TERROR AND THE TIMES

Liberalism is the need of the hour. Instead what we are witnessing today is gross violation of basic humanity, intolerance of a noxious kind. Politicians are playing with the gullibility of ordinary citizens and trapping them in their web of vote-bank politics. Secularism is the safe card for the foul-play of sectarianism fuelled incessantly by political parties who camouflage their dubious designs under the cover of offering protection to the minority communities but who in essence drive a wedge between different sections of society to suit their political ends.

There is a difference between patriotic politicians as were evident during the days of our freedom struggle and professional politicians as are evident now. The former liberated the motherland from her bondage to foreign yoke while the latter are perpetuating her bondage to factionalism. What India needs today to attain national cohesion is an enlightened leadership that can rise above the pettiness of the times and take the country ahead. Unity of purpose and resolve, integration of will and a shared vision of a hopeful future where every Indian will see the light of day in his/her life ought to be the objective now and for that we need a national consciousness and self-identity rather than caste or religious identity. The higher must supersede the lower and so must nationalism gain pre-eminence over all other considerations of religion, caste or creed. Only when we feel we are Indians first and then, whatever else we may be, will we progress as a nation enroute to peace and prosperity. But such an enlightened citizenry is a far cry at the present and the turbulence of the times seems to be our likely fate in the foreseeable future. Cynical it may seem but there are deep-seated, intractable historical imperatives for it being so.

Hinduism is perhaps the only major world religion which openly declares that all religions are true and that they are but varied expressions of the highest transcendental truth as perceived from different standpoints and planes. It is universal in its scope like the physical sciences and is completely impersonal although incorporating the vast body of personalities within its fold. It is the science of the Self and of the spiritual world which is the continuum of the material world in an ever-refining inward progression enroute to the Absolute. The three major Semitic religions, namely, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all exclusive religions which hold their respective doctrines to be the final word on God with Islam being the most conservative in this regard. It holds itself, arbitrarily though, to be the last word on religion, its highest refinement and the ultimate evolution of religious thought for it categorically affirms a dated personal revelation as the Word of God and that too in its final formulation, inviolable and sacrosanct. And herein lies the problem. When evolution of thought in the realm of spiritual discovery is denied beyond a revealed text and the enunciation or formulation of new principles of spirituality or the amendment of old ones prohibited by scriptural injunction and by political force, when religious stricture founded in singular authority debars human freedom to challenge its rational validity, when scientific scepticism which is the birthright of every rational being is outlawed in matters scriptural, religious growth is retarded and with it comes stagnation of right thinking in the society that harbours it. This is turn leads to intolerance, violence, forcible proselytization to reinforce unreason, and, war-mongering in the name of religion whose foster-child is terrorism, although, it must be averred that there are geo-political reasons galore behind such hideous impulsions as well.

Now, here we are at the inception of the new millennium, civilized humanity fighting like barbaric brutes on grounds of our differences which are but natural but which appear in our myopic vision to be contrary to our contracted conception of homogeneity which in our estimation is the highest social ideal to be followed in the name of whatsoever scriptural authority. Such homogeneity may never subsist at the surface of phenomena for variety is the design of surface distribution of life and things. Diversity evidently is the plan of Nature and needs to be accepted as the gospel social truth whereby we may all cherish each other’s differences of life and living as contributory to the general mosaic of society. Unity lies at the base of things and may be reached through multiple avenues even as the centre may be approached through infinite radial paths. The scheme of the universe once apprehended on a broad philosophical basis, fanaticism takes to flight and it is here that we must work to educate our children out of the noxious web of religious exclusiveness and lead them on to the clear space of rational discourse and evidential understanding. Then only will liberalism triumph over fanaticism, enlightenment over superstitious ignorance and universal sympathy over sectional sentiment. The world perhaps is too young in experience as yet to appreciate the higher principle of harmonic co-existence and will in all probability continue to engage in futile feud over earthly trifles thereby deluging humanity in an ocean of blood for the foreseeable future. But through all these vicissitudes humanity will have learnt its lessons alright and will have opened itself up to new outflow of light from the heart of consciousness wherein it shall stand transfigured, a divine entity free of the shackles of its chequered past. Then alone will peace ensue here on this brutalized earth but that is a far cry today, a distant call whose echo we are yet to hear.

