ART STRESS AND NUDITY: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

It is true that art is spontaneous and variably skillful expression of our instincts, feelings, thoughts and perspective. It can be even more profound! Nudity therefore may manifest in one way or another; in our sculptures, paintings and other forms of art.

However; nudity is conspicuous by its absence; in art related to our prophets, powerful people, mother, father, mother in law, father in law, brother, sister, daughter, son and even living leaders of our countries.

Nudity therefore; when appears; with respect to deities (of one religion or another), who cannot protest or object; is usually a careful, cautious and cunning (conscious or subconscious) expression of our basal instincts, in which we are shackled.

As viewers; we usually don�t go in the depth of this process; and hence attribute; some �ulterior motives�, �religious bias�, and/or �modern� and �revolutionary� qualities; to such art!

In contrast, the all time classic art is (whether the anatomy is explicitly depicted or not) the one that touches the hearts and stirs the souls of millions; for millennia; and hurts none! It springs from our soul; the deepest core of our being!

STRESS AND PROGRESS: DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Mismanagement of stress; manifests in defective, perception, feelings and actions.

Due to defective perception; there is deterioration of values. For example; we are oblivious of our conscience and misunderstand the very meaning of progress and well being. Thus; we do not consider the harmony, honesty, punctuality, discipline, accountability, tolerance, and physical and material conditions conducive to this; in individual and social life; to measure or assess the individual, national and global progress! We measure or assess it; on the basis of; income, achievements, positions of power, number and variety of luxury items, military power and so on!
Due to deterioration of feelings we have no enthusiasm to think about the individual, national and global stress; and its management! Instead; we are obsessed with petty pursuits (again; oblivious of our conscience); to increase the per capita income, accomplish achievements, get positions of power, increase the production and sale of luxury items, increase the military power, or simply delirious entertainment; irrespective of or at the cost of other individuals and countries.

Deterioration of our actions; is evident in piecemeal and/or sectarian and hence defective policies, planning, programs and their implementation. For example; our education policy does not have an element of holistic blossoming, our planning and programs do not provide for empowering education; but heavily provide money for wasteful parasitic education and crippling caste based reservations; and subsequently and eventually; our implementation is not honest; but understandably corrupt!

Similar examples can be observed in other fields as well!

Whether we are atheists or theists; whether we belong to one religion or another and whether we subscribe to one ideology or another; and whether we practice and propagate; NAMASMARAN (JAP, JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, SIMARAN i.e. remembering the name of God or true self) or not; these points; cannot be ignored; in the best interest of personal, national and global progress.

Once upon a time; there were some people; sitting on a ground; and crying; while holding their nostrils tightly.
A saint was passing by. He saw them and asked compassionately, "Why are you crying"?
They said "We are suffocated. It is very painful".
The saint said, "You are suffocated; because; you are holding your nostrils tightly. Release your nostrils!!"
They said, "OK Sir... Thank you very much for advising us. Since you are a master; it could prove to be an effective solution! But; it is in our fate to hold the nostrils tightly! What can we do? If releasing the nostrils is in our fate (PRARABDHA), in future, then we will certainly release our nostrils."

The saint smiled and left.
After coming home; he narrated the story to his disciples; and asked them to explain what they could learn from it.
One of the disciples stood up and said;
�We live in delirium and arrogance; or depression and meekness! We are oblivious of our conscience and our soul; and the urgency to satisfy them with the oxygen of holistic perspective, policies, planning, programs and deeds. As result; our soul and conscience; are utterly suffocated!! This causes severe stress, but we are unaware of its nature and cause! Hence; we simply keep on grumbling.
Saints develop compassion and say; "Practice NAMASMARAN and empower yourself to listen to your souls and conscience and follow them! As a result; you would be able to nurture them; them with the oxygen of holistic perspective, policies, planning, programs and deeds and they would no more be suffocated!! You will certainly succeed in this; beyond your imagination; if you share this wisdom of the omnipotent benevolence of NAMASMARAN (i.e. JAP, JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, SIMARAN i.e. remembrance of your true self); in individual and universal blossoming; with others.
We say, �Thank you Sir, for your advice! If it is in our fate (PRARABDHA); then we will follow it!�
The saint nodded his head in approval, endorsement and appreciation!

