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Life is wonderful privilege, a gift bestowed on us by the Almighty. How we use it is our gift to Him. Along with its unfold blessings, it imposes on us certain duties. It demands the fulfilment of great tasks and the realization of noble ideals. This is possible by leading a life enriched by ethics and values, including not only character development but also abilities to reason morally, compassionately and lovingly.
The impact of Science, Mathematics, Astronomy, Psychology, History, Religion and Languages on self culture or the lack of it is perhaps as wide as the meaning as self culture itself. Science can liberate and enfranchise our mind from the corroding and demoralizing influence of superstitions in all its ghastly shapes and disguises. Mathematics will teach us the habit of clear thinking and sound resoning. It will cure the mind of slovenliness and sloth. Astronomy will help us to understand the marvels of universe and how it elevates and inspires our soul and gives us the purest poetry of Science. It enables the mind to be lifted into the ehteral regions of infinity and mystery. Thus, it becomes our duty to understand the scientific theories of the origin, evolution and desitny of the universe. Psychology is to explain the complex and varied phenomena of human nature. The mind, and not its product the machinem is the helm of history. The study of history enlarges our experience by showing the roots without uprooting the tree of civilization. Similarly the study of great religions supplies the life-giving waters of Ethics. The valuable element in each religion is its ethics, which is always present in varying amounts, as some pure water can be obtained from even the foulest stream by the process of distillation. The study of languages and the practice of composition and elocution are the first steps in mental culture. Today, we are focusing on outer development in India, e.g., in the areas of energy, infrastructure etc., and unarguably they are required, but the area of inner development clearly lacks the attention it deserves.
It is needless to say that even a small change that can be brought about in the area of inner development i.e. self-culture, would have far reaching and long lasting impact on the society and nation at large.
ISBN 9788131316474
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