IDOLS, STRESS, VALUES AND HISTORY: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

If the history books are studded with photographs and praise of invaders; and neglect of the freedom fighters and saints; then it creates conflicts. Same is true for the divisive (and hoax) theory of “Aryan invasion” that surreptiously indicts division into “Indigenous Dravids” and “Alien Aryans; and condemnation of certain rituals and traditions; suggesting indirectly; that all other religions; are better!

Severe stress; due to lack of accuracy and purpose in history; can culminate into prejudices, bitterness, bigotry, hatred, rivalry, fanaticism, unrest, riots, terrorism and so on.

When such superficial and petty teaching and/or propaganda are dominant; they suppress our inner growth, silence our inner voice and crush our conscience! We are attracted by the royalty and repelled by the poverty; tempted by the riches and repelled by the rags; excited by the abundance and depressed by the paucity and abstinence!

Even historians do not seem to grasp the undercurrents in history; which are probably beyond their comprehension!

Take for example; the depiction of personalities. The real heroes; the saints; appear sympathogenic (deserving sympathy or pity) and the film stars, the political leaders and other celebrities; appear intoxicatingly attractive and grand!

However, our education and acculturation; are often influenced by the geniuses of the particular period; who have almost realized truth. In addition; our values and our idols and ideals; are determined our constitutions, moods; and even whims and fancies!

Hence; even as; our values and idols; are conflicting; they are not blatantly superficial, shallow, and petty or mean. Our yardsticks for idolization and idealization are NOT uniformly retrogressive. Our values are not uniformly vulgar and/or antisocial. They are multifarious; with various complexities and shades. They are evolved subconsciously; and shaped mysteriously! Hence; strange it may appear; but our values and idols do not conform to only our superficial perceptions!

Thus our idols are violent (war heroes such as Chatrapati Shivaji), nonviolent (Buddha, Gandhi, Mahavir, Jesus Christ), economically rich (Bill Gates), economically poor (Vinoba Bhave), physically strong (Mohammed Ali, Dara Singh), physically weak (Srinivas Ramanujam, yogis (Patanjali) and indulgent (kings); and those who served in British Service; (British Army, Police, Administration); and freedom fighters!

To overcome our stress resulting from conflicts; we have to introspect and find out what determines our apparently opposite values and idols! All our idols; are larger than “routinely perceived concept of individual life”! They have manifested the vision and actions (although at times contradictorily); involving the well being of a sizeable section; or whole society; and/or they have transcended the usual human needs, greed, worries and capacity, in their respective fields!

We often feel that the solutions of our opposing idols are final, exclusive and can bring about permanent and everlasting heaven on earth.

But; how can there be a permanent heaven on earth; and of what nature; and how can millions of generations of living forms (living and to be born); conform to our ideas? Is it sensible; to impose a hope of illusive heaven; on ourselves; and/or on others?

This implies that; stress of history, ideals, values, ideologies and idols; can be managed totally; if we demystify all opposing values and idols and go to their eternal center; by blossoming from within and being objective. This is possible; but not by merely reading and discussions; but through the practice of NAMASMARAN as assured by the immortal gurus.