SARVETRAH SUKHNAH SANTUH: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

One of the questions that often disturbs us is; “what is the sense in praying for the welfare of all, when it is an impossible proposition?”

Is it not true that it is impossible for every one to be happy?

Why should we pray for such unrealistic goal?

In Sanskrit there is a prayer as follows:

Sarvetrah sukhinh santu
Sarve santu niramayaah
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu
Maa kaschit dukkham aapnuyat

Grossly speaking this means:
Let every body be happy
Let every body be pure at heart
Let every body see (experience) divinity
Let every body be free from sorrow.

Is this ever possible?

Can all; around 7000 million people of world; be happy, pure, divine and free from sorrow?

Is this possible in view of innumerable varieties of psychological and physiological variations, diseases, handicaps; besides; political, economic, cultural and other variations?

Is this possible (even if all 7000 million human beings and other living beings are emancipated) if we consider the millions of human beings and other living beings being born a new; every second?

What about the other living beings such as animals and plants, which are often brutally killed and eaten or used for leather, fur, teeth, blood, bile etc; or exploited in other ways?

Similarly is it really ever possible to have unconditioned love, equality, nonviolence etc, in view of our different, variable and varying personalities, constitutions and tendencies (e.g. cheating, exploitative, criminal)?

The answer to this question is:

In view of the nature of NATURE; we can not predict the future of the universe in terms of detailed characteristics. It is not desirable also to plan (because it is unnatural, absurd and arbitrary) a detailed protocol/blue print for the whole universe (or even an individual); and expect or impose it coercively!

But; while the prayer is for universe; it automatically helps us; in our blossoming and transformation; from TAMOGUNA and RAJOGUNA to SATVAGUNA; and finally to the state of GUNANATEETAVASTHA i.e. from baddha (state of bondage) to mumukshu to sadhak to siddha. Siddha is the state of eternal freedom. It is a state of blissful, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent experience; which is called AMRUTANUBHAVA.

The prayer and its effect (attainment of AMRUTANUBHAVA) continue through ages; to serve the ever renewing life everywhere and in all forms; from time to time. This perfectly concurs with the eternally valid enlightened wisdom in the apparently simple preaching of “NAMASMARAN for the sake of only NAMASMARAN”; by Shri Gondavlekar Maharaj from Gondavle in India.

REALITY AND STRESS MANAGEMENT: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Many prominent stress management experts advocate meditation for stress relaxation. In view of the social reality; it may be advisable to ask ourselves; following questions.

How can you feel relaxed by meditation even as you are commuting for about three to four hours every day for job?

How can you feel relaxed by meditation even as you are getting irritated due to the conditions of road, traffic jam, noise pollution, lack of adequate toilets and so on?

How can you feel relaxed by meditation even as you understand that excessive production and promotion of private vehicles is responsible for the killing chaos on roads, and yet; not be able to do anything about it?

How can you relax by meditation; when you know that lack of adequate public transport is aggravating these conditions, and still not be able to do anything about it and so get suffocated?

How can you feel relaxed by meditation when you are going through several such stressful issues; helplessly?

Are the strong advocates and protagonists of the meditation; aware of this; or; they themselves are they over ambitious about the efficacy of meditation; in individual and social life; because of illusions? Do they really feel that all the sociopolitical and economic problems would be solved by meditation; or they are helplessly trying to somehow; “market meditation”?

After having asked these questions about meditation; let us ask the following questions about NAMASMARAN, which is a core of Total Stress Management.

Does NAMASMARN require any specific conditions?

Does it require money?

Does it require any specific binding, compulsions, conditions etc?

Is it promoted and marketed on TV channels?

Are there any false claims about NAMASMARAN?

Is NAMASMARAN sold by franchise; as is the case with many types of meditation?

Doe it not give us SAT BUDDHI; to evolve global perspective, policy, plans, programs and empower us; in their execution for individual and global blossoming?

In short; does it not empower us; to engender objective holistic systemic changes; conducive to overcome stress; mentioned in above issues; in contrast to meditation, in which all this never intended?

STRESS OF CHILD LABOR: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Any sensitive and sensible individual would not like a child to undergo the coercion of daily labor for survival. Apparently; this conscientious feeling has been transformed into international consensus against child labor.

Sadly though, it is being defeated repeatedly, thereby producing enormous stress; amongst the children forced into labor; as well as most of us who are witnesses! This stress is often not perceived and not identified clearly; and sensed; only as a vague and inexplicable agitation and sickening agony in the heart!

The failure of the international consensus and conscience; is due to the lack of dealing with the root of child labor; and merely continuing with the philanthropic activities; and/or attempts towards arbitrary imposition of laws to ban child labor.

The root cause of child labor and consequent stress is; the educational without productive domain. The school and college students in the mainstream education (probably in most countries in the world); are cut off from skills and ethics involved in production and marketing and sales in real life in the world!

This education is unnecessarily and highly dependent on high tech gadgets and books, calculators, computers and other teaching and learning aids; probably to serve; the vested interests of the manufacturers and dealers of the educational aids. It revolves around the elitist demands; such as fashion industry, call centers, cosmetics, jewelry, neglecting the life needs; such as organic agriculture, horticulture, medicinal herbs; of vast majority. In short; it is parasitic to the majority.

In such highly alienated and expensive unproductive education system; majority of the children become suffocated child drop outs; and vulnerable and easily available helpless child labor. Those, who continue in the education and get graduated; are unable to get self-employed and either become frustrated and suicidal mental wrecks; or frustrated but arrogant criminals.

Child labor; can be minimized; if the education nurtures; the spiritual and productive domains; besides cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. This is reunification, reintegration, re-amalgamation of spiritualism and materialism (true yoga) and holistic perspectives, policies, plans and programs (holistic renaissance)!

But all this requires our motivation and mobilization of towards annihilation of child labor. This needs efforts (preached by most spiritual and religious leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi; and simple to practice e.g. NAMASMARAN) of blossoming to be universalized. Even as billions of people are practicing it; many more billions with far greater intensity need to practice it; if we are to get even optimal results.