STRESS AND FATE (PRARABDHA) DR SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Once upon a time; there were some people; sitting on a ground; and crying; while holding their nostrils tightly.
A saint was passing by. He saw them and asked compassionately, "Why are you crying"?
They said "We are suffocated. It is very painful".
The saint said, "You are suffocated; because; you are holding your nostrils tightly. Release your nostrils!!"
They said, "OK Sir... Thank you very much for advising us. Since you are a master; it could prove to be an effective solution! But; it is in our fate to hold the nostrils tightly! What can we do? If releasing the nostrils is in our fate (PRARABDHA), in future, then we will certainly release our nostrils."

The saint smiled and left.
After coming home; he narrated the story to his disciples; and asked them to explain what they could learn from it.
One of the disciples stood up and said;
�We live in delirium and arrogance; or depression and meekness! We are oblivious of our conscience and our soul; and the urgency to satisfy them with the oxygen of holistic perspective, policies, planning, programs and deeds. As result; our soul and conscience; are utterly suffocated!! This causes severe stress, but we are unaware of its nature and cause! Hence; we simply keep on grumbling.
Saints develop compassion and say; "Practice NAMASMARAN and empower yourself to listen to your souls and conscience and follow them! As a result; you would be able to nurture them; them with the oxygen of holistic perspective, policies, planning, programs and deeds and they would no more be suffocated!! You will certainly succeed in this; beyond your imagination; if you share this wisdom of the omnipotent benevolence of NAMASMARAN (i.e. JAP, JAAP, JIKRA, SUMIRAN, SIMARAN i.e. remembrance of your true self); in individual and universal blossoming; with others.
We say, �Thank you Sir, for your advice! If it is in our fate (PRARABDHA); then we will follow it!�
The saint nodded his head in approval, endorsement and appreciation!

STRESS, DEATH AND REBIRTH: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

One of the worst kinds of STRESS; results from imminent death. We feel stressed even with the thought of our death; or that of our near and dear ones. Usually we remain occupied in something or other; and keep on escaping from such thoughts, calling them �negative�.

We are not only afraid of death, but we are afraid of rebirth; as it forces us into; an unknown, unforeseen and possibly painful life!

The fear of death is actually a sensation that results from autonomic outflow (impulses) causing visceral activities; such as pain in the chest, throbbing of heart, sinking of stomach, cold clammy extremities, and giddiness due to reduction in blood supply; causing terrible sensation. We suffer from this fear; because; �we� are inseparable from body and the various sensory experiences associated with it!

Actually; our body cells are �dead� and new cells are �born� from time to time. Even our passions, emotions and thoughts are �dead� and �born�! But we remain the same individuals!

Thus; in spite of our association with the changing existence, we are actually; the changeless backdrop, background or substratum, on which the changing cells, tissues, bodies, and feelings are born, grown and perished. The consciousness is constant and the cycles of death, birth, death and rebirth continue on and within it! In fact; the birth and rebirth; as we see and perceive; are the product of our physiological senses, our cerebral cortical capabilities and their limitations; and hence are �subjective relative reality� i.e. MAYA. The consciousness i.e. true �I�; however �exists� beyond even the concept of �existence�!

The death and birth per se; need no proof; as �we� talk about the �death or birth� of �bodies� of others, which �we� witness every now and then!

But we seek experimental or laboratory proof of the birth, death and rebirth; of the same �I�, �she� or �he�!

This needs an accurate identification, definition and understanding of that �I�, �she or �he� i.e. individual consciousness; as a separate entity! So far; we do not have such a gadget. Moreover; �our consciousness� i.e. �we�; cannot capture or comprehend �our consciousness� i.e. �we�; in its entirety. �Our consciousness� cannot identify or demonstrate �our consciousness�; as a separate entity; to �our own consciousness�! Hence currently; it is not possible to �prove�; �our� birth, death and rebirth!

However; can �we� identify ourselves; and witness these otherwise mysterious and esoteric aspects of birth, death, rebirth and immortality; within �ourselves�; through the practice of NAMASMARAN? Even though this is a conviction/experience; of many saints and seers; it is better not to believe or disbelieve in it blindly; but verify!