Universal Value Based Education

You are well aware that the entire world is passing through a tense and chaotic stage, even worse than what was experienced during the two world wars. The present one is also a war, a war between good and evil, sacrifice and greed, virtues and vices, tolerance and stubbornness, religious co-existence and fundamentalism, traditional time- tested values and quick gains and ego, and so on. The various issues involved are not only local i.e. restricted to one’s own country, but are global as well. The world is witnessing mind-boggling scientific and industrial developments like artificial intelligence, Internet, IT, Nano Technology, journey to the outer space and what not on the one hand, while on the other, there is total chaos, confusion, terrorism, bloodshed and massacre in the name of caste, creed, race, religion and trivial issues like boundaries of nations. It is most unfortunate that in-spite of these amazing and wonderful developments for all possible enjoyments, material comforts for leading a luxurious life and for the welfare of the mankind, the family system, which is vital for our survival, is on the rocks and certainly deteriorating rapidly because of the decline in mutual faith, affection, true love, loyalty and trust, neglecting their religious duty towards each other, which is the very foundation of the “Ideal Family System.” The industrialized society should have helped in preserving the human values apart from providing the materialistic gains, and achieve sustainable development. But even though the present scientific innovations, discoveries and technological advancements have converted this world of ours into a Global Village on the face of it, the hearts and minds have drifted far apart, with deep valleys and barriers being created between man and man, one nation and the other, one religion and the other, and between different races, castes and communities. It is again because of the erosion of the time-tested value system that we have forgotten our ethos, culture and traditions. The human spirit and approach is missing. The most unfortunate part of it is that this is taking place with a highly developed education system carefully devised by the great thinkers, philosophers, academicians, scholars and scientists. The values of bygone era, which helped this planet earth to sustain over the ages, are missing. Once the value system is missing, then there is no difference between human beings and other living beings like animals. The future will depend upon the decisions and actions we will take today. It could be either peace, tranquility and prosperity or global conflict, destruction and horrifying disaster, putting the survival of the very human race itself at stake. In some of the so-called advanced countries, because of collapse of the Family System, the school children are starving for the Love and Affection from their parents, which unfortunately are missing. As a result, they are suffering quite a lot because of the failure of the present Education System, which is devoid of most essential human values like Love, Affection, Compassion, Reverence and Respect for Elders and particularly for parents. Looking at the present scenario all over the world, it is imperative that we carry out introspection, search where we have gone wrong, and decide about the measures, which can help in setting the things right. It requires sincere efforts and firm action by all the right thinking people without any further loss of time. Any further delay will make the process irreversible and whatever rot has set in will get perpetuated.

The prophetic words of wisdom spoken by Great Noble Son of India Swami Vivekananda, at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago on 11th September 1893, that “Union of Science and Religion/Spirituality alone, will bring Harmony and Peace to Mankind” are, in my opinion, the True Life-guiding Spirit for the present day world.
On this background, we need to understand the exact Role of Science and Religion/Spirituality in developing the posi

