A s spring is the most vibrant and verdant amongst the seasons, so is youth in the changing phases of life a fountainhead of joy, enthusiasm, valor and courage. Self-disciplined youth committed to noble ideals are a source of inexhaustible energy leading to ever higher progress and prosperity. History bears testimony to the fact that youth have always established new benchmarks with their wisdom, courage, indomitable energy and strong willpower be it the domain of materialism or spirituality. Indeed, whatever bright chapters are found in the history of the world, they have been written by the youth.
It is the youthful divine urge of Ekobam bahusyam that created the whole cosmos. The youthfulness of Nature is expressed in the form of its beauty. The youth, Ram, painfully moved by the cultural degradation of his time vowed-'Nishichar heen karabu mahi (meaning: I vow to eliminate all evil traits from the face of the earth). When the youthful message of the Gita aroused from within youth Partha (Arjun), the latter won the great war of Mahabharat. The youthfulness of human compassion transformed prince Siddhartha into The Buddha. The youthfulness of Guru Gobind Singh became a challenge for the tyrants. When youth get surcharged by Tapa (penance), they become Bhagwan Mahavir, Swami Dayanand, Swami Vivekanand, Swami Ramteerth, etc. It is the youthfulness of the martyrs which broke the chains of slavery of Mother India. The youthfulness of Param Poojya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya and Vandaniya Mataji laid the foundation of Gayatri Mission committed to ushering of the New Golden Era. Youth is the passionate urge to grow both in matters mundane as well as spiritual.
Unfortunately, at present we are passing through a dark period of cultural debauchery. Materialistic consumerism and self-indulgence are on their climax; and directionlessness, evil tendencies and lack of creativity are making our young generation hollow from within. Over and above that unemployment, drug abuse, and western style of living are draining off their energies. In such a dismal situation, it becomes essential to acquaint the youth of our nation with our cultural heritage and make them realize the true purpose of their lives. What is needed for a bright future in the twenty-first century is the total transformation of the present way of life - from crass materialism to life-affirming spirituality.
In order to organize the youth into the nation's enlightened power, Shantikunj has initiated a nation-wide 'Youth Movement'. It aims at making the youth healthy, serene, empathetic and self-reliant. The program for achieving this four-fold objective is as follows:
1. Motivation of youth for achieving holistic physical, mental and spiritual health; cultivation of a superior art of living through Pragya Yoga and self-discipline; protecting the youth from the vices of addiction / drug abuse and engaging them in creative work
2. Protecting the youth from the ill-effects of consumeristic culture and acquaint them with our glorious cultural heritage; cultivation of virtues like humility, cooperation, industriousness, self-discipline, etc; amongst the youth
3. Development of empathy, sensitivity, devotion to social service and related qualities in the youth; utilization of time, effort, resources and talents of youth in creative work
4. Awakening of self-respect through self-reliance; eradication of unemployment; self-reliance through self-employment; and awakening of an attitude of dignity towards work In order to solve the present-day problems and lead this process of transformation, the nation needs righteous youth. Thus, there is a dire need of guiding the youth in the right direction and properly channelizing their talents and potentialities. In order to fulfil this need, we are publishing a 'Youth Column' in every issue of our bimonthly magazine 'Akhand Jyoti - The Light Divine'. This book is a compilation of forty selected articles published over past ten years in this column.
Thus, the book intends to motivate the youth for imbibing virtuous traits, which in turn, will help them in uplifting their personalities. Once this vibrant, energetic and dynamic force is ready, it can be utilized in the development of the Nation and the welfare of the world at large.
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