By Shruti Trivedi
Legend has it that man has surpassed all the unprecedented precincts of knowledge, extending the legs of his cognizance beyond innumerable limits in almost every direction he found. How great is the knowledge he possesses, how massive his intellect and how few the secrets of this world intact! And I, being him, find myself standing tall and proud, as the master of ceaseless mysteries and countless truths. I know the progress we have made, I know the transition we have been through, I know this world-its people and its problems. I know how many innocent lives endanger their childhood by working at diamond mines, giving us jewels and to themselves a dark future. I know how great is the imprint that the notion of corruption has left over us and that we, irrespective of gender, age and caste, are driven by the force that this idea has created upon us. I know that every year thousands of lives turn into ashes for no reason and that in independent nations; people are still the slaves of poverty, violence and terror. I know that nations call for peace goes in vain as I witness strifes and clashes among people occurring more frequent than often. I know that this world burns in agony in the fire of its problems, but no, I am not omniscient-just as nobody is. I know not which force drives us to employ little children as valets at houses, workers at factories and commodities in markets. I know not why there is a corrupt part of our souls that we are not able to win over through the better part of it, however small, however huge it may be. I know not which is the power that inspires us to be alive, to be living after taking lives of impeccable people only to drive home our personal selfish interests. I know not why in the name of caste or society or state or nation we contend against one another, without thinking of ourselves as humans before considering ourselves Hindu or Muslim-Indian or Pakistani. I know not how something so insignificant in front of relational ties like money impels us to slay them, I know not
As I look about myself at the world surrounding me, I somehow know that what I dont know certainly outnumbers that which I know. And man, being me, must know that his knowledge-his intellect stands not invincible. There is a lot left to be known and as he goes on, man must endeavor to know what he doesnt. He must know why strifes become common with time, he must know why depravity dwells in our souls, he must know why our identity as a Brahmin or a Hindu or an Indian holds more significance than our identity as a HUMAN, and after having this knowledge in his cognizance, he must effort to release this world from its agony caused due to corruption and violence and terror and forge a new world where depravity, discrimination and discord exist not, where there is the sole entity of peace, of tranquility, where there is real existence of life
Shruti Trivedi is student of chemical engineering at Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur. She completed her schooling from Delhi Public School, Jodhpur, and has always been passionate about reading and writing. She has written various articles, and had the fortune of meeting Lord Jeffrey Archer. Her favorite books include The Fountainhead, Gone with the Wind, and 1984. As a guest editor, she looks forward to writing for The Indian Economist every fortnight, and be received well by the readers. Thank you.