Every person must make many decisions in their daily life. When making these decisions, whether they are aware of it or not, they follow a particular philosophical viewpoint. The decisions they make depend on this viewpoint. It influences not only their thoughts but also their actions. Therefore, a philosophical outlook becomes very important.
The question arises-what is the correct philosophical outlook? The answer is that the correct outlook is based on knowledge derived from physical reality.
When we look at India's past, we see that the ancient philosophical path that began with the Vedic literature was gradually changed into religious thought. A true philosophical stream, however, constantly flows with fresh ideas. In contrast, Indian philosophy got entangled with religious beliefs and stuck in stagnation. The ideas that emerged in ancient India were grand and profound.
After the Vedas, the Upanishads continued to explore philosophical inquiries. Later, systems like Charvaka, Buddhism, and Jainism offered philosophical doctrines moored in truth, peace, and non-violence.
India had developed idealistic philosophical theories as early as the 5th or 6th century BCE. Buddha, who introduced Buddhism, became the first revolutionary thinker to propose social equality. Buddhism spread far and wide and shone brightly for nearly a thousand years.
Another proud chapter in Indian history is the Age of Darshanas. Philosophers like Kapila, Kanada, and Gautama developed the Samkhya, Vaisheshika, and Nyaya systems, which elevated Indian thought to the highest levels of truth-seeking, knowledge acquisition, and logical methods.
Over time, however, these systems began to rot. Idealism replaced materialism, and philosophy took refuge under the shadow of metaphysics. Religious discourses grew strong and dominated society. Religious doctrines acquired the power to control the social order. Superstitions mushroomed. The Varna system, which initially had four categories, evolved into the caste system, dividing society into around 5,000 castes.
In the wake of these dark clouds eclipsing the bright rays, many reformers emerged to fight against injustice and eliminate social evils. Social reform movements took shape in various parts of the country and brought significant changes to society. Reform movements in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala played a crucial role in transforming society and leaving an indelible impact on future generations. Many selfless personas dedicated their lives to nurturing and advancing these movements.
During the freedom struggle, Indians set aside their differences and united against British rule. They fought for higher social values. However, their spirit of sacrifice, courage, and determination seems to be lacking in the generations that followed independence.
After independence, society has been plagued by evils like corruption, nepotism, and party politics. Democracy became a mockery. Superstitions started spreading, dragging society into a stupor. To lift Indian society out of these difficult times, we need a new philosophical revolution based on modern knowledge. Only when intellectual movements grounded in reality succeed can we build a new society based on the values of freedom, equality, and brotherhood.
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