To Strive For Peace

1 January 2002, 01:50am IST
C Jayanthi.

As we ring in the new year, many of us may pause and consider what our resolutions should be. the year that went by has left an indelible mark on all of us. the horrors of terrorism and violence were magnified a hundred times over by stark pictures of the september 11 attacks on the new york world trade center beamed through television screens in virtually every country of the world. india, as other countries that have been the victims of terrorism, knows that the only way to ‘grab’ peace is through negotiations. it is time for change. as the english poet lord tennyson said, ‘‘the old order changeth, yielding place to new and god fulfils himself in many ways lest one good custom should corrupt the world’’. let the change be for peace. let all the new year resolutions be for peace between people of different races, caste and creed and between nations. all religions despite what terrorists propagate and do live by peace. the qur’an says, ‘‘god has knowledge of all things. believers, be ever mindful of god: praise him morning and evening... on the day they meet him their greeting shall be: ‘peace!’ a rich reward he has prepared for them’’. peace, good health and happiness reap high rewards. it is time that the world started acting on these precepts instead of paying lip service to them. people who live in nations that have experienced long periods of peace find it in themselves to think of their fellow beings and the need to do acts of charity. war and fear of war makes people vulnerable and dependent. when they are vulnerable themselves, they cannot think of others. war spreads fear and kills humanity. nations and cultures get wiped out. the destruction of the bamiyan buddhas in afghanistan is a case in point. it was not the action of people at peace with themselves but those filled with hatred and violence. the pursuit of peace and happiness is good for the soul too. french novelist george sand said, ‘‘one is happy as a result of one’s own efforts, once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness — simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self denial to a point, love of work, and, above all, a clear conscience. happiness is no vague dream, of that i now feel certain’’. so, happiness and peace engende a clear conscience, which is important for starting on life’s spiritual journey. as we ring out the old, our resolve for peace should strengthen: for peace calms down the spirit and allows happiness to seep into the being. the bhagavad gita says, ‘‘he who is able to resist the rush of desire and anger, even here before he gives up his body, he is a yogin, he is the happy man. the non-attachment from which inner peace, freedom and joy arise is capable of realisation even here on earth, even when leading embodied lives. in the midst of human life, peace within can be attained’’. so, peace without is necessary for the quest of peace within. it is therefore necessary that we strive for peace in the environment in which we live, the external world, which can give us so much joy and in which we experience so much sorrow. it is in our individual and collective interest to end violent conflict. to justify our violent nature, we drag religion into it. but then no religion advocates war or violence. religion advocates spiritual uplift and the path of good. all faiths advocate love towards fellow beings and not hatred. the bible says, ‘‘...and one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, which is the first commandment of all? and jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, ... the lord our god is one lord: and shalt love the lord... and the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. there is none other commandment greater than these’’. therefore, it is aim of every religion to foster the bonds of love, peace and happiness. today, when india and pakistan talk of war with each other, it shows how dangerous is the path of hatred and where it can lead us to. we have already had several wars with our neighbour and it has solved nothing. what we are left with, therefore, is the path of dialogue and laying down of arms. says ramgopal mohatta in his book vedanta in practice, ‘‘real happiness consists of peace, power and plenty’’. let us then resolve in the new year to give peace, happiness and spiritual growth of nations a chance.