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About
Dr Jagdish Gandhi
A visionary and a far-sighted person, Jagdish Gandhi has been building bridges of peace across the globe for nearly 50 years. For his long-standing contributions to education in peace, the United Nations awarded the prestigious UNESCO Prize for Peace Education in the year 2002 to his unique creation - the City Montessori School, popularly known as CMS, which Gandhi founded in 1959 and has been serving as its Founder-Manager. Among the previous recipients of this prize are Nobel Peace Prize laureates – Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Rigoberto Menchu Tum of Guatemala as well as groups such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). 
  
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   IF ONE
CHILD CHANGES
HE
WILL UNITE
THE WORLD
 
 
Article by Dr Jagdish Gandhi

Employment, vocation or business is the only simple solution for the enrichment of man’s soul. How an ordinary person can enrich his soul, if he does not adopt an employment, vocation or business?

Those who are involved in service, business or vocation are worthy of honour & respect.

Reveal your sins only to God &  not to anyone else.

by Dr Jagdish Gandhi
Founder
City Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow

1. What is the difference in the development of soul by outstanding people and ordinary people?
Only very few and rare people have developed into great saints and great human beings of the society, who have not taken to service or vocation for enrichment of their souls. These great men lived in remote inaccessible mountains, caves or thatched huts. They lived a very plain and simple life and enriched their soul by becoming useful members in the development of society, dedicating their lives in the service of mankind. However, a common man can develop his soul only by becoming a useful member of society through hard work, adopting a suitable vocation like daily labourer, a farmer or through other employments or business. Except this, there is no other way to develop one’s soul.
2. Can an ordinary family man enrich and develop his soul?
Yes, an ordinary person can enrich and develop his soul and become a useful member of the society and look after his family through hard work either as a labourer, a farmer, through an employment or a vocation. As a matter of fact, for an ordinary person, the easiest way to enrich his soul and become a useful member of the society is to work hard as a daily labourer, a farmer, through employment in Government or private sector or by adopting a vocation. There is no other way to enrich and develop one’s soul.

3. How many living species have been created by god? What are the main differences between them?
God has basically made two types of species. The first is mankind and the second is that of animal world. The main difference in these two is that only man is gifted with rational mind and soul but not an animal. Therefore, a man by making use of his thoughtful rational mind can enrich and develop his soul. But as the animal is not gifted with thoughtful mind, it cannot develop its soul.

 
  4. What type of career should a man have?
If a man does not earn his livelihood through an employment or business, how would he bring up his family? Once, unable to earn his livelihood, he would either beg or be a parasite on others, or commit theft, or employ dishonest means and may even commit suicide. All of this is sin. Thus doing a job or a vocation is the only right recourse to enrich and develop one’s soul. Our deeds and jobs should be such that they should give us spiritual satisfaction. Therefore, man should have a spiritually satisfying career or profession. 
     
 5. “Work is worship”. What does it mean?
Any work, done with a sense of service to mankind is worship of God. It is said in Geeta that work or duty is true worship of God. Work done in the spirit of service to mankind is the worship of God if it is prompted by the highest motives and with will to do service to mankind. 
   6. To whom this article is being addressed?
This article is meant for people like us, the common family people with children, who work as labourers, farmers, have a vocation or business. They earn their livelihood from their work or vocation and serve the society by fulfilling its needs.  
     
7. Is the man a slave of the environment?
A child is born with a pious soul. A child has three schools of learning. First school is the family (2) second is the formal school and (3) the third is the society. During early child-hood, a child learns by following and imitating its elders. Man is a slave of the environment. Whatever he sees or listens in the family, school or society, his character is moulded accordingly. However as the child grows, it develops abilities to think rationally. 
 

8. Can a person develop his soul by his faculty of cognition?
Man can distinguish between right and wrong through rational thinking. His soul will be lighted with spiritual flash if he gets the right spiritual direction and environment. In the absence of such a spiritual environment, man will be drowned in the murk of ignorance. Such a man will also lose the power and ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Yes, it is true that a man can develop his soul through introspection and cognition.

