as they are called — to be in power. That is how the religious beasts have grown and flourished. Now they are so powerful that they want to be supreme. To control them we must first control the politicians. If we fail to do it, we shall perish in a nuclear fire. We have been warned. The makers of the constitutions of South Asian countries should have separated religion and politics after witnessing the aftermath of the Partition and the bloodbath that followed. But they failed to do so. We are paying the price for their folly. And our academic community has remained largely mute. Is there a way out? There is: we must control both religion and politics. The alternative is death. But it will be no easy matter. Russia tried it, but failed. Religions are really redundant today. They serve no purpose. If anything, their role is negative. They do not explain the nature of the universe we live in. They do not explain the origin of life. In any case, it reads like a fairy tale. And their notions of the starry universe are childish. Those who are brought up on this diet are unfit in a modern society. As for morality, Buddhism and Jainism say that God is not a necessary factor for a moral life. (This is not to say that there is no supreme mystery in the universe.) Religions would not have been a menace had it not been for their provocative assertions. Thus, the Jews asserted that they were the “chosen people of God.” They were the first to divide the humanity into two. The Christians and Muslims followed the Jewish example. Can there be a more monstrous lie that a loving God divided men into two hostile camps? The Jews also invented the myth that only one religion can be true, when truth is said to be multi-faceted. The Lord says in the Geeta: all paths lead to me. Renaissance broke up the power of the Papacy, divided the Christian world into two and established free enquiry. Humanism became the religion of the enlightened. The growth of the natural sciences further weakened the hold of religion on people. But it fought back to power of some sort as an ally of mercantilist forces. Freed from religious bondage, Europe saw the steady growth of political freedom, economic prosperity, intellectual vigour and social reform. But the Muslims, who were ahead of Europe, fell back because free enquiry was stifled by the mullahs. Lenin said that war is inevitable. Khrushchev said no, not in the nuclear age. Europe has become more rational. Asia is not. A maniac like Musharraf can still say: we’ll nuke India! Rulers have always found religion useful. First of all because a soldier, inspired by religion, fought with the strength of ten. More so, when his own god fought by his side. It is this spirit which still haunts much of the world. Every truth comes from the Holy Spirit, says St Ambrose. And St. Francis says, “all that is said...comes from the wisdom of God.” These words unite men. But these were not the words that inspired the foreign rulers. They followed the policy of divide and rule. Today globalisation threatens the future of religions. Hence the growth of fundamentalism. To sum up, only science can free men from the spell of religion. Hence the aversion of religious men to science. Science has already explained the nature of man’s external environment. To that extent, man has gained control of it. But he is not in control of his internal environment — his social, economic and psychological life. These are causing him great distress today. Once he masters this environment, man will be master of his destiny. The religious impulse is a powerful social force. It can promote the ideals of a socialised state. But it must be bridled, for it can also promote retrogressive forces. Today the Vatican is in the vanguard of the movement for a socialised state! Strange? Yes. But it may well be to regain the ground it has lost. |
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Policy to check sexual abuse Washington The proposal, drawn up by a panel of bishops, is likely to be debated hotly by clergymen. It is expected to be voted on by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at a meeting during June 13-15 at Dallas, Texas. According to the proposal, a priest who sexually abuses a child — or any priest who has abused more than one minor in the past — would be subject to removal from the ministry. It also lays down rules to report all sexual abuse allegations to law enforcement authorities and that “all diocesan and parish personnel who have contact with children and young people” should undergo background checks. The six-page “Draft Charter For The Protection of Children and Young People” leaves the bishops open to criticism from those who are clamouring for a zero tolerance policy: removal of all past abusers and those caught in the future. Issues over ousting the errant clergy and former offenders are likely to be debated intensely at the Dallas conference. The proposed national policy, developed by the conference’s Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Abuse, also calls on dioceses to reach out to victims of sexual abuse and their families. “The sexual abuse of children and young people by some priests and bishops and the ways in which these crimes and sins were too often dealt with by bishops have caused enormous pain, anger and confusion,” the panel says. “We are profoundly sorry for the times when we have deepened its pain by what we have done or by what we have failed to do.” Priests or other church officials who have been found to be paedophiles or to have “committed more than one act of sexual abuse of a minor” could also be defrocked under the proposal. The panel has also decided to ask the Vatican to act swiftly on such requests. At present, defrocking involves cumbersome procedures and Rome has been asked to streamline the process for years by US bishops. Ever since the misdeeds of Catholic priests broke out in Boston in January, the Conference of Catholic Bishops has been struggling to restore trust in church leadership even as the sexual abuse scandal has been spreading around the USA.
