Beyond Body

If there is one thing in human beings, which can be considered the center of all good and evil, it is undoubtedly the physical body; all that men do may be ultimately linked to some aspect of the human body. There is another element which can predominate if the physical needs are fulfilled: the mind looks for avenues to satisfy. The last element that we may think of is the spirit or the soul. But I am baffled at thinking the most complicated mechanism that God has created that it would take quite a few millennia for the human mind to just comprehend the intricacies involved with this, leave alone recreating it.

There is such an amount of energy stored into the human body that we seldom realize it; at moments when we least expect, this energy may flow out, even without our realizing it. We often hear of unimaginable things done by feeble and fragile persons; at the spur of a moment, their bodies become a store house of energy which is beyond human comprehension. We cannot explain this phenomena in human logic; it is something which is a blessing of nature (or call it God). But at the same time, the body is also the cause of much of the evil we see in the world. If only we had no bodies, life would be so very different.

The two elements which dominate the media in today’s world are violence and sex, and both are involved with the physical body. Both last only for a short while and the pleasure or the pain involved with these acts are just momentary. Even before we realize that something had happened, the harm is already done. There are several ways of looking at the double-edged sword that media thrives on; remove these two elements, and the entire media, especially television and cinema, will fall flat. But what makes the human mind to seek after violence and sex, not only in literature and in silver screen, not to mention the cinema.

The answer to that question is not too difficult to find; there is something so very basic and fundamental to the human psyche, and it is related to the fact of our bodies, the perishable entity of our selves. It is just an external layer, which undergoes decay once the hour comes, and then the soul is freed. That is the notion which is proposed in the Second chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It is only the soul which is imperishable. But it would be dangerous to think that the body is just a dispensable entity, because it is in and through the physical body that the human person is to find his/her own path to salvation.

How do we explain the craving for the physical pleasures, and what is its function in a person? Is it possible to forego the physical realities and live in a realm which is above all speculation and imagination? The mind and the spirit cannot be duped as easily as the human body could be, and that is the reason why often we find people seeking to end their lives, because they feel with the loss of the battle on the physical grounds, their lives have come to an end. They cannot think that there are two other layers which can be the center of their existence. The body is a wonderful creature, and it is only who has understood the nuances and the science of it, can really enter into the world of the inner spirit!

Madness of Human Malady

It is incredible to imagine what the human beings are really capable of! It was only the human race which was able to unravel many of the mysteries of the universe, and life on earth; it was the human mind which is capable of travelling back in time and space, and at the same time travel to the distant future and predict what is in store for them. Unfortunately no other animal had been given that privilege to re-create the earth we had been handed over; and it is hard to say if we have made the world better or worse! Our children would be in a much better place to answer such probing question.

At the table during dinner, our conversation came back and forth to what the human beings are capable of! They would do any thing crazy in order to prove to the world that they mattered, and what they were convinced of was God's word! We recalled to mind the air craft pilot who took the US plane to blow the Twin Towers! It was not merely a matter of "guts" to even blow one's own self, which can never be refitted, but to be convinced that they were doing something good and worthwhile! Many fanatics may name them martyrs, but were they really so? Especially when we see hundreds of people murdered due to the plot hatched and executed by them!

Or think of the 25/11 attack on Mumbai! I simply admired the amount of work that had gone behind such a masterplan! No ordinary people would be capable of planning and executing such a complicated plot! Great minds were involved in such an attack, and the very fact that these people who executed the plot for the most part went "missing" during the time of the blow, was ample proof that there could not have been anything left for chance! That really is proof of human ingenuity, and what they are capable of achieving. But unfortunately, much of the human positive energy is wasted!

If only all the human energy which is wasted with unhealthy practices and destructive schemes and plots, is preserved to do good to humanity and to the universe, there would not be so much of disparity, inequality and poverty in the world! Just imagine how much money, time, energy and resources are wasted by corporate houses, not so much to keep them on the top, but to keep the competitors down. Millions of rupees/dollors are wasted in maligning the competitors, suing them with cases which are next to non-sense, just to disrupt the production of things which may put the other corporate house in jeapardy.

