Significance of Wealth in Hindu Culture
Wealth is very important for proper functioning of a house, society and country. Without wealth, we find ourselves unable to support ourselves and our families.
It is wealth which gives us the “security and support” to live life to its fullest extent. Just imagine … without weath … how will you find food that we eat … how can we get the clothes that we need … and how will we get the shelter/home that we retire to, after a long days work !
Hence … every civilization thrives on wealth … and wealth becomes an important part for the sustainance of any civilization !
Dictionary meaning of Wealth
lth)n.
1.
a. An abundance of valuable material possessions or resources; riches.
b. The state of being rich; affluence.
2. All goods and resources having value in terms of exchange or use.
3. A great amount; a profusion: a wealth of advice.
Wealth in the Present Day
Now consider the present day scenario … wherein by wealth … our mind takes us to the Gold, Currency Notes, Land, etc.
And in today’s world we have various types of investment opportunities, like Company Shares/Debentures, Government Securities, Mutual Funds, Derivatives, Debit/Credit Cards … and people like the Fund Managers and Portfolio managers doing their best to “increase” the “wealth” of their clients … for a nominal fee … and we are just satisfied by the “Paper Wealth or Plastic Wealth” that we have.
Wealth as Paper Currency / Gold – is just an illusion
I was just wondering … what are you going to do with all the Paper/Plastic Currencies that you have … with all the Gold Bullion that you have. In today’s world, without currency notes, the whole of the world economy will be in shambles !
And the fact that this current Economic Meltdown has occured across the Globe … was a result of the Poor Finnancial Fundamentals in the USA … which spread to the whole world like a communicable disease !
What will you achieve with all the “printing of currency notes” ? … will it really “increase you wealth” ?
Wealth in the Hindu Culture
Wealth is that which is “created/procured” through hardwork/labour. I don’t consider stolen articles/property from others as “wealth”.
Wealth Management is that in which … the wealth creator uses his “wealth” prudently … using his common sense … and never sits idle after “Creating Wealth” … but puts his all efforts in creating more “Wealth” … so that the “future uncertainities” does not effect him from leading a comfortable life. So, Wealth Management is the process of “properly/prudently managing your wealth” … and also “creating wealth through acceptable means” !
To understand the significance of wealth in general and its Significance in Hindu Culture … i would take the imagination of the reader towards those times lost in history … when barter system was prevalent … not only in Hindu Rashtra or India … but in the whole world.
A civilization can support itself … only when the people have enough to eat … and hence we see that Agriculture was the main occupation in all the great civilizations of the world. Ofcourse, people gave much importance to Gold, Silver, Land, etc. … In days of the “Silk Route Trade” … Silk, Spices, etc. were treated as wealth, which commanded great price and prestige among traders.
So, the Character of Wealth or Meaning of Wealth changes in accordance to the availablity, rarity, abudance, quality, demand, supply,etc. of a product/produce … which the modern day economists and the student of Accountancy are well acquainted with.
And in India … Rice and Roti are the stable food of the people. So, people took great pains and efforts to make sure that they had bumper crops every year by growing paddy and wheat.
But, since the main occupation of the people was growing Paddy and Wheat … they were often found themselves in the situation wherein … they had bumper crops … and they stocked lots and lots of Gunnybags of Paddy and Wheat … but for the human subsistence, they required Cotton, Spices, and other needs.
So, the farmers of Rice and Wheat used to “Exchange” Rice and Wheat in Barter … to get those commodities which were needed for normal living. Its needless to say, that there were few farmers who “Exchanged” Rice and Wheat Gunnybags, for Gold, Siver and Even Land.
In the above example, we clearly see that Rice and Wheat was treated as “Wealth”. Also, Cotton and Spices were treated as “Wealth”. And also, Gold, Silver and Land was treated as “Wealth”.
So … by exchanging Rice and Wheat for Cotton, Spices, Gold, Silver, Land … they Exchanged “Wealth” with “Wealth”. Its just like modern day scenario, wherein Ruppees (Wealth) is Exchanged to get Gold Jewellery (Wealth) !
Farmers Creating Wealth as Rice … call that as Dhanyam in Telugu
To substantiate my point … in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India … the people who are mainly farmers growing Paddy … call Rice as Dhanyam … the root of the word comes from Dhan or Money ! … its because Rice was their sole “wealth” which they used to exchange to get commodities which are neccessary for human subsistence !
The definition of Wealth changes for each and every person … but the fact that any particular commodity had some “Exchange Value” was treated as “Wealth” … and that is the Essense of Hindu Rashtra.
