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Time of India
9 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Becoming a mentor – Reflections to know our self & train our mind towards better
Sunil Kumar is currently member, managing committee, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. An engineer and project manager trained at Vickers Armstrong Engineers and Babcox & Wilcox, UK, he is a former general manager of The Projects and Equipment Corporation of India, Ministry of Commerce and Consultant, NIDC, Ministry of Industry. Sunil has been member of a high-power government committee for value orientation in Planning Commission and In-charge of Value Education Programmes of Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. He has written books on Vedanta, managerial effectiveness – Indian Insights, human values, etc. His passion lies in applying Indian wisdom & Vivekananda's principles to managerial situations. His vision and managerial expertise led to the setting up of a unique PGDBM Management Institute in Delhi, called SriSIM, of which he was a Founder Trustee and Professor and which offered education in Indian ethos based Management. He is currently taking the message of Vedanta-centric human development to public servants through programs on 'Ethics in Governance. LESS ... MORE Every moment we have 'choices', but modern teachers and preachers have failed to 'teach or preach' how to 'know' and build 'powers of mind' to walk the talk towards the higher and better. Today we've teachers and preachers who 'believe', but we don't produce the 'Acharya and Shrestha' or 'Seers and men of God who 'see, realise, love all'! Whether we like it or not, we are continually in the process of 'becoming' and the 'educated choice' is to become 'better' not 'worse', in and through all our goals, choices, thoughts, motives, actions, relationships. At least now let's learn from our Vedantic wisdom which asserts that along with, and simultaneously with 'knowing', we must build 'ability'. And incidentally, all 'armed forces' do follow this commonsense, universal, ancient wisdom! And the 'better' can only be determined if we've an idea of the 'best' and so, process of education and preaching must inspire us to continuously reflect and strive to 'Know yhyself'. A person who has more and more love, care, and concern for others, is committed to kartavya-palan; and fulfils all his duties, is certainly better! Understanding and managing our mind: I am the 'subject', the 'knower', the body-mind are mere 'objects. I am not the object. This 'awareness' that 'I am not the mind' helps in control! Only continuous, regular, repetitive practice and spirit of selflessness and commitment to duties are needed to purify/refine and expand the mindset to feel one with awareness, consciousness. Doing what 'I' want to do implies doing what the mind wants to do. Freedom is not having to do what the mind wants to do! The motive power for all actions is either our 'duties' or our 'good-bad wants, desires'; and as we choose, we build our destiny. As educated people, we must continuously learn and practice to check the actions and desires to do wrong and continuously practice doing better. Those actions, which take us towards manifesting our 'infinite potential' for 'perfection', are good or right actions and those that take us away are wrong actions. Not allowing the mind to take us towards lower desires is to be constantly practiced. Mind imbibes that on which it dwells & it likes to dwell on what it likes. Only a pure mind, refined by 'righteousness/good' can be led. Based on past memories as impressed in our mind, our thoughts and mind flow towards 'trivia' and 'likes-dislikes'. From Trivia we've to learn to withdraw through 'practice'. And from likes-dislikes we've to learn to detach by learning to focus on the higher, better. Only when the mind gets hooked on the better will it stop tempting the lower. Mind wants enjoyment, whereas 'I am peace and fulfilment'. Mind will not give up easily. Only repeated better thoughts and habits can overcome past tendencies and impressions. There is no shortcut – 'Practice & detachment/focus on higher'. We can learn how to manage the 'unwanted thoughts flowing in our mind' by following the example of how we're managed by our mother, father, teacher, police, and how we ignore an unwanted Guest! Through continuous exposure to good thoughts and deeds, righteousness, commitment to duties, kartavya-palan, disciplined life, etc., supported by daily self-development practices, we can gradually purify, refine the mind, and make it more amenable to control towards the best. Not allowing the mind to take us towards lower desires is to be constantly practiced. Good actions calm the mind, and only a calm mind can really be effective and peaceful, and allow us to experience our full potential perfection and bliss. Because of the numerous impressions we create every moment, which propel us into fresh actions, the very nature of mind is to be restless like a monkey. Drunk with 'Desires'; stung by scorpion of 'jealousy'; and also possessed by devil of 'pride'; the mind is therefore very difficult to control! The more self-control we have, the greater a person we become. Mind is a continuous flow of thoughts – wanted / unwanted. The mind is built to look outside through the five sense organs. By its very nature mind has a tendency to 'flow down' – be tempted, enjoying the experience of the senses, weak people don't have self-control and do wrong. Mind is difficult to lift up and control – like reversing the flow of river. Mind is one-track in nature; gets attached easily but detaches with difficulty. Mind is material in nature, just matter! I am conscious, the master of the mind, not its slave! Our mind carries the impression of every single thought, word, action; choice/motive. Some reflections on how I get inspired to be better? I accept myself totally and express my gratitude to all who have helped me be what I am. I take full responsibility for what I am, and from now on, it is up to me to take responsibility to try to become better towards the best. I am a unique person, different from all; I want to discover my strengths and weaknesses, what I am good and bad at, what I really want and what qualities and skills I need to develop, and how I can prioritise my life towards long-term good for all. I want to discover whether my wants are in harmony with my deep-seated need for happiness, peace, and bliss. I will learn to reduce quantity of thoughts by keeping busy on planned SMART goals; improve quality by pouring good thoughts, prayers, meditation, study/ discuss/ explore inspiring books, satsang, etc.; control direction towards good, better, best. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
First work as worship and commitment to fundamental duties; only then academics and Human Rights!
