All scriptures tell us that peace on earth shall become a reality only if each individual is at peace with himself. Little do we realize that rampant evil deeds are mere manifestations of the inner realm of an individual. A disturbed and violent inner core will generate only destructive and hostile thoughts. Such negative thoughts are then translated into multifarious vices – the bane of ‘civilized’ society. The tragedy is that we are oblivious of our true nature. The ignorance of our true divine self separates us from our Creator who is absolute truth, knowledge and bliss. God is within the body as soul or our real Self.
The all pervading distrust and disharmony in our times defies any hope of revival. Global peace continues to be a mirage not because of lack of effort but due lackadaisical and wrong approach by those who matter. As the scriptures say, perfect world order can be ensured by establishing a harmonious relationship with divinity. In man, divinity is inherent. The crucial thing is manifestation of divinity in man so that he can become truly religious.
Efforts towards a perfect world order need to begin with an individual. It is not the global but individualistic approach that is needed to attain the goal. It is not the physical body of an individual but his mind which is the breeding ground for good or evil thoughts. Many of us speak of value-based education to develop a positive mindset. This would have its deepest impact only after divinity in man has been manifested. It will have two-fold impact. One is the realization that the same Divine force operates through all, and the second that our real self is above the body-mind consciousness. It is only then that the value-oriented education will prove beneficial for man.
A negatively charged mindset has propensity for carrying our demonic deeds and can stoop down to any level. And a flustered and agitated mind is inimical to the interest of the family, society and the world at large. It can only sow seeds of discontent, hatred and animosity.
Hence, a positively charged mindset is a prerequisite for both individual and global peace. In case the forest is withered and is to be restored to life, we would have to water each tree in that forest. Likewise, if we desire world peace, we must learn to be peaceful ourselves. We hear a lot of talk of conquering fear, getting rid of self-centeredness and mind- control. Words alone will not create magic. Has this changed the obnoxious atmosphere all around? The situation has in fact gone from bad to worse.
It is only when one realizes his divine self, noble concepts like ‘all living beings should be happy’ and ‘the whole world is one family’ are understood in letter and spirit, and no longer remains confined to holy books. The time has come to spread the message of knowledge of self which is the only way out of the present imbroglio. Let us make our tomorrow peaceful by discovering and manifesting our inherent divinity.
