Why does the world go through the cycle of Pain and Pleasure every few years? Can economic equilibrium and economic equanimity ever be achieved by an economy?
Why is Bharat the only economy in the World being ruled, controlled, and run by its original inhabitants for over the last 3,000 years?
The answer to these questions, that keep running in everyone’s mind is: Bharat is not just any piece of land, it is a Pious Land, it is our motherland which is divine and has life, feelings and emotions.
The following verses from Vishnu Purana, one of the ancient and holy scriptures of Sanatan Sahbhayata, explains this:
Verse 2.3.22 to 2.3.26
अत्रापि भारतं श्रेष्ठं जन्बूद्वीपे महामुने।
यतो हि कर्मभूरेषा ह्यतोन्या भोगभूमयः॥ 2.3.22॥
अत्र जन्मसहस्राणां सहस्रैरपि सत्तम।
कदाचिल्लभते जन्तुर्मानुष्यं पुण्यसंचयात्॥ 2.3.23॥
गायन्ति देवाः किल गीतकानि धन्यास्तु ते भारत भूमिभागे।
स्वर्गापवर्गास्पदमार्गभूते भवन्ति भूयः पुरुषाः सुरत्वात्॥ 2.3.24॥
कर्माण्यसंकल्पिततत्फलानि संन्यस्य विष्णो परमात्म्भूते।
अवाप्य तां कर्ममहीमनन्ते तस्मिल्लयं ये त्वमलाः प्रयान्ति॥ 2.3.25॥
जानीम नैतत्क्व वयं विलीने स्वर्गप्रदे कर्मणि देहबन्धम्।
प्राप्स्याम धन्याः खलु ते मनुष्या ये भारते नेन्द्रियविप्रहीनाः॥ 2.3.26॥
It means: – Oh Sage of Sages, on this Planet, Bharatvarsh is the greatest land as this is the land of deeds (Karma Bhoomi), deeds that are done for self but with a perspective that the well-being of the entire planet, including other elements of mother Nature beyond humans, unlike other parcels of land, that humans are using to satiate just their desires and lust (Bhog Bhoomi).
One doesn’t get the privilege to take birth on this pious land even as the result of sacred outcomes that accrue after performing thousands of good deeds.
Even Gods say that humans who are born in this pious land are luckier and more blessed than them as they have taken birth in Bharat Varsha.
On this planet, there is no other country that can compete with Bharat in knowledge and scientific approach in every aspect of life. The natural beauty and diversity of Bharat are extraordinary and not comparable to any other.
On this planet, there is no other country that can compete with Bharat in knowledge & scientific approach in every aspect. The natural beauty and diversity of Bharat are extraordinary and not comparable to any other
This is the land where one achieves salvation (moksha) by performing just good deeds.
Humans who do good deeds anticipating that these deeds will lead them to the path of salvation (moksha), may or may not achieve their desire or destination, but the ones who are born in Bharat and who have not been corrupted by their material senses will surely achieve salvation (moksha).
The past globalised & inter-dependent economy
Humans and humanity are interdependent and thus can’t sustain or survive in isolation. Bharat took this concept to the next level, and implemented it in each economic activity. Thus, Bharat, despite having prowess in specialised manufacturing and production, never manufactured only for self-consumption. It manufactured so that the entire world can benefit from the innovation and advancement of its ancient yet advanced technology.
From 800 BCE to about 1100 AD, Bharat contributed to 34- 38 per cent of the World’s GDP. (The OECD study conducted by a well-known Prof Angus Maddison certifies this aspect).
Bharat remained the largest country in the world in GDP terms for nearly 2,900 years. Its reign of economic leadership ended in 1720 AD, as Britishers took control of it, and cut Bharat’s roots by decimating its ancient education and family culture.
Bharat never had significant gold mines apart from the ones in Karnataka, yet it had so much gold in every household that it was called the Sone ki Chidiya.
How did Bharat get so much Gold? Who paid so much Gold to Bharat? Why was it paid?
Bharat never plundered, looted or attacked anyone for gold, precious stones, or food. It earned gold by selling muslin, the finest silk, jewellery, spices, and its agricultural products. The silk was weaved so well that a nine-yard (8.2m) saree could be fitted in a matchbox!
The rest of the world or the present modern world has largely misunderstood the Sanatani approach of establishing temples, which is one of the shoring systems for sustained economic advancement
In those days, there was no Internet and no video calls and hence traders visited the big cities of Bharat, each of which had Dharamshalas that provided free boarding and lodging facilities. This created a special bond between potential buyers and sellers of the merchandise.
