Embracing the New Year: A Vision for Nepal's Prosperity and Reform

Every country has its own unique calendar. Our nation is multi-ethnic and multi-lingual. Although the time for the New Year varies among communities, we have adopted the Bikram Sambat as the national standard. Similarly, the Gregorian calendar serves as the global standard.

No moment in time is ever repeated. The night of Chaitra 30, 2082, at 11:59 PM had never occurred before. Yet, we do not consider this a 'new' time. We only mark the new year after 12 months, or 365 days, have passed. As years pass, we grow older, and our golden days diminish. Therefore, it is essential to make the coming year more impactful than the last.

Time passes in the blink of an eye. The present moment is equivalent to a single breath. We cannot plan or evaluate every fleeting second. Whether we like it or not, time flows continuously. Since the past cannot be reclaimed, our hope lies in the New Year. Nothing is faster or more powerful than time. While we cannot see, hear, or touch time, the clocks created by humans track it constantly. We celebrate the New Year based on the time shown by these clocks.

Therefore, we must be mindful of whether we are utilizing every moment effectively. The primary duty is the effort to survive. Preserving oneself is the first virtue. We are breathing every moment; if we had to consciously remember to breathe, we would be unable to do anything else. Because this happens naturally, we are free to think and act on other matters.

May the upcoming year 2083 bring happiness and prosperity to all through efforts in the following three areas:

• First, let us strive for self-improvement

The first person who needs to improve is oneself. No one prevents us from refining our own character. In reality, if every individual improves, that is enough. There is no need to struggle to change others. If desired, the other person will change or improve on their own. We can only create an environment that encourages this. May all citizens, both in and out of government, open their hearts. Let there be no feelings of opposition or vengeance. Let us welcome all contexts and circumstances. To change the old, we must do new things. Let there be virtue in personal life and discipline in government. With this, the country will move toward prosperity.

Let us view challenges as opportunities.

Difficulties arise in every person's life. Moreover, when holding public office, the problems of others become one's own. Not everything can be done at once. One must treat challenges as opportunities and act with empathy. One does not need to go to forests, caves, or riverbanks to practice penance. Remaining steadfast and dedicated in one's field of work is true penance. This applies to personal life as well as to those running the government.

• Let there be plans for the prosperity of the country and its citizens

Celebrating the New Year should involve evaluating the achievements of the past year. Only then can goals for the coming year be set. The New Year is the time to pledge to fulfill goals and determine the process of action. A goal is like a canal that determines the path for water to flow; otherwise, the water never reaches its destination. In reality, we must make the remaining golden days of our lives celebratory. We celebrate the New Year to turn dreams seen in awareness into concrete plans.

For this, every citizen, political party, government official, and those outside the government must avoid actions prohibited by law. Those in public office should prove that knowledge and science are one, not separate. They should act guided by the light within, not just external illumination. The current members of Parliament and the Council of Ministers are built on the foundation of youth energy. No one carries the burden of the past. However, the responsibility of the current mandate is profound and heavy.

When making plans, the following points must not be overlooked.

• Health

What we all need is health. Hospitals were opened for this purpose. In reality, one does not visit hospitals out of desire. Let the home kitchen and school buildings become centers of health. Let daily food be medicine. Let the expenditure on importing medicine be saved automatically. Point 73 of the Government of Nepal's 100-point program includes a policy to make Nepal a hub for health tourism.

This policy is not just to attract tourists to Nepal. It is to share health with all of humanity worldwide. For this, we Nepalis must first be healthy ourselves. Otherwise, Nepal's slogan of health will remain superficial. At Nepal's initiative, the United Nations has declared April 15 as World Health Day. This has brought the fact that Nepal is a land of scientific sages and a land of yoga to the world stage.

• Awareness and Patriotism in Education

Only a person who knows themselves can know others. Newly elected representatives have already begun taking interest in yoga and meditation before assuming office. The first step has determined the destination. Work has already begun to create a curriculum for yoga and meditation suitable for schools and colleges. May this education of self-awareness reach everyone.

Government ministers, leaders, and activists should create an environment to practice yoga and meditation, either in physical laboratories or via Zoom. First, members of parliament can refresh themselves by practicing yoga and meditation for at least an hour and a half every morning via Zoom. For this, there are Zoom sessions run by Jeevan Vigyan. We, the instructors of Jeevan Vigyan, are ready to arrange separate Zoom sessions to suit the schedule.

• Development and Economic Growth

If no one in or out of government engages in corruption, the path of development will move forward. The movement of Bhadra 23 and 24 was also aimed at controlling corruption and maintaining good governance. Due to import-based revenue, employment opportunities in our country have shrunk. The economy is hollow. Even if we cannot immediately open export-oriented industries, we can run import-substitution industries.

For this, we can revive sick industries to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Let us hope that within the next five years, youth will not be forced to leave the country. After another five years, it should be easy for all our children living abroad to return home.

• Stable and Respected Foreign Relations

The current world is based on bilateral relations. Nepal's foreign relations must be maintained on the basis of equal existence while keeping the country's sovereignty intact. Protecting the country's interest and honor is considered as important as protecting one's own body. Nepal's prosperity is inherent only in Nepal's honor.

No one stops individuals or the government from working with a sense of universal welfare, based on truth and free from ego. This government possesses courage and enthusiasm; it must be careful to mix this with wisdom. It is said that a person who is constantly engaged in social welfare cannot be taken by death as long as work remains. This saying is a proverb ripened by our practical experience. It is not guaranteed that time will always be on our side. Utilizing the opportunity received is a divine act. Receiving such an opportunity for social service is called the grace of the Almighty.

Specifically, the Shukla Yajurveda calls leaders 'knowers of the essence.' Leadership should not work only for popularity. Steps must be taken based on the long-term interest and prosperity of the country and its people. Instead of flickering like a flashlight, one should be able to shine continuously like the sun.

May politicians find the strength to eradicate the roots of economic and social anomalies in our society. May communities, from cooperative victims to those suffering from usury, find justice. May women not have to fear men, and men not have to fear women. May no one harbor feelings of caste discrimination or superiority/inferiority. May people be able to finish their work in government offices easily and leave happily. May the anxiety of basic needs be removed, allowing for contemplation on progress.

Similarly, may the world recognize the Nepali passport as a symbol of a yogic, peaceful, happy, and prosperous Nepali. May we be able to enjoy the crops grown in our own fragrant soil and sip the fresh air and water while wandering happily in nature's garden. May Bikram Sambat 2083 support us all in completing our intended tasks. With these good wishes, I extend my heartfelt greetings for the New Year.

May everyone be victorious.