Puran Sharma
All the above three words have unique significance in the life of each one of us living in a country whom we love passionately. These are the buzz words which make a nation genuinely great and proud of her existence in the world.
Career has intimate relationship with youth who constitute the backbone of the country. If youth of a country are morally upright possessing impeccable character and ever ready to take responsibility for espousing the national cause then none of the worldly powers can have strength to match and overpower that country.
At the moment our beloved country is confronted with a typical crisis of excessive careerism in youth coupled with undue thrust for unregulated materialistic prosperity and temporal pleasures.
We have the highest percentage of youth in our country as compared to rest of the world but at the same time there is dearth of matching jobs and other avenues of earning bread and butter, there is whopping number of people living below the poverty line. Dropout rate at primary and middle level is also proportionately higher. Affluent segment of the society is well placed to take care of their wards for providing the best of education which is too expensive and bereft of moral education which is essential ingredient for making men of high moral character. Career sans character does not serve the requisite purpose and national need.
While defining the Nation’s strength, a poet says “It is not the gold and silver that make a nation strong but these are her people who make the nation truly great.”
If we do some brainstorming and deeply meditate, we would arrive at an inference that whatever milestones in terms of worldly prosperity and outstanding achievements in our life span in diverse fields of notable significance, is the direct result of overt or covert contribution of every common man in the country, therefore, it is bounden duty of one and all to return in equal proportion to society or the country as a whole.
The youth of the country who are fully engrossed in pursuit of their cherished career have to be made aware about their filial obligation towards the country.
In this noble cause our basic family unit and the teachers have to be well poised to act as beacon light to enkindle the spark with due diligence and greater sense of national duty.
None should have any conflict with careerist bent of mind, that is need of the current times but the call of the prevailing scenario is maintaining robust character and sticking to the ideal of nation-first despite the worst kind of trials and tribulations in the prime time of career.
It is a matter of extreme pride and honour that many of young sons nurtured in sacred soil of the country have made a mark on the International horizon like Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Salil Parekh, CEO of Infosys brought laurels to the nation but we have to think beyond the exceptions.
The million dollar question is as to what kind of character building activity can be planned and executed to transform the upcoming generation of youth hugely lopsided towards the career bereft of eternal moral values and least concerned with making substantial contribution in uniting the society and strengthening the country as well.
This cannot be left to the whims and fancies of the Govt in power. All citizens and every segment of society have to take full measure of responsibility and give out their hundred percent towards the national cause.
Family is the basic unit wherein the process of character building gets underway in the womb of the mother who is considered to be first Guru or teacher of the human being and is empowered with the exemplary divine grace to procreate and transform their progeny into real life heroes in the diverse segments of worldly life.
We come across number of examples which fully support this view. Mother of Abraham Lincon, nursed a dream to see his son adorning the seat of president of USA. Young Abraham lacked confidence in public speaking.
His mother took note of it and resolved to get rid of this flaw in his personality.
She asked her son to follow her to a big farm of cabbages and commanded him, “Abraham, these are cabbages, address them fearlessly. Mother imparted this mock training to the budding president uninterruptedly with utmost determination.
Subsequently when she realized that her plan had worked and fructified, she escorted Abraham to a huge assembly of people and ordered him to address. Abraham followed suit and delivered a very forceful speech to her satisfaction. This is how America got a powerful president who successfully brought about path breaking reforms in the American system of democracy.
Similarly we have example of chhatarpati shiva ji who was groomed and trained by his ideal mother Jeeja Bai and Samarth Guru Ram Dass in the early childhood.
He challenged mighty Aurangzeb empire, won the fort of Torna at the tender age of 16 years and went on to establish Hindu Samrajya (Empire) in southern India.
Our History is replete with such encouraging precedents. We now turn focus on Country after brief deliberation on career and character, which is the ultimate and indispensable.
For all 135 crore Indians, country is not a piece of land but the real Mother, personified as Bharat Mata for whom we are meant to live and die in true sense of the term.
Our gallant soldiers gleefully lay down their lives chanting till the last drop of blood, ‘Mein Rahun Na Rahun Mera Yah Bharat Rehna Chahiye.’ Synchronization of idea of career, character and the country is the burning need of the current times.
It is imperative for all-round development of country and attaining the highest point of glory.
Our multitudinous youth need be taken on board through the medium of enlightened mothers and responsible teachers. We are moving in the right direction. According to Swami Vivekananda, “Country is our living God and her youth are dedicated workers to establish her as Vishav Guru once again. Jai Hind.