“Aisa nahin hota hai Raja” (“Such things don’t transpire, Raja,”) -Sipping his tea he would tell this line to the ones with whom he has a perfectly synchronized rapport. “Aisa hoga to kaise chalega” – Yeh to lamba chalne wali cheez nahin hai (“If it were to unfold in such a manner, how could it possibly endure? This is not something designed for the long haul.”). After all, how many individuals can one elevate to a state of affluence? The true focus was on the prosperity of the village itself. If the village flourished, even the most destitute soul residing within its bounds would inevitably share in that prosperity.
What we possess today—be it magnificent Darshans, yoga, Katahyein (stories), Kavya, diverse cuisines, medicine, or the celebration of festivals—is a manifestation of a very rich society. A society where even the rituals of mourning extended over several days when someone passed away. Such depth of a community could only exist in a truly prosperous society, one that is stable and rooted. A society with no permanent foundation, like a destitute one, would never harbor such continuity.
Our people (Writers, Poets etc etc) often lament how the country has been looted for thousands of years, yet nobody throws light that, despite repeated plundering, prosperity still managed to find its way back. So, what was the system or order that enabled this revival of prosperity? Was it truly mere happenstance?
Gradually, as he conveyed his observations to others, over the years he began to distill them into his own Sutras (aphorisms). For instance, he would say, “If an individual becomes affluent, the village may still be impoverished; but if the village prospers, even the poorest individual within it will find prosperity.” He likened the understanding of small technologies to organizing one’s immediate environment, while he saw grander technologies as a means to structure society itself.
व्यक्ति संपन्न होता है तो गांव कंगाल हो जाता है, जबकि गांव अगर समृद्ध होगा तो गांव में रहने वाला कंगाल से कंगाल व्यक्ति भी समृद्ध हो जाएगा।
छोटी तकनीक को समाज व्यवस्थित करती है, जबकि बड़ी तकनीक समाज को व्यवस्थित करती है।
Occasionally, when he discerned that the visitor’s comprehension and time coincided harmoniously with his cadence, the narratives of his observations would cascade effortlessly, one after another. These exchanges were often interspersed with bouts of laughter, numerous tea breaks, and an animated use of his hands and fingers. It was as though the graceful forms of the ancient sculptures he had admired had imbued him with their spirit, channeling their essence through his storytelling. His gestures animated these tales, conjuring vivid images that seemed to dance in the air, embodying the very quintessence of the artistry he so revered.
“What, then, is the difference between sampannata (“संपन्नता”) and samruddhi (“समृद्धि”)?” As he posed this question, he aimed not merely to elicit an answer, but to provoke a deeper contemplation).
To illuminate this distinction, he recounted vivid memories from his observations. In the bygone days of Adilabad, men would visit homes with baskets of mangoes, each variety esteemed for its unique qualities. Some mangoes, hailing from particular regions, were perfect for pickling, renowned for their tartness and exquisite flavor. Others were best enjoyed sliced, their sweetness offering a sublime burst of delight. Then there were those mangoes meant solely for savoring the juice.
In those days, the price for a hundred mangoes was fixed at Ek or do rupees. A woman would meticulously count by holding three mangoes in each palm, arranging them into twenty sets to total one hundred twenty mangoes. Yet, in an act of magnanimity, she would add twelve more, bringing the final count to one hundred thirty-two. This gesture of generosity was beyond a mere commerce; it was a reflection of the prosperity and abundance that defined those times. Often, these transactions were accompanied by shared meals, with sellers and hosts breaking bread together before continuing their way.
Aisa hi chaara dena wala hota – “The fodder seller was similarly generous. It was his custom to set aside five bundles together and one separately. When negotiating for a hundred bundles, he would invariably end up providing 132. Were those people naive? Or you think they did not know the art of counting.
Itna hi kyun – Even today, milk vendors who own their livestock still offer a little extra beyond one liter—a practice that endures abundance.”
“He gave extra because he knew that even after his generosity, he would still retain ample resources—he would not become impoverished. It was his own to give. In contrast, today’s wealthiest businessmen often refrain from offering even a slight surplus beyond a kilogram, for they are acutely aware that any excess would diminish their own holdings. Their wealth is not truly theirs; it is derived from commission or similar arrangements.”
Samjhe?? – Do you follow?
Toh Ek baar main aise Ashram se Cycle lekar k Nikla – Once, as I left the ashram and was on my way somewhere, I saw a man fall from his bicycle. Nearby, a group of polytechnic college students quickly gathered around him, lifting him up. Blood was oozing from his wound, and while the students exchanged worried remarks, none of them took action. At that moment, a shepherd happened to be passing by.
He came rushing over and, upon seeing the blood, tore a small piece of cloth from his dupatta, tying it around the man’s wound before quietly moving on. As I stood there, a thought crossed my mind: Who, among these, is truly affluent (sampanna) and who is genuinely prosperous (samruddha)?
The polytechnic students standing nearby had handkerchiefs in their pockets and likely received some monthly support from their families. Yet, none of them dared to use their handkerchiefs, fearing they would be left with nothing. In contrast, the shepherd acted with a sense of inherent prosperity. His simple attire embodied a kind of samruddhi; he knew that even after giving a bit to the injured man, he would still have enough – toh yeh Fark hota hai!
“Ek manavta ki baat kar sakta hai leking manvata kar nahin saktha, Jabki dusra manvata kar k apna chalta bana” – Yeh fark haina, Sampanna hone me, aur samruddha hone mein. (“One can speak of humanity, yet fail to embody it, while another moves forward having lived it. This is the distinction, isn’t it, between being merely affluent and being truly prosperous?”)
Thus, the question arises: what strategies are required to cultivate such prosperity? To achieve this in any village, four fundamental elements are essential on which we shall delve later.
Once, an earnest seeker visiting Guruji (A Jeevandaani from Northen India) posed a question with great curiosity: “Guruji, Hume to Vishvagurub banna hai?” Guruji, quickly responded “Arre – you live in a country now with borrowed systems and philosophies, what vision are you nurturing? There was a time when everything flourished on the strength of our own frameworks. Keep trying to adjust if you wish — let’s see what comes of it.” (भाड़े की अर्थव्यवस्था और भाड़े के जीवन दर्शन लेकर हम विश्वगुरु बनने की कल्पना करते हैं। कभी हमारी अपनी व्यवस्थाओं के बल पर हमने अपना कुछ स्तर बना था। करते रहो adjustment — देखो क्या निकलता है।) Then, with a gentle smile, he concluded, “chalo bhai prarthana kar lete hai.”
Leave a Reply