Dr.Kalam talks of Manusmriti

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Satguruve SaranamThe Honorable President of India highlights "Manusrmiti" verses.Read on...I will go with two small suitcases: KalamPTI | July 19, 2007 | 19:46 IST"I

will go with two small suitcases," said an emotional President A P J

Abdul Kalam onb Thursday as he prepared to leave Rashtrapati Bhawan

with a desire to see India as a developed nation by 2020.In

possibly his last public function as the head of the state, Kalam had

an advice for the countrymen -- `don't take gifts that come with a

purpose and build families with character and good value system."On

the 25th I will leave Rashtrapati Bhawan after having spent five

glorious years there. What I have got are two small suitcases. I will

go with two small suitcases," he said in his address at the India

Islamic Cultural Centre.The statement, that came on a day when polling was held to elect his successor, evoked a huge round of applause.The President went on to add that besides the two suitcases, he had a big reserve of books that he would be taking with him."I

will take the books with me. They are my own books," said Kalam, who

plans to teach at Anna University, Tamil Nadu, after his tenure is over.The

75-year-old Scientist-President, who turned philosophical and nostalgic

in turns, recalled how his father had taught him not to accept any

gifts."Yesterday, a well-known person gave me a gift of two

pens. I had to return them with unhappiness," he said, also quoting

from the ancient Hindu code of law `Manusmriti' that by accepting gifts

the divine light in the person gets extinguished."I am sharing

this thought with all of you since no one should get carried away by

any gift which comes with a purpose and through which one loses his

personality greatly," he said.Kalam, who said he visualised

India as a developed nation by 2020, hoped it would become a country

where economic development was coupled with moral values."There

are many economically developed nations that are not happy. Since we

have a big value system and are blessed with a rich heritage, we can

make our country a combination of economic development and moral values

that are derived from our civilisation," he said."This is how we can build a happy, prosperous and safe India," Kalam said.He

said he visualised an India where the rural and urban divide has been

reduced to a thin line, where there is equitable distribution and

access to energy and water and where education with value system is not

denied to any meritorious candidates because of societal or economic

discrimination.Underlining the importance of respecting all religions, he said he was influenced by all faiths as he grew up. "Our

country has had this advantage of integration of minds for thousands of

years and we should continue to nurture this," Kalam said.URL for this article:

http://www.rediff.com///news/2007/jul/19prezpoll8.htm

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