Value Based Life and Education

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE

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INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE Trivandrum 695 018, India (0471-2490149) www.iish.org , www.iishglobal.org

VALUES VALUE BASED LIFE VALUE BASED EDUCATION

Dr.N. GOPALAKRISHNAN, Ph.D., D. Litt Scientist, CSIR INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 695 018 www.iish.org www.iishglobal.org Heritage Publication Series - 83

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Value based education – life - service and business ……. The VALUES can be defined as the factors/merits derived for psychological, physiological benefits for individuals, benefits derived for strengthening family relation and social bondage and also the factors which lead to national integration and progress. i.e The values are those factors which can give psychological and physiological benefits. The values are those factors which can improve the relations among family members and strengthen social bondage. And the values also contribute for patriotic vision and mission . Many of the following are important factors of the value based life and in value based education : * A smiling face *A polite way of conversation * Pleasant facial expression * Greeting others * Respecting elders and teachers * Presenting your ideas politely and strongly * Appreciating others’ contributions * Telling good about others * Ignoring the bad in others * Knowing our own limitations * Knowing the merits of others and utilizing them * Congratulating them for their achievements * Giving correct answers for the questions if you know the answer * * Receiving friends and guests with respect and affection * Presenting in a way they feel you care for them *Behaving to people according to their age and expectation..… * feeling proud of our motherland * doing our best to spread the message of this great nation* ………….Like these many factors, when put together make the values in our life. We have to analyze them separately. For the analyses of values a guidance is given below. You may add/ delete/ modify/ correct/ ….. those points . Once you get familiarized with the factors, try to add more points of your own. Give training to students to write notes on all these points by adding more and analyzing them. A comparison to remember: Many people ask the question how to define and explain the ‘values’ in our life by comparing with something known. Shall I answer for that question ! For building a good house two major factors required are bricks and cement. Here, the bricks can be compared with the modern knowledge and the cement can be compared with the knowledge on values. The cement strengthens the grip between the bricks and make the building beautiful and strong. Just like bricks and cement are inevitable for the construction of a house, for ‘building a human being’ ( man or woman) both the modern knowledge and the value based knowledge should integrate, coexist and support each other. The integration envisaged here is between science and spirituality, physical comfort and mental comfort, the traditional and modern knowledge, the 2


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past and future, the experimentable knowledge and experienceable knowledge, the wealth and knowledge, enjoying ourselves and entertaining others, taking help and giving help, …………….. and so on ….so that one can try to become a jnaanayogi and a karma yogi leading a value based life. Every type of knowledge cannot be made available for the students, from the teachers or from the books. It is told by ancient Indians that: Aachaaryaath paadam aadatthe paadam sishya swamedhayaa Paadam sa brahmachaaribhya: sesham kaalakramena cha (you) get one quarter (of the knowledge) from the teacher, one quarter from yourself ( by self analyses) one quarter from others and the rest (one quarter) during the process of living. Hence, variety of methods are required for getting knowledge for a comfortable and happy living/life. For this vision Vedas tell us ‘ aano bhadraa: krathavo yantu viswatha:’ let noble thoughts come (towards us) from all over the world. All these factors put together can be defined and explained as the values. They can be classified under five categories for the sake of easy understanding. Values connected with 1. psychological benefits, 2. physiological benefits 3. family (bondage strengthening) benefits 4. social (bondage strengthening) benefits and 5. benefits connected with nation building ( national integration/ patriotism and nationalism) At a glance the above five points can be memorized as follows ( you can put the whole idea in your own words also) 1. Psychologically beneficial values: a. Using and teaching to use the ears positively b. Using and teaching to use the eyes positively c. Using and teaching to use the tongue positively d. Using and teaching to use the mind positively 2. Physiologically beneficial values a. Purity through scientific customs and rituals b. Purity in the food and drinks c. Purity in action and work 3. Values beneficial for family relations a. Strengthening parental relations b. Strengthening marital relations c. strengthening family (members) relations 4. Values beneficial for social bondage a. Serving the society b. Educating people for filling with positives c. Protecting our environment for the benefit of all living beings 3


