At a time when the economic policies of globalization, liberalization and privatization are being implemented in the third world countries as part of the WTO agreement, the glamour of the market has enticed the youth away from the socio-political reality of their respective societies. The youth has become more career oriented and has less time to think about the society and politics. The consumerist life-style that the youth wishes to pursue leaves very little scope for interaction with the majority of the poor people of the population that they are part of. The chances that they will be involved in social movements aimed at changing the existing power equations is becoming rarer as the gap between the rich and the poor increases because of the new economic policies. The unidirectional race for amassing wealth is making us more self-centered and narrow in our outlook.

Given such a gloomy scenario how does one motivate people, especially the youth, to take up voluntary work. We are using a recent development in India philosophical tradition called the Sah-Astitwawad’ which is known more popularly as Jeevan Vidya as our ideological basis. Unlike the two previous streams of thought that have guided the human beings on earth—God centered philosophies which have been mystical in nature and matter centered philosophies which have been uncertain in nature—the Jeevan Vidya is a human centered philosophy which is deterministic in nature. Jeevan Vidya believes in the existence of a physical body and a consciousness with every human being. The needs of the physical body – food, clothing, housing, transportation, communication – are fulfilled by material items taken from nature. The need of the consciousness is knowledge. There has been a lot of confusion in the tradition about the nature of this knowledge. Jeevan Vidya defines this knowledge as precisely that understanding which will enable a human being to bring all the six levels at which he/she has to live – the levels of self (consciousness), body, family, society, nature and the larger existence which includes everything – in harmony with each other. This is the key to happiness. This will also form the basis for creation of a just human order on earth.

In fact, as human beings our fundamental problem is that we are not able to strike this harmony among the various abovementioned levels at which we have to live. All the other problems that we face originate from this basic problem. If we are able to solve this problem, that is, we are able to come up with a way of living that will ensure harmony among the various levels then we’ll be able to take care of most of our problems. However, it is not going to be very easy. Practical experience shows that when we attempt solving a problem at a particular level of living, it often creates problems at some other level. For example, as we come up with more sophisticated ways of transportation we more seriously deplete the natural resources.

Now in order to satisfy the need of the consciousness one has to live in relationships which can be a permanent source of happiness for us. This is an outcome of the requirement that all six levels mentioned above be in harmony. Hence with every human being that we interact whether in the family or at work place or in community we need to develop relationship based on values like trust, respect, affection, love, so that they are a source of permanent happiness for us. We have to realize that just as eating food is essential to satisfy a need of physical body, in the same fashion living in relationships of the above nature is necessary for satisfaction of need of the consciousness. If we don’t take care of both kinds of needs of a human being we will be left unsatisfied and unhappy.

This can be a motivating factor for people to get involved in social voluntary work. It is for their own happiness that they need to build relationships which can be a permanent source of happiness for them. This will require to give up a narrow self-centered attitude and be involved with as many a number of people as possible at a human level. This will require interaction with human beings with a lot of sensitivity and humility.

Hence we need to develop this understanding among people in general and youth in particular that it is in their own self-interest to get involved with voluntary work because it opens up possibilities for establishing relationships which can be a permanent source of happiness for them. Unless there is a deep urge from within individuals that they should be involved in such work it is not possible to sustain their interest. This kind of deep urge cannot be artificially or superficially created. It must be linked with self-realization process of an individual and must guarantee him/her an inner satisfaction. Such a process is irreversible. On the other hand if anybody enters the field of voluntary work without a deep motivation of the above kind then chances are that the work will not create desired effect and individual will also remain unsatisfied.