Until a balance between rights and duties, freedom and discipline or responsibilities in all actions and movements are there, no civilization and a nation can evolve and even can function in the proper direction. Bhagwad Gita advises, perform your duties without the attachment for its fruits and keep even-minded in success or failure. If our eyes are on results, we cannot perform well. When our mind is in conflict of success and failure, then we will not be able to do justice to our job. Equanimity and evenness of mind is called yoga. Yoga itself is a middle path, and is psychosynthesis of physical, mental and spiritual elevation. No society can develop till there is even distribution of duties and rights. It is applicable everywhere from the very family unit to institutions, societies, nations and entire civilizations.
Bhagwad Gita further says, he who does not act according to the wheel of existence or carry out his duties and contribute to the evolution of the universe, he lives in vain. (3:16) His birth is futile and goes to waste.
Buddha also emphasised madhyamarg, the middle path for the ideal living. Middle path or the way is the key to enlightenment, nirvana, success, happiness and freedom. In the same manner, when we talk of freedom, it is always attached with some responsibilities, too. Freedom and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin. One has to accept both.
Scriptures advise us of the culture of gratitude and thankfulness. There are various debts we incur, they are called ‘Rihnas.’ These are classified as Matri Rihna, Pitri Rihna, Dev Rihna, Teachers Rihna, Rashtra Rihna (Debt of the Land) from whichever source you get anything, one has to repay it. You should be grateful and thankful to them. This is a noble and typical characteristic of our culture and civilization.
The lack of balance between duties and rights, freedom and responsibilities, trigger many chaotic conditions. Several people including some leaders of walks tend to harp on only one aspect, the freedom or rights. They scarcely speak of responsibilities or duties for the fear of becoming unpopular. It is a leader’s moral duty to make followers aware of duties. Even some social leaders are interested in increasing their followers, they use the measures of spiritual justifications, to achieve their goal. Some political leaders even go up to offering so many freebies to attract a large number of followers that is an unhealthy precedent for narrow immediate gains. Human rights are alright but they should be simultaneously educated for human duties. Freedom is the basic human right and intrinsic privilege for any society. But it should be necessarily followed with self-control, discipline and obligations, which are a must for the growth of any civilization.
If anyone intends to excel in any field, it may be science, music, medicine or sports, one has to imbibe the traits of self-control, discipline and the essential requirements of the framework too, to reach the destination. These are essential for complete freedom. Middle path and moderation is the fundamental stratum of sublimation for growth.
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