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5. Values beneficial for the nation a. Building patriotism through learning the heritage of India b. Knowing the modern India and feeling proud of our motherland Add to the above, as many points as possible and develop the theme . This will enrich the learning process on the values, because the value bits are unlimited . Depending upon the time, place of living, place of work, place of travel, ………etc different type of value bits will have to be incorporated to our life style and to existing knowledge. 1. VALUE BASED LIFE AND VALUES IN EDUCATION Foundation of psychologically beneficial values Our body is like a vehicle and the mind is like the driver. The body moves and works as per the direction of the mind. The mind follows the guidance from the four factors derived from i. Ears ii. Eyes iii. Tongue and iv. Mind (mental analyses). Giving training to these four factors can fetch values in our life. We have to analyze each of these factors. i. Learning the values through hearing (application of ears) : Hearing /using your ears * There are two words in English - hearing and listening * You may hear many sounds/languages but you are listening only few * Listen where ever required * When you have to listen carefully listen to positives and also some negatives (the purpose of former is for practicing the messages and purpose of latter is to know what we should not follow in our life) * Before replying or reacting, listen completely and consider the expressions/ feelings also * Give the feeling that you are listening if it is worth or inform (directly/indirectly) you are not interested to listen What to listen ? The Rishies of India have given the message for this question. Bhadram karnebhi srunuyaama devaa : Oh god let us listen to glorious facts/truths/messages through our ears. Listen to * positive messages * messages for learning * messages for adopting in our life * messages for consoling others * messages from the experience of others * great events of the world * the life of great men and women ……………. and also listen to music, prayer, mantras, keerthans which can contribute for the neurolinguistic effect and psycholinguistic effects…………..(add more to this list) From where to listen ? Listen from * great scholars * parents and teachers * lectures/ speeches/discussions on specific subjects by experts * internets and website * television and radio * cassettes/CDs/ VCDs * movies and documentary films *………………..(add more) When to listen ?: * Whenever you get time and facilities * While driving or traveling in a car ( from cassettes) * While taking rest * working in kitchen/garden/ office/.. * using multimedia facility while working in computers * morning and evening walks (using walkey talkies /cassette 4


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players/) during lunch hrs., in schools/ offices/ clubs/ and also at intervals……………… What should not be listened: * which results in waste of time * messages which do not carry valuable information * destructive messages and guidance * non constructive criticisms * messages with full of negatives * destructive challenges and guidance * unrealistic promises * justifications/rationalizations of superstitions * exaggerated facts *…………all those lead to degradation of values in life and loss of time and energy . Why one should not waste time for listening to negatives: listening to negatives affects the mind and body (negatively) * looses the aim of our life * degrades our status in society and group (everywhere) * results in psychosomatic problems/ mental tensions/ complexes, etc * slowly, the individual will drift and becomes a burden for his/her friends and family members * body chemistry/ biology changes due to increase in the levels of blood cholesterol and adrenalin and change in heart performance and brain functioning *……………..( add more points) ii. Learning the values through seeing ( application of eyes) What all to be seen ? India has given the message for this question Bhadram pasyemaakshabhiryajathraa : Let us see the glorious scenes/facts/incidents through our eyes * see the good in others * the pains and sorrows of others * the failures and struggle for existence of people * life of orphans and old people * life of patients, particularly cancer patients * our luxurious life style and that followed by our friends and relatives * …….scenes for learning from nature and media * (know that every sight/scene can teach you something (let it be a row of ants, jumping of a monkey, flow of water, flowering of plants, a sweet fruit, water in a coconut, swimming fish, poison of a scorpion…….and so on. Each of these can give first hand knowledge from nature. The nature is the teacher and it teaches through these animals/plants/microorganisms/and many such factors. Learn with a good mind and thirst for knowledge. What is required is open eyes to see and collect knowledge from them!) Where to see ? * From everywhere in our surroundings * wherever one goes/houses/hospitals/ poor homes/ residence of mentally-physically challenged people * star hotels/ liquor shops ( go there only for seeing the fate of the people) * tribal villages * see from television, cinema, internet, video films, (particularly the discovery channels/history channels/animal planets which are meant or education)

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Why to see ? * to understand and analyses what are going on around us * to compare how we are related/connected/ compared with that * to understand what is bad and what is good * for adopting good and rejecting bad * consoling the needy * helping the poor * sharing the pains of others …………* for collecting and disseminating knowledge to others like a jnaana yogi * to do our work/karma/dharma like a karma yogi……… iii. Learning and teaching the values through talking (use of tongue) Talking/ speaking is an art: Remember that we talk for different issues like answering a question, explaining a situation, conversation with our friends/ relatives/ office staff/ colleagues/ officials/ supervisors/ subordinators / team members/ teachers/ elders…..The method adopted for communication differ significantly. That knowledge you can get only from experience. We should remember these points : * Talking can make friends and enemies * Tongue can be twisted the way you like hence be careful * Tongue can be used sharply and politely * Your whole feeling can be expressed trough tongue either by using it or by not using it * Hence think before you use tongue/words * Talk only when it is required * Know when to talk * Know what to talk * Know where to talk * Know/ select the precise words to be used * Know the words which should never be used * Know to use simple words/ sentences and avoid complicated/confusing words * Know that some of your audience may know what you are (going to talk) talking * Make sure what you are talking is truth and only truth (and facts) * Quote from where you got the information, if somebody doubts on your words * Do not present wrong information * Remember, it is easy to remember the truth but difficult to remember a lie, if a lie/wrong information is told * If you have presented/ informed a wrong information somewhere, in the next opportunity correct it. * Do not present some of the selected information which you feel not worth presenting * When quoting something quote from authentic sources * Do not casually carry others rumors * Just talking is a waste of time, but loosing a good opportunity is a loss for ever * Talk in a systematic way with sufficient thought input * React silently, not violently where the former is enough * React with due respect depending upon the status of the listener/audience * React sharply with selected valuable words if ( and only if) required * Adopt communication in black and white if that is better than oral communication * Do not talk artificially * Tell politely but not too politely * keep the dignity and self respect * Do not get nervous/confused * Acquire/learn good qualities in conversation by training/practice * Inform even the negatives in a positive way (if negatives are also to be presented/ informed) * Analyze the 6