Sunil Kumar is currently member, managing committee, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. An engineer and project manager trained at Vickers Armstrong Engineers and Babcox & Wilcox, UK, he is a former general manager of The Projects and Equipment Corporation of India, Ministry of Commerce and Consultant, NIDC, Ministry of Industry. Sunil has been member of a high-power government committee for value orientation in Planning Commission and In-charge of Value Education Programmes of Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. He has written books on Vedanta, managerial effectiveness – Indian Insights, human values, etc. His passion lies in applying Indian wisdom & Vivekananda's principles to managerial situations. His vision and managerial expertise led to the setting up of a unique PGDBM Management Institute in Delhi, called SriSIM, of which he was a Founder Trustee and Professor and which offered education in Indian ethos based Management. He is currently taking the message of Vedanta-centric human development to public servants through programs on 'Ethics in Governance. LESS ... MORE A stone falls and we ask why: This question is possible only on the supposition that in this world, nothing happens without a cause. Let's reflect on the learnings from Vivekananda's talks on practical Vedanta and Karma Yoga. The foundation of Indian 'composite culture', is based on the scientific reality that in this vast universe of 'space-time-causality', we're prisoners of the unforgiving law of 'karma', of cause and effect', i.e. 'every action, work, karma (choices-motives-thoughts-actions) has equal and opposite effect, result (also 'karma' or karma-phala). Thus, in this world, we're all slaves to our respective 'karma' and its fruits; as we sow, good or bad', we shall reap 'happiness or miseries'. How to escape to Freedom from this cycle of slavery to 'karma'? God resides in every being; learn to see and serve God in every being; … this is the core of our civilizational work culture and essence of all education and religions. If we practice this attitude of work as worship of God in man, we will purify our mind and 'know' the truth of truth, ourselves. 2. The basic human problem: – As we're, we somehow never feel adequate, complete, fulfilled! Of course, in many moments we certainly do feel content, satisfied, not needing anything else (and 'sleep' is one such state) but the very next moment, we feel incomplete and once again willy nilly have to 'work' to re-gain (religion) and re-unite (yoga) with a state of 'Completeness! And by work, karma, we mean our actions and its fruits externally and as karma-phala, as impressed in our mind, which then gives rise to all our sukha-dukkha, joys-miseries. During growing up we must learn, reflect and recognize that all 'work' in life is a struggle to re-gain and re-unite, i.e. be 'Complete', fulfilled, blissful. And, work, when done as 'yoga', (union, re-unite, re-gain, as worship) can lead to being complete, fulfilled. 3. Ideal attitude towards work: Yudhishthira tells his wife, in the epic Mahabharat, which depicts the historical background of ancient India: Behold, my queen, the Himalayas, how grand and beautiful they are; I love them. They do not give me anything, but my nature is to love the grand, the beautiful, therefore I love them. Similarly, I love the Lord. He is the source of all beauty, of all sublimity. He is the only object to be loved; my nature is to love Him, and therefore I love. I do not pray for anything; I do not ask for anything. Let Him place me wherever He likes. I must love Him for love's sake. I cannot trade in love. And what is his nature? He is everywhere, the pure and formless One, the Almighty and the All merciful. And how to worship, reach out, attain Him? Through love. 'He is to be worshiped as the One beloved, dearer than everything in this and the next life.' A man ought to live in the world — his heart to God and his hands to work – work as a karma yogi, fulfil your duties, work for good of society – work selflessly for love's sake. 4. Unless we are first taught and learn to fulfil our duties, can we expect Fundamental Human Rights in society. Academia must teach, inculcate, evaluate based on both 'Knowledge' and 'Application of Knowledge in Work', i.e. commitment to Fundamental Duties, righteous conduct etc. We are all aware that there is a wide-spread crisis of character, inefficiencies, corruption and selfishness in Work. Who all are responsible for failure? 