Prudent Use of Wealth in Hindu Culture
The people of the Indian Sub-Continent were very much conscious of the fact that Wealth had to used properly and with prudence … as the basic character of “Wealth” is that it decreases when used ! … So, people used wealth with utmost care and prudence … and at the same time, they used utmost proper care to “create” wealth as well !
What do i mean by prudent use of Wealth ? … Take the Rice Gunnybags of Wealth as mentioned above as the example. If a farmer got a bumper Paddy crop … with a lorry full gunnybags of Rice … then he used to store the paddy in Large Clay Storage Vessels. He knew that he cannot be careless in the storage of the paddy that he had produced !
And as need arises, he used to take Rice for his family and his “Wealth Needs” … but he never used to miss an opportunity to “Grow more Paddy” or “Create more Wealth” thinking that since he has enough “Rice or Wealth” for One Year, where was the need to work for a whole year ! … This is prudent Use or Management of Wealth ! … And this is the essense of Hindu Rashtra.
Top-Down Wealth Creation Approach in India – Not Desirable
Contrary to the Common-Sense practice of Wealth Creation that was followed in India … we seem to give more and more importance to the Currencies, Financial Systems, Banks, Companies, etc. … i would say that we are under an illusion that from “Currency or Gold”, we can make the lives of people better.
But the fact is that, how can people live prosperous lives when they are giving importance to “Currency” whose value often changes with the underlying assets or commodities of a particular nation.
The fact is that in todays India … both the central government and the state governments are giving more importance to the term “Crores of Ruppees” rather than the “Facilities and Problems of people creating Wealth” … and we see that when FIIs pull their money out of the country, or Inflation Rises, or Foreign Exchanges Reserves dwindle, or Stock Market Crashes, or any other modern day keynesian economics related factors occur adversely … we see the prices of the essential commodities rise sharply, or non-availability of essential items in the market, etc.
How else do you explain large Farmer Suicide deaths that occured in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh ? … or the large ineqalities of wealth distribution across the country ? … even today when India is seen as the next super-power !
Bottom-Up Approach the key for Hindu Rashtra
Our ancient economy surely considered Gold or Silver or coins made out of them as precious. And surely, diamonds, gems or rubies were considered as Wealth.
But, they did not neglect the Importance of Farming and the Principles of Wealth Creation / Maintenance ( as mentioned in the headings “Wealth in Hindu Culture” and “Prudent Use of Wealth in Hindu Culture”) as understood in the Hindu Culture.
The fact that the country is reeling under extreme poverty … is the result of the British bringing their “British Law” courtesy MacCaulay … whose sole purpose was “Trade with India” by introducing their own “Exchange value of Pounds as against Ruppees” … and as time progressed … they dramatically changed the “basic social consiousness of the Hindus” through their “British Law and Consititution” … and were successful in making “Currency” as more important than the “Processes which Create and Manage Wealth”.
This depriving of the Basic concepts of Creation and Maintenence of Wealth as understood in Hindu Culture/society by the British Establishment … is the sole reason for the downfall of the Indian Economy … which at one point in time had GDP more than the whole world countries combined !
Perhaps, this “derprivation of the state-of-mind irt hindu culture” is what MacCaulay meant when he uttered these words “I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for the Indians all that is foreign and is British is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation” … as discussed in my previous blogpost “All that glitters is not gold”.
Time to bring Hindu Culture to the forefront !
I have no doubt in saying that Hindu Culture when understood the proper way and implemented in proper way … would take all the poor people out of proverty. For that, there needs to be a concerted effort by all the “Learned People” of the country, to first understand what Hindu Culture actually means … interpret it the way it should be … Educate people in Sanskrit and make it the National Language, so that it unravels the immense knowledge of the Ancient India, which is underlying in Sanskrit Books.
I guess … the people who have to take this initiative are the people of the RSS, VHP, BJP … the so-called Saffron Parties … and BJP which takes pride as a Hindu Party … should finds ways to bring back Hindu Culture and showcase it in its fullest beauty and splendour !
And this is not a “suggestion” that i am making … or it is not a “passer’s by comment” … it is a “necessity” or “Need of the Hour” for the country … which will position India in its “Natural Seat in the Council of Countries of the World” … which is the “Leadership Seat” of the “Council of Countries of the World” !
Jai Hind, Jai Hindu Rashtra !
Vamsi
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Significance of Wealth in Hindu Culture
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