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consequences/ results of your talking and also (if) not talking * Also learn to keep quite/silent * If required tell that ‘ I shall try learn that at the earliest” * Learn from others how to talk and how not to talk (if you can get a model) * Stick to what you said if you are convinced to what you said * Correct/ Change/ modify/add/delete/subtract , if you have to do so after informing why you are changing * Know that talking is the best communication media hence use the method in all the best possible ways. What to talk/speak ?: * only just needed at appropriate time and place * words of consolation * words for learning and teaching * experiences gained in life * guiding and directing advise * constructive criticisms * good stories and historical events for conveying the good messages * words of blessings, appreciation and motivation * presenting the facts and truths …………….* tongue should also be used for chanting mantras /keerthans/ prayer * singing songs/ musics………… How to speak ? * politely and with dignity * in a pleasant manner * low tone and with clarity of words and sentences * thought based and not feeling based * analyzing with whom we are talking ( father/mother/brother/friends/relatives/ known – unknown persons/…..) and adjusting to the status of the listener ….. iv. Learning the values through mental attitudes/analyses * fill the mind with positive thoughts * build optimism and self confidence * stability of mind * build mental qualities of truthfulness, love, affection, respect, sympathy,…..* an attitude to live a happy life and to do work happily * inform our mind that none of us is permanent and every one has to go back one day (for ever) * know that when each moment passes, we are nearing to the graveyard * keep a vision that life is a mixture of success +failure, loss + profit, happiness + sorrow, ups + downs, felicitations + criticisms, ……..* know that all the feelings are temporary, they come and go * know that even human relation is not constant * keep a devotion in god /divine power * know that there is an omnipotent ,omnipresent power that is guiding the universe ………fill these good qualities in the mind… Remove these feelings from the mind: * The fear complex, anger, superiority and inferiority complexes * attraction and addiction to (intoxicating) drinks and drugs * feeling that we are sick * mental tension on future ……..* remove all the thoughts which results in a series of negatives in our mind. Remember: - Use your ears, eyes, tongue and mind properly and positively. These are the first foundation of value based psychological

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benefits in our life. Imparting training to use these four parameters to students/others is the first step of value based education. 2. VALUE BASED LIFE AND VALUES IN

EDUCATION

Foundation of physiologically beneficial values It is known that sareeramaadyam khalu dharma saadhanam: body is the basis for performing all the dharma /duty. All the activities connected with body are the bases of our living/life. Hence all those factors connected with our body (physiologically) and health also fall under the values in life and value based life. Major physiological parameters can be summarized under three categories . i. The purity through scientific customs and rituals . ii . purity in food intake iii. purity of action/work. i. Values and purity through customs and rituals (sadaachaaraasachaara suddhi) : one of the aims of practicing the sadaachaaraas is to achieve health. The scientific customs and rituals are direct or indirect guidelines for that. Examples * getting up early morning (brain activity) * short prayer sitting on the bed ( heart pressure balancing) * avoiding bed coffee (preventing impurities entering into stomach) * taking bath ( cleaning the body/ skin ) * few minutes mantralapana /chanting manthras and prayer ( for neuro linguistic and psycholinguistic effects) * few minutes dhyaana ( for mental stability and brain activity) * pranayama (psychologically and physiologically good) * soorya-namaskaara (smooth movement of skeletal system, good blood circulation, cleaning the blood/ enough oxygen intake/….) * avoid lying parallel to magnetic meridian – north- south ( for smooth blood circulation to brain) * fasting (for cleaning the intestine) * a prayer for few seconds before taking food ( activates salivary gland for saliva flow )….. all these scientific sadaachaaraas related with health have got fused with spirituality too - * follow such good customs and rituals after scientifically analyzing them. There are many more to add ( do it by yourself) ii. Values in (maintaining) purity of food (aahaara suddhi): Mithaahaara (controlled food) and hithaayaasa (appropriate exercise). Similarly hithaahaara and mithaayaasa are the two aswini devathas narrated in Vedas connected with health, who are known as the divine doctors. The above line means required amount of good/appropriate food and required level of appropriate exercise for health. * do not overeat and over strain * take as far as possible traditional foods which are sufficiently nutritive * avoid non-vegetarian completely * remember the message of Bernard Shah: I do not want to make my stomach the burial ground of animal body * the great men like Bernard Shah, Leonardo da vinci, Tolstoy, J. Jackson, Paul Mc Kathe, boxing champion Killer Kovalski, Body fitness guru 8