4.1 Religions and Preachers, for dividing people into 'my religion' versus 'your religion', focusing on rituals etc. that divide, but failing to unite and work together with other religions and academia to produce the 'good' who strive to become good and better towards 'best', working for good of society as a whole. 4.2 Teachers and Academia, for failing to understand that mere Knowing theory isn't good enough without learning how apply it in work. Academia has failed to focus on training, disciplining, and building powers of mind thru' Self-development processes available as Life-skills to be committed to selfless duties and quality and excellence in work. 4.3 Politics and governance, for not creating systems for ensuring that citizens are committed to the Fundamental Duties and to working together for good of society. Instead, they are dividing people into 'my party, my vote-bank' versus 'your party, your vote-bank' and not focusing on bringing people together as parties of 'Cooperation', not parties of 'Opposition'. We have allowed people to rise to their levels of incompetence. We have failed to create systems where the 'Result-producers' have total responsibility for results and payments are linked to results. As education and governance, we've curbed the entrepreneurship spirit of our karma-yogi Result-producers and skilled workforce, who had once made India the sone-ki-chidiya. 5. We must understand that Work can never make us 'Complete': Now that we're talking of public servants as karma yogis, it is necessary that academia must plan how we may ensure that every citizen is educated, preached, taught the idea that as Self, we're all One and only by selflessly working for good of all, can we expand our mind from selfishness to feel one with more and more to experience the truth that as Spirit, Self, we're all One; there's no other! Governance must ensure that we recruit those for professional and leadership positions who have a proven record of commitment and ability to selflessly work for the long-term good of all. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Religions & Education' and ‘Preachers & Teachers' must together plan how to BE & MAKE the ‘GOOD'
Sunil Kumar is currently member, managing committee, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. An engineer and project manager trained at Vickers Armstrong Engineers and Babcox & Wilcox, UK, he is a former general manager of The Projects and Equipment Corporation of India, Ministry of Commerce and Consultant, NIDC, Ministry of Industry. Sunil has been member of a high-power government committee for value orientation in Planning Commission and In-charge of Value Education Programmes of Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. He has written books on Vedanta, managerial effectiveness – Indian Insights, human values, etc. His passion lies in applying Indian wisdom & Vivekananda's principles to managerial situations. His vision and managerial expertise led to the setting up of a unique PGDBM Management Institute in Delhi, called SriSIM, of which he was a Founder Trustee and Professor and which offered education in Indian ethos based Management. He is currently taking the message of Vedanta-centric human development to public servants through programs on 'Ethics in Governance. LESS ... MORE 1. Modern global societies have failed to define, identify, select, nurture, and place 'good' men in leadership positions in governance to lead us; and failed to give us teachers, professionals, businessmen and workers to educate us to be 'good'. We can attempt to define the good, as those who are Committed to knowing and fulfilling their duties to society, organization, family, Self; Committed to striving for quality and excellence in work and relationships; Committed to striving to develop feelings of love, care and concern for all, etc., which have now been expressed by GOI as be a 'Karma Yogi'; 'treat work as worship of God in man and in all creation'. To imbibe such spirit of selfless Committed to Duties, religion and education must together inspire us to the necessity of daily self-development practices to learn how to strive to build powers of mind to know and be convinced to walk-the-talk. 2. Our time-tested civilizational culture of Sanatana dharma recognizes that the masses will always need symbols, images, god-men and their life and teachings