     
9. Can Prayers to God change ones habit?
Yes, a child develops according to its childhood grooming. However, it is also true that inspite of adopting wrong bad habits in the childhood, a man through cognitions and prayers to God can change his thinking process and outlook and can become very significant person of the world. A man is given the human life for development and enrichment of his soul. 
   10. Can an imbecile or a criminal develop his soul?
Yes, because of the wrong education by parents, teacher, or social evils, in case a person becomes imbecile or criminal, he still can bring radical changes in his thoughts and outlook any time in his life through rational thinking. Meaningful education and spirituality are two sides of the same coin. Through meaningful education and spirituality a rational man can develop and enrich his soul. Main purpose of education is to make a man aware of the wishes of Almighty and educate him in true sense. A man who has no knowledge of God’s wishes and His teachings, is actually uneducated. Parents and teachers should educate the children right from childhood about God’s wishes and His teachings along with material and human education so that man’s life gets a true balanced development. Education is a life long continuous and creative process.
     
11. How many realities a man has?
A man has three realities-Material, Human and Divine. God has not made a man merely a material being, but has made him a human and divine being as well. Giving him birth in a family God has made him – a part and member of a family (a small society). During early childhood he is a member of that family (small society) and when he grows up, he becomes a member of entire humanity and develops as a social being. At the same time, man is a divine being as Almighty God, the creator, has given him a rational soul besides giving him a physical body. 
  12. Has only man been given a rational mind and not the animal?
Yes, this is the only difference between a man and an animal that God has not given an animal (who is only a material being), a rational mind and to distinguish between right and wrong whereas a man is gifted with a rational mind and can distinguish between right and wrong. An animal cannot distinguish between good and bad. A man through his rational mind can strike right balance in the three realities of life i.e. (a) material (b) human and (c) divine and also establish right coordination between individual, family and social life and thus makes his life purposeful. Only man has the ability to realize the ultimate result of his doing. An animal does not have such rational thinking.  
     
13. When does a man get such rational and thoughtful life?
As per Hindu scriptures and mythology, after passing through 8.4 million species of animal lives, God gives a rational and thoughtful life of human being. During this human life, using his rational mind and wisdom, one can enlighten his soul and attain proximity of Almighty God or else he has to take 8.4 million rebirths in various animal species again before getting the life of a human being once more. One has to go through this cycle again and again unless he makes his soul pious and pure and attains proximity to Almighty God. The process continues till eternity.
 
   14. Why God gave birth to human kind?
God has given birth to humankind for two purposes- (a) To know the teachings of God with unbiased and pious mind and to understand them in depth (b) To follow His teachings.
     
 15. For whom has God created the Complete Universe?
God has created the entire universe for human beings. When God created the universe, He created the first man and woman as Adam and Eve ( Manu and Shatrupa) from His own soul and got them married. Thus, the first human family was created and established on the earth by God which has now grown to more than six billion people, spread over the entire earth as a global family. Creator of the Universe, the Almighty God serves each one of His creation without discrimination and we all are His children.
   16. What is the duty of a man?
Duty of every individual is to serve the entire society created by Almighty God and serve each individual of this society with pure and pious feeling without any discrimination and full involvement as our soul’s father, Almighty God serves the entire humanity of the world without any discrimination.
     
17. What is religion? How many religions are there?
Geeta, Ramayana, Vedas, Quran, Bible, Guru Granth Saheb, Tripitaka, Qitabe Akdas, Qitabe Ajavesta, and in all other religious treatises, meaning of religion is described as duty. In this creation there are only two religions (1) One: the religions (duty) of the creator of the universe, the God Almighty and the other (2) the religion of His creation: the man. There is no third religion in this world.  
  18. Is religion sacrosanct or can be changed?
God after creating Adam and Eve decided the religion (duty) for both of them and ordered “your religion (duty) will be to know my commandments and follow them: And my religion (duty) will be to protect and look after the welfare of those who understand and follow my orders (teachings) or else destroy them”. God further explained to Adam and Eve “your religion (duty) is sacrosanct and cannot be changed and there will be no change in my religion or your religion till eternity”.
 