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Jack Lal Launa, Olympion Edwin Mosses, Karl Louis , Martina, Iron man title winner for six times Dev Scott…are all vegetarians…..The list of great Indians who practiced vegetarian is long * Prof Vin Berg has proved that carnivorous animals are ferocious because of their food also * he advocates vegetarian for all human beings……* avoid liquor and drugs * avoid foods made attractive with synthetic flavors and colors * avoid taking/giving to children too much health drinks * remember that all those are good for tongue need not be good for body * simple and traditional household vegetables give highest level of all round nutrition ……..* remember the Indian message : yatho anna thatho mana: as is your food so is your mind. Excess food, excess medicine, alcoholic drinks, non vegetarian, drugs ( both curative and intoxicating), all round tension in life, ……..etc are the modern white collar killers ………. Remember body is a temple kshetram…it should be preserved with all purity and sacred approach. This is a valuable message given in Bhagavath geetha iii. Purity of action/work/activity (karma suddhi) : Indians prayed …sthirairangai:sthushtuvaamsa sthanoobhirvyasema deva hitham yadayu: As long as I am alive with this body made of healthy organs, I shall be permitted to do good and divine work/activity. * do good to others and take good from others * every good action has a good result and so is every bad action….* every activity we do should have positive effect on self, family, society or/and on nation * people evaluate us not on our words but on what we have done to the society * wherever possible do selfless service * the satisfaction derived out of that dedicated work is the real reward for us * our action should also orient towards protecting our dharma and also for preventing adharma *………….every negative action in our homes, office, or wherever we are, the result of those action will definitely follow us as karmaphalam * it will affect/hit us today or tomorrow, this is the realistic explanation/ faith because for every action there is an…………….(you know that) I would like to remind you : Three parameters which are the foundations of the value based personal life are the following: acquiring purity of the body through customs and rituals, through controlling food and also through doing good work using our energy/body and undertaking good mission in life. Teaching about these three parameters and related messages is the basis of the values in education on physiological aspects. 3. VALUE BASED LIFE AND VALUES IN

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Foundation of family based beneficial values The foundation of a nation is in the society, that of the society is in the family and that of the family is on individuals. Here we will discuss on the second parameter, connected with family based values. There are three parameters in which all the related subjects can be included i. The parental relation between parents and children ii. The marital relation between wife and husband and iii. The family relation among the family members. i. Values which strengthen the parental relation : * Remember parental relation is the most sacred relation the nature has bestowed upon us. * know that the actual owners of our body are our parents * the status of our parents has been described clearly in India as maatru devo bhava pitru devo bhava - let our mother become divine and father become divine (gods for us) * the parental relation should be preserved and maintained till their last breath * remember that they gave birth to us, nurtured us, wiped our tears, spent long long years, energy and time for bringing us up * they never accounted all these and never asked back anything for the pains suffered by them * they enjoyed each minute spending with us * they prayed to all gods for our betterment and progress * we learned to take food, play, run, talk, smile,… from them * they taught us the experience of love, affection, respect……* remember a day will come during when we have to look after them * when old age attacks, they will become weak, tired, sick, and will need our all round support, even for walking * taking care of them is the putra dharma/ putri dharma * we should support, console, build confidence, feed, entertain,……them as they expect from us * the most horrible fear in our life is the fear of death * be with our parents when they bid goodbye to the world for ever * give them strength/ confidence/ faith during the last moments of life * keep their head on your lap during the last moments of life * know that once they have disappeared from the world for ever, we cannot see/speak/live with them * the departure is permanent * know that the blessing of our parents is the most glorious noble blessings in our life, which will protect us wherever we are ! * Remember a day will come for us also to go to the same bed, when we get aged * whatever we have given to our parents, the same will be received by us from our children * the action and reaction law is natures law (not Newton’s law)….* hence maintain the parental bondage strong, stronger, the strongest. ii. Values which strengthen marital bondage: * the marital relation is the strongest man made bondage which should be strengthened every minute * share all happiness and unhappiness of life * the relation is for 10


