Integral Humanism in Bharatiya Culture – Explanation by Deendayal Upadhyay – Part I

Monday, April 23, 2012

Abstract

Integral Humanism in Bharatiya Culture – Explanation by Deendayal Upadhyay – Part I

The first characteristic of Bharatiya culture is that it looks upon life as an integrated whole. The diversity in life is brought about from the basic internal unity only.

Author: Narayana Rao K.V.S.S.
Published: Version 4 Edited on  19 Sep 2009
Exported to Blogger: 26 Nov 2011
Original URL: http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/2utb2lsm2k7a/85

Bharatiya Culture is Integrated

The first characteristic of Bharatiya culture is that it looks upon life as an integrated whole. The diversity in life is brought about from the basic internal unity only. For example, a seed symbolizes the internal unity, but the roots, the trunk, the branches the leaves exhibit diversity. But we see the genesis of a tree and recognize the relation of its diverse parts to the common seed. Even in societies, the diversity that we see is an expression of internal unity.

Unity in Diversity is the Central thought of Bharatiya Culture

Unity is the dominant theme in Bharatiya culture. Conflict is recognized but it is recognized as a symptom of perversion. Conflict is not the purpose of culture. We have recognized desire, anger etc., among the six lower tendencies of human nature. But our culture exhorts us to overpower them. Thieves and robbers exist in the society and our culture also recognizes their existence, but they are not our ideal standard of human behaviour.



Survival of fittest through conflict is the law of the jungle. Civilisations have not developed on the basis of this law but by consideration of how the operation of this law could be reduced to the minimum in human life.

Co-operation in abundance in society

Sociology identifies Co-operation, competition, and conflict as social activities that take place between members of a society. Deendayal argued that co-operation also obtains in abundance just as conflict and competition in this world. There is mutual sustenance between vegetation and animal life. Similarly making human life mutually sustaining is the prime characteristic of civilization. There can be evil tendencies in nature. To mould the nature to achieve social goals is culture and when nature creates social conflict it is perversion. Culture does not disregard or deny nature. Rather it enhances those elements in nature which are helpful in sustaining life in this universe. It curbs other tendencies of nature which obstruct or destroy life.

Ethics

Human nature has both tendencies, anger and greed on the one hand and love and sacrifice on the other. Should we make anger as the basis of culture? It will lead to lack of harmony in our life. Therefore our culture says “do not yield to anger.”



In Bharat all principles which bring about harmony in society are termed Dharma, laws of life.



Bharatiya culture thought of life as an integrated not only in the case of collective or social life but also in the individual life. The example is the statement, “even a modest meal served with dignity and affection tastes better than the best delicacies served with disrespect.” Both physical and metal happiness are part of happiness of man. The culture recognized intellectual peace also as the requirement of individual. The man should not be troubled by three troubles (physical, mental and philosophical or spiritual).



Bharatiya culture talks of dharma, artha, kama and moksha in an integrated way. The culture does not say that honesty is a policy; honesty is a principle in Bharatiya culture.

References

Deendayal Upadhyay, Integral Humanism, Jagriti Prakashan, Noida, India, 1992.

Chiti and Dharma – Exposition by Deendayal Upadhyay – Integral Humanism - Part III

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Comments Made on Knol
Well written
Sir, a very well written article. It encompasses the socio-economic point of view of Integral Humanism. The very line "In Bharatiya culture, honesty is not a policy, its a principle" is very well shown in the article. However, I see that the technological advancement according to Integral Humanism was not mentioned in the article. I feel that it has a lot of importance in contemporary India. The current direction in which technology and business is running in India is directly aping the west. The idea that individual lives to satisfy his desires and thus, it is a business opportunity for the business men to satisfy his desires at whatever cost is harmful to society in general and nature at large. Does Deendayal ji's Ekatma Manavata Vadam explain it as to how technology and spirituality can co-exist given that they both many a time serve opposite purposes?

Kesava Vivekananda Sarma - 05 Nov 2008


Updated  16 Feb 2015, 23 April 2012,