INDIAN CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE book of Bihar board
Written by Mahatma Gandhi
MOHAN DAS KARAMCHAND GANDHI (1869-1948), popularly known as Bapu or the Father of the Nation, was more a spiritual leader than a politician. He successfully used truth and non-violence as the chief weapons against the British rule in India and helped India gain independence. From 1915 till 1948, he completely dominated Indian politics. He died at the hands of a fanatic on 30 January, 1948. His autobiography, My Experiments with Truth, and the numerous articles that he wrote for Young India and the speeches that he delivered on different occasions, reveal him not only as an original thinker but also as a great master of chaste, idiomatic English. In the following extract 'Indian Civilization and Culture, Gandhiji talks about the sound foundation of Indian civilization which has successfully withstood the passage of time. The western civilization which has the tendency to privilege materiality cannot match the Indian civilization that elevates the moral being.
INDIAN CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE
1. I believe that the civilization India has evolved is not to be beaten in the world. Nothing can equal the seeds sown by our ancestors. Rome went, Greece shared the same fate, the might of the Pharaohs was broken, Japan has become westernized; of China nothing can be said, but India is still, somehow or other, sound at the foundation. The people of Europe learn their lessons from the writings of the men of Greece or Rome which exist no longer in their former glory. In trying to learn from them, the Europeans imagine that they will avoid the mistakes of Greece and Rome. Such is their pitiable condition.
2. In the midst of all this, India remains immovable and that is her glory. It is a charge against India that her people are so uncivilized, ignorant and stolid, that it is not possible to induce them to adopt any changes. It is a charge really against our merit. What we have tested and found true on the anvil of experience, we dare not change. Many thrust their advice upon India, and she remains steady. This is her beauty; it is the sheet anchor of our hope.
3. Civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to man the path of duty. Performance of duty and observance of morality are convertible terms. To observe morality is to attain mastery over our minds and our passions, So doing, we know ourselves. The Gujarati equivalent for civilization means "good conduct".
4. If this definition be correct, then India, as so many writers have shown, has nothing to learn from anybody else, and this is as it should be.
5. We notice that the mind is a restless bird, the more it gets the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied. The more we indulge in our passions, the more unbridled they become. Our ancestors, therefore, set a limit to our indulgences. They saw that happiness was largely a mental condition.
6. A man is not necessarily happy because he is rich, or unhappy because he is poor. The rich are often seen to be unhappy, the poor to be happy. Millions will always remain poor. Observing all this, our ancestors dissuaded us from luxuries and pleasures. We have managed with the same kind of plough as existed thousands of years ago. We have retained the same kind of cottages that we had in former times and our indigenous education remains the same as before. We have had no system of life- corroding competition. Each followed his own occupation or trade and charged a regular wage. It was not that we did not know how to invent machinery, but our forefathers knew that, if we set our hearts after such things, we would become slaves and lose our moral fibre. They, therefore, after due deliberation decided that we should only do what we could with our hands and feet. They saw that our real happiness and health consisted in a proper use of our hands and feet.
7. They further reasoned that large cities were a snare and a useless encumbrance and that people would not be happy in them, that there would be gangs of thieves and robbers, prostitution and vice flourishing in them and that poor men would be robbed by rich men. They were, therefore, satisfied with small villages.
8. They saw that kings and their swords were inferior to the sword of ethics, and they, therefore, held the sovereigns of the earth to be inferior to the Rishis and the Fakirs. A nation, with a constitution like this, is fitter to teach others than to learn from others. This nation had courts, lawyers and doctors, but they were all within bounds. Everybody knew that these professions were not particularly superior. Moreover, these Vakils and Vaids did not rob people; they were considered people's dependents, not their masters. Justice was tolerably fair. The ordinary rule was to avoid courts. There were no touts to lure people into them. This evil too was noticeable only in and around capitals. The common people lived independently and followed their agricultural occupation. They enjoyed true Home Rule.
9. The Indian civilization, as described by me, has been so described by its votaries. In no part of the world, and under no civilization, have all men attained perfection. The tendency of Indian civilizations is to elevate the moral being, that of the western civilization is to propagate immorality. The latter is godless; the former is based on a belief in God. So understanding and so believing, it behoves every lover of India to cling to the old Indian civilization even as a child clings to the mother's breast.
10. I am no hater of the West. I am thankful to the West for many a thing I have learnt from Western literature. But I am thankful to modern civilization for teaching me that if I want India to rise to its fullest height, I must tell my countrymen frankly that, after years and years of experience of modern civilization, I have learnt one lesson from it and that is that we must shun it at all costs.
11. What is that modem civilization? It is the worship of the material, it is the worship of the brute in us-it is unadulterated materialism, and modern civilization is nothing if it does not think at every step of the triumph of material civilization.