IANS |
New device to detect internal bleeding A new device that monitors oxygen levels in the blood could give doctors life-saving information about patients who are suffering from internal bleeding. Researchers at Sarnoff Corp., the New Jersey research lab responsible for video inventions dating back to colour television, developed the gadget which gives quick information about internal bleeding by measuring oxygen concentration in blood from the eye. “Blood pumped into the eye through the ophthalmic artery is at least 95 per cent oxygenated — a level that remains steady even if the person is suffering a haemorrhage. But the oxygen content of blood leaving the eye is very sensitive to the amount of blood in circulation”, according to New Scientist (June 5, 2002). A drop in the blood oxygen level in the veins of the eye indicates that less blood is available and internal bleeding is occurring. Measuring blood pressure is another way to detect internal bleeding but a drop in pressure does not occur until a patient has lost 25 to 30 per cent of their blood. The new device, called a retinal oximeter, would allow doctors to spot early signs of internal bleeding so they can quickly locate and stop the haemorrhage and start treatment as soon as possible. Researchers at Sarnoff are reducing the size of the device so it can be hand-held and used in hospital emergency rooms.They hope to begin clinical trials soon, according to the magazine.
Reuters Shocking images for cigarette packets European countries could soon be following Canada's example by putting graphic images showing the ill-effects of smoking on cigarette packets, scientists said in London on Thursday. Along with the usual health warnings, cigarette packets could include pictures of organs damaged by cancer if moves by a consortium of seven European cancer research groups are adopted. “The idea is to make smoking less stylish by depicting the damage it can do,” said Jean King of Cancer Research UK, which is leading the consortium. ''Many smokers still perceive cigarettes as cool to smoke and the packaging is designed by the tobacco companies to appeal to this perception,'' she added in a statement. The consortium is using focus groups in various countries to examine how smokers considering quitting respond to current labels and proposed revisions. The research, which is due to be completed in September, will be used as evidence for the proposed EU Directive on Tobacco Product Regulation. The directive is considered a major step forward in European tobacco control. “Cancer and the tobacco industry do not respect national borders, which is why it is vital to come up with a joint-European strategy,'' King said. After Canada adopted a similar strategy two years ago, 63 per cent of Canadians questioned in a survey acknowledged the effectiveness of the images, according to London’s Cancer Research UK.
Reuters |
Man's work is the cause of his good and bad luck (prosperity or adversity). Even that which is called praktana (i.e. comes from previous birth) is really man's own work. Men who are wise and whose character deserves praise, greatly respect Paurusha (energy); whereas the weaklings who are unable to exercise energy, to exert themselves, worship daiva or Fate. Of course everything in this world is founded on both Fate and Self-exertion, and this latter is divided into two classes, that done in a previous birth, and that done in this. When Fate is favourable, even small exertions achieve good results. But when it is unfavourable, great efforts may be productive of no good. —
Shukraniti, chapter 1, 73-74, 95-967, 97-98, 114-115
*** Benefits come out of good deeds. Injuries come out of evil deeds.. So one should know from Shastra what is good and what is evil, and leaving the evil, practise the good. Jealousy, cupidity, passion, love, anger, fear and recklessness — these seven are known to be the causes of weakness in an enterprise. Valour without arms and weapons, householdership without wife, war without unity of purpose, skill without one to appreciate, and danger without friend, do always lead to misery. Darpa (pride) is the desire for the diminution of others, Mana (vanity) is the idea of superiority to all, Karpanya (miserliness) is stinginess in expenditure, Bhaya (fear) is the suspicion about one's own ruin, and udvega (anxiety) is known to be the fickleness of mind. Insult from even the insignificant leads to great enmity. Gifts, honours, truthfulness, valour and humility lead to good friendship. Words are valueless which do not lead to virtue or to wealth. Excessive charity, penance and truthfulness lead to adversity in this world. —
Shukraniti, Chapter 1, 117-118; Chapter 5, 158-159, 80-82, 93-95, 96-97,
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