12th Class English Chapter 1 Indian Cicilization and Culture Questions With Answers

(b) Mahatma Gandhi

(c) civilization and culture

True

False

False

False

True

True

False

Mahatma Gandhi.

Civilization and culture.

Because of Gangs of thieve, robbers and prostitutes.

Ans. There is a basic difference between the Indian civilization and Europeon civilization. The tendency of Indian civilization is to elevate the moral being whereas the western civilization propogates immorality.

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.

Ans. Our ancestors observed that a man is not necessarily happy because he is rich or a man who is poor is un unhappy. The rich are often seen to be unhappy and the poor to be happy. Observing all this our ancestors dissuaded us from luxuries and and pleasures. They were perfectly right in their observance and action.

Ans. According to Gandhiji we have managed with the same kind of plough as existed thousands of years ago. It was not that we did not know how to invent machinery, but our forefathers knew that if we set our hearts after such things, we would becomes slave. No, we cannot follow today the same kind of plough. We shall lag behind. Moreover now the population has gone very high.

Ans. Our ancestors saw that happiness was largely a mental condition. 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.

Ans. Our ancestors saw that kings “all powerful” were inferior to the Rishis and 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”.

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 the author has advised us to keep away from it at all costs.

Ans. The distinguishing characters of modern civilization, is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants, which the author observed. Hence the author conveys to the countrymen to keep away from 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 Divinity.

Ans. The author became aware of immediate and distinguished results of modern inventions. It has maddened to resist and nobody dare to oppose it. According to him we are in danger of exchanging permanent good for a momentary pleasure.

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 our wants.

Ans. Our civilization, our culture, our Swaraj depend not upon multiplying our wants-self-indulgence, but upon restricting wants-self-denial.

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.

Ans. Gandhi means to say 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.

Ans. Some of the metaphors from the given lesson are: ‘So understanding and believing, it behaves every lover of India to cling 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 Fleece 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.

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 allow us to be happy and content. The rich people having luxurious 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 giddy mind and usage of hand and feet. Gandhi defines happiness as largely mental condition. Happiness is a stressless, joyful condition of mind.

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 thieves 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 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.

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.

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.

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, to 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.

Ans. Mahatma Gandhi is his essay “Indian Civilization and Culture” has described the importance of Indian civilization. He talks of the sound foundation of Indian civilization which has successfully withstood the test of time. The western civilization cannot match it. It is so because Indian civilization elevate the moral being whereas the western civilization is weded to materialism. Mahatma Gandhi considers Indian civilization to be the best in the world. He points out that while Roman and Greek civilization perished, Indian civilization continues to exist. The western countries charge that India is unwilling to change and therefore they consider it to be a great demerit. Mahatma Gandhi considers this immovbility a great merit. Mahatma Gandhi raises Indian working with hands and feet instead of machine. It keeps our moral fibre in order. The author strongly disapproves promotion of materialism in life as it breeds vice. He favours village or rural life against city life. He thinks that city life encourages wants which lead to material life. Mahatma Gandhi is not against of what is good in other’s civilization. He is in favour of absorbing the good things from other country’s civilization. Gandhijee concludes that Indian civilization is superior to any other civilization in the world. It generates moral power that helps in developing a composite and harmonioas personality. As such people in India have eternal happiness. So, the indian civilization is unparallel and can not be beaten in the world. The seeds sown by our ancestors were deep-rooted and had developed miraculously in a big tree with many of its branches spread over the heart of India. The present essay is significant. The style of the essay is very fine. The words used in this essay are so simple that we can understand this essay very easily.

Ans. Truth and non-violence are biggest weapons of mankind. They do not hurt people physically. They change the heart of the enemy. The power of these weapons is greater than the combined physical forces of the world. Nothing violent can be done against these weapons. Physical force is truth but moral force brings peace and harmony. It has been shown by Gandhi who used these weapons to combat the Imperial British forces. Ultimately he won without causing bitterness.

Ans. High living is possible only with money and wealth. It is the worship of material gains. So there is sno time for high thinking. High living demands a constant search for luxury and pleasure. So there is no time for adding money and wealth for the persons having high thinking and plain living. However one has a limited wants. Since physical needs are limited, the spritual qualities came up for thinking and delegation. Mental and physical energy are directed towards higher aspects of thinking. There is no hinderance of physical wants. Thus we see that High living cannot go alongside high thinking.

Ans. The real dignity of man does not lie in wealth and physical power. The saints and sages have been given higher respect in society than even a king. The king with his soul and “military power” does not have the same dignity-as a spritual man. He bows his head before such men. The sword of ethics is far greater than the sword of a king. So the universal respect is shown in the man who has knowledge and wisdom. There is a proverb that a learned man is respected everywhere whereas a king has his narrow domain. He is respected only in his kingdom. It is the respect given to the throne. It is because of his post and position that he is respected. But a learned man is respected by kings and common men. His power lies in himself, and not in chair, position or wealth So a person can be deprived of worldly acquisitions but his dignity is unharmed.

Ans. Life has many things which make it worthliving. So many things are required for life. Essentials and non-essentials are parts of a long and colourful life. We pass through pleasures and pain. We acquire wealth and fame. We also acquire knowledge and wisdom. Some people learn guile and cunning. But all these things donot make the highest achievement: It is the character that is the crown and glory of life. Character brings to a person a kind of divine power and the strength to fight evils and injustice. That dazzles others into submission and obedience. It makes the people trust us and feel secure in our company A man of character does not have any fear. He has a dignity and respect that is more precious than any other thing in life.