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mutual enjoyment and sharing *Hence the position of wife is known as sahadharmini * atleast half an hour in the late evening they should spent together chatting the positive and negative incidents of the day * take dinner together whenever possible * they are the living example for all to be followed, in the life of their children * give and take corrective advise and guidance each other * teach the values to growing children * never talk negatives in home * remember the children learn from your behavior * never take liquor at home even on happy occasions * never drag the wife - husband relation and abnormal behavior to streets for discussion * never drag the marital relation to the courts * use the ears for hearing good, use the eyes for seeing good, use the tongue for talking good and use the mind for thinking good, in the family atmosphere * the Indian way of marriage is building a strong mental/psychological relation between the male and female through powerful aachaaraas…….. ( add lot more to this part after systematic analyses) iii. values which strengthen family (members) relations: The family comprises, parents, grant parents, brothers, sisters, cousins,….in olden days there was combined family system and now there is generally micro family system only * the children learn many things / values from our relatives by directly seeing/hearing/practicing/…* try to build a strong family relation * many family members live like enemies which should be avoided as far as possible by deliberate adjustments in behavior * family relations give big support during the needy hours * in the family environment, learning the values and traditions become spontaneous and easy * experiences of the aged can directly be pumped into the younger ones * living together, sharing together, enjoying together…were our watch words in olden families ( sahanaa vavathu sahanow bhunaktu saha veeryam karavaavahai….. * let us give and take values from/to our family members by building a powerful family (members) relation……………. Remember: the most glorious and noble blessing in this world should be received from our parents by serving , caring and protecting them till their last breath. That is our duty + privilege + responsibility (= dharma; putra dharma and putri dharma). The most precious relation is the relation between wife and husband which should be nurtured till the end of the life. Learning, teaching and sharing the experiences and values of our relatives in the family are divine opportunities which should be fully utilized through. 4. VALUE BASED LIFE AND VALUES IN EDUCATION Foundation of socially beneficial values It is a horrible superstition to believe that god has created everything on earth for the human beings. Remember, out of the 1.6 million type of animals on the earth, only one type of animal is the human being. While 11


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giving so many physiological and psychological limitations for human beings , the nature has given some fine qualities too, the scientific outlook, rational thinking, logical analyses, social life style, ….etc. The Indians always prayed lokaa: samasthaa: sukhino bhavanthu Let all the people become happy. Sarve bhavanthu sukhina: sarve santhu niraamayaa sarve bhadraani pasyanthu maa kaschith dukha bhag bhaveth Let all become happy, all become healthy, all may live glorious life and never anyone suffer sorrow. Our saanthi manthra is saha naa vavathu saha now bhunakthu saha veeryam karavaavahai, thejaswinaa vadheethamastu maa vidvishaavahai let us exist together, let us share the results of the work together (let us eat together), let us work together, through that process let us get ourselves enlightened, let us not have hatred towards anyone…..let noble thoughts come to us from all over the world - aa no bhadraa: krathavo yanthu viswatha: These are the great Indian messages for social life. One should use their ears for listening the needs of the people, the eyes for seeing the pains and sufferings of the society, the tongue for consoling the suffering people and mind for thinking about the social welfare…… How to achieve this ? There are three foundation principles for the values connected with the society under which all other parameters can be brought in i. Serving the people ii. Filling with good after removing the bad in them iii. Protecting our surroundings and nature for the society of today and future. i. values in serving the society * spend minimum 3 % of your time, 3 % of your energy and 3 % of your monthly income ( for students - in future) for serving the needy people .Do some of the following * give food for the hungry * console the suffering people * care the patients * psychological relief for the mentally affected * financial support for the poor * a bit of parental love for the orphans * few words and few minutes for the aged * confidence building in giving up bad habits/addictions *building self respect in the people having inferiority complex * analytical mind for the people having superiority complex *………(some more points) *compare our status with that of the suffering people * compare our financial position, status in the society, name and fame, position acquired and bestowed,… * then try to utilize a part of the advantages you have got for the deserving people in the society. * In the course of time do the service selflessly without focusing on awards, felicitations, appreciations, etc……try to become a model so that others can follow the footsteps. ii. Values in removing the bad ( from everywhere ) and filling the good: * remove the superstition and fill with scientific thoughts * remove duraachaaraas and fill with sadaachaaraas * remove cheap and valueless acts and fill with valuable acts * remove non cooperation and fill with the attitude of cooperation * remove the negatives and fill with positives * remove 12