Right now vast numbers of people are held hostage to primitive practice of religion seeking sanction from absolutist medieval texts that brook nor reason nor reference to time and place in their current decadent interpretation. Hundreds of thousands are being slaughtered in the wake of such revivalism of a barbarous historical past as the world watches in dismay and knows not how the scourge of fanaticism may yet be contained. Political expediency and human correctness on the part of the Western democracies choose not to link religion with this brand of mass barbarism and its agenda of global terror to get the better of modern civilization which it despises but the fact is that terrorist organizations like ISIS are founded exclusively on religion by their own admission and practice. To deny this in the name of civilized moderation could be dangerously counter-productive quite akin to the ruinous path of the late 1930s when the Chamberlain-Dadalier denial mode and appeasement of Nazism led to the Second World War. History should not be allowed to repeat itself for it requires but a spark to start off a catastrophic Third World War in a pronouncedly nuclear age when political alignments are hazy and unclear. A concerted effort must therefore be made by the West to understand the genesis and inspiration of ISIS and other terrorist organizations, their geo-political compulsions and objectives, their world mission of exclusive survival and propagation of a singular culture before the terror perpetrated by them may be successfully combated and eliminated. But for this the world must stop delinking Islamist terror from radical Islam. That is a naive approach to a complex problem and opposed to truth in the first place. Calling these terror organizations non-religious is a blatant lie and does not address the central global problem of religious fundamentalism. Rather, calling a spade a spade faces the brute square on and overcomes it to save humanity. In no way does it thereby compromise illumined Islam which throughout history has produced countless savants, seers and saints. Rather, only then will it successfully isolate the extreme factions of Islam from mainstream moderate Islam and build up a strong middle ground of harmonious co-existence for the bulk of the world Muslim population with the rest of humanity. The fringe elements will have then been set aside to the fringe once more to their extinction or else, if sanity prevails, to their future assimilation in the bulk of the mother body of humanity. Peace may prevail only then, not before. The motto forever is: face the brute, be founded on the acceptance and affirmation of truth and struggle to unite as a single human family with inner union amid myriad superficial divergences of approach to life and living on account of differences of location, perspective and experience.

Hail Humanity!                

BLOSSOMS OF DAWN

Children are the fairest flowers of humanity and the hope of a human renaissance if only they be spared of religious and political indoctrination when they are in bud. Let their faculties grow in alliance with natural principles coupled with intellectual training following reason and evidence-based judgement rather than superimpositions of irrational dogmas of religion whereby their freedom of thinking is beset and personality permanently perverted towards unthinking acceptance of and adherence to fanatical faith-decrees. A generation of children educated the right way may end the pernicious maladies of the present day and usher in a golden age of humanity where peace and prosperity will make life benign and the toxicity of past ages will have been washed away by the enlightenment that will follow in the wake of rectified vision of these future citizens of the world.

The terrorist organizations and their religious ideologues are having a full meal today but on the morrow of such enlightenment will die a natural death through want of support from the enlightened citizenry of the world. The oblivion will be swift, scientific, natural and non-violent but the moot question remains---will such an educational programme be possible to implement worldwide given the current political imperatives? Nonetheless, democracies must attempt to bring to fruition this new academic programme on a war-footing if we are to avoid a Third World War in the not-too-distant future. Pope Francis is perhaps prophetically right that the Paris Terror Attack is in fact the first shot fired of the Third World War. We have to prove him wrong to survive as a species on this already violently challenged planet where environmental fever threatens to snuff out life before we have time to react or recover.

It is a momentous moment friends, my fellow earth-mates, and we must seriously ponder modes and methods to combat the terror from religious fundamentalists as also the peril precipitated by our gluttonous living and consumerist obsession. The cause of both is within us and the solution lies there as well. Human ignorance has generated the present crisis and human knowledge will dispel it. Let us then work towards the future and take the present stand not to pollute the minds of the children with the decadent inheritance of past ages, irrational ideologies, faiths and religions having no substance in reason or rational thinking with archaic autocratic pronouncements as their sole basis which one must submit to as gospel truth of an unknown God whose cruel fiat crushes life out of innocence and renders youth sterile. Unto us belongs this earth, unto us are bequeathed its bounties and unto us remains the choice of making or breaking our future.

Hail Humanity! No God is greater than thee that shall shape thy destiny. Now awake, O blissful souls, and take thy rightful inheritance of thy divinity and bring forth the true renaissance of the human race through right thought, right action and right knowledge. Let reason be the guide and love the impelling force behind your social endeavours and let an abiding curiosity career you through the mysteries of life and Nature in pursuit of truth temporal and truth transcendental, free and impersonal, radiant and blissful, without the trappings of tradition or tyranny, dogma or decree, autocracy or authority. Let the fountain of knowledge be free for all to slake their thirst and let true democracy reign in the world unhindered by enforcement, infringement or debasement.

