Dharma encompasses a great many things, including, but not limited to, Duty, Commitment, Compassion, Care and Sustainability. But it is never a Religion. One must not confuse the Vedic concept of Dharma with Hindu concept of Sanatana Dharma or Buddhist ideas of Dhamma. Dharma in simple terms is Not doing unto others what you do not expect others doing to you.
Dharma comes from the root Vedic Sanskrit word Dhriya which means to Sustain. It is about helping us know, understand, and realize ways to sustain ourselves, our family, our enterprises, societies, and nations even during the most challenging times. Dharma Shastras, or Definitive Works on Dharma, provides us with the relevant knowledge, wisdom, and tools. Neeti, Rajaneeti and Kootaneeti are important of those tools.
The Neeti offers Dharmic guidelines for individuals to conduct themselves wisely in a familial, social, organizational, and national setup. Rajaneeti is the Dharmic guidelines for an individual to adhere when in the position of leadership. Rajaneeti is also a Vedic approach to Politics. The objective of Rajaneeti, according to Bhartrihari is also to “… ensure people are persuaded, by all means possible, to understand and follow to Dharma.” When people fail to adhere to these Neetis – they often end up being abusive, corrupt, and dictatorial. This drives that specific society, organization and/or nation in a state of chaos. Recovering such organization from the depth of an abyss with minimal force and maximum intellect is the Vedic Art and Science of Kootaneeti.
The Neeti offers Dharmic guidelines for individuals to conduct themselves wisely in a familial, social, organizational, and national setup. Rajaneeti is the Dharmic guidelines for an individual to adhere when in the position of leadership. Rajaneeti is also a Vedic approach to Politics. The objective of Rajaneeti, according to Bhartrihari is also to “… ensure people are persuaded, by all means possible, to understand and follow to Dharma.” When people fail to adhere to these Neetis – they often end up being abusive, corrupt, and dictatorial. This drives that specific society, organization and/or nation in a state of chaos. Recovering such organization from the depth of an abyss with minimal force and maximum intellect is the Vedic Art and Science of Kootaneeti.
In some way or the other every family, society, organization, religions, and nations have some form of written as well as unwritten code for every person to conduct in a specific way which can be interpreted as Neeti. They also have their own interpretation to Polity and propose ways in which every leader, politician, prime minister, or ruler must conduct oneself.
But what if all people fail to adhere to these specific conducts? What should a person desiring of achieving balance, harmony and sustainability in society supposed to do when there is chaos in the society? No other civilization, religion, or nation has any ideas for resolving situations under such extraordinary times.
Consider the present state of the world we are living in today: Owing to the ongoing pandemic the economies globally have been hit severely. Job losses are a norm as the nations’ abilities to assist their citizen to ease their burdens are becoming weaker by the day. These collapses of a great many large organizations, unprecedented rise in loan defaults, stupendous rise in unemployment and collapse of value in real estate is now only a matter of time. And even though almost everyone is certain of this fact, most people, instead of embracing the reality are busy to refute it.
We can see a great many debt-ridden multi-billion conglomerates using every available resource to create a façade to impress upon people to establish their financial liquidity to impress upon people so that they could lend them more money. They are already burning a great many of their already draining financial reserves to create this illusion. What they are trying to do, in a subtle sense, is to create more blunders to cover their previous errors. Two wrongs can never make one right. More debts cannot clear existing debts without consequences.
When we are struggling with the financial resources it only helps to cut costs, preserve cash, and figure a way out to sustain ourselves by embracing austerity and giving up excesses. A great many companies as well as individuals are doing the contrary; not because they are not aware of the consequences, but because they are ignorant of alternatives. A person who has created a life based on lies, will only try to protect, and grow, using more lies.
There are times to fight, there are also times for retreat. We need not win all the battles in life. Some battles make us strong some teach us valuable lessons. To try and win all battles is vain; but to try and win losing battles is stupidity. Long before we can win, we must gracefully learn from our defeats. To make it worse, we neither considers patience nor perseverance a virtue; most see them as “vice.” The modern definition of success, the ones that are propagated by our business schools, the media organizations, and societies is clearly flawed. Success is not when we receive some award or when some magazine puts us on its cover, or a filmmaker decides to make a biopic. The Vedic idea of success is best explained by Krishna:
There are times to fight, there are also times for retreat. We need not win all the battles in life. Some battles make us strong some teach us valuable lessons. To try and win all battles is vain; but to try and win losing battles is stupidity. Long before we can win, we must gracefully learn from our defeats. To make it worse, we neither considers patience nor perseverance a virtue; most see them as “vice.” The modern definition of success, the ones that are propagated by our business schools, the media organizations, and societies is clearly flawed. Success is not when we receive some award or when some magazine puts us on its cover, or a filmmaker decides to make a biopic. The Vedic idea of success is best explained by Krishna:
दु:खेष्वनुद्विग्नमना: सुखेषु विगतस्पृह: |
वीतरागभयक्रोध: स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ||
That person whose mind remains undisturbed amidst misery and remains indifferent in pleasure. One who has transcended the petty notions of attachments, fear, and anger is a Muni – one who has truly achieved success.
These concepts, although very enthralling – are never easy to follow. Particularly in the times we live in we are forced by circumstances to do things that are only detrimental to our collective welfare. The almost lost Vedic Art and Science of Kootaneeti is the only knowledge that is designed to help us not just to understand the situation, but also resolve effectively, it without worsening it any further.
Be that getting out of financial doldrums, economic hardships, joblessness or fighting a daunting battle – Kootaneeti provides us effective ways to overcome everything while remaining calm and composed throughout. In Kootaneeti happiness is not something to be achieved in the future –it is our true nature. One that we only need to realize from within. Here you realize that happiness even before achieving your object of desire. You do not run behind your objectives; but make them attract you by making yourselves deserving of them. Kootaneeti is not just about understanding the nature of chaos in the world outside, but provides ways bring harmony by effortlessly realizing a balanced state of mine. Kootaneeti is not a philosophy of books – but wisdom based on material reality. It is not just entertaining; it is also educating as well as enlightening. One that you need to learn, follow, and realize yourself. Making it the most relevant topic in these times of social, economic, and political upheaval.
Be that getting out of financial doldrums, economic hardships, joblessness or fighting a daunting battle – Kootaneeti provides us effective ways to overcome everything while remaining calm and composed throughout. In Kootaneeti happiness is not something to be achieved in the future –it is our true nature. One that we only need to realize from within. Here you realize that happiness even before achieving your object of desire. You do not run behind your objectives; but make them attract you by making yourselves deserving of them. Kootaneeti is not just about understanding the nature of chaos in the world outside, but provides ways bring harmony by effortlessly realizing a balanced state of mine. Kootaneeti is not a philosophy of books – but wisdom based on material reality. It is not just entertaining; it is also educating as well as enlightening. One that you need to learn, follow, and realize yourself. Making it the most relevant topic in these times of social, economic, and political upheaval.
