God Arises
The Life We Seek
~ 446 ~
McGill University’s Professor Michael Brecher has
written a political biography of Jawaharlal Nehru.
While preparing this book, he met Nehru several
times. One of these meetings took place on June
13, 1956, during which he put to India’s late Prime
Minister the following question:
What constitutes a good society and the good life?
Nehru replied:
I believe in certain standards. Call them moral
standards, call them what you like, spiritual
standards. They are important in any
individual and in any social group. And if
they fade away, I think that all the material
advancement you may have will lead to
nothing worthwhile. How to maintain them I
don’t know; I mean to say, there is the
religious approach. It seems to me rather a
narrow approach with its forms and all kinds
of ceremonials. And yet, I am not prepared to
deny that approach... I think it’s silly for a
man to worship a stone but if a man is
comforted by worshipping a stone why
should I come in his way… so while I attach