To such a dawn, my friends,

I send these lines tonight,

They'll waft through the starry skies

To welcome you with the light.

IN THE WAKE OF THE PARIS ATTACKS

Archaic pronouncements of religion and God are holding humanity hostage to their fanatical objectives. Terror-attacks throughout the world in the name of religion cannot be condoned neither can the substance of their malevolent inspiration be overlooked by simply feigning to delink terrorism and the religious ideology that fuels them. An objective study of all fanatical faiths needs to be conducted by experts and scholars to arrive at a meeting-ground for possible harmony. If such a move fails as is most likely to be in the teeth of terrible opposition by these fanatical ideologues, then humankind ought to subscribe better to reason than to faith that is archaic, exclusive and absolutist. Unless vast numbers of people are rational and go about the business of life on the basis of independent thinking based on reason and evidence, that is, a scientific temper, a counter-movement that can thwart the malicious motives of these materialists masquerading as religious personalities cannot be set into motion. The imperative of the hour is, thus, to propagate the pristine humanistic principles of the Vedas and the Upanishads along with new age thinking which set the status of humanity above scriptural texts and the evolution of human thinking above fixed prophetic pronouncements. So long as exclusive religions propagate the inviolability of revelations perceived by their founding fathers and their flock submit their faculties to subservience to such singular superstition, large-scale reasonableness among them is an unlikely outcome and irrational misbehaviour climaxing in actual acts of terror will continue to hold the world hostage. The only way out is the imparting of scientific education among the children of the world but, even then, rejection of religious bigotry is a far cry for it seems that violence is fed into the very DNA of humankind and it will take a lot of sufferance and painful experience before humanity finally awakes to reason and truth. Till then peace be unto all!

Om! Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

A DUAL THOUGHT

The only way to rescue our country from poverty and ignorance is for each one of us to work hard for her redemption. Education is the panacea. Widespread proliferation of liberal scientific ideas will rationalize the masses leading to peace and prosperity for all. Then the problems of socio-economic exploitation may be worked out in an atmosphere of enlightened rationality, illumined humanity.

Abusive language is proof of paucity of vocabulary, not of being protagonist of a cause. It is time to be civil in our national discourse and not profane as becomes the vulgar mob. Political leaders lose credibility when they resort to malicious personal attacks on each other, indulging in invectives to suit imperatives of the hour without a thought spared for the declining standards of public life that such irresponsible behaviour leads to. Leaders, now be led for once by decency and not by deceit. The masses are awaking. Beware!

MOTIVATIONAL TALK ... 3

What we need is to build our country on a war-footing. Religion that lulls us to sleep we have had enough. Now let the dynamism of Vivekananda speak in real earnest in our actions and not passive piety which is the trait of weaklings who profess the leonine soul in a docile way. When we suffer, we redress the issue with energy, but when the nation suffers, we issue pious proclamations of surrender of her destiny to the Divine. This will not do any more for it is hypocrisy of an abject kind. Therefore, be up and doing, brethren, if you are children of Ramakrishna and get to rebuilding our Motherland. Remember, Ramakrishna himself never gave in to passive piety but shook the citadels of the heavens in his bid to realize the Absolute in this world of phenomenal dreams. So, give up this vain attachment to the vanities of terrestrial life that will last but two days and then will be heard no more as you shall be rendered unto nought by the inexorable flow of time that will take you unto the dust whence you had arisen. Follow the twin principles of the Master, abstinence from lust and gold and help build the many welfare institutions of the Ramakrishna Mission. Unto you lies the destiny of the nation, my countrymen, and I fervently hope that you will acquit yourself well. India belongs to all of you irrespective of denominational differences and the Motherland seeks the service of each of her children, blessed and beloved as they are to her. Jai Hind!

MR. PRIME MINISTER, NOTE

In civil society we ought to be more civil. Outright denunciations have become the order of the day. To sensationalize an issue is often the apparent goal to gain public attention but it hardly ever is in public interest. Civilized discourse and debate is the crying need of the hour in addressing any pressing socio-political issue. In a democracy where public opinion shapes the flow of national life and dissent is constitutionally allowed as being crucial to the maintenance of plurality, it is worthwhile remembering that culture demands civility of discourse, discussion and debate rather than raucous rogues ranting.

