2. Recently I watched on TV that the history books are
studded with photographs and praise of invaders of India
and the freedom fighters and saints are totally neglected.
The students (and we also) develop conflicts as we never
can understand how invaders can be adored, in
preference to and in stead of selfless freedom fighters,
who are neglected and/or ridiculed!
I was reminded of the fact that we; as children; harbored
in minds a divisive (and in my view hoax) theory of
“Aryan invasion” that surreptiously indicts division of
Bharat into “indigenous dravids” and “alien invader
Aryans!
We; the Hindu students; developed severe inferiority
complex as we read the condemnation of certain rituals
and traditions belonging to only Hindu religion;
suggesting indirectly (by omission of critical comments
on the traditions in the other religions); that all other
religions except Hindu; are good and Hindu religion is
backward and retrogressive!
In view of the severe conflict and stress that can result in
personal life and social life, it is imperative to understand
3. and explain the gist of history and the purpose of
teaching history! It is also necessary to present accurate
facts in a manner and details; appropriate to the holistic
development of the students in schools and children at
homes. We must appreciate that we are in
impressionable age when we are school children and
what we read and learn from history; leaves deep
impressions on our minds. These impressions can grow
into prejudices, bitterness, bigotry, hatred, rivalry,
fanaticism, unrest and riots and severe stress in personal
and social life.
From the way history is presented; we can not reason out
even today; how the violent activities of the armed
revolutionaries were admired in the same vein as the
nonviolent activists!
In addition to the “inappropriate historical facts”; the
ambiguity in the teaching of values taught in the history
can also bring about severe stress in individual and
global life.
Since it is human to err, often our education (with
specific reference to history) and acculturation are
restricted to superficial and peripheral aspects of life and
4. are rendered somewhat deceptive. When such intentional
or unintentional superficial and petty teaching and/or
propaganda become dominant; they can suppress our
inner growth. They can silence our inner voice and crush
conscience and create STRESS.
As a result of such education and acculturation; we are
attracted by the royalty and repelled by the poverty;
tempted by the riches and repelled by the ashes; excited
by the abundance and indulgence and depressed by the
paucity and abstinence!
This happens because the undercurrents (especially in
history) beyond the appearances; are often beyond the
“normal” or “physiological” human grasp and
comprehension!
One case in point is; depiction of saints, which is usually
deceptive. Thus it is sympathogenic (one that generates
sympathy or even pity in our mind). On the contrary; the
description and display of the life of the film stars, the
political leaders and other celebrities; is deceptively
euphoriogenic that leads to euphoria. This causes
“intoxicatingly pleasant”, “maniacally grandiose” and
deliriously proud and arrogant excitement!
5. However, our education and acculturation has several
merits also. This is because; knowingly or unknowingly
our education and acculturation; are often influenced by
the geniuses of the particular period; who have reached
the “root of apparent phenomena and apparent
universe”! In addition; our values and our idols and
ideals are determined by several factors apart from
education and acculturation (whether influenced by the
geniuses or not); such as our individual constitutions,
moods and even whims and fancies!
Hence our values are not rendered entirely and blatantly
superficial, shallow, and petty or mean. Our yardsticks
for idolization and idealization are NOT uniformly or
monolithically retrogressive and superficial and shallow.
Our values are not uniformly vulgar and/or antisocial. In
this sense; they are NOT simple and straightforward.
They are multifarious with various complexities and
shades; and are subconsciously evolved and mysteriously
shaped! They are different than what they appear to be
and hence are obscure and intriguing. Hence; strange it
may appear; but our idols do not merely conform to our
likes or dislikes and our enamoring or disgust; based on
our superficial perception!
6. 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; during Indian freedom struggle in
British Army, Police, Administration and so on; and
those who fought against the British!
If we carefully study (and ought to study for overcoming
confusion and developing conceptual clarity and
consolidating and empowering our values, ideals, idols
and goals) our value system; then it would be clear that
the differences amongst the idols and ideals are actually
only apparent ones! In spite of our education system; the
apparent variations in our idols and our ideals have one
thing in common! They are “larger than life” i.e. 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
section or whole society and/or they transcended the
usual human needs, greed and capacity, in their
respective fields!