tive mindset and promoting the Culture of Peace in the world
It is worth noting that the very definition of Science is nothing but to find Unity and to understand the Ultimate State of Matter along with its Nature and the Ultimate Reality of the Universe, whereas the very definition of Religion is nothing but to perform one’s duty – the highest Divine Knowledge and Wisdom, to develop the sense of ethics and moral character which teaches how to live happily and let others also, live happily without causing any harm or injustice to other living beings.
It is most unfortunate that during the history of mankind, some of the most devastating wars and the highest bloodshed, massacre and violence have taken place in the name of religion. This is largely due to the selfish and ulterior motives of some egoistic persons with vested interests.
It may be also noted that if science is not utilized for the well-being of the mankind, but for purposes like building atomic bombs or other weapons, it can cause complete devastation and destruction of the world.
It is high time that we take a note of the words of wisdom spoken by the world famous Scientist Dr. Albert Einstein, who had said that “Science without Religion (Spirituality) is lame, while Religion without Science is blind.”
Being a man of Engineering Sciences and a student of Particle Physics, I am still very much impressed by the highly innovative and scientific writings and the philosophy of the 13th Century Philosopher Saint Shree Dnyaneshwara and 17th Century Philosopher Saint Shree Tukaram as well as 20th Century Nobel Laureate and a Great Scientist Dr. Albert Einstein. Similarly, the other great saints, sages and scientists of India and the world over, including those like Philosopher Saint Francis of Assisi, Rome have made a tremendous impact on my mind and have helped me in trying to understand and realize the True Nature of the Universe – the Ultimate Truth – the Ultimate Reality – the Knowledge Divine!
Friends, I am glad to put before you the following verse, the very first Ovi/Stanza of DNYANESHWARI – A commentary on Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta, written by Philosopher Saint Shree Dnyaneshwara 720 years ago, at the young age of only Sixteen (16) years, which has made a lasting impression on my mind and has set me forth on my life’s mission to promote the Culture of Peace in the World through the appropriate understanding of the Role of Science and Spirituality/Religion and the very Essence and Philosophy of all the World Religions.
Philosopher Saint Dnyaneshwara states that the “Ultimate Truth” is nothing but pure intelligence / consciousness, the Kknowledge Divine, the true nature of the Soul – Atman.
It is highly revealing that on the same lines, one of the greatest scientists of the world, Dr. Albert Einstein, later in his life, very assertively says that – “The Entire Universe is a manifestation of pure intelligence and consciousness.” Further, he says, “I believe in God – who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of the Universe. I believe that intelligence is manifested throughout Mother Nature. The basis of scientific work is the conviction that the world is an ordered and comprehensible entity and not a thing of chance.”
Philosopher Saint Shri Dnyaneshwara, as a man of Spirituality, to Dr. Albert Einstein, a man of Science, is a long journey in time and space, however the very scientific and philosophical narrations revealed in Shri Dnyaneshwari in the form of Ovis / Verses equally reflect the very principles and laws of Mother Nature and life, which are enunciated through the equations like E = MC2 and various formulae of Mathematics and Physics.
It is also worth noting that although the Great 16th Century Scientist Galileo is credited to be the first scientist to reveal that the “Earth is Round and revolves round the Sun,” it is interesting that three (3) centuries before him, Philosopher Saint Shri Dnyaneshwara concluded that “the apparent movement of the sun from East to West, as observed, is an illusion. In fact, the Sun is stationary and the Earth is moving round the Sun.”
On the same lines, another Revered Philosopher Saint from India, Jagadguru Shri Tukaram Maharaj has said:

AUw aoUw WmoH$S>m Ÿ& VwH$m AmH$mem EdT>m Ÿ&&

This Marathi verse clearly explains the very basic principle of particle physics, wherein he says, ‘I am the smallest of the smallest of the small particle of the universe, smaller even than the sub-atomic particles, which is all–pervading, all-encompassing, and which occupies the entire universe’.
Friends, is this concept/theory not the same as the concept “Higgs-Boson or God Particle?” It makes me wonder, how a person with no formal education like Saint Shree Tukaram could even conceive of such a scientific thought, when some of our most learned scientists took years of research to discover this smallest of the small particles of the universe.

