"r~--"--'-.,=c::';:.:,,_.-~~~,,~,.c----,,---~.':'':'''~'':~~_~=~~~-~_..-- •• i i, 1: ; jl : il Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan A Commemorative Volume 1888-1988 Edited by SUDARSHAN AGARWAL Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha II I, I! II I. I' :1 \ I I \ i I Prentice..Hall of India ~[)'OW@J~@ lLO[ffij)O~@cdJ New Delhi-110001 1988 .l . - DR. SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN A Commemorative Volume-1888-1988 Edited by Sudarshan Agarwal <,~4~ "'lrof' "JI1Ifffir PRESIDENT PRENTICE-HALL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Englewood Cliffs. REPUBLIC OF INDIA PRENTICE-HALL INTERNATIONAL, INC., London_ PRENTICE-HALL OF AUSTRALIA, PTY. LTD., Sydney_ PRENTICE-HALL CANADA, INC., Toromo. PRENTICE-HALL OF JAPAN, INC., Tokyo. PRENTICE-HALL OF SOUTHEAST ASIA (PTE.) LTD_, Singapore_ EDITORA PRENTICE-HALL DO BRASIL LTDA., Rio de Janeiro_ PRENTICE-HALL HISPANOAMERlCANA, S.A., Mexico City. Message @ 1988 by Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi. All rights reserved. It is but appropriate that the Rajya Sabha has decided to publish a No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission in writing from the editor and the commemorative volume in honour of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, publishers. whose birth centenary falls this year. A teacher, writer and speaker of uncommon brilliance, Radhakrishnan was the most authentic, eloquent and illuminating ISBN-O-87692-557.3 interpreter of India's philosophic heritage in modern times. His mind represented the best traditions of Vedic scholarship_ Steeped The export rights of this book arc vested solely with the Publishers_ in Sanskrit, in the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita, his mind was like a finely-tuned string instrument which Published for the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi. reverberated with the cadences of the wisdom of our ancients_ Radhakrishnan was capable of reaching the core of our spiritual inheritance even as a vina reaches the core of our aesthetic beings. ) He was the personification of our dhannic values which forswear r I all that is limiting and uphold all that is elevating-intellectually, Phototypeset by Indira Printers. I' morally and spiritually. I I Radhakrishnan had, at the same time, a fine understanding of ,. Printed by Mohan Makhijani at Rekha Printers Pvt. Ltd_, New Delhi-l 10 020, Western philosophical systems and religious thought. His and Published by Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited, M-97, Connaught familiarity with the range of English literature and grasp of Circus, New Delhi-llOOOL World History invested his interpretations with a global and - ...•.. , - iv v modern ring. As Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics tellingly in the Constituent Assembly. Perhaps the most in Oxford, Radhakrishnan was rightly looked upon as an Eastern memorable of his observations was made on January 20,1947, savant who was equally at home in Western philosophical while supporting the Objectives Resolution thatJawaharial Nehru thought. His audiences, like his appeal, were world-wide. His had moved earlier. writings in An Idealist View of Life, The Hindu View of Life and his Speaking about the challenge before the Constituent commentaries on the Bhagavadgita constitute one of the highest Assembly Radhakrishnan said: . peaks reached in modern philosophical literature. We are told that we cannot effect revolutionary changes But apart from his monumental attainments in the realm of through peaceful methods, through negotiation and philosophy, Radhakrishnan possessed a vision of India-of her discussion in constituent assemblies. We reply that we immemorial wisdom and of her present and future destiny. Both wish to bring about a fundamental alteration in the in India and abroad, he gave expression to his faith in the structure of Indian society. We wish to end our political civilization of India as one that is propelled by dhanna. and economic dependence, but those who are strong of Describing the core of this vision he said: spirit, those who are not short of sight, take their chances- Ashoka's wheel represents to us the wheel of the Law, the they make their chances. wheel of the Dharma ... On the historic night of August 14-15, 1947 Radhakrishnan This wheel, which is a rotating thing, which' is a was one of the four-with Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru aud perpetually revolving thing, indicates to us that there is Chaudhary Khaliquzzaman-to address the House. He asked the death in stagnation. There is life in movement. House: The vital linkage between belief and action, between precept How did men like Washington, Napoleon, Cromwell, and practice, between philosophy and life made Radhakrishnan Lenin, Hitler and Musssoliniget into power? Look at the dedicate his celebrated commentaries on the Bhagavadgita.to methods of blood and steel, ofterrorism and assassination, Mahatma Gandhi. "I