|
 We
constantly seek things that elude us. Peace. People and nations go
to war citing peace as a nice example. It is true that in order to
obtain peace, we always seek non-peaceful ways. A momentous event in
the history of Michigan unfolds as the symbol of peace gets
installed on October 2nd within the portals of an educational
institution. The symbol is an expression of solidarity between the
two nations. Beyond that, the statue is a standing example of
tolerance, peace and selfless service to mankind. Mahatma Gandhi in
his own way was the living example of Vedanta. What better way to
remember him than in a place where young minds are shaped to
understand the power of giving and the power of true and complete
knowledge.
Anu Gopalakrishnan, Miindia.com has a chat with Dr.
Nagaraju, a retired Gastroenterologist from Michigan, now residing
in Bangalore, India. Dr. Nagaraju is the soul behind the Mahatma
Gandhi installation and shares his insights into the Genesee peace
committee and the reason behind the statue installation. Dr.
Nagaraju hails from the village Kayyamballi, Karnataka state in
India completed his MBBS from Mysore Medical College, MRCP from
London, UK prior to coming to the US. He completed his
Gastroenterology fellowship at University of Michigan in Flint, was
the Associate Professor of Medicine at MSU and also was a practicing
gastroenterologist for 35 years before taking a voluntary retirement
to go to Mumbai to attend to a spiritual calling.
Some excerpts from the conversation:
 Q:
Tell us about your tryst with Vedanta and why Mahatma Gandhi?
Was involved with the Chinmaya Mission since 1980, took a voluntary
retirement and went to Mumbai in 2005 to stay at the Sandeepany
Sadhanalaya, the central headquarters of the Chinmaya Mission.
However, for me the spiritual calling became higher as my children
were well settled. I began to question the purpose of life. I
realized that life’s calling is not to work for oneself but for the
benefit of the society. As the hindu culture depicts, there are four
stages of life: Brahmachari stage – where we learn everything we
need to learn, the Grihasta stage where as a family, we live life
through thick and thin, the Vanaprasta stage where you give what you
have learned and earned back to the community and the final stage
would be Sanyasa where you thank the lord for everything and you
contemplate on the lord alone. Nothing belongs to us. All that god
has given us, has to be given back to him. We as individuals will
realize this any time. Gandhiji felt strongly about this. He
considered this to be trusteeship. The Mahatma’s greatest thinking
was living as a trustee in all levels to serve the public’s
interest. In short, nobody possesses anything, nobody owns anything.
Everything belongs to everybody.
Q: The simple concept of Vedanta has far been misunderstood by
few which has resulted in properties being usurped and material
wealth more pronounced – what are your thoughts?
There is no property in the strictest sense of the word. "Isavasyam
idam sarvam yat kim ca jagatyam jagat, tena tyaktena bhunjithah ma
gridhah kasyasvid dhanam" is the first mantra of the Ishavasya
Upanishad: The entire universe is indwelt, enveloped, covered by the
Supreme Being, whatever this world be - moving or non-moving, living
or otherwise. The second part of this mantra is a conclusion drawn
from this vision: Live a happy life in this world. Enjoy your
existence; do not suffer. Life is not intended to be a misery. We
cannot expect God to have created a hell for us. The resources
belong to everybody, the country’s resources belongs to everyone.
Gandhiji did not believe in inheritance. He propagated this
Upanishad belief in the way he lived as a way to bring peace in to
the world.
 Q: There is a reason behind having the Mahatma’s statue.
Gandhiji is the best role model for the present society. His path is
love and non violence. How can you love someone if you don’t like
them. In todays world, we develop liking because we expect something
in return. Where is selfless love where in you love something or
someone for the sake of love. Let’s go back to basics of Upanishads
– Isavasyam meaning God is present everywhere. If you accept that,
then you also accept that the presence of lord is in our form in
this universe. So when I see you impoverished and suffering, I can
do something to make you like me. This is a simple thought. When we
see god everywhere, why is there hatred? Combining all the
intellectual capabilities and physical strength for serving others
was Gandhiji’s way of life. He lived and believed in this truth
alone. It will not suffice if one merely accepts the divinity
present in all people. Theoretically, acceptance is one thing, but a
practical implementation is a different thing altogether. It is very
important to know about Karma. What I give today will certainly come
back to me, whether it is good or bad. Whether it is a country or an
individual, Karma spares noone.