“Education is a manifestation of pure intelligence” & “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man”, and is obviously closely related with the proper understanding of the Role of Science and Spirituality/ Religion for the well-being of the Mankind.
The main thrust of Education, in addition to providing inputs by way of knowledge and information, should be in developing purity of mind, purity of thought and purity in each and every action of life, which are basic for establishing a holistic global society. The main purpose of education is to develop the “WINNING PERSONALITY” of the Students, who will be Physically Fit, Mentally Alert, Intellectually Sharp and Spiritually Elevated, so that he will be able to contribute their mite for the wellbeing of the global society at large.
The process of establishment of peace should start from an individual, which is possible when there is peace within. We have seen that it is the individual’s perception of all the things around, which decides the line of thinking and later the action. Obviously, this depends upon one’s mindset. It is this mindset, which needs to be addressed and properly guided to think rationally in the right direction for the welfare of mankind.
Friends, as defined by Swami Vivekananda, “Education is a manifestation of pure intelligence” & “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man”, and it is obviously closely related with the proper understanding of the Role of Science and Spirituality/ Religion for the well-being of the Mankind.
In spite of the best efforts put in by the educationists all over the world to offer quality education, the modern education system is deficient when it comes to inculcating time tested human values. If we observe closely, over the years, “I don’t care” and “To hell with it” types of cultures are proliferating fast. These are indicative of the gross erosion of human values and are likely to lead our future generations towards infighting, violence and ultimately self-destruction. Such a situation can be corrected only through the right type of education based on time-tested human values, which are universal.
Education, devoid of any values, makes a person literate in any given field, but not educated and cultured in the real sense of the word. Unfortunately, the human values in our day to day life are getting eroded and at times are more conspicuous by their absence. Unless they become part and way of our life, the situation will continue to deteriorate at the peril of human kind. This calls for our urgent attention and action. It is necessary to incorporate these values in our education system right from pre-primary and primary to higher education, the latter being totally devoid of any such thing as on today.
Spirituality, which in a way is manifestation of religion, provides the human beings, be it any one, with a moral base and ethical values, which are sacrosanct for the survival of Mother Earth. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, as mentioned above – “Union of Science and Religion/Spirituality will alone bring harmony and peace to the world”. In this respect, India which has a strong spiritual base enriched by its culture, traditions, teachings of the great saints and sages of the past and the holy scriptures, can provide the lead and the right direction. In fact, it will not be an exaggeration, if we say that the world looks at India and some other oriental countries for spiritual guidance for establishing the “Culture of Peace”.
It is essential for us to incorporate human values with their strong ethical and moral base in our education system at all levels. Among others, these will include truth, honesty, integrity, sympathy, empathy, compassion, mutual respect including respect for parents, teachers and elders, tolerance, devotion and dedication to a cause, non-violence etc. based on the fact that these are universally true and common, despite the diverse cultures, history and geographical boundaries.
I would like to assertively state here that the Indian Philosophy is based on Sacrifice, Devotion, Sharing and Caring for Each Other, while unfortunately, world over, in-spite of the highly advanced educational system, this particular aspect has been side-tracked and misunderstood and there is a greater tendency towards only Self-Enjoyment and Materialistic Comforts, which can possibly be minimized through “Value Based Universal Education System.”
As such, all the nations of the world can adopt the above-mentioned values and make them an integral part of their education system, adopting the appropriate and proportionate components of Science and Spiritual Aspects, thus heralding the dawn of Harmony and Peace in the entire world.
The concept of Value based Universal Education System can well be taken up and practiced all over the world due to the simple fact that every religion, the old scriptures, historical and cultural traditions of all the countries propagate the virtuous actions which can lead to peace, progress and happiness. All the cultures of the world have originated from and/or have been moulded by the religions/spiritual aspects of the respective groups of people. No religion advocates greed, lust, hatred or violence. All the scriptures teach love, compassion, tolerance and respect for one another. In that way, as such, All the Religious Scriptures of the World are Truly LIFE-GUIDING SCRIPTURES, for the respective followers of various religions consisting of approximately
2.2 billion Christians, 1.6 billion Muslims, 1 billion Hindus,
376 million Buddhists, 23 million Sikhs 14 million Jews
4.2 million Jains
Alongwith followers of other religions as well as non-believers (Atheists), totaling to about Seven (7) billion people in the world.

