Επιμέλεια: Εύα Πετροπούλου Λιανού
Those who love silver and crave for gold
Will say one day, we have committed suicide. Kaifi Azmi
The men of business in olden times would write on their ‘Gullaks’ (chests) would write ‘Shubh Labh’ (Just Profit). Those times when people were not so ambitious for personal growth, were better times, because the general tone of society was that of goodness, kindness, and an all pervading sense of mutual understanding and love for humanity.
PROFIT JUST OR UNJUST
Profit is fine, but how can it be ‘Shubh’ [Just]? Who knows the difference between Shubh and Ashubh [Just and Unjust]? If the business is carried out with just practices, it gives joy. But when we resort to unjust practices to maximize profits, it spreads pain. As most of the people are after unjust profits, as widespread is the incidence of pain. Pain is symptomatic of some abnormality in the body. And when it remains untreated over years, it gives rise to chronic ailments. We are all afflicted with a malaise: psycho-spiritual sickness. We are running after wealth and in the pursuit, lose the joy of living. At the same time, we push thousands below the poverty line with our indiscrete actions aimed at self-promotion.
FAIR IS FOUL: THE ZONE OF THE UNDESIRABLE
Fair is foul, foul is fair,
hover through fog and filthy air”.
Macbeth’s witches make a great statement. The civilization represents the ‘fair’ which the witches declare as ‘foul’. For ordinary intelligence, it is difficult to distinguish between Right and Not Right. People doing ordinary jobs and living somehow, don’t even realize when they have stepped into the Zone of the Undesirable. But the essential question is: Even if they know, will they stop? The entire populace is busy in making fast buck. Some lose their scruples when life is too hard on them. And some, on whom luck has smiled, think why we should look back?
LOVE AND WAR
Love is a sacred emotion, yet people believe that everything is fair in love and war. ‘Tam sam dand bhed’ are the words oft repeated by men who have no scruples. Men, in general, are bound by a sense of the moral and the immoral, but we take the first opportunity to override these considerations. It has to be noted that men in general hold on to principles. But there is only one variety of people who lack all scruples. It is the politicians. For whom, every day is an undeclared war, which must be won. So, principles are a suicidal passion for a politician. Those who use uneven methods to win their love, too are never forgiven by gods who are closely monitoring our conduct. Have we seen any politician dying an enviable death, except in case of a few, who acted as statesmen, and upheld their principles? In love too, if we miss the moral mark, all unions fizzle out leaving behind a family on the rocks.
THE RIGHT CONDUCT
Friends who are well endowed often ask: what is bad in making money? One of them deals in shares. If they rise, what is wrong in it? Some have invested their money in real estate from where they get interest on their wealth. The question is: what is unethical about it. Further on, if you start an industry, and if gods are kind and it starts prospering, what is wrong in it? Is ambition an unethical passion? Can we stop people from growing up?
These are scorching questions. We cannot stop people from starting their business, and everyone wants that the business should prosper. In the same way, the man of the stock market too cannot be faulted if he gets a fortune by a rise in the value of his shares.
The basic issue here is: Do you want happiness? Or you simply want Wealth?
If your preference is for Wealth, then all your pursuits are justified. But don’t blame gods if your son develops some problem, or your daughter elopes with someone. Your wife can have asthma. And you too can have blood pressure. You may have to visit a heart surgeon, to get a stent. Wealth brings in its train all these unceremonious things. If you have too much of it, one of your sons may decide to get rid of you and grab the entire wealth you have created. Anything can be expected from jealous gods. You are entirely innocent. There is nothing wrong in making fast buck. Millions have been making millions. And you can hear the high voices of celebrations from across the continents. Men of success, enjoying the fruits of their labour.
However, if Happiness is your passion, then, it all depends on how you use your wealth. If you are a man of business, let me take you back to the beginning of this article. Remember ‘Shubh Labh’. Every penny that you earn should be through ‘just’ means. If gods are kind and bless you with wealth, you can share it with those who need it. It will make the cosmic forces happy. And this happiness will reflect in your eyes, on your forehead, and in your body language. Look at the body language of those who died for the country. S. Bhagat Singh, Lala Hardyal. And look at the body language of our great money makers who have their wealth in Swiss banks. It is all a matter of choice. Happiness or Wealth- both cannot be put together, unless you have a mind trained in cosmic sympathy, and you possess the power to part with your wealth so that you can create an estate of happiness for yourself.
The final word is: Think of your happiness, and create as much wealth as much as you can, but make sure, it does not make anyone poor. If it can uplift others also, it is an act of goodness, and loved by gods.
Author: Dr Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 161 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari [Italy] honoured him with the award of an Honourable Academic. Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engg and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus:The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. [Email: [email protected] Mobile: 919876652401[Whatsapp]
Link Bibliography:
https://atunispoetry.com/2023/12/08/indian-author-dr-jernail-s-anand-honoured-at-the-60th-belgrade-international-meeting-of-writers/
