We Need Compassionate Leaders, Not Hate-mongers
The preamble to the United Nations charter says, "Since wars begin inthe minds of men, it is in the nds of men that defences of peace st be constructed."In the rock-edicts Ashoka one finds the earliest tance of the transformation of a king o not only abjured war, shaken by its rendous consequences, but who nt on to ban war in his kingdom as a asure of state policy. His inquiry into psychological roots of war led him pelieve that hatred for the other's iefs is the primary cause of war but t hatred can never be appeased by cred; it "can be appeased only by love Wich is the eternal law" This inner understanding transmed Ashoka into the great apostleag of peace and spiritual values, nembered today not because he fought won wars, but because he had the arage to perform the more difficult task of winning the hearts of the people. Wars have been happening for millennia: wars of aggression, wars to endwars, patriotic wars, religious wars, trade wars, cold wars, wars in self-defence and 'just' wars. But their roots lie in the prejudices, complexes and fears that have plagued the human mind. The solution to war lies in "freedom from fear”, as J Krishnamurti said. "Belief and behaviour go together", pointed out S Radhakrishnan. "If we believe in blood, race, and soil, our world will be filled with Buchenwalds. If we believe in universal spiritual values, peace and under. standing will grow." Urdu shortstory writer, Krishan Chander, narrates the poignant story of two soldiers journeying back home in a pensive mood after World War II, one soldier hoping that someday all soldiers will lay down their arms and refuseto fight, to which the other responds, "In that case the enemy would win! The story reflects our innermost insecurities and conditioning which would require an enemy even when none might exist. The search for the holy grail of peace is a journey that must begin with a reality check within, of our real anxieties and fears and hopes, the realisation that these are common concerns, which alone can trigger empathy and understanding beyond ideologies. It would be worth the effort to tear apart this veil of malevolence and double-speak which seems to shroud us all today and tread the old pilgrim path to brotherhood and bonding. to resurrect value-systems which have ennobled our traditions and kept them alive for us. "Why should we honour those only who die onthe battlefield? Are they any less heroes who go into the abyss of oneself?"askedo Yeates. Itis T such heroesand traditions we need to revive today more than ever, when images of blood and destruction seem to pervade and haunt us daily. For what is needed are not critiques but compassion, what is required are not theories but the therapeutic balm of understanding. ⚫As President Eisenhower reflected"With everyone a loser in any newwarbetter understanding than ever beforeessential among people and nations."borrow the idiom put forth by TS Eliowe have not merely a wasteland wroughby war but a wasteland of values. Ina world ridden by terrorist attacks and tragedies, one is reminded of the hauntingly evocative affirmation of thhuman spirit in the John Lennon song'Imagine',which captures this quest fop ace in the shadow of war-"You maysay i'm a dreamer, but i'm not theonlyone, someday you too will join us, andthe world will be as one."
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Pranav Khullar kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Pranav Khullar Speaking Tree,Times of India
We Need Compassionate Leaders, Not Hate-mongers
The preamble to the United Nations charter says, "Since wars begin inthe minds of men, it is in the nds of men that defences of peace st be constructed."In the rock-edicts Ashoka one finds the earliest tance of the transformation of a king o not only abjured war, shaken by its rendous consequences, but who nt on to ban war in his kingdom as a asure of state policy. His inquiry into psychological roots of war led him pelieve that hatred for the other's iefs is the primary cause of war but t hatred can never be appeased by cred; it "can be appeased only by love Wich is the eternal law" This inner understanding transmed Ashoka into the great apostleag of peace and spiritual values, nembered today not because he fought won wars, but because he had the arage to perform the more difficult task of winning the hearts of the people. Wars have been happening for millennia: wars of aggression, wars to endwars, patriotic wars, religious wars, trade wars, cold wars, wars in self-defence and 'just' wars. But their roots lie in the prejudices, complexes and fears that have plagued the human mind. The solution to war lies in "freedom from fear”, as J Krishnamurti said. "Belief and behaviour go together", pointed out S Radhakrishnan. "If we believe in blood, race, and soil, our world will be filled with Buchenwalds. If we believe in universal spiritual values, peace and under. standing will grow." Urdu shortstory writer, Krishan Chander, narrates the poignant story of two soldiers journeying back home in a pensive mood after World War II, one soldier hoping that someday all soldiers will lay down their arms and refuseto fight, to which the other responds, "In that case the enemy would win! The story reflects our innermost insecurities and conditioning which would require an enemy even when none might exist. The search for the holy grail of peace is a journey that must begin with a reality check within, of our real anxieties and fears and hopes, the realisation that these are common concerns, which alone can trigger empathy and understanding beyond ideologies. It would be worth the effort to tear apart this veil of malevolence and double-speak which seems to shroud us all today and tread the old pilgrim path to brotherhood and bonding. to resurrect value-systems which have ennobled our traditions and kept them alive for us. "Why should we honour those only who die onthe battlefield? Are they any less heroes who go into the abyss of oneself?"askedo Yeates. Itis T such heroesand traditions we need to revive today more than ever, when images of blood and destruction seem to pervade and haunt us daily. For what is needed are not critiques but compassion, what is required are not theories but the therapeutic balm of understanding. ⚫As President Eisenhower reflected"With everyone a loser in any newwarbetter understanding than ever beforeessential among people and nations."borrow the idiom put forth by TS Eliowe have not merely a wasteland wroughby war but a wasteland of values. Ina world ridden by terrorist attacks and tragedies, one is reminded of the hauntingly evocative affirmation of thhuman spirit in the John Lennon song'Imagine',which captures this quest fop ace in the shadow of war-"You maysay i'm a dreamer, but i'm not theonlyone, someday you too will join us, andthe world will be as one."
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Pranav Khullar kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Pranav Khullar Speaking Tree,Times of India