The amount of money spent on advertisement is targeted not so much to introduce new products and goods, but to show how their product is better than the rest; how their goods are the best in the world! There is no question of comparative degree here, but only the superlative ones. Will it be possible for humanity to ever realize the futility of investing so much of energy, time, and resources in things which can only harm humanity, and shorten the life on earth! Will good sense ever prevail on earth, and rival nations, groups and sects ever be able to put aside the differences and seek similarities, which alone can bring respite to the otherwise fast disappearing species on earth, the human race!

Marichjhanpi

Probably I will never forget this name, and there are still more than a thousand men and women who too will never forget this name. The massacre of hundreds of men and women of this lonely island in the Sundarbans in 1979 may not find much mention in the history book of West Bengal, but if we go slow going through the history of Bengal in that year, we may be shocked to know that the voiceless men and women who could be dispensed just because they received the patronage of an opposition party, which was not in power. Police joined the vile tactics of a political leader who has his name in the Guinness Book of records as the longest surviving chief minister in the world. Did the people deserve such a gruesome treatment just because they were refugees?

What can power do to a person is so very conspicuous in the story of Marichjhanpi; human beings are pawns who can be bought and sold, made use of to reach one’s selfish gains. If this game on the lives of people were to continue, there may be hardly enough people to inhabit this world. What the guru had done about 30 years ago, that is what precisely his faithful disciple tried to do in Singur, Nandigram. But if the chief minister was an opportunist, who wanted to remain in the seats of power at the expense of the people, the opposition leader was no different; with her sentimentality going beyond all reasonable limits, she too was trying to sell the sweats and blood of the peasants to get into ministerial berth in Delhi.

The world we live in today seems to be so corrupt that no one can be easily spared; each one of the leaders we have today have a dream which is sure to put the lives of the speechless, voiceless and sightless people into danger. The leaders of today have no hearts; all they have in front of their eyes is power, prestige, and wealth. They would do anything in order to get their dreams fulfilled. It may be hard to find a leader who is prepared to shed his/her sweat, leave alone the blood, for the sake of the people they work for. In that case, I take my hats off for such people’s leader as Medha Patkar, who may sit in hot sun with voiceless people, to stand by the peasants and farmers.

One great consolation in the whole process is that there had been some leaders at the ground, who were prepared to face gun firing, lathi charge, teargas in order to get justice done to the people. They may not have succeeded in reaching their dreams; they may still have lots of grudge against the political systems of today and yesteryears, but one thing is true, their indomitable hope and trust had probably given the much needed stamina for people to face all opposition. These men and women are like stars who brighten up our lives, and thank God there are still men and women of such stature, and it is their sweat and blood which is the vital link between life in its fullness and our lives.

The dark pages of history cannot be easily burnt and be forgotten; they will have to be embraced with all their sweat and blood; it may be too hard for the people who had gone through those bone-chilling days and incidents, and still we have no option. We may only wish that history does not repeat in the case of our future generations. We need to open the dark chapters of each of our histories, full of tear and blood, and relive our past, because out of these pages may emerge phoenix, with new vigor and energy, and that may be enough to change the world. We each one then will have a greater responsibility to fulfill.

Art of Listening - Claims

There is strife and conflict all around, and at times one is afraid of venturing into public places for fear of any assault, not by aliens or enemies, but by those familiar men and women we thought were far too innocent to indulge in such ghastly acts of violence. Everyone on earth has a claim, and for every claim there is a counter-claim and it is a never ending vicious circle, which has no end. Caught between these claims and counter-claims are innocent men and women who are unaware of what is happening behind their backyards. We are too frightened to look through the windows, which we have to shut them and pull the curtains over. We create a world of our own and insulate ourselves from the outside world, because we feel safe and secure within the four walls.

