The Mission of Rāma Rājya

Our Core Work is to Achieve Rāma Rājya

We began this series of articles on Rāma Rājya, with its Vision. We shall now take up its Mission. You may know the distinction between these two important concepts of Vision and Mission. People often get confused between them. There is a clear difference. The Vision is the dream, aspiration of the ideal society we want to establish.

What core actions should we take, now, and in a sustained manner, in order to approach that Vision? This core work is the Mission. When we accomplish this Mission, we would be nearer our Vision.

The Mission of Rāma Rājya may be articulated as follows: To provide ideal Good Governance, for the Physical, Psychological, Intellectual, Aesthetic, Material and Spiritual wellbeing of all the citizens.

The Mission has several important components. Let us explore, briefly, each of them.

1. To provide ideal Good Governance – All governments, especially, elective democracies, like India, are expected by the people not just to ‘rule’ or run some kind of government / administration.

People want good governance. Some key components of good governance are welfare of all the people; ethical administration at all levels, from the central government to the village panchayat; law and order; development, national security, peace etc. Rāma Rājya aims for ideal Good Governance.

The total 'wellbeing' of all the citizens has six dimensions.

2. Physical - People should be healthy. Śarīramadhyaṃ khalu dharma sādhanaṃ.

A healthy body is, indeed, the instrument for performing one's dharma. The citizen must take healthy diet; do active work and exercises; and aim for preventive health. The government and society should provide curative health, for illnesses.

3. Psychological - Families, gurus, pāṭhaśalas, and seniors should help the majority of children to grow up into functioning adults. Even such adults are prone to anger, greed, lust etc. A few may become depressed, mad, suicidal, violent etc.

The government and society, through their values and actions, should help all the people to become more emotionally mature and healthy. Mana eva manuṣyāṇam kāraṇaṃ bandhamokṣayoḥ. The mind is the reason for both the bondage and freedom of humans.

4. Intellectual - A great boon of human birth is our brain. It has enormous capacity to learn, think and become wiser. There should be opportunities for acquiring knowledge and skills, according to one's svadharma and potential. Not only at the entry point of one's working life, but also, for continuous learning throughout life. Jṅānaṃ paramaṃ balaṃ. Knowledge is a great strength.

5. Aesthetic - Kalā, art enriches human life. Our millennia old cultural heritage includes a huge variety of art and culture: music, dance, paintings, sculptures, temples, etc. An aesthetic dimension makes the human being more refined and able to enjoy a higher quality of life.

Children should be exposed to all art forms. Based on their aptitude, each may choose her preferred art. All should be rasikas, connoisseurs. Some may become kalākārs, performers.

6. Material - People also need to be materially and financially adequately well off. You will recall our four puruṣārthas, Life Goals, which always put Dharma, Ethics first; before artha, Wealth; and kāma, Desires. As Mahātmā Gandhi said “Enough for everyone's need; but not for anyone's greed.”

7. Spiritual - Last, but not the least, people should also be inspired and guided on the spiritual path of vairāgya, forbearance; viveka, discrimination; dāna, giving; tyāga, sacrifice etc.

Keep ascending on the ladder of jīvāśramas, the life stages of brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and, if possible, even saṅṅyāsa, Student, Householder, Retiree, and, Renouncer.

These seven elements make up the profound Mission of Rāma Rājya.

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(Published in Tattvāloka of February 2020)