Bihar Board Class 12 English: Dear students, “Mindbloom Study” (#1 Online Study Portal For Bihar Board Exams) has brought for you the Summary and Answer Question of “Indian Civilization and Culture”
Summary
Indian civilization and culture is an important prose which is written by Mahatma Gandhi. He praises our ancient civilization and says that no other civilization of the world can be compared with our civilization. Our civilization is the most ancient and the strongest of all the civilizations of the world. Many civilizations are born and wasted in the world. But our civilization has remained unchanged. Gandhiji says that the western civilization is inferior (घटिया, हीन) to the Indian civilization, because it is based on materialism (भौतिकवाद) and immorality (अनैतिकता). While the Indian civilization is based on spiritualism (अध्यात्मवाद) and morality (नैतिकता). Gandhiji says that mind is a restless bird, because it is never satisfied. The more it gets, the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied. We have endless desires and such desires make our mind restless. If we want to become happy. We should keep away from wealth and luxuries (विलासिता), because they do not make us happy. A rich man may be unhappy in his palace, while a poor man may be happy in his cottage (झोपड़ी). Our civilization promotes moral development and real happiness.
Answer Questions
B.1.1. Complete the following sentences on the basis of what you have studied :
(a) India’s glory is that it …. remain immovable…… .
(b) The charge against India is that ….her people are so uncivilized, ignorant and stolid…. .
(c) We dare not change what ….we have tested and found true on the anvil of experience……. .
(d) Our ancestors set a limit to our indulgences because ...the more we indulge in our passion, the more unbridled they become... .
(e) Our forefathers did not invent machinery because ….they knew that if we set our hearts after such things, we would become slaves and lose our moral fibre….. .
B.1.2. Answer the following questions briefly :
1) How is Indian civilization different from European civilization ?
Ans — There is a basic difference between the Indian civilization and European civilization. The tendency of Indian civilization is to elevate the moral being where as the western civilization propagates immortality.
2) Why does Gandhi say that “mind is a restless bird?” What makes the mind restless ?
Ans — “Mind is a restless bird”, because the more it gets, the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied. Our needs are unending. The more we indulge in our passions, the more unbridled they become.
3) Why did our ancestors dissuade us from Luxuries and pleasures? Did they do the right thing?
Ans — Our ancestors observed that a man is not necessarily happy because he is rich or a man who is poor is unhappy. The rich are often seen to be unhappy and the poor to be happy. Observing all this our ancestors dissuaded us from Luxaries and pleasures. They were perfectly right in their observance and action.
4) Why according to Gandhi, have we stuck with the same kind of plough as existed thousands of years ago ? Should we do the same thing even today ?
Ans — According to Gandhiji we have managed with the same kind of plough as existed thousands of years ago. Our forefathers knew that if we set our hearts after such things, we would becomes slaves. No, we cannot follow same thing today because the principles of development of science has gone far ahead.
5) How did our ancestors view large cities? Why were they satisfied with small villages?
Ans — Our ancestors saw that happiness was largely a mental condition. They viewed that large cities were a trap and a useless burden. They further reasoned that people would not be happy in large cities and there would be gangs of thieves and robbers, prostitutes and wrong doers (evil persons). That is why they were satisfied with small villages.
6) How did our ancestors enjoy true “Home Rule”?
Ans — Our ancestors saw that kings and their swords were inferior to the sword of ethics and the sovereign of the earth were inferior to the Rishis and the Fakirs. The nation had courts, Lawyers and doctors, but were all within bounds. Vakils and vaids did not rob people; they were considered people’s dependents, not their masters. The ordinary rule was to avoid courts, though justice was fair. There were no touts to tempt and misguide people. The evil too was noticable only in and around capitals. The common people lived independently and followed their agricultural occupation. Thus they enjoyed true “Home Rule”.
B.2. Answer the following questions briefly :
1) What, according to the author is moder civilizations?
Ans — The modern civilization is the worship of the material according to the author. It is also the worship of brute in us. It is unadulterated materialism. It has no existence if it does not think at every step of the triumph of material civilization. As such he has advised us to keep away from it at all costs.
2) What did the author convey to the countrymen about dealing with modern civilization?
Ans — The distinguishing characters of modern civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants. The author further stated the characteristics of ancient civilization which is an imperative restriction upon, human wants. It is also a strict regulating of these wants. The modern or western discontentment arises from want of living faith in a future state and therefore also in Divinity. The author warned
against some of immediate and brilliant or disastrous results of modern invention and advised to resist. He apprehends danger of bartering away (exchanging) the permanent good for a momentary pleasure.
3) What is the distinguished characteristics of modern civilization?
Ans — The distinguishing characteristics of modern civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants. The modern or western state of dissatisfaction arises really from want of living faith in a future state and therefore also in Dinvinity.
4) The author perceived danger from modern inventions. How?
Ans — The author became aware of immediate and distinguished results of modern inventions. It has maddened to resist and nobody due to oppose it. According to him we are in danger of exchanging permanent good for a momentary pleasure.
