Motherland (Matrubhumi) – 10

सभेयो युवास्य यजमानस्य वीरो जायताम्||

Today on the auspicious day of Yuva Din celebrated by Swadhyay Pariwaar, I sit back to write on the topic of Yuva. Our Rishi’s say this,
युवास्यात साधु युवाध्यायक: आशिष्ठ: दृढिष्ठ : बलिष्ठ :।

(Yuvasyat Sadhu Yuvadhyayakah, Aashishth, Dradhishth, Balishth)…

(Sorry for the delay cause after 12th July I opened my account today, 16th July, to write. Was a little held up with my things so couldn’t write. Thoughts were continuosly flowing through but did not get time to note them)

Back to the flow…

The Rishi’s in their invocation to God ask for youth for our motherland.

Isn’t a country known by its youth? Cause they determine the future of country, don’t they? At the same time it comes to mind that isn’t it too much to pressurise youth with these thoughts of being responsible for their and country’s future? Isn’t it that we expect a lot from a generation which is just growing up and learning? And with these expectations aren’t we doing injustice to them? I am trying to find an answer to these questions and in due course will answer them as well.

But till that time let us also dwell upon the shloka I have quoted above. Yuvasyat Sadhu – the characteristic of the youth is one who is a ‘Sadhu’. Here the word ‘Sadhu’ has nothing to do with having long hair and a long beard but it is being “saral, simple, straight forward”. One of the dictionary meaning also says “uncomplicated”. The youth has to be simple and straightforward. Call spade a spade. But that does not mean that one should sound arrogant. Humbleness is a virtue, which today’s youth needs to learn. One needs to sit at the feet of his elders, listen to their experiences, learn from them and chart his way. One should be able bridge the communication gap which is termed as one of the biggest social problems of today. So being uncomplicated plays a larger part too. One should be clear with his understanding at the same time be ready to listen to others views as well. One needs to move ahead in direction in which their future is secure, in turn securing country’s future.

Next, One who is Adhyayakah. One is a student forever. ONE IS YOUTHFUL TILL THEY ARE LEARNING. One needs to be observant and a quick learner/ grasper from / of situations. One needs to learn to tackle the situations that they are put in and ably handle those times. One should not run after happiness alone and keep themselves bereft of the happenings around oneself.

Ashishth – Ashavaan. The youth should be hopeful. Always positive towards life. Always hopeful about oneself and others too. Hope is what keeps life going.

An hopeful person has self respect, self esteem and self resilience.

Self respect calls for respect for others too.

Self esteem means belief in oneself.

Self resilience means to be able to take decisions on your own.

There can be independent blogs written on these three points. But right now their meanings would suffice.

Dradhishth – one who is decisive. It also means one who is not lead, but leads. The youth should be a leader. A leader of his house, street, village, city, state or country. Here let’s not take the literal meaning of leader as a politician. By being a leader, want to convey that they can show the right path to the society as a whole in any field, be it social, economical, Spiritual or other. One can be a good student or a good teacher, a good citizen or a good soldier, a good businessman or a good son. It can be anything which he or she is good at. But one will be decisive. Show the path. And lead everyone onto it.

I CAN DO should be his philosophy of life. Shivaji with his 2-3 mules, 5-7 mavlas and a few ashrafis (currency at that time) was hopeful of building up Hindavi Swaraj. He himself was confident and build up hope in others too. When Chatrashaal, the prince of Bundelkhand comes to him as a servant and ready to work under him, it is Shivaji who instills the confidence in him to fight against the Moghuls and win back his lost kingdom.

Balishth – one who is strong and courageous. One should have a healthy body. A healthy body is full of youthfulness. One needs to excercise everyday as the phrase goes “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. Or “A healthy mind in a healthy body”. It is only the healthy body which will have a healthy mind. Stay fit and keep fit is the key. Games need to have a prominent place in life and one needs to play even at 60. One can imagine that it was Bheesma who at an age of 160 or so, blew the first conch on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

Surya Namaskaars have no substitute. Pandurang Shashtriji always in his discourses with the youth said, “You can reason with what I say and apply logic to my thoughts and question them, but let you all know that do trust me on one thing and without even a hint of doubt perform suryanamaskaar everyday”. He himself has performed them till His doctors advised him against doing so.

Yoga is also of utmost importance which helps us keep fit. Bhagwaan Patanjali has built up a whole system to keep the generations fit and healthy. There are many different versions of Yoga today and I leave it upto my reader to decide for himself to decide which school to follow.

Sangh Sakhas too insist on a few basic excercises and games. I have a vivid memory of people in their 60’s and wearing their khakhi half pants playing with the flying disc at the Shaka at Shivaji Park. March past and excercises have had an important part in the Sanchalans held anywhere in India.

So to sum it all up, the youth has to be simple and humble, ever ready to learn, hopeful, develop an “I Can do” attitude and be strong.

Is today’s youth of the world living upto this?, is what I leave upon my reader to decide.

Call upon the youth today to give a thought on whatever I have written during these 10 blogs. This can go on if they wish, but am satisfied that I have been able to put onto paper what I wanted to convey. Have tried to be simple and tried to convey the gist without going into the details. Could have cited many examples but have left it upon my reader to make an effort to dig out their own.

So till my next blog, see you all…