World Peace Centre (Alandi), MAEER’s MIT, Pune, India has come to this conclusion that All the Religious Scriptures of the World are Truly LIFE-GUIDING SCRIPTURES after a number of Round Table Conferences / Seminars / Panel Discussions amongst the great scholars, thinkers, Philosophers and Scientists, Educationists and Academicians of the world over for the last 30 years.
It has been observed and found that there are some misconceptions about the very term “Religion” because of the ritualistic practices being followed in different religions and many times adopted by some individuals with vested interests, which may lead to “Blind Faith” and “Superstitious practices.”
It is worth noting that the GREAT NOBLE SON OF INDIA SWAMI VIVEKANANDA has very aptly defined the term “RELIGION” as, “Religion is nothing but to perform one’s DUTY – DUTY TOWARDS THE MOTHER, THE FATHER, THE FAMILY, THE SOCIETY, THE NATION AND THE WHOLE WORLD – VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM – THE WORLD AS ONE FAMILY – A GLOBAL VILLAGE .

Spiritualism or Religious Practices in different faiths take over where science and technology cease to provide any solution / answer for enriching our lives and making them worthy as a Human Being. It gives the moral courage and ethical strength as well as Purity of Thought, Purity of Mind and Purity in each and every action, which is so essential for achieving the desired objectives of Peace and Harmony.
The mind-boggling scientific developments in various fields have made it possible to provide all kinds of physical comforts and means of enjoyment in human life. However, if your mind and heart is not comfortable and at peace, then friends, will it make you truly happy and satisfied by only living a life of luxury derived from physical / bodily or sensuous comforts through various means of enjoyment? It is equally important that we should be spiritually elevated as well and be able to get rid of the vices like lust, greed, anger, jealousy, hatred and envy to provide real comfort to our mind and heart as well.
The Indian practice of Yoga and Meditation are particularly helpful in developing a positive mindset, which would ultimately lead in reducing the chaos, confusion and disorder in our mind, body and heart and ultimately within our society and the entire world as well leading to Harmony and Peace for the mankind.

Friends, remember that even if any richest of rich men build a golden palace on the bank of any holy river or a lake, it does not become a PILGRIM CENTER, but rather it needs to be sanctified by the presence of a great pious and visionary saint, sage, seer or a prophet.
It has been observed that in many parts of the world, many of the so-called intellectuals and educated people think that PILGRIM CENTERS of various religions are places to promote only Ritualistic Practices, many times leading to Blind Faith, even though, these PILGRIM CENTERS OF VARIOUS RELIGIONS WORLD OVER ARE TRULY DIVINE KNOWLEDGE CENTERS, as these PILGRIM CENTERS are established in the name of the Great Saints, Sages, Seers, Prophets and Men of Virtue and those considered to be Incarnations of the Almighty, as per the respective faiths.
However, the pilgrim centers can also serve as the Divine Knowledge Centers for the Welfare of the Society, imparting non-formal education covering social, moral, ethical, behavioral and environmental aspects and minimizing the disorders in our life, resulting from lust, greed, jealousy, hatred, ego and anger, thereby truly becoming “Centers of Wisdom” as well as “Knowledge Centers for Social Transformation.”
Friends, there is an urgent need to eradicate the misleading and wrong concepts about the Role of Pilgrim Centers as they are performing a similar role as the present day highly reputed Universities. It is high time that these Pilgrim Centers the world over are transformed into the TRUE DIVINE KNOWLEDGE CENTERS to educate the Masses at large and thereby help in establishing a Holistic, Harmonious Peace Loving Society.
In short, the VALUE BASED UNIVERSAL EDUCATION SYSTEM with an appropriate understanding of the ROLE OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY WILL GREATLY HELP IN ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PARLIAMENT OF WORLD RELIGIONS.

Dr. Vishwanath D. Karad is a firm believer in the following verse from the Atharva Veda, which clearly enunciates the purpose of human existence on this earth:

FELLOWSHIP

We are the birds of the same nest
We may wear different skins
We may speak different tongues
We may believe in different religions
We may belong to different cultures
Yet, we share the same home, Earth
Born on the same planet
Covered by the same skies
Gazing at the same stars
Breathing the same air
We must learn to progress together
Or, miserably perish together
For a person can live individually
But, can only survive collectively

• ATHARVA VEDA