SPEAKING FROM THE HEART ... 9

SPEAKING FROM THE HEART ... 9

The advent of Sri Ramakrishna has been largely nullified in the short run by the advent of a large number of fake Gurus who have taken possession of the public mind in an age of rampant commercial exploitation of the masses which is the characteristic feature of a growing capitalist society. The followers of Ramakrishna have been unable to catch hold of the public imagination to any significant degree and the movement of the Master has after initial success in awakening the country to political independence languished somewhat despite some appreciable work done in the fields of education and social service. Thereafter, with economic liberalisation having opened up the commercial consciousness of a large number of the literate, the Mission of the Master, though slow to adjust to the challenges of the changing times, has finally fitted into the capitalist order in its spiritually relevant way, of course, and in such compromise, despite maintaining its unquestionable integrity, allowed in its aloof unconcern the corrupt forces to take control of the 'spiritual' market without once raising its voice against such corruption. Their seminal founders in Ramakrishna and Vivekananda were quite apart in this regard and had through their unequivocal denunciation of the evils of the times set society on the right course which it seems their followers are loath to follow in terms of a like setting of society right. While the Mission cannot be held accountable for social heresies in the spiritual field today, the result of all this has been that people are being hoodwinked by the millions along delusive paths in the name of religion. The corrupt Gurus in conjuction and collusion with equally corrupt political leaders are looting the population like never before. A redress of the present perfidious scenario is the call of the hour but we do not see any such corrective mechanism in place as yet. 

Written by Sugata Bose