Innocent though we are, we too have our claims – in whatever walk of life. As a parent I have certain claims over my children, as a neighbor I have claims over friends and neighbors and the wider society, the government and I have claims even from God. Similarly everyone I come in contact with has a counter claim over me. I should be lucky if my claims and my neighbors counter-claims match; woe to me and to the people I live with if my claims don’t match with their counter claims. In such a situation, it is quite normal and natural that I assert my own claim, irrespective of others’ counter claims. In arguments, two or more people talk simultaneously, and there is none to listen.

Emotionally charged words find the most loaded expression in such encounters.
If there are so much of problems in relationships, conflicts and strife among family members and friends, the main reason is not that each one is not genuine. We all of us are sincere people. Even the worst of culprits and hooligans are sincere about their intentions and motivations, and we need to appreciate it. But their intentions (call them claims) may not match with our notions and ideas (call them our counter-claims); the situation may become volatile, because there is no objective criteria to say that a claim is better than another. But there is an easy solution to this claim-counter claim riddle, and most often we may not even think that it is possible!

When we are emotionally charged, the doors of our hearts and minds get closed automatically, and then there is no way that the views and ideas of the other person can ever enter into our hearts. The words hit on the doors of the hearts and minds and bounce back. That is why there is greater noise when two emotionally charged persons argue. It is within our control to reverse the process and we will find that there is no major conflict between our claims, and our throats may be saved from yelling, so that we may sing some sweet melodies for our loved ones, our energy may be saved for more productive works, and our time may be utilized for growth oriented events in life. The magic mantra here is, Listen! Listen to my heart and mind (what comes from within), and listen to the other (what comes from without).

As a preparation for the graceful moments of listening, today I sit in a quiet place, where I can be sure that no one will disturb me for the next five to ten minutes, and close my eyes. As I close my eyes, I am able to hear a thousand voices deep within me, not the external sound and ambience, but the inner voices. It is possible that I am able to see many people, whom I have categorized as good and bad people; but during the next few minutes, my main preoccupation is to listen to them. But the process needs to start with the external sounds. If it is required, I may take enough time to identify the different sounds, and stay with them. I will gently move from one sound to another, without rushing through them. I will pay special attention to those faint sounds, those feeble voices, and let them enter into my senses. It will benefit me the most if I am able to enter into these sounds and become part of them; then I will know that I am unlocking the closed doors of my heart and mind!

Reign of Religions

Religions have caused more harm and destruction to humanity than all the natural calamities down the centuries put together. In fact, it would be quite wrong to attribute a lion's share of violence and bloodshed to "religion" as it is meant to be. But what is originally meant to be religion - a way of life - has become the battleground for political parties and vested interests to parley and display quite unashamedly their show of strength! It is no wonder that ever since fierce battles came to be fought in the name of religion (killing a member of opposite religion assured a seat in heaven!) during the Middle Ages, many sincere men and women of good will have bidden adieu to the cultic, formal religions.

Religion is meant to be the cementing factor between people and the ultimate, and union of hearts and minds among people of all walks of life. No god will ever tolerate if blood is shed in his name - however bloodthirsty he be! What is happening in different parts of the world today is - religion is used as a means by a handful of powerful people in order to wield hegemony over the weak, and the downtrodden. Every religious fight or conflict is in fact an attempt to over power the awakening group - using the time-tested techniques of arousing fear and panic. Most of the major religions had done this, and it is not the time for us to dwell on who's donneit! But to look beyond what history has taught us - to go beyond the narrow confines of religions.

But it is time for us to return to our sources! From the events and incidents that shake and shape our world, it is obvious that most of us believers in organized religions do not read our Holy Scriptures. If at all we do, then we do it mechanically, or do it selectively, harkening only the passages that suit our purpose. Because no religion, worth its salt, can ever teach its followers to shed the blood of the neighbour. Just because the weaker party is not able to retaliate, the mighty and the powerful might continue their reign of terror. They may win over the battle according to worldly standards, but it may not take too long for events to take a 180 degree around.

In many religions we have the custom of branding the people who had died in order to protect the religious faith as martyrs. A crown of glory is given to them, and they are considered revered persons. Today I would like to pause for a while and ask myself - which is more important : to give one's life for the facile, divisive faith or to lay one's life for the welfare of the neighbour. Unfortunately most of the religions have taken the liberty to twist the basic tenets of religions for their own benefit and advantage. Adn therefore I would like to go back to the sources, to the Sacred Scriptures to re-discover God as he/she truly is. Once I begin to recognise His/Her true nature and identity, then my attitude to other faiths too will change.