Let us as a nation learn to be more disciplined in our deliberations and speak on the basis of carefully conducted research in a subject rather than hearsay. This does not imply that we thereby lose our right to respond to a given situation but it only is a reminder that we must not be so assured in the veracity of what we say to the exclusion of what others say in the absence of such research conducted by us. A decided finality on the subject of discussion before the facts are deliberated on is the bane of all discussion and must at any cost be avoided. Fact-finding is hard, fact-analysis harder. One must have an open mind to the discovery of truth and must be pliable enough to accept the verdict of empirical evidence however unpalatable it may be to one's previously conditioned mind. This is the scientific temper which must govern national life if we are to progress as a nation in the modern age.

Parliament is the highest legislative body of the nation and the nerve-centre of the current of national life. Here the highest decorum must be maintained and work must proceed briskly in national interest. If Parliament functions well, the nation functions well. But, today, Parliament is a highly dysfunctional body with a large percentage of criminals donning the lawmaker's apparel who periodically halt the course of civilized discourse at the behest of the so-called civilized leaders whose only agenda is to prevent worthwhile deliberations for the furtherance of their own malicious political ends. The lawmakers are the lawbreakers and what may you then expect from the rest of the nation?

Democracy is not just about exercise of franchise. It is the conducting of public welfare by those empowered by the people in a responsible and efficient manner. The entire edifice of a democracy is built on the foundation of the fundamental value of civic welfare. If legislators are to be aware of this burden of public welfare on their shoulders, they will have to be sufficiently educated and there must be a minimum qualification of a post-graduation degree from an enlisted university of the land as enjoined upon by the Education Ministry by an Act of Parliament. Parliamentary representation must be decriminalized with immediate effect from 2019. The assets of legislators must be scrutinized by the Income Tax Department and their findings made public. Concealment of wealth, if discovered, must be punishable under the Indian Penal Code and such legislators must be debarred from political participation for 10 years. Raucous lawmakers must be expelled for the remaining session of Parliament.

Only when the Government decides to go ahead with such stringent measures will these politicians learn to be civilized and the Swachh Bharat Campaign mean anything worthwhile for, as they say, 'Charity begins at home'.

AWAKE MY COUNTRYMEN, AWAKE!

Remember 1962 when China violated our territory? Must we not unite to prevent another such catastrophe? Indians we all are and, in national interest, have no other identity. Either we combine forces and remain integrated as a nation that can counter foreign aggression or we constantly engage in divisive domestic disputes and weaken as a nation till we lose our sovereignty, even if partially, to a power like China with its nefarious 'String of Pearls' programme. The choice is ours. Now, countrymen, decide.

MOTIVATIONAL TALK ... 2

The youth of India should make an earnest effort to make a serious study of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. In it are hidden priceless gems of ancient wisdom couched in modern language, easy to understand and backed up by scientific rationalization that make them convincing to the modern mind. Swamiji's teachings are entirely relevant to the present age, the turbulent times in which we live. He asks us to believe in nothing, to test everything by the standards of reason and to deepen our appreciation of the aphorisms of the sages through self-realization. For this he prescribes three things as pre-requisites. They are purity, patience and perseverance.

Purity is the basis of all study. It concentrates the mind, makes it fit for perception of subtle realities and energizes the whole nervous system that undergoes the severe stress of spiritual study and practice.

Patience is necessary for any endeavour that is prolonged and pronouncedly difficult to succeed in. Else, failure in the short run is a foregone conclusion. Success shines only in the fullness of time --- ‘kaalena atmani vindati’.

Perseverance springs from the aspiration for the discovery of Truth. With unbounded enthusiasm and energy one must hammer away at the citadels of Truth. Only then will the subtlest of realities unfold before the purified vision.

May all of you, O youth of India, awake to this realization that your country is dear to you and that you will dedicate your lives towards serving your Motherland in life and in death. Long live India! JaiHind! 

WHO AM I?

I am neither Hindu, nor am I Muslim, nor Sikh nor Christian nor belonging to any community, caste or creed. I am just an Indian and that is all.

AASHUN EKBROTI HOI YUGADHARMASADHANEY

Jodi bittaban hote chaan toh dhairjyoban hon. Adhairjyer karmashapholye anuprobesh nei. Karmer proti nishthha o jibjagoter proti shraddha thekei jiboney unnati hoy, anyotha noy. Atoyeb, karma ke sadhana jnan kore sebarup yogney broti hon, dekhben shapholyo kato anayaashsiddha.

Siddhir mool mantra sadhana; sadhanar mool sutra seba; sebar mool anuprerona sraddha; sraddhar mool utsha Atmaanubhuti. Mahapurush-mukhonisrito banirup mantrey aasthaasheel hoye jini jeebonkarma samaapon koren tini e jnani. Tini chiroshanti laabh koren o odhyatmo aishyarje bibhushito hoye sukhey kaaljapon koren.

