Human Rights and Causes

Human Rights and Causes
All over the world it is a mark of being an enlightened liberated person to talk HUMAN RIGHTS. But one hardly ever hears about Human Duties.
It is hallmark of modern western society to promote agitational activism by developing awareness of ‘Rights’, be it human rights, or rights of women to equality with men, rights of civil society, May Day rights of labor and so on.
Total neglect of ‘Human Duties’, results in all ills that the human society suffers from in modern times, since it is not populist to talk about duties. Out of these sufferings due to nonperformance of human duties emanate a plethora of ‘causes’.
Like the chicken and egg syndrome, one can go on arguing as to what comes first; The Human rights or Human Duties.
But one never hears about Human Duties. One has to be conscious of his duties as a human being, learn about his duties on being human and then perform these duties.
Modern western intellectuals emphasizes that Man has a ‘free will’. Human ‘Free will’ allows freedom in the personal world of a man. But that does not make a man in human society free to act as he pleases.
Ancient Indian/oriental wisdom talked about ‘Human Duties’ first on being born a human. One born as human finds himself born in debts. These are the debts he owes to the society. These are four debts.
1. Debt to the Almighty for his bounties of Nature, to be paid by looking after His creation – the environment. Environments and bounties of nature are taken for granted , without our responsibility towards not causing any damage to them.
2. Debt towards our Parents. To be paid by bearing children, nurturing and providing for them to become good future citizens, and looking after our elderly parents. A joint family system provided grand children opportunity to grow in constant loving company of grandparents. This provided excellent role models for the children. The grand parents also benefitted by the company of growing grandchildren. The oldies never suffered from loneliness and consequent modern diseases like Alzheimer. This is the responsibility of गृहस्थ आश्रम. Society will not be burdened with taking care of Unwed Mothers and Old people care homes as an instance.
3. Debt towards our Teachers and providers of wisdom. To be paid by all experienced wise men- Kings, leaders, learned researchers, teachers, athletes, sportsmen, skilled artisans; musicians and so on to share educate and train to pass on all their life time experiences and knowledge to the younger generations. This was the responsibility to be met in the वानप्रस्थ आश्रम.
4. Debt to the Society. We are indebted to our society for all our riches, wealth and position in life. It thus becomes our duty to repay this debt to society to share in all our prosperity. Man has to work to ensure and share in his comfort and happiness with society. This was responsibility of both the गृहस्थी and वानप्रस्थी.
It is submitted that well wishers of society pay attention to incorporate in our education systems to bring about awareness to the four social debts that a human being is born with.
“ऋणँ ह वै जायते यो Sस्ति | स जायमान एव देवेभ्य: ऋषिभ्य: पितृभ्यो मनुष्येभ्य: || माध्यांदिन शत्‌पथ1.6.2.1”.
“देवऋण, ऋषिऋण, पितृऋण and समाजऋण”.
In a very distinct manner this is a departure from the modern western hedonistic concept driving human society in modern times.
Thanks to modern educational curricula, that is teaching everything except the importance of being Human.
A person is still insolvent as long he does not pay all his debts. Western society particularly Americans are very sensitive towards financial solvency in their life time and work hard to protect their credit. Modern society will be very benefitted in many ways, if its concept of financial solvency embraced the Indian concept of social insolvency also.
Aim of life is considered just 'eat drink and be merry'. There is no time to consider responsibilities as human beings- towards our family, parents, elderly, society, country and environments. But are we moving in the right direction? Is it not time that something is done about this rot before it proceeds too far?
Is talking about ‘RIGHTS’ first and then going on a binge to recruit society for ‘CAUSES’ not putting the cart before the horse?
Of course to atone for neglect of our human duties, It becomes very necessary to work whole heartedly and support all the ‘causes’.
But a simultaneous campaign to train and develop awareness to ‘HUMAN DUTIES’ cannot be neglected. Otherwise Human society will be doomed to fight the constant battle of ‘CAUSES’ with a begging bowl.