https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-superpower-gdp-growth-9316934/lite/
Bibek Debroy, the economist who has served in India’s apex economic think-tank Niti Aayog, may not get nominated for the Nobel Prize in economics, but “the way he weaves economic facts with our Puranas and Niti Shastras makes very interesting reading”, said a friend of mine with whom I had shared the above article appearing in the Indian Express .
And reading the article myself I couldn’t help admiring Debroy’s insights in drawing parallels between GDP and the conduct of great “yagnya” by sovereigns in our ancient past.
The article made we want to think that in our present day although no sovereign Indian government mindful of its secular credentials can ever dare to conduct a “rajasooya” , “vaajapeya” or “Ashwamedha” Vedic yagnya, it could be said that our generation is nonetheless still fortunate to have witnessed equivalent “yagnyas” having been performed already in this very age even.
One is the final completion of the consecration of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir after decades of struggle and sacrifice —- an event that could be regarded as equivalent of a “vaajapeyam”.
The other: after 72 years of so much sacrifice of blood, tears toil and sweat, finally getting Kashmir reunified with India by abrogating Art 370 is in itself a great yagnya equivalent to a “rajasooya”.
The culmination of the above 2 yagnyas in India’s modern history signals an incalculable contribution made to Bharatha Varsha …. Its true value to our national life and our civilisation can never be measured in terms of a mere economic metric such as GDP.
It is my earnest hope that in the next decade itself, India will also conduct the modern version of the greatest of all “yagnyas”, the Ashwamedham”, which would complete the reunification of the rest of Kashmir (called PoK) with India.
I do hope I shall live to witness an Ashwamedham being conducted before I depart from this world .
Sudarshan Madabushi