     
19. Where does God live?
God said “I am only the core of soul and I live in the minute soul of a man. From there only, I control and direct the world. Where as my creation the man has (1) soul in his heart and at the same time he has (2) his body as the material being. The entire universe and its material objects were created by me for man’s use. Only your heart and soul is made for my living.
 
  20. What was the first teaching given by God?
God’s teachings were you maintain purity of your heart and soul. Be kind, and keep your soul enlightened from celestial light so that I can reside there with all my qualities and virtues. You must teach same to your children as well. This process of teaching your children and they in turn to their coming generations should continue like this for coming ages and time immemorial”. So long as God lives in the heart of a man, his soul remains safe and secure. As soon as a man removes the love of God from his heart and starts loving only the material world, his soul gets destroyed. 
     
 21. What is (a) the religion of God and (b) the religion of human being?
God, clarifying regarding His religion (or duty) made it clear in all religious books and scriptures and stated similarly as in Geeta ‘‘परित्राणाय साधूनाम् विनाशाय च दुस्कृताम’’   (For protection of good and holy people and destruction of unholy or bad people), meaning that, the protection and wellbeing of those holy people and saints who know and understand the teachings of God and follow His teachings and destruction of those who go against these teachings. God had laid down right in the beginning from time immemorial regarding the religion (duty) of the man which is to know the teachings of his creator, the God Almighty, through purity of his heart and deep concentration and follow them and never go against them.
 
   22. Does God send His Divine Educators in different times and ages, being deeply touched by the miseries faced by mankind?
Yes, when man’s life, due to lack of true Divine knowledge, gets attracted towards only the materialism and becomes imbalanced due to which darkness of ignorance spreads and he cannot distinguish between right and wrong, and man’s life becomes full of miseries; it is then that kind and merciful Almighty God sends His representatives or Divine Educators or Incarnations, to the world, in different ages and in different forms, to remove the miseries of mankind and show them the right path to live with happiness and joy as per the requirement of the age and times. God is committed not to keep His children, i.e. the mankind deprived of His guides or Divine Educators. Ever since God created this world, this has been the Godly agreement with mankind and will continue till time immemorial and there will be no change or amendments in this eternal agreement.
     
23. So far when did the Divine Guides or Divine Educators come to the world in various forms?
As per the historical documents available with human civilization, nearly 7500 years ago, God sent Lord Rama, to regulate the volatile world and make it well organized and emancipate the mankind from its troubles. Nearly 5000 years ago, God Almighty sent Lord Krishna to the world to restore human life based on good governance and justice. Again around 2500 years ago, God sent Lord Buddha to change violent lives that at time into nonviolent and peaceful lives. 2000 years ago came Jesus Christ to give the message of love, kindness and compassion. 1400 years ago, Prophet Mohammad was sent by God to teach brotherhood in a violent society fighting each other. 500 years ago Guru Nanak came to the earth to teach God’s message of sacrifice to be the true bargain (सच्चा सौदा) at a time when social life was immersed in selfish pursuits.
 
   24. When and why did God send “Baha’U’llah to this world?
Nearly 200 years ago, God sent Lord Baha’u’llah to teach the message of unity of hearts and unite the mankind which had fragmented due to selfish motives. He professed the message of unity of heart, world unity, world peace and a new world order.
     
25. Why is man unsettled, confused and doubtful?
Today, man is living in unsettled, confused, doubtful and conflicting state. There is a constant confusion in his mind which worries him all the time: whether an employment, vocation or business helpful or a hindrance in the development of his soul to make it divine and spiritual? God has gifted the man with free willpower. He can adopt any profession for his livelihood, like a labourer, farmer, to be in a service or do business and keep developing his soul making it spiritual and divine if he so desires. He can adopt these vocations to earn his livelihood or else destroy his soul for ever through lack of purity of motives in earning his livelihood as a labourer, farmer or through an employment or business.
 