Yugadharma sebayog. Aashun ei broto udjaaponey ek broti hoi. Shokoler kalyan hok! Shakoley sukhito hon! Sobai bittabaan hon! Somosto lok niraamoy hok!

KE BNAADHEY, KE KHOLEY DOR?

Ei proponchomoy jagatey, shukh dukkher dwandey dodulyomaan thaki amra dudiner tawrey, Mahamayar emoni leela. Janma hote janmaantawrey Mayar kuhokey protiniyoto probonchito hoi shudhu abhijnata sanchoyer lagi. Sheshey karmasaayaanhe nidrabhanga hoy ar dekhi je Mahamaya, Tini amader e Maa, muktir chabiti haatey dnaariye achhen janma-mrityur shimanay. Ki mamatabhora netre amader chirobiday dyan Tini jagatpinjor hote je muktir akangsha aneker e chole jay. Tara roye jaan Maa er chiroashraye Tnar sebakarmey broti hoye.

THINK

Maya dupes us to give us the experience of pleasure and pain. Then Mahamaya leads us out of the network of Maya. At the threshold of freedom, She bids us farewell. Whither body? Whither mind? Whither soul? What remains?

MOTIVATIONAL TALK ... 1

Let none lose hope. Each one of you is connected to the infinite ocean of consciousness. Blessed are you that you wear a human form with which you may advance towards God-realisation. Do not grieve if your life is not traversing the primrose path of pleasure and it is fraught with pain. These are ephemeral dreams that will pass with the passage of time that waits for none. And then you will be released, each one of you, unto the realm of infinite freedom, bliss and peace whence there is no return to this nightmarish terrestrial existence. It is but a matter of time. How long you must wait for such a blessedness to unfold is entirely up to you. Yours is the labour and yours is the fruition thereof.

STRAY OBSERVATIONS

Reservation made for one section of society will lead to the demand for such by other sections as well. This can only fracture society along lines of caste, creed, religion and gender. Rather, responsible governance ought to eradicate discrimination and make way for equality of opportunity for all. Only then will this country stand as a premier nation of the world. And a word of caution too. The government in the name of development must not capitulate before the exploitative power of big business houses. Capitalists have their own silent method of ruinous profit-making. The government belongs to the people of India and, as such, must cater to their interest and not to the wealthy who wish to be wealthier at the cost of the masses. Let the ministers of the Modi Government manifest character in their service to the nation.  

We have to stand together as a nation. Hindus and Muslims must both shed pre-eminent religious identity and identify rather as Indians. Will we oblige?

Liberalism is the way out of the current tangle centred on extreme ideology. But liberalism has its pitfalls too. It often is weak and indecisive. However, enlightened liberalism that focuses on humanity and cultured progressiveness could be the panacea for today's multifarious problems of intolerance and doctrinaire violence.

Peace is prosperity. Let this be ingrained in every Indian as we step out into the comity of nations to take our rightful place. Domestic non-violence is the way. Let us be Gandhians in this for a change.

Development of the nation is the key to solving a mass of her problems but how will capitalistic exploitation be overcome in the wake of it?

Hinduism places man above all creatures and so does Islam. Then why must we fight over issues, however grave, to hurt each other? Let peace be.

Science is unleashing powers man has not the capacity to control. The result may only be annihilation. Compassion is the only hope, loving all the final religion if we are to escape the destructive force of science born out of hateful tendencies of the human mind.

Muslims should all over the world strengthen the hands of liberalism. That is the only way out of their present predicament and of peace.

Patel integrated India. He relinquished his claim to becoming PM though he was the overwhelming favourite among the Congress legislatures.

Monotheistic religions have caused more bloodshed than polytheistic ones because of their fanatical adherence to a single personality and his ideology.

The national identity should come first, not affiliation to respective religions. Hindus and Muslims must remember they are first Indians.

How well the Parsis have adjusted themselves in India! They have never attempted to convert any to their fold here and have been so peaceful.

Kashmir was a blunder for Nehru. Patel would have sorted things out. But the real blunder was Gandhi's non-violence in a violent world.

India stands in constant territorial threat from China, nuclear threat from extreme Pakistan. It is high time to stand unified as a nation.

We have to stand together as a nation. Hindus and Muslims must both shed religious identity and identify rather as Indians. Will we oblige?

Vivekananda's prescription for solving the India question was to go for Vedanta brain and Islam body. In it lay harmony and peace. Jai Hind!

Vedanta brain means vast catholic spirit going to the root of existence in a rational dogma-free manner. Islam body means social cohesion and fraternity.