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<title>The Cause of India's Decline</title>

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<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center; line-height:150%;margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0"><b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size="4">The Cause of </font> </b>
<font size="4"><st1:country-region><st1:place><b
  style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>India</b></st1:place></st1:country-region></font><b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><font size="4">'s Decline</font></b></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><i><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></i></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>WHAT is the cause – the
fundamental cause – of <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
decline? The mighty nation that was once the vanguard of the world in the field
of learning and culture, whose all-round genius had almost no equal, is now
ruthlessly stricken with poverty, incapacity, weakness and stands on the verge
of destruction. Many are the factors that are said to have brought about such a
downfall. But what is the main, the source cause? Loss of vitality, for that is
the foremost feature. This statement applies equally to an individual as to a
nation. When vitality runs short, the life-energy falls to a low ebb; weakness,
disease and death gradually force their way. But <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>
was, as it were, the fount of all energies. History bears witness to the fact
that more than once <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>
slipped into an alien atmosphere and almost crashed towards a total downfall,
but always it was only for- a short while: for she mustered strength again from
somewhere and, infused with a new life, she recovered her health and strength
to rise again to a greater greatness. It happens however that her present
crisis is very radical and unprecedented. It is a question of yes or no for
ever. How could <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>
come to such a pass? What sin, what violation of the Law could have deprived
her of her vitality to such an enormous extent?<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:12.2pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>There
are three primary causes that have led to the diminution of <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s
life-energy. Let us study them one after another.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:13.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Firstly,
in order of time and importance, the root-cause<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 247<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:18.45pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.85pt;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>is the
institution of Sannyasa, ascetic renunciation, and the influence of the theory
of illusion. What does the ideal of Sannyasa teach us? The world is an
illusion. The highest good consists in escape from life and withdrawal from
action. The play of the natural instincts and propensities which comprise the
ordinary social life of man is considered the lower nature. If man wants to
attain to his highest nature, his true Self, then he will have to control his
outgoing tendencies, stop them totally and finally turn them inward. The <i>summum
bonum </i>of life is the absorption in the static Brahman.¹<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Needless
to say that a creed whose fundamental principle is to escape from life cannot
but dry up the sap of life. The outgoing faculties of human life are bound to
recede, dwindle and vanish or remain atrophied when it is inculcated that life
and the living of life lead one astray from the ultimate Truth. The conception
of life as a mirage cannot help life to bloom and manifest. On the contrary, it
is sure to effect a gradual cessation of life.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:.15in;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>It
may be argued however that the ideal of Sannyasa, renunciation, was never meant
for the whole of humanity. The Sannyasins neither expect nor wish that all and
sundry should give up their respective vocations in life and retire to the
mountains and forests and remain absorbed in the sole communion with God. They
also admit the necessity of the outgoing movements in human life. The world is
not an ultimate reality, but its pragmatic reality cannot be denied. In the
course of leading a normal life when spontaneously a spirit of renunciation
dawns on one, then that is the proper time to accept the life of renunciation
for spiritual attainment. The institution of Sannyasa stands at the<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:.15in;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.05pt;
mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:right 276.7pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;
text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>¹ <span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>The genuine spirituality of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span
  style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'> as embodied in the Vedas,
the Upanishads and the Gita has never approved of the renunciation of life and
action.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;tab-stops:right 276.7pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>&quot;Doing verily works in this world one should wish to live a
hundred yearn. Thus it is in thee and not otherwise than this; action cleaves not
to a man.&quot;<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;tab-stops:right 276.7pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><i><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'><span style='mso-tab-count:
1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Isha Upanihad (Translated by Sri
Aurobindo)<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:right 276.7pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;
text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
'>Page – 248<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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10.05pt;mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:right 276.7pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;
text-autospace:none'>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>top of the society. One
has to reach it through the household life fulfilling one's duties as a
householder.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:9.8pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>Quite
true. But the ideal of renunciation gained slowly and occupied people's mind to
such an inordinate degree that all other ideals fell into insignificance before
this one ideal. The real truth, the real good lies outside the pale of worldly
life. The sooner one can get rid of this life, the better. Besides, life was
considered not as a way to the Goal beyond, but as a great obstacle to it. To
our normal conception a householder is but a despicable sinner. We began to
look down upon life and its activities even when we were within the precincts
of life itself. Instead of enlarging all the spheres of our activities we
wanted to dig out and cast away their very roots. But in spite of such an
attitude the common men did not become pure of passion and life-attachments.
For as the Gita declares, &quot;All creatures follow the bent of their
own nature; repression is of no avail.&quot;<i><o:p></o:p></p>