for inspiration. Only a few Selfless men of wisdom can draw inspiration from universal principles alone, irrespective of their religious beliefs. As mature citizens we should recognize that Principles and Essence of all Religions are universal and eternal and these can be taught in mainstream systems, to inspire all 'to be and do good'. My religion, my ways of worship, my source of inspiration and ideas of divinity may be different, but 'selflessness' and learning 'to do and be good' is our universal ideal. Commonsense provides the simple fact and obvious principle and worldview that as 'Self, Life, spirit, Atman, Rooha' that makes us 'exist' 'consciously', like it or not, we're all One and shall exist eternally (maybe in different names and forms, e.g. rebirth!) because the law is 'that which exists, can never cease to exist'. Somehow, we've never been made aware of this reality and so, identified with Body-mind we become self-centered. Thru' learning to be Selflessly Committed to our Duties, our Mind expands to grow in feelings of love, care, concern for all equally. Only some very few who grow thru' their respective religions, will understand this and strive sincerely to be and do good. These should be nurtured to be our mentors, teachers and leaders. As you sow so shall you reap is universal law. Our culture shows and believes that we will continue to take rebirth and grow till we finally recognize that as Self we're all One. Schooling and Preaching must work together to inspire us to realize that Goodness can be acquired only through individual self-effort, in and through daily work, dealings and interactions, and the inspiration for it comes through daily self-development practices. Respective religions may inspire us to be and do good thru' their respective religious scriptures etc. and epics like Ramayana, Mahabharat, Puranas, and the many gods and goddesses can also provide the inspiration for the masses. Both the educated and the masses keep forgetting the eternal knowledge 'To be and to do good'! The purpose of all Religions is to give clarity on the aim and purpose of life and create systems to guide people towards it. Essentially all Religions suggest that during Schooling and Growing up we must learn to Imbibe commitment to Righteousness. Righteous conduct implies those virtues or obligatory duties, which lead people on the critical path, to 'Know Thyself'; to know that as body-mind we're separate but as SELF that makes us into Conscious Living-beings (Jiva-atman) we're all One. Each of us has to individually grow towards Oneness through self-effort and selfless work as worship. The parents and elders of society, the teachers, all the educated people, the statesmen, executives and public servants have the responsibility of creating necessary systems to inspire people to walk on the right path; and they can do so only when they themselves strive for the higher and seek guidance of the selfless men of wisdom. Righteous conduct, Dharma, is the Fruit of all Religions; it is the firm foundation upon which the entire universe stands. Thus, all religions and education and Preachers & Teachers must be evaluated and judged by their ability to produce the Good, who have learnt and are committed to both Earning and fulfilling all Desires through legitimate means. Thus, Preaches and Teachers must encourage and inspire people to strive to develop powers of mind – discrimination, 'viveka', and the self-control, will power, powers of concentration to walk the critical path to 'Perfection' through Righteous conduct. It is only daily and life-long continuous practice that can help in developing powers of mind. Continuous practice and self-effort alone can keep people aware of the purpose of life so that they can keep on reviewing and harmonizing their choices, thoughts, words, and goals towards the highest perfection. Conclusions: All work, actions good or bad, are only efforts to seek 'bliss', which always eludes man! Our culture asks us to reflect and realize that I enjoy maximum Bliss, Ananda, only in deep-sleep state, when I am in my own blissful Self, detached from ever-changing body-mind complex. Only thru' selfless work as worship for good of all, i.e. being a Karma Yogi, can we enjoy this Ananda even while working and living. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shouldn't governance, academia, preachers, be mentors who can inspire society to strive to ‘know thyself'?