7. Let us appreciate that in spite of our education system;
the real nature of our “idol/ideal/value”, if crystallized;
(to which we are oblivious, or which we are unaware of,
or which we are ignorant about); is the “larger than life”
TRUTH, (which is the source of enlightenment, elegance,
empowerment and emancipation)! Mere external
glamour and glitter without this; are hollow, pathetic and
meaningless for us. This is true irrespective of the field of
life and involves blossoming of perspective, policies,
plans, programs and their implementation at individual
and global levels.
The next stage of our realization of our ideals and values;
is overcoming our subjectivity; due to which; we
continuously see and feel restless as if something is wrong
somewhere; in response to inner and outer environment.
We keep on trying to work out or trying to give ad hoc
solutions to “different individual and global problems”;
due to our restlessness! We tend to feel that our solutions
are final, exclusive and can bring about permanent and
everlasting “imaginary” heaven in our personal life or on
earth. This is because we are all the times harping on
deceptive appearances and not the root!
8. Can really a permanent heaven come in personal life or
on earth? What would be the nature of such a heaven?
Are our claims realistic or true; in view of the lives of
millions of generations of various living forms to be born
and to be perished; who possibly would never conform to
our ideas?
We tend to provide answers; while forgetting or ignoring
from time to time; the illusive nature of our own
apparent conditions, capacities, limitations and
potentials, those of the others! Is it sensible; to arbitrarily
impose one thing or another; on ourselves or others; in
some subjective hope of illusive heaven?
Falling prey to the confusion created by appearances;
and creating a value system, ideals, idols, education and
various doctrines; in accordance; are human follies
common to all of us to a greater or lesser extent!
This does not imply that we accept everything in a
defeatist manner (a kind of death); but; be the eternal
center of all ‘appearances’; whether ‘right’ or ‘wrong’
and ‘see’ them outside as well as inside us”. Once we
“are” (and not merely think) our true selves; which we
knowingly or unknowingly ignored so far; we begin to
9. experience the ecstatic enlightenment of immortal and
eternal universal unity and the ambrosia of the life of
saints. This is not easy, but the only; radical, perennial,
unavoidable and also; inevitable solution. The way to this
solution is NAMASMARAN.
Throughout the history of mankind; there have been
forces of unification and disruption; rejuvenation and
degeneration; and progression and retrogression. But
these forces of unification, rejuvenation and progression
are conspicuously hidden in the veils of irrational
mediocrity, ethnic pride, mean prejudices, Zionist
perspective and crudity of all sorts; of the “historians
and authors”! If we read any book of history; then we
find that it is mainly studded with wars, petty tactics,
war strategies and utterly selfish and luxurious romance
of rulers. The development of science, technology, and
other aspects of civilization; is described to much less
extent and the core of the civilization viz. the
enlightening lives of the saints; is almost completely
neglected or ignored. Documented history embodies very
little insight and information; about the essence of the
lives of saints and their pivotal role in healthy evolution
of universal civilization.
10. The tradition of Maharashtrian saints dates back to
Macchindranath, Gorakshnanath, Gahininath,
Nivruttinath, Chakradhar, Dnynaeshavar, Namdev,
Janardan Swami, Eknath, Tukaram (Vaisya), Gora
Kumbhar (potmaker), Narahari Sonar (goldsmith),
Chkhamela (Mahar), Janabai (housemaid), Kanhopatra
(dancing damsel), Sena (barber), Shaikh (butcher),
Ramdas, Narasimha Sarasvati (The incarnation of
Dattatreya, who is worshipped in Narasobachi Vadi and
Ganagapur), Akkalkot Swami, Gajanan Maharaj, Sai
Baba, Gulabrao Maharaj, Tembe Swami, Deo
Mamaledar, Grudev Ranade, Tukaram Chaitanya,
Gondavlekar Maharaj (who was friendly with many
other contemporary saints and freedom fighters such
Vasudev Balavant Phadke and Lokmanya Tilak),
Sohirobanath, Satam Maharaj, Swarupanand Swami,
Acharya Vinoba Bhave and hundreds of less known
seekers of truth spread and working in every nook and
corner of Maharashtra, who lived as their TRUE
SELVES i.e. universal, immortal and eternal truth
termed SACCHIDANANDA, which has been the basic
tenet and core of all faiths, religions, atheists and in fact
whole universe; and IS pivotal to the orderly and
harmonious universe from all eternity to all eternity;
(including the life of billions).
