The Hindu Business Line : `Be objective and, thus, effective'

Arsha, in Sanskrit, means that which is from the rishis, the great sages of ancient India. And `vidya' means knowledge, explains www.arshavidya.org, the home page of Pennsylvania-based Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Institute of Vedanta & Sanskrit. It has been founded under the guidance of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a veteran teacher of traditional Vedanta in contemporary style. He was in Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Coimbatore, when Life caught up with him, and posed a few questions.

What is the essential philosophy that can guide us in this century?

The essential philosophy is the wisdom of objectivity. This will help us reduce the projections, which are bound to be there when there is a loaded unconscious. A baby growing up in this society, when both the parents are working, is subject to constant panic, and therefore the unconscious gets loaded. Later in life, this will definitely inhibit one's objectivity while relating and responding to the world. Therefore, every individual needs to be informed enough to separate what is, from what one makes out of it.

Do the rich and poor need different philosophies?

Objectivity is common to all and required by both the rich and the poor. Any survivor, rich or poor, develops more coping skills for himself/herself. But the cleverness that is required to survive, sometimes, can drive the person to cross the boundaries of dharma. Even though there seems to be a need to encourage the poor to become rich, in the process, one has to follow dharma, for which there should be some inner space, which one cannot gain without objectivity. Therefore, objectivity is common.

A finance professional without a grounding in spirituality and vice versa. Are they equally missing out a balance?

A finance professional does need to have grounding in spirituality in order to command a degree of inner leisure — so that there is something more in life than finance. A person given to a spiritual pursuit has to deal with the empirical realities. An incapacity to deal with them objectively does not reveal any gain in spirituality.

Is there a quick way to end poverty and corruption?

Politically, an enlightened dictatorship is the quickest way to end poverty and corruption. But in the long term, the precedent of establishing a dictatorship to achieve short-term gains will undermine the integrity of the nation. So in political terms, the best system we have so far is a democracy, because the will of the people determines policy.

When the society is very complex and diverse, as India's is, there is no quick remedy. But certain things will hasten the process. A concerted effort to create an awareness of the problems, and an awareness in people of their inborn responsibility to care for one another and for the planet we share. Then, providing a well-designed, and effective structure for people to express their care. This is what I am trying to do with our AIM (All India Movement) for Seva (www.aimforseva.org) . It cannot be the work of a few people, or communities, or organisations of good will. Each person needs to assume his or her responsibility of caring for all who need care. It is just human.

When does one know that one has found the meaning of his life? Is it at all necessary to find meaning for one's life instead of taking things as given?

Each person has his or her own slot in the scheme of things. What that slot is, is determined by one's opportunities, capacities, resources and, as a human being, one has a responsibility to use one's will to maximise all of these without crossing the bounds of dharma. One finds meaning in one's life when one understands that it is not the slot that confers meaning, but how well one fits into it. And how well one fits into it is determined by the extent to which one is in harmony with, and is a contributor to the situation in which one finds oneself. Therefore, taking things as given is not opposed to finding meaning in one's life. In fact, there is no meaning without understanding that everything is given.

On corporate charity. Should prices have been lower in the first place?

Regardless of prices, a corporation always has a responsibility to reach out to the community that makes it viable. Successful corporations have always done this. And setting prices is also part of that responsibility; they should be fair.

Wouldn't detachment to results kill all motivation to work?

We have to understand what we mean by detachment. One cannot perform an action without expecting a result, but it is a fact that having performed the action, we have no control over the result. Acknowledging this, understanding that no matter how much we do there are multiple factors over which we have no control, that there is an unseen order that is shaping those results, appreciating the wisdom of that order and taking the results accordingly is what is called for. This does not kill motivation to work. It enhances it, because with this understanding, one is not buffeted by success and failure, and learns from both. One is more objective, and therefore, more effective.

Your view on the never-ending debate of merit versus reservation.

In any healthy society, merit must be appropriately rewarded, or the society will stagnate at many levels. At the same time, we need to give a helping hand to those who have fewer opportunities to achieve, whatever may be the reason. At what stage this help is given is critical. A concerted effort should be made to equalise opportunities for all people to qualify themselves. But when it comes to making a selection for a position, only the qualifications should be considered.

Can economic growth and the resultant consumerism be the sure recipe for increased materialistic thinking at the cost of higher values?

Economic growth can create conducive conditions for understanding and assimilating values. As one becomes less and less of a survivor, one has less pressure to cut corners, and more inner leisure to act according to one's innate sense of ethical reciprocity. When there is increased consumerism, one has not used this economic growth wisely. Therefore, value education is required, and when the economic growth is sudden, the need for such education is pressing.

Does the ubiquitous electronic media make it tough for children to imbibe the right values?

The electronic media can be great aids to all kinds of learning. But that depends on the content. If the content is opposed to values, it will certainly make it more difficult for children to imbibe and for adults to retain right values. Therefore, we have to be very conscious about trying to influence the content of the media so that it better reflects our values. In the meantime, we have to choose, to the extent that we can, the content of what our children are exposed to. And where we cannot choose, we have to monitor it closely. Find out what they are watching and listening to and talk to them about it. If you think it is not healthy for them, educate them and impose some restrictions if necessary, without being harsh or judgmental.

Being peaceful and being active. A contradiction?

On the contrary. The person who is really at peace with himself, whose energy and attention are not dissipated by concerns, has all his faculties at his disposal, and therefore, more capacity to utilise his knowledge and skills. Since he is not consumed by concerns, he is alert and sensitive to the needs of the situation in which he finds himself, and has no inhibitions in responding to them.