5) What does the author prefer to materialism?
Ans — Author prefer development along spiritual lines rather than development along material and materialism The modern people will have to perish under the weight of materialism so he prefers restricting his wants.
6) What does our civilization depend upon ?
Ans — Our civilization, our culture, our Swaraj depend not upon multiplying our wants self-indulgence, but upon restricting wants-self-denial.
7) What is civilization in the real sense of the term?
Ans — Civilization in real sense of term, consists not in multiplication but in the deliberate and voluntary restriction of wants. This alone increases and promotes contentment, real happiness and capacity for service.
C.1. Long Answer Type Questions :
1) ‘I BELIEVE that the civilization, India has evolved is not to be beaten in the world’. What does Gandhi mean by this statement ? Do you subscribe to his views ?
Ans — Gandhi means by the given statement that the Indian civilization is peerless. The seed sown by our ancestors can not be equalled. The Indian civilization has seen the doom of civilizations like the ancient Roman and Greek. Japan, now has become westernized. It means that India is the only ancient civilization which remains in her stupendous magnificance, Indian civilization is the only civilization in whole world which has not lost its glory or is not westernized. When we go somewhere else we only hear about the civilization which once existed there but when it comes to India, we can proudly say that ancient India is still living. Yes, definitely I subscribe to his view and I am proud to be a part of this culture and civilisation.
2) ‘We notice that the mind is a restless bird, the more it gets, the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied’. Pick out other metaphors used in this lesson. How do these metaphors help Gandhiji in persuading the readers?
Ans — Some of the metaphors from the given lesson are : ‘So understanding and believing, it behaves every lover of India to clin with old Indian civilization even as a child clings to the mother’s breast’, ‘It may be that my reading is wrong, but I know that for India to run after the Golden Fleue is to court certain death’. The metaphors helped Gandhiji in persuading readers as they make the language more attractive and simpler. They also clearify the significance of the topic. The comparison between two terms make the basic concept clear and makes the speech ardent.
3) ‘A man is not necessarily happy because he is rich or unhappy because he is poor? The rich are often seen to be unhappy the poor to be happy; What according to Gandhi, holds key to real happiness? How does Gandhi define ‘hapiness’?
Ans — According to Gandhi, the key to real happiness lies in satisfaction. If we indulge in our passions, our desire gradually increase and even if fulfilled, there is a new craving which does not allows us to be happy and content. The rich people having luxuries desire for yet more comforts and often poor people not taking interest in luxuries and comfort bridles his passions and thus keeps himself content, satisfied and happy. So, the key real happiness lies in restriction of desires of our gridy mind and usage of hand and feet. Gandhi defines happiness as largely mental condition. Happiness is a stressless, joyful condition of mind.
4) Why did our ancestors feel satisfied with small villages? Did they do the right thing? Will it be wise today to follow our ancestors in this connection? Give your oWR views.
Ans — Our ancestors felt satisfied in small villages because they knew that large cities were a trap and a useless burden and that people would not be happy in them, that there would be gangs of theves and robbers and prostitution, and vice flourishing in them and that poor men would be robbed by rich men. Yes, they obviously did the right thing to protect our ancient civilization. Yes, it would be wise to follow our ancestors even in this connection because we need to save our civilization. We should not run after trigling luxuries but we should follow the routes of our ancestors who found about the soul, the spirit and the religion. The west cannot give us real happiness because real happiness is not materialism but satisfaction.
5) Discuss the negative features of western civilization?
Ans — The negative features of western civilization are: This civilization is the worship of material, the worship of brute in us-it is complete materialism. Secondly, the most distinguishing feature of this civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants. This civilization tends to propagate immorality and promotes disspative people. This civilization instigates us to become slaves of luxuries and comforts. It has the ideal of creating an unlimited number of wants and satisfying them which is a delusion and a snare.
6) What is the essential difference between the Indian civilization and Western civilization? How is our civilization superior to the Western civilization ?
Ans — The essential difference between the Indian civilization and the Western civilization is that west promotes an indefinite multiplicity of human wants whereas Indian civilization keeps a strict command on our desires, also Western civilization is complete materialism but Indian civilization depends on the worship of the supreme spirit. Our civilization is superior to that of Western as our civilization elevates moral being and Western civilization promotes disspatives. Western civilization has made wonderful discoveries in things of materials but they hold no rank amongst the great and marvellous discoveries which our civilization has made of the spiritual and religious things.
7) ‘A certain degree of physical harmony and comfort is necessary but above a certain level, it becomes a hindrance instead of help’. Elaborate.
Ans — It is true that physical peace and comfort is compulsory for our body to remain healthy. Our body also needs rest and peace, but only upto a limit an extent. When we give our body more luxury and comfort than what it needs, it becomes habituated of it and asks for even more. This thing multiplies our desire for more luxurious things. This multiplicity is a snare, trap which turn our desires into voluptuousness and thus become a hindrance, a breaker in our service of humanity. Instead of giving us energy and strength, the excess comforts disturb our mind.
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