Strength of Character

Strength of Character

Photo of Swami Vivekananda courtesy: www.chennaimath.org

"Neither money pays, nor name, nor fame, nor learning; it is CHARACTER that can cleave through the adamantine walls of difficulties." -  Swami Vivekananda.

There is a popular saying, "If wealth is lost nothing is lost, if health is lost something is lost, but if character is lost everything is lost". But today what we see in society is quite the contrary. Money is playing a dominant role in the present society. 

People are prepared to do anything for money, they can go to any extent, and they are least bothered about the means. They are busy amassing wealth even at the cost of others. Their hearts are dead. They are living corpses. They have no compassion, love or sympathy for other human beings. Adulteration, cheating, bribery, theft, scams, scandals, dowry harassment, robbery, exploitation are rampant everywhere. 

Surprisingly they are being perpetuated by the so-called educated people. In the modern educational system, only intellect is being developed but there is no scope for the development of the heart. It is making people more and more selfish and greedy. Swami Vivekananda observed this and said, "Bring light to the ignorant, and more light to the educated, for the vanities of the education of our time are tremendous."

courtesy: en.wikipedia.org

In the midst of chaos and confusion, here and there we come across a few great characters that have left their marks through their wonderful contribution. Among such we have a most celebrated personality, Sir Mokshagundam Visweswarayya, a great engineer produced by India in the last century. He is a bright example to our youth. 

He lived for 102 years and was full of enthusiasm, zeal and energy, almost till the end of his life. His dedication, sincerity, hard work, skills, integration, honesty, spirit of service, patriotism, and above all his undaunted courage and disciplined life made him a unique personality. He was awarded the highest civilian award, `Bharat Ratna', for his great contribution to our motherland. 

His biographer writes, "His was an unblemished pure life. No blemish could be traced in his long career. When on duty he would use Government vehicle, otherwise his own car. He never used Government paper and stationary for personal and non official correspondence. When he was asked about the eradication of poverty, he said, `poverty is not natural. It is unnatural. It is curable like any other disease. Ignorance, dependence, inefficiency, laziness, and want of the spirit of enterprise are the real causes of poverty.

Circulated in e-mail by: Dr.E.S.Maheshwar, Consultant Pediatrician, Vijayawada.