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Re: ARTICLE : The Mother on India's Spiritual Atmosphere
In article <ghenE0qtqy.1BM@netcom.com>, sengupta@sunyit.edu says...
>
> Look at the spiritual India
>today and tell me in what ways has she demonstrated its spiritual presence
>above and beyond the rest of the world. Look around and tell me how many
>countries today sport the distinction of excelling India in corruption
>and violence.
We hesitate not in killing each other to defend our
>religious sentiments even though on our walls we sport slogans like
>"Satyameba jayate" etc.
>
I've always been amazed by a very curious phenomenon. My
invariable experience has been that while most Indians verbalize
extreme pride in their cultural and spiritual traditions, they also
display fundamental and monumental ignorance of these, and very few
ever seriously participate in either. I don't know what they're
proud of, and neither do they, or so it seems. Someone please
enlighten me. Maybe I'm wrong, but this is the impression I have.
>
>Is this spiritual India? Wake up and see how we really are, not what
>the propaganda proclaims. If anything, by now we have succeeded in
>terminating Indian spiritual heritage totally.
>
> I agree with you here. You've said it quite succintly.
>
India has always been turned much more towards the heights
>: and the inner depths than towards the outer world. Now, it is in the
>: process of losing all that and wallowing in the mud, but that is
>: another story..."
>
>No, that is not another story,
>
Here's where I disagree...
>
>That India is wallowing in mud is the cruel fact. That her educated elite
>is brainwahsed to stoop so low, to indulge in daydreaming of their
>supposed "greatness", in their "great destiny" while the country is going
>down the drain is a fact.
>
If there is a possible exception to this, I'd say it was M. Gandhi.
As far as I can see, he was about the only one of India's recent
rulers who cared about the people. Most others before and since him
in recent history have been concerned mostly with their families,
which maintained control for many generations. This ended with Rajiv
Gandhi's murder.
>
And you know what is in the root of all these?
>
I sure do:
nunam pranmattah kurute vikarma
yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti
When someone becomes convinced that s/he is the material body,
then the demands of the body/mind complex (along with all of it's
corollaries, such as family, nation, etc.) become of paramount
importance, and one will not hesitate to do anything to attain one's
aspirations. In other words, 'self-preservation is the first law of
nature,' self-aggrandizement is the second. Western, nay, modern
society is based on this principle. It has now infected the entire
world, including India, although the seed for this tendency was
already there and was sprouted as well.
>
>The root of all these is our dependency (snip) on the systems, on the
ideologies, on the ideals, on
>our value systems, our cultures, our traditions -- all in all on our
>dependency on authorities.
Totally opposite--how do the anomalies you've described demonstrate
any real dependence on authority? They don't in the least--rather,
they if anything indicate disregard of authority--nothing else is
possible. I think what you're talking about is the lip-service
dependence that I've already mentioned. If that is the case, I agree
with you. We should recognize that to depend upon God is no easy
thing. India has deliberately neglected its spiritual
responsibility out of cowardice and rascaldom.
If the latter says we are great we must be.
I take this as an imperative command, and agree with it.
>
>We never enquire, never question, never explore but acquiesce if some one
>tells us we have a great destiny.
>
So then how do you conclude that this indicates dependence upon
authority, when the very opening lines of the Vedanta-sutra
exhort us with the command, "athato brahma-jijnasa" (now enquire
into the absolute Truth)? Are you beginning to see my point?
>
>To be spiritual, you have to be free.
Freedom is impossible in material life; freedom means to be free
from illusion and inebriety, which is only possible for one who
depends upon God. We could speak of the "freedom" you entertain if
we were all omnipotent, but we aren't. Hence, we should recognize
clearly how we are dependent and act responsibly, employing our
respective capabilities with full initiative. This will benefit
everyone concerned. This is how Arjuna was ordered to fight--under
Krsna's direction, which cannot be frustrated.
>
Occult is not for those who cannot
>exist without depending on some authority.
>
Tell us how we are independent. I'm very interested to hear your
conceptions about this.
>
Respects,
-m