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pessimism and fill with optimism * remove obstacles and fill the attitude for preventing obstacles * remove hardships and smoothen the pathways * remove the destructive mind and build a constructive mind / approach/ vision * destroy adharma and construct and protect dharma * do not mislead but lead and guide * do not give poisons to ears/eyes/tongue/mind give nectar to all these…. You can do a lot……do it ! . iv. Values in protecting our surrounding, environment and nature: * know that the earth and nature are for all living beings * protect the earth/air/water/all plants and animals, directly or indirectly * remember, enough air, water and food are available for all if properly and carefully utilized * the past generation could protect them and hand over to us * it is our duty to hand over the treasure received by us to the next generation * the natural resources are not only for us but also for the future generation including our children and grand children * do the level best to spread the message of Vedas vasudha eva kutumbakam : this earth is our home ( all the living beings are our family members) do not spoil/destroy it. Let us all live together in that home says the value system of our motherland. Remember once again: doing our level best for the society till the last day of our life is the value based social life. Spending minimum 3 % each of your energy, time and money for the support of the deserving people is our dharma. Teaching and learning to practice this message is the value based social education. 5. VALUE BASED LIFE AND VALUES IN EDUCATION Foundation of values for national integration and development A nation is different from a country. A group of people living in a geographical locality may be called as country. When the cultural bondage among the people and towards the country get integrated, the country becomes a nation. When the outlook towards the nation attains a level of family relation, then the nation becomes motherland (mathrubhumi), fatherland ( pithrubhumi) and holy land ( punyabhumi). Bharath is our motherland. Everywhere, in the world the policy makers design the education curriculum in such a pathway as every citizen should build a strong bondage of respect and affection towards his own nation. Unfortunately, in India learning and teaching about our motherland have been labeled in a different way by politicians. so the policy makers do not touch the most important mission for building patriotism and nationalism. Hence, take it as the duty of the teachers and parents to learn and teach all factors contributing to the values in our national life leading to self respect, pride as an Indian and also devotion and dedication towards our motherland. There are mainly two factors under which all other minor facts can be brought in for developing values connected with our nation and a patriotic vision. i. Values through learning and teaching the heritage of India ii. Values through learning and teaching the present and future glory of India on all spheres. 13


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i. Values through learning and teaching the heritage of our nation : * know that Indians are the only people in the world who prayed for the happiness of everyone in the world ( lokaa: samasthaa: sukhino Bhavanthu) * we are the only people to accept all types of diversified thoughts and practices ( aa no bhadraa: krathavo yanthu viswatha: ) * we never claimed only our pathway is the correct one * we never advocated to destroy all other way of thinking * we never said only our gods are real gods or powerful gods * we are the only people who preached let us not have hatred towards anyone ( maa vidvishaa vahai) * we are the only people prayed for all type of peace ( om saanthi, saanthi saanthi) * we never invaded any country * we never prevented others taking our knowledge * we prayed to lead all of us from bad to good ( asatho maa sath gamayaa) * we prayed for leading from darkness to light ( thamaso maa jyothirgamaya) * we prayed that none should suffer from pain (maa kaschith dukha bhag bhaveth)…….* we are the only people advocated for integrating science and spirituality ( avidyayaa mruthyum theertwaa vidyayaa amrutha masnuthe) * Indian advised to learn even spirituality using science for removing the bad effects of superstitions ( jnaanam vijnaana sahitham yath jnaathwaa mokshyase asubhath) * we welcomed foreign Parsies, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and made them our family members * we even helped them to propagate their religion * we gave them everything for building their temples/churches/mosques/ and even accepted their gods and holy books …………..learn all these points and analyze the history. You may not get it from text books prescribed for Indian schools and colleges . These are truths and facts to be learned and taught for feeling proud of our nation. Through these feeling a mind full of patriotism will bloom, through that many of the present evil will definitely be wiped out * when the feeling of motherland comes to our mind, all the Indians become our brothers and sisters * if all what we do/say/ see/ think /.. are meant for our own brothers and sisters of India, how can we take bribe from them ? how can we cheat them ? how can we kill them ? how can we terrorize our motherland and kill innocent poor people ? how can we behave carelessly ? how can we neglect many things affecting our people? what we lack in India is the bases of all values that is the feeling of patriotism ! Build it immediately and spread that feeling among our colleagues! Patriotism is not narrow mindedness ! Learn the scientific heritage of our motherland * the contributions of Aryabhattacharya, Bhaskaracharya, Vateswaracharya, Lallacharya, Manjulacharya, Varahamihiracharya, Puthumana Somayaji, Nilakanta Somayaji, Sangama grama Madhavacharya,………and many such genius who contributed hundreds of theorems. They invented/ discovered these excellent knowledge far before the western scholars discovered them. The subject area of astronomy and mathematics was part of our spiritual and 14


