Political Wisdom
Monday September 13 2004 08:13 IST
By Karmayogi
Wisdom is the ultimate
goal for the mind. Political wisdom is its extension to the affairs of the
nation. There once was a dream that philosophers would become kings. To be
wise, one should cease to look at the affairs of the world from one's
point of view. One must cease to be subjective.
Objective knowledge of the affairs of the nation raises wisdom to political
wisdom. History tell us that Nehru, our idol in the Freedom Movement, did not
have that political wisdom when he trusted Chou En-lai. China's betrayal
came as a shock to Nehru, who was then emerging as a leader of the Third World.
He did not long survive that shock. Roosevelt similarly trusted Stalin,
bypassed Churchill, and was sorely betrayed. Neville Chamberlain thought Hitler
was a gentleman who would keep his word. Were these great personalities really
naive?
Certainly they are the jewels of humanity whose wisdom none of us have a right
to question. Historians explain such phenomena from the points of view of
historical fact or psychological upbringing.
Their faults are no mere faults. They are landmarks in history. Instead of
accepting them as shortcomings of great men, we can go behind such events to
their philosophical truths. Indian wisdom tells us that such great
philosophical truths behind the history of nations are the same as those behind
our own personal life.
It is there we can lay our finger on the ultimate truth unerringly and with
spiritual benefit. We can know of events in our own life where our trust has
been betrayed. It is the right psychological raw material to work on.
There are shrewd men who will never allow anyone to betray them. Of course, in
the field of universal philosophy, no one can be too sure. Shrewd men can
succeed with other men, not with life. Life will let them down infamously.
Politicians who get the better of their allies have enjoyed a total defeat at
the polls. Life has two parts, good and bad. Both are excelled by the inherent,
self-existent GOOD. As long as you are good, the betrayal of men or matters
will be in store.
When you are too clever, Life will strike you down. To be Good, one rises above
good as well as bad. In simple words, the GOODNESS one enjoys must be pure and
pristine. It will be invulnerable at the level of personal life.
If you are inwardly sure of that, you will never be let down by men or Life. To
maintain that pristine purity at the national or global level was difficult
even for Nehru. To produce such an individual, the world has to wait for some
more time.
At the personal level, or family or organisational level, one can certainly
succeed if he invokes the Spirit. Anything beyond is for the Avatar, not for man.