   26. What should be done for development of soul?
Should one continue with his service or vocation as in vogue, indulging in complacency, irresponsibility, indulge in sin and commit a crime or shall he do something else for the aim of his life and development of his soul, like prayer recitation, devotional songs, religious rituals, taking a dip in Holy Ganga, go on pilgrimage, feed Brahmins every year etc. There is no way to enrich one’s soul except through deeds with purity of motives.
     
27. Is destruction of soul more dangerous and disastrous than the destruction of the body?
Destruction of the soul is more dangerous and disastrous than physical death of man. If our soul is pure and if any one kills us, even then we are successful in our life’s aim of enriching our soul. Mahatma Gandhi’s physical body was killed by a bullet fired from a pistol, but he had developed his soul and, hence, Mahatma Gandhi lives for ever as a immortal devotee of God and a source of inspiration to mankind.
 
   28. Is balanced development of body as well as soul necessary?
Man is a material being, however, is a divine being as well (An animal is only a material being and not a divine being), and has to strike a balance between his these two realities. Man has various material needs and problems as a material being. To fulfill his material needs, man has either to do a service or adopt a vocation. Secondly, man is also a divine being and hence, it is equally important for him to keep his soul healthy. It is necessary for him to earn his livelihood, because if he does not earn his livelihood, he would beg or be parasite on others or steal or be dishonest or may be commit suicide and thus he would destroy his soul. One should earn his livelihood with honesty and hard work and with the feeling of public service so that in the process of earning his livelihood, one also constantly enriches his soul. Therefore, a balance development of body and soul is absolutely essential.
     
29. For enriching of our soul, we should earn our livelihood and not be a burden on others
It is often seen that educated or uneducated and unemployed young men keep waiting for Government or private service. I advise such unemployed people to start some small vocation of their own, right from now, so that they can earn their livelihood honestly or work even as a farm labourer or do a job like – selling newspapers, polishing shoes, work as a porter or tutor, pull a rickshaw etc. Being a burden on others, and making the living through lies makes one’s soul weak, where as even a petty small job and a penny earned through honesty and hard work, is helpful in enriching our soul.
 
   30. What was the secret of the success of President of United States, Abraham Lincoln?
When Abraham Lincoln did not get any employment in his youth, he earned his livelihood by rowing a boat, polishing shoes, selling newspapers and working in a shop of old books and worked with honesty to develop his soul. By earning his livelihood through hard work and honesty, he served the society and rose to become President of United States of America and was responsible for abolishing the slavery in the country and removing disparity between whites and blacks and established democracy in USA. Let us take the example of Abraham Lincoln and leave our foot prints on the sand of the time.
     
31. What are the causes of upheavals in man’s life?
It is natural to face many difficulties while working as a labourer, a farmer, working for a service or a vocation, however, for the development of soul, any big difficulty or loss is also very insignificant. In personal, family and social life what ever troubles and pains, disorganization and upheavals faced by man, the main cause for all of them is man’s disregard for his main aim of life i.e. to develop his soul constantly and at each moment. As a result of this, the life is drowned in darkness of ignorance and man starts following a path contrary to the teachings of God and His commandments. This confusion has put man’s life in crisis.
 
   32. Gradually, are we not destroying ourselves and the entire society altogether?
The present age is of unprecedented and unusually destructive, devastating and complicated human problems. These problems are not mere confusions or riddles but are a challenge to the very survival of humanity due to their dangerously destructive and devastating situations. Time has now come when every man, a family, a school and society should contemplate that: Are we not ourselves gradually destroying ourselves, our families and entire society with our own hands?
     
33. Is it necessary to think regarding the outcome of every endeavour?
At the out set of every endeavour one must look to the end of it. Now a days gradually every individual, family and whole world is heading towards wickedness. Each individual and complete society is getting involved in crime, intoxication, violence, terrorism and scandals. Human heart, which is abode of God is getting full of selfishness and materialism. Man’s mind steadily is being transformed into a dustbin of indifferent thoughts. Man’s life has become so full of restlessness, that he has no time to think about the end of an endeavour undertaken by him. Cut off from God, man is in tremendous hurry to get materialistic comforts and pleasures. His such actions and feelings that at any moment, he can do any thing will definitely destroy him completely.
 
