From the heaven to earth discipline reigns supreme. The moon, the stars, our earth itself move around the sun according to certain specific rules and that makes the universe function. Even animals are disciplined under their leader. The life of bees in a hive is a model of disciplined one. Coming down to man, the various organs of his body cooperate with one another and are disciplined. Even a savage in the primitive society obeys the laws of his clan. A civilised man obyes the head of his family. Right from the home to educational institutions and playgrounds discipline remains a matter of vital importance for prosperity and success. A disciplined team, though weak, has a greater advantage over its rival.

Discipline is the implicit obedience to the commands of a superior authority and acceptance with smile, of punishment awarded for the breach thereof. If there is no discipline, there is anarchy and life is disorganised due to lack of planning, harmony and dedication. A society will break if members are permitted to do whatever they like and the onward march of civilisation and progress will come to a grinding halt. Lack of discipline among youth of a country may endanger the national security itself.

Discipline means the training of mind that produces orderlines, obedience and self-control. It implies subjection to a rule or order. Discipline may be physical, mental, financial, religious and spiritual. It teaches us to exercise control on one’s ownself, concentrate one’s energy, mental prowess and then channelise them to achieve the desired goals.

Today, discipline is the most misunderstood word. It is generally taken as something to be forced upon by the authority something to be avoided, something unpleasant which one is forced to comply with due to fear of punishment. But the reality is far from this. Discipline is a quality which comes from within one’s self rather than to be forced upon. The forced discipline is unstable. The real discipline has to be inculcated and cultivated from the inner self of an individual for one’s own benefit. There are always a few individuals who are opposed to any form of discipline. They presume that it is going to kill originality and initiative. This is a totally wrong conception. On the contrary it allows creation and originality. The only demand that the true discipline makes is to adhere to a particular system and a given set of principles.

Self-discipline is a source of immense happiness and satisfaction to the individual. Without discipline any individual, organisation or nation cannot succeed. When everyone in an organisation respectfully obeys the governing principles and discharges his duties then and then only, the success comes. Nothing worth the name can be achieved without discipline. May it be at home, office or school. Even on the road, if traffic is not disciplined there would be serious accidents. At home, lack of discipline will lead to misunderstandings, quarrels, fueds, partitions and litigations thus bringing the family itself to the brink of disaster. Without the discipline there will be disorder, chaos, disturbances, strikes, violence all around. Mental discipline helps to exercise and channelise one’s energies to achieve the efficiency and the goal. Financial discipline checks and controls our spending habits, without which one can be ruined beyond redemption.

Nowhere, perhaps, is discipline more necessary than in the Armed Forces. Here a moment’s hesitation may mean death and defeat. Difficulty, danger or even the death itself, should not prevent a soldier from carrying out the orders of his commander. Amongst the service personnel, who have the ardous responsibility of defending a nation, the requirement of discipline becomes all the more important. It is inescapable and can not be compromised at any cost. Discipline is a habit and involves a gradual process of induction. It is a time-tested fact that only a body of disciplined personnel can successfully meet the challenge of safeguarding a nation, its men and materials. An indisciplined person who can not control himself will leak out secrets of the country, become an easy prey to temptations and a victim of provocations. A person without mental, physical and financial discipline, will always remain confused mentally, sick physically and will go astray. He will ruin himself, his family and will become a helpless victim of his own habits. Without the discipline he obviously becomes unfit for the vital task of defending a nation.