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scientific life of India . * Learn the contributions of Charaka, Susrutha, Vagabhata and like that many scholars in the field of medicines including surgery, from whom even the father of modern medicine Hippocrates learned the science of medicine. * Learn the chemistry heritage from Bharadwaja, Nagarjuna, and many like that through the hundreds of books written. The list is unending, Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage has brought out all these information in dozens of books. Ancient Indians have discovered the wave nature of sound, the uncertainty principle, Darvin’s theorem, blood circulation, vaccination principle, velocity of light, …….and so on. People learn the heritage of their country for feeling proud of their nation, for informing the world on the contribution of their forefathers and claim the credit of the discovery/invention and also for getting novel ideas for modern research. (you know many Indian knowledge has been patented by the western scientists during the last five years) Learn the technological heritage of India which can be seen even now in * Ajantha, Elephanta and Ellora cave temples * the temples constructed by the kings of Chola- Chera- Pandya- Hoysaala….dynasties in Trivandrum, Sucheendram, Kumbhakonam, Chidambaram, Rameswaram, Thiruvannamalai* The palaces in Rajasthan, Mysore, Gwalior, and in many States in south and north India……..* the granite music pillars in temples….. * the metallurgical heritage of India seen as the proof in Delhi and Dhar iron pillars, the Asoka sthambhas * the metal statues in hundreds of temples, the pancha loha idols, the swords and spears of ancient India…………* the granite and marble technologies in all these temples and palaces………. * the palaces and forts in north and south India …………* .the technologies connected with ceramics, colored/ colorless glasses, tiles … and so on…… * the Indian food and flavor technology…. The Indian cosmetics and the science behind those * the textile technology……. the list of ancient Indian technology is unending. Try to go through the literature heritage of India. You will be astonished when you see the * the Vedas * vedangas * upavedas * upangas *darsanas *puranas *itihasas *smruthies………. Atleast once in your life, you should hear the names of these books………. They are all our heritage. I am sure the students can learn and teach all these with the help of their parents and teachers. Add more into this list…… Imagine your feeling when you get many points to write about our motherland… Do you feel proud ? if yes is the answer ; that pride is known as the patriotism…….. * Know that scientist, scholars and thinkers from even the developed countries accepted the merits of Indian Veda chanting, Bhagavath geetha, messages from ancient Indian management books, music, musical instruments, dances, Vedic mathematics, yoga, Indian family systems, vegetarian food, Sanskrit language, teaching methods through story telling, Indian festivals, Indian prayer from Vedas, Indian spirituality and customs and rituals ( the list is unending add more to this) 15


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ii. Values through learning and teaching the present and future glory of our nation on all spheres of life * Know the modern glory of India * India could go to Antarctica * explode ten atom bombs in two pits * launch our own satellites and also other countries’ satellites including those of developed countries * we developed 27 types of missiles without the help of any other countries * we can supply the geographical data even to the most developed countries * we are one among the top giants in IT and computer technologies, medical facilities, communication facilities, print and electronic media, transportation on land, sea and air, in undertaking most sophisticated international construction contracts, in military arsenals, in textile industry, chemical industry, electronic and software industry, …… * we could achieve the self sufficiency in food , medicine, sophisticated equipments, tools, milk production…… * India could achieve white revolution, green revolution and blue revolution many times *……………Many of our products are even entering into the markets of the most developed countries. Many of our experts in scientific and technological fields are conquering the western countries and Europe with our brain and material……….. Remember that we should not belittle ourselves, our great heritage, our modern achievements. When (if) we do so we are denigrating ourselves. Our mother may be old, sick, suffering from ill health but she is our mother . We never make fun of her……same is applicable to our motherland too. Our motherland is the only surviving culture/civilization in the world . All other civilizations (Rome, Greek, Babylonia, Mesopotemia, Chinese……) got wiped out from the surface of the globe earth . Our culture and values are surviving in-spite of the atrocities suffered for more than a thousand years. She is old, weak, still giving light to the world through her modern and ancient messages. Respect her, love her, learn about her, teach and discuss the glory of our motherland. Sri Rama told Lakshmana like this: Jananee janma bhoomischa swargadapi gareeyasi : Mother and motherland are more glorious (great) than the heaven itself. We also should feel so. Remember ! Carry the great message of our motherland through words and deeds. Use your ears for hearing the greatness of our motherland, use your eyes for seeing the glories of our motherland, use our tongue for teaching and explaining the greatness of our holy land, use your mind for thinking about the motherland and also the pains suffered by her in the past (for more than ten centuries) and do your best for wiping out the tears from her eyes through your patriotic contributions. This is the value based patriotic life for our nation. Learning and teaching this mission are the value based education for becoming a patriot/ noble citizen of India . Also remember that change in the world is made possible and a new world order is created not by the efforts of all the people, but by the efforts 16