   34. Are we together proceeding towards total annihilation of the world?
Parents, schools and colleges, the so called saints and Godmen, politicians and filmmakers, all of them are making the human life totally materialistic one. All those who are in a position to influence the society are not leaving any stone unturned to divide the society into pieces of different religions, races and castes due to their darkness of ignorance. We all are in the process of leaving behind a legacy of racial hatred, religious intolerance, narrow nationality and hatred for each other for our coming generations and two billion children and also leave a legacy of the stockpile of 36000 nuclear bombs capable of complete destruction and devastation of the earth and mankind many times over. To see the plight of today’s world, we are reminded of a poet’s words मेरे उर की पीर कोई न जाने न, मैं जानू या प्रभू तू जाने और तमाशगीर कोई जाने न (No one knows the pain of my heart; only I know, or God: you know, but rest of the spectators know nothing and are just onlookers)
     
35. Let us go home
Let us go back to the God Almighty, who has sent us to this world, go back to our soul our real home and protect our soul. Selfishness is an incurable disease of human mind. Let the demon of selfish desires in our hearts, not destroy our soul. Let us therefore save our soul. Friends, let us go back to our home. ‘‘जैसे उडि जहाज को पंछी पुनि जहाज पर आावे, मेरो मन अनन्त कहॉ सुख पावे’’. A bird from a ship flies out of ship but comes back to the ship. My soul too does not find solace any where else except in the abode of God.
 
   36. How to make our Service and employment a means to serve the society created by the God?
Many people serve in Government, private or social service organizations or do a job of farming, teaching, judiciary, administration, sanitation, transport, media, medical, railways, police, army, banks, water work, electricity, roads, construction and other departments and thus serve the society. They provide grains, meaningful education, impartial justice, pure air, water, electricity and other social amenities to the society with dedication. All such people are saints in true sense. But those, who do not provide such public amenities with a sense of service and work only to earn their livelihood, they destroy their own souls and their own lives as well.
     
37. How to make the vocation, a source of service to the society created by the God?
Industrialists produce useful items for the society and businessmen collect these various articles and items of daily use like clothes, general merchandise and medicines from different places where these goods are manufactured and deliver them to the people through their shops, close to their living places. For example, a shop keeper of a small general store keeps all items of general use, including even a things like needle, in his shop.
 
    38. What is the true service to God?
One would have to go to the factory located far away in different cities where such items of daily use are manufactured in case they are not delivered to him by a shopkeeper. Thus, along with big industrialists, the small businessmen and shopkeepers also do a great service to the society and earn his livelihood to bring up their families. This is the true service to God. Time has come to develop farming, labour on daily wages, service, vocation or industry with a feeling of true service to mankind, the creation of Almighty God, so that we while performing our duties as a farmer, a labourer, servant and a vocation, develop and enrich our souls.
     
39. How an ordinary businessman and shoe-maker Raidas became a Saint?
Saint Raidas never went to a Temple, Mosque, Church or Gurudwara. Nor did he perform any rituals to pray God. Raidas was a businessman making shoes for his livelihood. He made shoes with deep concentration and craftsmanship. While making a shoe, he was concerned that who so ever buys his shoe, he should not feel any discomfort when he puts them on and they should be comfortable. At the same time a shoe made by him should be durable so that his client does not have to spend money again and again on its repairs. Raidas would add his profit on the cost of the material used and sell the shoes on fixed price. It was his sense of duty and sacrifice for his work and blessings of Almighty God that he was bestowed with the title of saint Raidas.
 
    40. How did Kabir become Saint Kabir, a guide for humanity?
Kabir was a weaver. To earn his livelihood, he wove cloth with dedication and sense of service. He did his work with deep concentration and while weaving, always kept in mind that not a single thread of the shawl should be weak or fragile and gets broken, so that the shawl remained long lasting and did not get torn early and easily and a buyer who bought the shawl used it for long time and had not to spend money again and again. Kabir developed his soul through a vocation of weaving.
     