It is time for me to look at every person I come in contact with as my brother and sister. Unless I drop the labels of religion, caste, creed and nationality, I would be enslaving myself to structures that would distance me far away from my union with the Ultimate, and through him/her to the humanity, each of them reflection of the Maker! Once I encounter the God of my heart in my brother and sister, then the religious layers collapse, and I maybe able to see God as he/she is in every creature around me! Such is the family of gods, living in harmony with one another, and that truly is vasudeiva kutumbakam!

Call to be Catalysts

If there is one news channel in the country which acutely feels the inadequacy in the systems that govern the lives of the people and initiate moves to remedy at least those which are within the purview of the audiences, it is undoubtedly the New Delhi Television (NDTV), headed by Dr Pronnoy Roy. I had a lot of admiration for the son of this soil, West Bengal, who today exerts a lot of respect in the national level, not only for his journalistic acumen, but more in the way he and his team puts across the news of the national level. It is not the so-called passive, indifferent news reporting; the different reporters of the channel break all myths of traditional journalism; they get involved in the scene, and would not hesitate to tell us how he/she felt at the time of the event... Barkha Dutt surely belongs to that category or fire-brand reporters.

But what caught my attention as I sat two days ago in front of the television to see the crude clippings of the siege of the Taj and Oberoi Trident in Mumbai, the team went behind the scenes to capture the sentiments of a wide spectrum of people; everyone had something to say about the events... what the channel does, though not directly, is building a healthy public opinion, to counter the vile attempts of the political parties to politicise every event possible. Until we dissociate events of the country from politics, there is no salvation. Rightly did the Mumbaites had the guts to tell the politicians to keep away from the scene... Could every citizen in the nation were to say that, we will have better peace and control in the country.

I was so delighted when anchoring the newscast two days ago in the evening at 9 o'clock news, Roy did two things that were quite unthinkable for a news channel : one minute of silence in the honor of the people who died in the encounter, and direct applause to the National Security Group for the commendable job they did in fighting back the attempts of terrorists to blow up the hotels. Giving due credit to all those who deserve will take us a long way in building a healthy atmosphere to fight against the evils that haunt our nation today.

While there are new news channels mushrooming every other day, a news channel of this kind is sure to contribute towards awakening the citizens from the slumber, created by politicians and pseudo intellectuals. In fact, each and every one can become a catalyst towards change within the circumstances we are placed. We are not expected to do something which is beyond our capacity, but if I feel the need to be a catalyst, then I will also find the ways and means of being one; it is not for self-glory or for priding that I need to be a catalyst in the society I live, but as a mark of my responsibility to the people I live with.

I am a teacher in a school, and how can I be a catalyst in my work place, in the school and in the family? It is not difficult to work out the ways how I can be a catalyst; think of the number of chances how I can educate my students on the need to respect one another, to go beyond "narrow domestic walls" of culture, religion and nationality. If every teacher becomes a catalyst in his/her school or college, then the future will be in safer hands. We may not need to face another siege of the Taj or any other place in the country. Today that is my prayer: to realise the need to come forward to take responsibility for the people with whom I live each day, and if I can do something for the good of the people before I leave the world, what more could I ever think of from this short life!

Healing the World

I must acknowledge that my mind is still full of images of Mumbai violence that shook the business capital in the last three days... the stories that I heard with wrapt attention on a private television channel left my sensibilities numbed. Over 150 men and women killed brutally by the suicide squad is not a matter of joke or political parleys. All in the name of religion. For many fundamentalists and fanatics, any means can be justified to attain an end they have in mind. Probably the one question that comes back again and again to all of us is : what have we done to deserve this brutal killing of our dear ones? Has any one got an answer to this question?