am your Arjuna", Gandhiji once said to him, of bloodshed and anarchy by which, these so.called great "yoll are my Krishna". men of the world came into possession of power. Here in If Gandhiji and Radhakrishnan had a common outlook on this land under the leadership of one who will go down in matters of the spirit, Jawaharlal Nehru found in Radhakrishnan history as perhaps the greatest man of our age we have much that appealed to his sensibility. It is not widely known that opposed patience to fury, quietness of spirit to bureau- even as a Professor of Philosophy at All Souls College, Oxford, cratic tyranny and are acquiring power through peaceful Radhakrishnan exchanged with Nehru .letters and views. on and civilised methods. What is the result? The transition is several national and international matters. Earlier, Radhakrishnan j being effected with the least bitterness, with utterly no I, had won the confidence and respect of other stalwarts of the kind of hatred at all. national renaissance such as Rabindranath Tagore, Pandit Madan But if Radhakrishnan was aware of India's singular Mohan Malaviya and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. They saw in achievement, he also felt impelled to tell the nation: Radhakrishnan one who had found in the roots of our tradition a source for its contemporary efflorescence. Our opportunities are great but let me warn you that when In 1946, at Gandhiji's suggestion, the Indian National power 0l;ltstrips ability, we will fall on evil days. We should Congress decided to induct into the Constituent Assembly some develop competence and ability which would help us to persons who were not directly involved in political work. utilise the opportunities which are now open to us. From Radhakrishnan's name was one of the first to suggest itself. The tomorrow morning-from midnight today-we can no decision was more than justified. Radhakrishnan spoke rarely, but longer throw the blame on the British. vi vii After a 'brief but mast successful tenure (1949-1952) as his permissian to raise unlisted items so.that no. ane was taken by India's Ambassadar to. the USSR,Radhakrishnan returned to.india. surprise, no. rules were transgressed. The pracedure ensured to. became aur first Vice-President. The respansibility required bath fairness and arderliness. him, in additian, to. be Chairman af the Rajya.Sabha. ,1 ....... Asimple, typical, example wauld illustrate the atmasphere Dr. Radhakrishnan was deeply cansciaus af the fact that in that. prevajlcdthen in theRajya Sabha. The Hause was discussing gaing in far a bicameral legislature, India had taken an important Qn ;Ma~cI).,.J;L'}956,. the Life Il)SUrance. (Emergency Provisians) step_ He abserved: Ordinance:,~ ';~~J:i.'".f~.: .,: .....;11) '. We 'are far the first time starting, under the new Shri Bhupesh 'Gupta 'Sir,'( wish to. draw yaurattentian and parliamentary system, with a Secand Chamber in the (West Bengal): the attentian af the Hause to. a letter Centre, and we shauld try to do. everything in aur pawer to. which we have recei\'ed regarding justify to. the public afthis cauntry that a Secand Chamber the leakage af the Life Insurance is essential to prevent hasty legislatian. We shauld discuss (Emergency Pravisians) Ordinance with dispassian and detachment propasals put befare us. befare it was natified and publishdl, I am reading aut certain extracts ... In the year 1955, after a certain amauntafheat in discussians . ,( the Chairman was canstrained to abserve: ' Chairman: Far that also. yau had better came to I I ' J • me. I We wain to. maintain the gaad name and dignity af thiS , Hause. Every ane afus is interested in that as much as I am. Shri Bhupesh Gupta: Only a few lines, Sir. .. I do. nat want it to be said that sametimes these discussions Ci1'airiria h' No., no.. Yau must came to me so.that . I: suggest that we are nat behaving like seriaus, respansible I may be able ... Members af the Parliament but rather like irrespansible prafessianal agitatars. That impressian even all Members Shri. Bhupesh Gupta: Sir, the Hause 'has already started. af this Hause, to. whatever side they may belang, shauld Cllairman: Befare the l;Iause started, 1 was here avaid. We must be careful and preserve aur gaad name far half an 'haur. Yau give it to. me and aur dignity. That is-what I am anxiaus abaut. and J will find aut the pasitian. Dr. Shrimali. In 1959,!?r. ,Radhakrishna-n naticed ane day that the Hause .\- . had to beadjaurn~d far wantaf quarum. He said an that accasian: Shri Bhupesh Gupta: i sh~ll give it, t;) yoti. .1:, ! I natice. that far the first time during these seven ar eight Chairman: Yes, give it to me. Dan't read it. Yes, .1' ..' I( years aur HQuse had to suspend business an Friday for lack Dr. Shrimali. af quarum. Membership af the Rajya Sabha is an hanaur No. ane toak.the slightest affence at this firmness. Indeed, and a distinctian. It also. carries with it respansibilities and Members expected him to exercise it. Naisy scenes, walkauts, abligatians.