41. How did Dr Radha Krishnan enrich his soul as a teacher?
Late Dr Radha Krishnan, the Ex-President of India earned his livelihood as a teacher. He followed his profession as an ideal teacher and enriched his soul. He taught his students with total commitment giving minute details of his subject and also imparted spiritual education to them. He became a very popular teacher amongst his students. He enriched his soul through his profession.
  42 The spirit of sacrifice and service is no less than a military force.
Some one asked King Hasan, “You did not have enough money nor did you have an army to attack other kings. Then how come, you got the rare opportunity to become a king”. King Hasan gave a simple answer. ‘I did not have these things, but sense of service to the humanity in one’s heart, sacrifice and liberal attitude is no less than an Army and a treasure! Which I had.
     
43 Which is the most beautiful place on Earth?
Friends, I can say with strong conviction and full faith that the most beautiful place like heaven on earth, is our home and family. There is no other more beautiful place and comfortable heaven either on earth or space. A child learns first lesson of his life in the family, in the lap of his mother and in the court-yard of his house. There is no higher teacher in this world than the mother and father. A child learns its first lesson at home, which is its first school. Whatever, he learns in childhood remains with him throughout his life.
  44. What is asceticism or freedom from life?
One of my friends told me, “Jagdish, I have decided to enrich my soul. The body is made of clay. Soul is undestructible. This world is senseless and feels tasteless. All relations are full of selfishness. I have decided to renounce the world. I will take shelter of God and spend all my time in prayer and devotional songs. I want to be free from worldly attachments like service or business, home and family and the attractions of the world”. Hearing her husband’s decision, his wife got worried about running the family- arranging bread, clothes, home and other amenities. Children too got shocked to hear about their father’s decision and maundered that in his absence who will arrange for their ration, toys, books, notebooks, medicines, clothes and other items. A man who runs away from his responsibilities, his soul is dead. The men who discharge their responsibilities with honesty and sincerity, they are real devotees of God.
     
45. Do we destroy our soul by adopting an Anti Social stance in our Vocation?
Yes, by taking extra profit in business with the aim of earning extra money, selling fake goods as original, adulteration, under weighing of goods and charging full cost will make one’s soul weak. In the name of business, if one organizes gambling speculation, porno films and prostitution, indulge in making illicit liquor and such other anti social professions will destroy our souls.
There is no better professions for enrichment of one’s soul than the service or profession done with honesty, sense of service and for public welfare.
  46. Should one tell about his sins to God only?
Yes, one should express about his weaknesses and sins only to God and not to any one else like a saint or a friend. By doing this, neither soul’s development takes places, nor your desire to commit sins gets destroyed. If one really wants to get rid of his weaknesses and sins, he should never tell about them to any one else except to the God. At the same time, one should never keep thinking about his weaknesses and hold poor opinion about himself and get dejected. If one really wants to get rid of his weaknesses and sins, he should tell about them to the God who resides with in our souls with purity of heart and seek His blessings to get rid of these weaknesses and sins.
     
47. What is the easiest remedy to get rid of sins?
Why did you commit sin? Or why are you committing sins and how one can save himself from committing sins. These questions, one should ask the God, with in himself, with pure heart and ask Him the remedy to get rid of the sins. However, a heinous criminal, when comes and surrenders before God, the merciful God immediately sets him free from all sins, taking him in His care God enriches his soul. Demon King Ravana, the biggest sinner of the world, enchanted “Hey Ram” with pure heart and came to seek Rama’s blessings. Lord Rama without any delay took him in His care and freed him from all of his sins.
  48. Is unity of hearts very much the need of the age ?
Yes, on a tree of Unity grow fruits of Peace. If we want comfort, peace, happiness and joy in our individual, family and social life, we will have to make our hearts pure through love of God and establish unity of hearts. Dear friends, today we have to work in our farms, work as labourers, as servants or pursue a vocation and keep developing our soul and establish unity of hearts, generate love of God and awaken our sleeping souls, so that our individual, family and social life becomes spiritual and we make our material life happy and joyful and spiritually enlightened.



 

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