My mind today goes to that little two year old Jewish child, who was saved by his nanny day before yesterday, and whose both the parents were killed yesterday by the terrorists; it is assumed that his grandparents are also dead in the shooting. The news channel that narrated the story of this family also mentioned that today is his birthday... I shudder to think of the fate of this little child, who will have to live a life, with scars of this bitter memories, of a world that did not allow him to live even a few years in the loving embrace of his parents. Have we become so insensible that we would dare do anything for whatever cause it be?

Sleepless nights, hearts torn apart thinking of the impending danger, darkness enveloping the whole world around... the hundreds of people who had gathered in front of the Gateway of India in Mumbai had only questions, whose answers they cannot think of. No one could give them an adequate answer to their question : why should this happen to their beloved ones?

The whole world is marred by violence; it is not the time to show an accusing finger at the people who had caused the mindless violence; nor is the time to discuss how it all happened. But surely it is the time to pause for a moment and think what can be done so that this does not repeat again in our country. Government leaders will take care of the preparedness that is so lacking, but what can I do about it? A lot. If each one of us pledge that we will NEVER take the life of another person, then the world will be a much safter place for our next generations.

The world has realised the futility of killing animals, felling trees, but we are yet to realise that if the mindless violence of a handful of men and women does not stop, soon humanity will be enlisted in the category of rare species. Every one has a role to play in making the world a better place for you and me... We all of us are required to extend our hands to one another, and that is how healing can descend on the universe. I am reminded of Michael Jackson's famous song, which still rings in my mind as I key-in this blog : Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and me...

Let the healing of the world and the universe begin with the healing of my neighbour, the people I deal with each day; if I can experience healing from within and extend it to others, I would also be prepared to receive healing... It is the responsibility that is vested on each one of us... Let us not subject ourselves to the future generations to accuse us of destroying the world before they could enjoy her blessings and bounty. Let the healing process begin today, here and now!

The Greatest Gift

Today all the dailies flashed headlines of the barbaric bomb attack on people of high society in most luxurious hotels of Mumbai, and the papers said at least 80 people were feared dead, including some of the highly placed government officials. What bothers and worries me as I open the newspapers each day is the number of persons killed each day... violence, hatred, jealousy, the reason may be anything, and it is so easy to take the life of a neighbour that a very thought of it is enough to start the pellets shooting in the sky.

Needless to say the greatest casualty of our times is the human species; I may be exaggerating if I were to say that there are more people killed today than the number of people dying of ripe old age. In fact many in our society find no reason to kill another, and yet when their spirits are low, they dare to do the impossible. The weeklies are full of stories of children killing their parents, mothers tossing of their children in the river, whole family taking recourse to self-poisoning, and there does not seem to be an end to all these.

I am made to pause for a moment and think what is my life worth? Is the human life a dispensable commodity, like a tissue or a sanitarywares? It is only those who have valued the beauty of human life would ever make an attempt to preserve it. Those who think that they are a burden to the society and the world at large, would think the whole of humanity in such a position. They would not hesitate to lay down their lives for a silly and worthless cause, and in the bargain show their anger and vengence on innocent people living around them. It may also be due to utter frustration they may go through which might land them in such an unpredictable situation.

My life on earth is a perhaps the greatest gift of God, and I have no right to take it out by my own free will... My life, to put it figuratively, belongs to the universe, and I have a specific role to play in the cosmic ordering of things, as the Bhagavad Gita would say. When I begin to cherish the beauty and wonder of my life, the world around me begins to smile, I begin to see a thousand hues and colors in them, and it is then that even a blue sky could take me far beyond the horizon, to a land where I can be perfectly in peace with myself and the world around me.

Am I proposing an impossible proposition? Today I would like to forget the world around me; sit quietly all by myself in a "secret" place, far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and spend just two minutes, taking an inward journey into the core of my being... just I and myself, and no one else. Let me look at myself as I truly am, and listen to the silent whipsers of my heart, the colorful paintings of my spirit in the space before my eyes, the throbs of every grass and plants, the sheer joy of living in every birds and animals... In humble submission, I can hear my heart cry with joy, Thank you Lord, for the gift of Life!