Address At The Conferring Of Naitik Samman Awards

Righteousness is the Key to World Peace

I am delighted to participate in the Naitik Samman Award function. I greet the members of Gulzarilal Nanda Foundation and other eminent personalities participating in this gathering. I congratulate the award winners of Naitik Samman Awards. When I think of Gulzarilal Nanda I am reminded of a simple Gandhian, a Bharat Ratna awardee and who became acting Prime Minister of India twice within a period of two years. To this gathering I would like to talk about Code of Conduct for the people in high places and righteousness which is essential for promoting World Peace.

Code of Conduct

I am reminded of a Tamil epic which provides the code of conduct for the people in high and responsible positions:

It means, people who are in high and responsible positions, if they go against righteousness, the righteousness itself will get transformed into a destroyer. Whoever deviates from righteousness, whether they are individual or states they are responsible for their own actions.

If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel that there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are father, mother and the teacher. Let us join together and launch this movement from home and school to eradicate corruption.

Righteousness is the foundation for World Peace

Righteousness of the heart of the human being leads to a perfect life of an enlightened citizen. This is beautifully explained in ascent and descent phase of human life by Confucius. He states that ?People who desired to have a clear moral harmony in the world, would first order their national life; those who desire to order their national life would first regulate their home life; those who desire to regulate their home life would first cultivate their personal lives; those who desired to cultivate their personal lives set their heart to righteousness, would first make their wills sincere; those who desire to make their wills sincere would first arrive at understanding; understanding comes from the exploration of knowledge of things. When the knowledge of things is gained, then understanding is reached; when understanding is reached, then the will is sincere; when the will is sincere then the heart is righteous; when the heart is righteous then the personal life is cultivated; when the personal life is cultivated, then the home life is regulated; when the home life is regulated, then the national life is orderly; when the national life is orderly then the world is at peace. From the Emperor down to the common man, the cultivation of the righteous life is the foundation for all.

Righteousness

Where there is righteousness in the heart  
There is beauty in the character.  
When there is beauty in the character,  
There is harmony in the home.  
When there is harmony in the home.  
There is an order in the nation.  
When there is order in the nation,  
There is peace in the world.

My best wishes to all the members of Gulzarilal Nanda Foundation and congratulations to the awardees.

May God Bless You.