During the era of Raja Vikramaditya (102 BCE to 15 AD), the first calendar system of the world, popularly known as Vikram Samvat, was started. The king a fleet of 4,000 ships, some for trade and some to protect the borders and boundaries of his kingdom. He successfully defeated Shakas. The winds assisted India in Global trade for India for the mobility of
As these large ships took goods abroad and brought back gold along with merchants, these were ably assisted by winds. From November to March, North-East Trade winds blew from land to sea from India to Africa and Europe and thus traders would take a large quantum of goods from here to sell them in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe or older civilizations that existed then. The same winds would reverse from April to June as South-East winds bringing the Sailors and traders back.
Africa in the medieval era was prosperous, it was not Colonised by Europeans and thus used to buy huge amounts of goods from Bharat and give gold in return. West Africa had a direct route from Bharat, and till the Middle Ages, it was the largest producer of Gold. The villages in Bharat produced everything apart from salt and these products produced in excess were taken to cities to be sold in the international arena.
Quality, uniqueness, entrepreneurial abilities, relationships, win-win approach, and value for goods ensured Bharat’s dominance in International trade.
Future of Bharat – a viksit nation
The vision for 2047 is that Bharat will emerge as a global economic powerhouse with a GDP surpassing USD10 trillion, solidifying its position among the top three economies worldwide. Sustained growth across emerging sectors such as digital services, artificial intelligence, sustainable agriculture, health care, space technology, infrastructure, energy, novel transportation systems etc. is already a work in progress and soon Bharat will lead in almost all the areas as it did in Digital Instant Payments. Bharat does almost half of the entire world Instant Digital Payment transactions, leaving countries like United States, China, Germany and other far behind.
One question that is quoted every time to talk about the progress the US made is “Did the United States make highways or Highways made the United States?”
With the present government’s thrust on capex (3.3X jump in six years), Bharat already has the second largest road network in the world with over 64 lakh km, only after the US with 67lakh km. In the next three to four years, Bharat will supersede the US as it is constructing over 34km of road every day. The wait time at toll plazas has been reduced from 734seconds in 2014 to a mere 42seconds as of 2024.
Similarly, with the robust infrastructure being created in the ports, the turnaround time for a cargo ship on an average has been reduced to 48.06 hours – it was 107.28 hours in 2012. The data and shreds of evidence are innumerable. Temple-Oriented Economy – The world over, temples are perceived as spiritual and religious institutions. The rest of the world or the present modern world has largely misunderstood the Sanatani approach of establishing temples, which is one of the shoring systems for sustained economic advancement.
There is no doubt that temple gave emotional and social support to the ecosystem but they also acted as the hubs of economic activity. Temples were the natural choice for conducting fairs and events, where local people thronged to purchase items of daily use as well as specialised items. Also, these fairs and melas coincided with festivals which were celebrated with great enthusiasm at the temples.
Santana Dharma doesn’t have two or three festivals a year unlike other religions. It celebrates a range of them (12 to 15 in number) and most festivals arrive during the lean season so that economic activity can be pumped up with fairs that happen during these.
Additionally, temples acted as the hub of artisans, artistes, musicians, and dancers where they displayed and performed their art, craft, and skill, earning name, fame, glory and money, all at the same time, thus enabling an entrepreneurial bent of mind.
The lives of the people back then were related in one way or the other to agriculture. Dams and canals existed but there were periods when rains deceived the inhabitants successively through the years. In such times, temples supported the village or town through their granaries and deposits of gold. During good times, merchants, agriculturists, and commoners all donated gold and grains voluntarily to the temples, and during periods of scarcity and famines, the temples supported them back.
Spiritual Pilgrimage and travel were and continue to remain assistive in building a recession-proof economy. Globally 80 per cent of travel is on account of leisure. In the past 90 per cent of the travel was for conquest or for finding new trade ideas or exploration. But, in Bharat earlier and now 70-75 per cent of travel, irrespective of class, creed, or economic prowess, happens due to temples. Irrespective of what economic strata one belongs to, everyone travels to all the temples depending on their means and strength thus keeping the economy vibrant throughout the year.
So, we can easily conclude that if Bharat has to become viksit, it has to focus on artha from the perspective of dharma, so that artha remains useful for self and for others, else it doesn’t take too long for artha to become anartha as is happening in Capitalist West.
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