</i>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.5pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>The
upshot amounts to this that even while we remained in active life, our zeal for
action slowed down and diminished. We became overwhelmed with a pensive mood –
a collective sense of the vanity of vanities brooded on our life. The active
life was, no doubt; retained, but restricted within a narrow compass, and it
was unavoidable. The way of life in the end became confined solely to the physical
plane. Only the animal propensities were attended to. We missed all high ideals
of action. <span style='mso-bidi-font-weight:bold'>In<b> </b></span>the social
life we were deprived of all collective enterprises. Our only aim was somehow
to satisfy our personal needs and those of our family members. And this is
called <i>praktana-kaya</i>, – &quot;exhausting the consequences of past
actions&quot;. We paid no heed to the high or large enterprises of the
life-energy, and these became altogether meaningless to us. All our energies
were diverted to and hemmed in the channels of envy, jealousy and ill-feeling;
&quot;eat, drink and be merry&quot; – as much as your depleted life-energy
allows – became the motto of our life<i><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 249<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>From
outside, new shackles were imposed on the life-energy that was already
diminishing and dying out from within. The religious codes of Manu and others
prescribed the routine of life in all its details. The canons enjoined on us
taught how to regulate our life, what to do and not to do. The march of our life
followed the rut of the rules laid down by the law-givers for the regulation of
our daily life and the duties on special occasions. We could not deviate from
the rules in the least for fear of censure and tyranny of the society. The
customs that were in the beginning merely a spontaneous discipline changed into
an inexorable chain and bondage. It is true that the living current of life
does not and cannot adhere to all these injunctions of fixed laws. Life has a
rhythm of its own. It creates its own law. The rules that do not take into
account this rhythm and law become a hindrance to the natural progress of life.
The urge of life, being hampered at every step, is bound to become weakened and
crippled. The hard and fast rules that the mentors of our society had
introduced even for inessential and trifling matters of life deprived the
life-energy of its natural zest and zeal, made it move like .a machine. Consequently
our vitality waned and life became nothing more than a bundle of rules. Perhaps
the original intention was not to allow the vital energy to run amuck or break
the bounds of discipline. Anyhow we missed the art of maintaining freedom in
the midst of bondage.¹ This is the second cause that robbed <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>
of her vitality.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:10.55pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>The
Caste-system is the third cause. The differentiation of castes and sub-castes
has practically split <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region><i><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:10.55pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

</i>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:10.3pt;mso-line-height-alt:
10.05pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>¹ <span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Many people hold that this
rigid discipline saved Hinduism and the characteristic features of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span
  style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'> during the periods of
foreign incursions. But it cannot be admitted that if India had followed her
own normal bent of life she would not have been able to save herself,
assimilate the foreigners, the members of other religions and cast away what
was not worthy of assimilation. On the whole, this austere discipline, the
attempt at it which had, as it were, enfeebled and confined the life-energy
within a dungeon, has done more harm than good.</span><i><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 250<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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10.05pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>into innumerable
divisions. We Indians are bloated with pride and assert that we belong to the
Aryan race. But do we know how many different strains of blood went to form
this Indian nation? If there be any Aryan spirit in <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
it is not in the blood of the Indians, but in their education and culture. And
this education and culture too has mingled with those of other civilisations.
When the Indian nation was living and powerful, it had considerably added to
its life and power by absorbing new blood and new life-energy. But as the frame
of the Caste-system grew more and more rigid, new sub-castes began to make
their appearance. Social intercourse and matrimonial alliances ceased to take
place. And, as a result, the power of unity yielded to the infirmity of
division. No doubt, the maintenance of the purity .of blood of a clan may be at
times necessary. When a small group acquires some speciality in education and
culture, in order to perpetuate this virtue it is obviously needed that it
should keep aloof from the other groups. This speciality may last for long, but
not for ever. With the march of time its decline is bound to ensue. Besides, it
does no good to retain a particular quality for all time, since with the change
of time the usefulness of even good qualities will change. There comes the
demand for qualities suitable to the age. Purity, i.e., continuance of
the type, fixity for its own sake, leads to stagnation and disintegration.
According to the nature and capacity of persons and groups, different systems
of education and culture can and should be admitted in a society. Aptitude and
inclination of men should decide groupings. There is no need for arbitrary or
notion-made laws. But in the present-day society we find high and solid walls
of division raised everywhere even amongst the sub-castes. So the social
relationship has considerably narrowed down, and from generation to generation
the social intercourse has been confined within groupings of a few families. Virility
and the life-energy fail under such circumstances to retain their original
vigour.<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><i>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 251<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>

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</i>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.25pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>All
these causes were responsible for the foreign yoke to be laid on <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
The remnant of the life-energy was liquidated under the pressure of this
subjugation. And that brought the <span style='font-family:"Arial Narrow";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Narrow"'>coup de grâce </span>which seemed to
seal the fate of the Indian nation for good.<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><i>

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mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;'>Page – 252<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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