Sunil Kumar is currently member, managing committee, Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. An engineer and project manager trained at Vickers Armstrong Engineers and Babcox & Wilcox, UK, he is a former general manager of The Projects and Equipment Corporation of India, Ministry of Commerce and Consultant, NIDC, Ministry of Industry. Sunil has been member of a high-power government committee for value orientation in Planning Commission and In-charge of Value Education Programmes of Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi. He has written books on Vedanta, managerial effectiveness – Indian Insights, human values, etc. His passion lies in applying Indian wisdom & Vivekananda's principles to managerial situations. His vision and managerial expertise led to the setting up of a unique PGDBM Management Institute in Delhi, called SriSIM, of which he was a Founder Trustee and Professor and which offered education in Indian ethos based Management. He is currently taking the message of Vedanta-centric human development to public servants through programs on 'Ethics in Governance. LESS ... MORE 1) 'Know Thyself': Isn't it surprising that neither scientists nor ourselves have ever tried to study, look within, know ourselves, even though we are also an integral part of nature, the same nature, Jagat, we are ever busy investigating! Who and where are the Mentors who can inspire us to reflect on 'where and what is it within each of us', that always remains as the unchanging 'Subject', that consciousness, which enables us 'perceive' both the ever-changing 'Internal thoughts, feelings within' and 'external changing objects of the world'! 'Know Thyself' is an age-old quest for the West, but the West got busy with industry, technology etc. and the leaders forgot this critical inner quest, allowing the philosophers, societies, preachers, religions, nations, to fight amongst themselves for answers; and aping them our modern permanent govt. machinery and democratic govt. machinery still remain in total ignorance of the age-old question of 'Who I am' and where are we supposed to grow towards as teachers, bureaucrats, preachers, or as individual citizens! Perhaps governance machinery, academia, preachers, could be trained to be mentors and made responsible and accountable to guide all citizens to seek inwards, to 'know the infinite potential already within our Self'. As governance they're in any case entrusted with policy formulation, implementation, etc. And because they are selected from and as the 'best' and are 'permanent', they must be recruited, selected, educated, trained to be Mentors who can make long-term good policies and can learn to work together as Mentors to take us towards the 'best'. 2) The Idea of Karma Yogi, KYi – Syllabus for being a Mentor: Being a KYi in fact is the Critical Path to 'Know Thyself' and be a Mentor! Now that GOI has instructed that all Govt servants must be trained to be KYi & has created an Online platform iGOT Mission KYi for it, it is incumbent on all of us to plan how the spirit of Work as Worship and as Service to God in Man, is brought into mainstream academia and preaching. Instead of keeping Religions away from Academia, it is our duty as Mentors to request various Religious NGOs to plan how we can all focus on providing Daily One-Hour for Self-reflection; self-study; Self-development practices focused on Imbibing the Spirit of Fundamental Duties; Commitment to Kartavya-palan; Spirit of more and more Selflessness, etc. Thankfully in 1985 GOI has nominated Vivekananda as a Youth icon and now GOI brochure on KYi mentions 'atmano moksartham jagada hitaye cha' & 'Yogaha Karmasu Kaushalam'. Vivekananda's talks in inspiring English to Western audiences in USA and UK and his ideas on Practical Vedanta and Karma Yoga, etc. provide us the best contents, based on which academia and preachers can create a Syllabus and action plan to guide each citizen and all students and teachers to build powers of mind to walk-the-talk to 'Know Thyself'. 3) The Problem & Challenge: Globally, no nation today has clarity on what exactly is the aim and purpose of a permanent academia and bureaucracy, and so has the emerged the idea of democracy, where political parties become the bosses and pull societies towards their respective vision and interests, and individuals are left to seek their own path and answers. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the entire Western culture has remained focused on 'Knowing' and 'Enjoying' the ever-changing universe that we can all 'perceive' with our senses. We have Schooling focused on 'knowing-earning-enjoying'. To know my-self, we get Passports with Photo of our body; but the riddle remains! Am I just 'Body' that dies? 4) Fortunately, the right Questions were asked and also Answered by our forefathers and so as Indians we have a choice to choose and harmonize the wisdom of West to excel in 'work' and the wisdom of East, to learn to selflessly work as worship of God in man and in all Creation (KYi). In simple words that even a child can appreciate, Vedanta says that a Jivatma, living-being, is a visible 'body' (which is but inert-matter, as we see in dead-body) somehow enlivened by 'Life' or Consciousness or Spirit or Atman' or something like it! As Body we're separate but as 'Life' we're all One. So, even a Child may question, what is Life? From where does it come, where does it go? Our ancients, whom we think as superstitious, uncivilized, etc. sought to know what 'Life' was all about; whereas today we accept 'Life' as it is without knowing it but instead seek to know Jagat of infinite Variety! Our ancients strove not merely to 'Know' but to instill and imbibe righteousness, selflessness, virtues, character. Then with a mind purified by selflessness, etc. they strove to 'see' and directly realized and experienced the 'Self'… And all Religions, therefore, ask and exhort us to be good and do good; be selfless etc. We say work as worship of God in mana and in all Creation, because the same God exists in Me, You, in all and in everything as Consciousness. And thru' righteousness, self-enquiry, etc. we are meant to realize this truth of Truths. Science is now looking for 'consciousness' but still as an object, not realizing that it isn't an object to be known. I am always that singular Subject, Consciousness and mistakenly I got identified with changing body-mind … and Vedanta discusses and logically explains this mystery in detail! Now it should be the task of us all to consider how we can help 'To Be & Make Mentors' and strive to explore and discover our Un-changing Self, our Swaroopa, 'who I am'. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