12. It is perhaps unnecessary, if not useless, to weigh the merits of the two civilizations. It is likely that the West has evolved a civilization suited to its climate and surroundings, and similarly, we have a civilization suited to our conditions, and both are good in their own respective spheres.
13. The distinguishing characteristic of modern civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants. The characteristic of ancient civilization is an imperative restriction upon, and a strict regulating of, these wants. The modern or western insatiableness arises really from want of living faith in a future state and therefore also in Divinity. The restraint of ancient or Eastern civilization arises from a belief, often in spite of ourselves, in a future state and the existence of a Divine Power.
14. Some of the immediate and brilliant results of modern inventions are too maddening to resist. But I have no manner of doubt that the victory of man lies in that resistance. We are in danger of bartering away the permanent good for a momentary pleasure.
15. Just as in the West they have made wonderful discoveries in things material, similarly Hinduism has made still more marvellous discoveries in things of religion, of the spirit, of the soul.
16. But we have no eye for these great and fine discoveries. We are dazzled by the material progress that Western science has made. I am not enamoured of that progress. In fact, it almost seems as though God in His wisdom has prevented India from progressing along those lines, so that it might fulfil its special mission of resisting the onrush of materialism.
17. After all, there is something in Hinduism that has kept it alive up till now. It has witnessed the fall of Babylonian, Syrian, Persian and Egyptian civilizations. Cast a look around you. Where is Rome and where is Greece? Can you find today anywhere the Italy of Gibbon, or rather the ancient Rome, for Rome was Italy?
18. Go to Greece. Where is the world-famous Attic civilization? Then coming to India, let one go through the most ancient records and then look around you and you would be constrained to say, "yes, I see here ancient India still living".
19. True, there were dungheaps, too, here and there, but there are rich treasures buried under them. And the reason why it has survived is that the end which Hinduism set before it was not development along material but spiritual lines.
20. Our civilization, our culture, our Swaraj depend not upon multiplying our wants- self-indulgence, but upon restricting wants - self denial.
21. European civilization is, no doubt, suited for the Europeans but it will mean ruin for India if we endeavour to copy it. This is not to say that we may not adopt and assimilate whatever may be good and capable of assimilation by us, as it does not also mean that even the Europeans will not have to part with whatever evil might have crept into it.
22. The incessant search for material comforts and their multiplication is such an evil and I make bold to say that the Europeans themselves will have to remodel their outlook, if they are not to perish under the weight of the comforts to which they are becoming slaves. It may be that my reading is wrong, but I know that for India to run after the Golden Fleece is to court certain death. Let us engrave on our hearts the motto of a Western philosopher. "Plain living and high thinking". Today it is certain that the millions cannot have high living and we the few, who profess to do the thinking for the masses, run the risk, in a vain search after high living, of missing high thinking.
23. Civilization, in the real sense of the term, consists not in the multiplication, but in the deliberate and voluntary restriction of wants. This alone increases and promotes contentment, real happiness and capacity for service.
24. A certain degree of physical harmony and comfort is necessary but above a certain level it becomes a hindrance instead of help. Therefore, the ideal of creating an unlimited number of wants and satisfying them seems to be a delusion and a snare. The satisfaction of one's physical needs, even the intellectual needs of one's narrow self, must meet at a certain point a dead stop, before it degenerates into physical and intellectual voluptuousness. A man must arrange his physical and cultural circumstances so that they do not hinder him in his service of humanity on which all his energies should be concentrated.
**Indian civilization and culture class 12 summary in English **
**About the Author :-
Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi was born at Porbandar (Gujrat) on 2nd oct, 1869. He is popularly known as ‘Bapu’/ father of nation. He was a spiritual leader. He believed in truth and non – violence. He devoted himself to Indian politics from 1915 to 1948. He went to England for studying Law. He started advocacy in Mumbai High Court. He wrote his autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’. He died on 30thJanuary 1948.
**Summary:-
‘Indian Civilization and Culture’ has been written by Mahatma Gandhi. In this essay, he described the importance of Indian Civilization. He says that Indian Civilization has kept its basic character very safe till now. It is unique and it cannot be beaten in the world. Rome, Greece, China and many other countries left their own ancient civilization and accepted western civilization. The people of those countries believe in materialism, but Indian Civilization did not change. It has kept its ancient civilization. It is really said that our mind is a restless bird. We have many desires but we must control our mind and desires. Our ancestors did not want to live in cities. According to them cities are full of corruption, gangs of robbers, thieves, prostitution and anti – social elements. So people cannot be happy there. The Indians believe in God, soul, religion, purity, restriction, plain living anf high thinking but the people of western countries believe inmaterialism, attraction, human desire, luxurious life, discoveries of modern things etc. At last he says that our civilization, culture etc depend on restricting wants and self – control but western civilization depends on human wants. We should not believe in only happiness, joy and narrow thinking. Ghandhiji says that physical rest is also necessary but it should be in limit.