There is violence in a particular country because they have been
violent to others – Karma does not spare anyone. When you are
violent in your mind, don’t expect peace to come to you. Wherever
there is a tremendous expansion of prosperity, suffering is natural.
We simply need to start sharing resources of this world in more
equitable ways. This is why we need Gandhiji now more than ever.
Violence begets violence. The issue lies in the processes, decisions
and systems.
A good case in example is the Avandia lawsuit where in management’s
money making strategies left the whole community at stake.
Management takes millions as bonuses, how can you have peace?
Q: When did the idea of the Gandhi statue installation germinate?
The idea happened during the 125th centennial celebration at Flint
by the Genesee County Committee for Community Peace. Flint was a
beautiful town before illiteracy, drugs and violence became a part
of life. There was a need for a peaceful coexistence. We started
having a peace day celebration through walks and marches since then.
There were essay writings by school children, peace murals in the
river bank, peace Beautification Park by children which eventually
got destroyed by vandalism. We kept building small things for the
community where violence is common and peace isn’t visible. All this
goes to prove that one of the basic deficiencies is in the education
system. We are not educating people to live in peace, we are
educating them to exploit others so that one can live comfortably.
We must address social ethics which Gandhiji felt so strongly about.
Our education is to serve others, to share and care. That is true
education. People who are rich and who have no heart to give are
referred to as the spiritual slum by Gandhiji. Swami Vivekananda
called it spiritual bankruptcy. Not practicing what you have
accepted as a belief only leads to violence as there is a distinct
conflict between teaching and living.
 Q: Is there a dearth of spirituality in the world?
Yes. Spirituality means loving each other without expectation. That
is spirituality. I love but I don’t share. How is that possible? You
cannot have a massive church building with poverty next to it.
Spiritual centers are not centers of practice…in the name of it,
they exploit it. Gandhiji believed that – that’s why he did not
build any temple- creating buildings only lead to a violent system.
It becomes too political.
Q: Why an educational institution? Why University of Michigan,
Flint campus?
Mahatma Gandhi is the living Vedanta. The Genesee County Committee
was in existence even before 1994. Vedanta says you must serve,
share and care. We started organizing free clinics for anyone who
had no insurance, free drugs and free hospitalization was provided.
The work is still going on.The University of Michigan in Flint has
been part of this progress for the past 15 years. The Community
Foundation of Greater Flint, the Chinmaya Mission, the Genesee
County Medical Society Alliance, International Academy – they are
all organs of the peace committee. Gandhiji’s values and beliefs
should start with education. A Gandhi statue in an educational
environment is the best place because the hope is that respect for
this ideology would be greatly appreciated. It is time we had Gandhi
studies as part of the curriculum. The future depends on the
educated youth. The idea is that they holistically understand the
fact that if secular and spiritual education is totally imbibed
together, then there is hope for change.
 Q: Tell us more about this historical event.
We will be gathering near the mayor’s office. We will walk to the
university campus. There will be interfaith prayers from different
religious leaders prior to unveiling of the statue. There will be a
peace dance organized by the community groups following which there
will be a peace meeting in recognition of the peace makers of the
world. Student winner of the essay competition will present the
winning essay to the audience. There will be a peace skit by Ashoka
Rao in collaboration with Chaula Thacker of Nadanta. There will be
food to share. We hope to see practitioners from all walks of life
get together and set a good example to social change. If we as a
collective unit can upgrade one school, make it a viable and easily
reachable goal and a student from that school competes at SAT with
students from other good schools- then our contribution has borne
fruit. Ensuring proper education is the only best mode of working
collectively for world peace. I would like to see university
students take interest in studying gandhiji’s teachings of
nonviolence and peaceful living. If universities accept his
philosophy for the betterment of the world, they are the promoters
of peace in the world. If he is represented well, we are all well
represented.
A good case in example is the Avandia lawsuit where in
management’s money making strategies left the whole community at
stake. The drug that got approved by the FDA left thousands
complaining of heart issues as side effects. The drug was later
recalled. Another facet of the inappropriate distribution of wealth
is the corporate world where management takes millions as bonuses
leaving the laborers in distress, how can you have peace when
monetary wealth is given importance? Conflicts will always arise.. |
