Dr.S.Radha Krishnan on “The Supreme Spiritual Ideal : The Hindu view”

 

Radha  Krishnan in his article  “The Supreme Spiritual Ideal : The Hindu view” in his work  Eastern Religions &Western Thought (1939) writes as follows ;

1. India’s great men- ‘those rarer and more chastened spirits’ declare the reality of the  unseen world and their qualities such as wisdom, gentleness of soul and   humility proclaim that the destiny of man is self- knowledge and furthering the universal life of which he forms a part.

2.  The goal of man is ever increasing self-consciousness towards developing  spiritual personality in “which body and mind, instinct and intellect become the willing servants of spirit and not its tyrannical masters.” (35) he wants to attain inner  harmony and strives after an integrated life.

3. The tendency to overlook the spiritual side and exalt the intellectual is due to the Greek influence . our intellectual consciousness gives rise to the feeling of separatist individuality.

4.”Nations and civilizations are not eternal. Man has to live for the eternal values of spirit, truth, and goodness.” (44)

5. The way to growth from individualism and economic interpretation of history and materialist perspective “lies through increasing impersonality, through the unifying of the self with greater than the self.” (45)

5. When region succeeds in making us spiritual , we develop love for humanity and see unity in diverse forms of   life.

6. For saints , religion is not an escape from reality and “The Hindu ideal affirms that man can attain

his immortal destiny here and now.” (50) Gandhi did write in his article, “The Doctrine of the Sword” that nonviolence is for the strong and her  imperishable soul can defy the empire.

7. Indians did not take to cult of the nation till late . “Harmony of social order is an essential aim of the spiritual man.” (53)

8.To turn our thoughts, will , emotions and our whole being into divine status is” the ultimate purpose and meaning of human living.” (53)

9. When the entire  human race attains divine status which is  the supreme ideal,  it can release our creative energies  and unite us with the world fellowship mentally, morally and spiritually.