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of 3% of the people. Whether it is in a group, institution, country or in the world as such. Try to become one among this three percent. Dear students, teachers, parents and friends ! It is our dharma ( duty + responsibility + privilege) to follow/practice a value based life. Learn the basic principles of values by yourselves, teach to your family members/friends/colleagues/supervisors/subordinates/…….some may not like these messages. Do not worry about them, continue your mission . This is one of the noblest mission. Slowly but definitely everyone will accept it. Change the people, family, society and nation towards a value based system. Let us read the great message given by one of the greatest scientists of the world and president of our motherland, DR.A.P. J. ABDUL KALAM. Keep every message with you use them for today, tommorrow and in future. Thanks President’s Office, The President of India DR. A. P. J. ABDUL KALAM’s Speech in Hyderabad “I HAVE THREE VISIONS FOR INDIA” In 3000 years of our history, people from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards. The Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why ? Because we respect the freedom of others. That is why my first vision is that of FREEDOM. I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us. My second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT. For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are among the top 5 nations of the world in terms of GDP. We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are falling. Our achievements are being globally recognized today. Yet we lack the self confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation, self-reliant and self-assured. Isn’t this incorrect? I HAVE A THIRD VISION India must stand up to the world. Because I believe that, unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only STRENGTH respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an 17


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economics power. Both must go hand-in-hand. My good fortune was to have worked with three great minds. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai of the Dept of Space, Professor Sathish Dhawan, who succeded him and Dr. Brahm Prakash, father of nuclear material. I was lucky to have worked with all three of them closely and consider this the great opportunity of my life. I SEE FOUR MILESTONES IN MY CAREER: Twenty years I spent in ISRO. I was given the opportunity to be the Project Director for India’s first satellite launch vehicle, SLV 3. The one that launched Rohini. These years played a very important role in my life of Scientist. After my ISRO years, I joined DRDO and got a chance to be the part of India’s guided missile program. It was my second bliss when Agni met its mission requirements in 1994. The Dept. of Atomic Energy and DRDO had this tremendous partnership in the recent nuclear tests, on May 11 and 13. This was the third bliss. The joy of participating with my team in these nuclear tests and proving to the world that India can make it, that we are no longer a developing nation but one of them. It makes me feel very proud as an Indian. The fact that we have now developed for Agni a re-entry structure, for which we have developed this new material. A very light material called carbon-carbon. One day an orthopedic surgeon from Nizam Institute of Medical Science visited my laboratory. He lifted the material and found it so light that he took me to his hospital and showed me his patients. There were these little girls and boys with heavy metallic calipers weighing over three Kg. each, dragging their feet around. He said to me : Please remove the pain of my patients. In three weeks, we made these Floor reaction Orthosis 300 gram calipers and took them to the orthopedic center. The children didn’t believe their eyes. From dragging around a three kg. load on their legs, they could now move around! Their parents had tears in the eyes. That was my fourth bliss! Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why? We are the first in milk production. We are number one in Remote sensing satellites. We are the second largest producer of wheat. We are the second largest producer of rice. Look at Dr. Sudarshan, he has transferred the tribal village into a selfsustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.

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I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert land into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news. In India we only read about death, sickness terrorism, crime. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T.Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology. Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied : I want to live in a developed India. For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is highly developed nation. Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance. Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours. You say that our government inefficient. You say that our laws are too old. You say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. You say that the phones don’t work, the railways are a joke, The airlines is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination. You say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is in absolute pits. You say, say and say. What do You do about it? Take a person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face YOURS. You walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don’t throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. You are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. You come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity. In Singapore you don’t say anything, DO YOU? You wouldn’t dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai. You would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah. You would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs. 650) a month to, “see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else”. You would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, “Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so’s son. Take your two bucks and get lost”.You wouldn’t chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia 19


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and New Zealand. Why dont’ You spit Pan on the streets of Tokyo? Why don’t You use examination jockeys or but fake certificates in Boston??? We are still talking of the same You. You who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India? Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay, Mr. Maikar, had a point to make. Rich people’s dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place”, he said. “And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dogs feels the pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here? “He’s right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to do everything for us. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is known not pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? “It is the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my son’s rights to a dowry. “So who’s going to change the system? What does a system consist of ? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely no me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr. Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away. Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England. When England experience unemployment, we take the next flight out of the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and 20


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brought home by the Indian Government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money. Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one’s conscience too... I am echoing J.F. Kennedy’s words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.... “Ask What we can do for India and do what had to be done to make India what America and other western countries are today”. Lets do what India needs from us. Thank You, DR. ABDUL KALAM (President of India)

If you feel this Article is interesting, Please consider a Donation. Please Bless us with a support for building the National Heritage Centre at Mazhuvanchery, Trissur, for undertaking more and more mission oriented such activities. You can remit/ send your donations and support for this patriotic noble cause by giving your name and full address with telephone number including email address and remit the amount as DD or directly to the account number at SBT Pappanamcode, Trivandrum AC No. 57020803070 of Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage Account Details : Beneficiary Name : Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage Account Number : 57020803070 IFSC Code : SBTR0000030 MICR No : 695009035 Bank/Branch : SBT Papanamcode, Trivandrum You Can also send Your Cheque or DD to: Hon. Director, 21


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Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage, 'Ushus', Estate Road, Papanamcode, Trivandrum - 695 018, Keralam, India. Ph: +971-471-2490149

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Value Based Life and Education

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