**Answer the following questions :**
1.‘Indian Civilization and Culture’ is written by………………..
(A) Shiga Naoya
(B) Mahatma Gandhi
(C) Germaine Greer
(D) D L Sayers
**Indian civilization and culture class 12 summary in Hindi**
**लेखक के बारे में :-
मोहन दास करम चंद गांधी का जन्म 2 अक्टूबर, 1869 को पोरबंदर (गुजरात) में हुआ था। उन्हें लोकप्रिय रूप से 'बापू'/राष्ट्रपिता के नाम से जाना जाता है। वह एक आध्यात्मिक नेता थे. वह सत्य और अहिंसा में विश्वास करते थे। उन्होंने 1915 से 1948 तक खुद को भारतीय राजनीति के लिए समर्पित कर दिया। वह कानून की पढ़ाई के लिए इंग्लैंड गए। उन्होंने मुंबई उच्च न्यायालय में वकालत शुरू की। उन्होंने अपनी आत्मकथा 'सत्य के साथ मेरे प्रयोग' लिखी। 30 जनवरी 1948 को उनकी मृत्यु हो गई।
**सारांश:-
'भारतीय सभ्यता एवं संस्कृति' महात्मा गांधी द्वारा लिखी गई है। इस निबंध में उन्होंने भारतीय सभ्यता के महत्व का वर्णन किया है। उनका कहना है कि भारतीय सभ्यता ने अब तक अपने मूल चरित्र को बहुत सुरक्षित रखा है। यह अनोखा है और इसे दुनिया में कोई हरा नहीं सकता. रोम, ग्रीस, चीन और कई अन्य देशों ने अपनी प्राचीन सभ्यता को छोड़कर पश्चिमी सभ्यता को स्वीकार कर लिया। उन देशों के लोग भौतिकवाद में विश्वास करते हैं, लेकिन भारतीय सभ्यता नहीं बदली। इसने अपनी प्राचीन सभ्यता को बरकरार रखा है। सच ही कहा गया है कि हमारा मन एक बेचैन पक्षी है। हमारी कई इच्छाएं होती हैं लेकिन हमें अपने मन और इच्छाओं पर नियंत्रण रखना चाहिए। हमारे पूर्वज शहरों में नहीं रहना चाहते थे। उनके अनुसार शहर भ्रष्टाचार, लुटेरों, चोरों के गिरोह, वेश्यावृत्ति और असामाजिक तत्वों से भरे हुए हैं। इसलिए वहां लोग खुश नहीं रह सकते. भारतीय ईश्वर, आत्मा, धर्म, पवित्रता, प्रतिबंध, सादा जीवन और उच्च विचार में विश्वास करते हैं लेकिन पश्चिमी देशों के लोग भौतिकवाद, आकर्षण, मानवीय इच्छा, विलासितापूर्ण जीवन, आधुनिक चीजों की खोज आदि में विश्वास करते हैंअंत में वह कहते हैं कि हमारी सभ्यता, संस्कृति आदि इच्छाओं को सीमित करने और आत्म-नियंत्रण पर निर्भर करती है लेकिन पश्चिमी सभ्यता मानवीय इच्छाओं पर निर्भर करती है। हमें केवल सुख, आनंद और संकीर्ण सोच पर ही विश्वास नहीं करना चाहिए। गांधीजी कहते हैं कि शारीरिक आराम भी जरूरी है लेकिन यह सीमा में होना चाहिए।
**निम्नलिखित सवालों का जवाब दें :**
1.'भारतीय सभ्यता एवं संस्कृति' किसके द्वारा लिखी गई है?
(ए) शिगा नाओया
(बी) महात्मा गांधी
(सी) जर्मेन ग्रीर
(डी) डी एल सेयर्
by Rahul kumar
Thank you all of you 🙏
Rahul Kumar
Founder & CEO
Bihar Board Zone
Email: rahulsmartstady2006@gmail.com
Phone: +91-9113451527
![Rahul Kumar [pandit ji khedarpur] father' name - Yogendra pandit](http://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy24L8tzK09XWf5eOjXWDGyqNaEa8zog-3qN96-thvc7jnOB9oaWDdrWUVB4KoHBLOvRkIShXWY2vs7TmWpL6cy7RHmlt0bihf-Bltgx-mKxYOKnrIRYd-c6ZHqQKNH1f8ODwpf-1iMm1XHAfsDvCrpL4ICCTyyLGNhthNY2VuU5r_sjU/w200/Screenshot_2024-10-02-09-20-47-85_40deb401b9ffe8e1df2f1cc5ba480b12.webp)
