Soil the Sthula and Mind the Shukshma

 

Soil the Sthula and Mind the Shukshma

Observing Nature can make anyone turn philosophical.  Manicured, well laid out gardens have their charm but the organic ones that are spontaneous give us a hands-on experience of life energy.

Informal gardens having a few trees and plants in every house were not an exception, but rather a norm a few decades ago in our country. It was common to have at least a small patch of land with some trees such as the Neem, Coconut, Murungai, Mango or Sapota, flowering plants such as Jasmine, Hibiscus etc. meant for pooja and for women to adorn themselves.

A piece of land left unattended can teach us lessons on nature that seem to mimic human behavior too. The feel of the earth can dispel dark moods, offer insights and breathe fresh air into life itself.

 

Light spells of rain are all it takes for the forces dormant in the brown soil to spring to Life in a burst of green hues.

It is the survival of the fittest and strongest. Various species vie for soil space, and sunlight. Some grow deep roots and others spread to claim territory. Tubers grow tubes that stay and continue to grow in size within the soil for years. There are also plants that grow quick foliage to keep the rivals in check. No moral stories here, it is purely the survival of the fittest.

When so choked, the ones overpowered, preserve their energies to survive, waiting to be discovered by the gardener.

The lives of the oppressor and the oppressed become so closely intertwined that, careless pulling of the dominant ones would often uproot the ones overpowered too. They stay together to retain the moisture in the soil. Plants without that green cover require more watering or a layer of fiber such as the coconut so that the soil doesn’t go bone dry too soon.

The ambition to survive and propagate hasten the process of flowering and producing ample seeds to disperse. A tiny locality is claimed by a single species where others are kept out - a veritable jungle out there, where the jungle law prevails. 

A small seed of a species that remains dormant waiting in the soil for years, springs to life when the conditions are right.  

Seed some worthwhile thoughts in your mind, for them to take root and enrich your life, we have been told.

It is the nature of the both the Soil and the Mind to be active all the time, nurturing, growing something.

The only choice that remains with us is to choose the seeds to plant and nurture.

May we make the right choices for a Happier and more Colourful Life!

Bhoo Suktam

Oh Goddess Adithi, you pervade the earth

You are supreme in heaven

You are vast in the environment

When it rained yellow flowers

A weather perfect, not too sunny,

Ideal to savor a walk.

Be cautious, warned the sky,

For I might turn rainy.

Caution soon paid off

When the umbrella had to be unfolded

Walking in the light drizzle was heavenly

But presently the droplets seem to grow heavier

And gather speed

The umbrella was, but a weak shield

Caution paid off again

A tree full of yellow bell flowers

Offered a beautiful sanctuary

As the rain picked up pace ...

When every time a drop from the sky hit a target,

The flowers fell around me on the road

Their fall hastened by the rain

Beautiful moments of yellow to cherish

Perhaps the flowers had wished to stay up in the tree a little longer

I don’t know

As the rains started to show signs of slowing

Vehicles seemed to resume their flow

I had to move off

I could not bear to see the flowers

Being crushed too soon.

Age of the Excessive Rajas (ரஜஸ்)

On observing the behavior and attitudes of people in general and even our own for that matter, the impulse to analyze is but natural; perhaps it due to the desire to survive with better clarity. The simplistic labels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ seem juvenile after a while. What causes one to act in a particular manner is a logical question that humans had long sought to find an answer.

While some civilizations had been content to attribute it to God and an External Evil Source, the Hindu thought had delved deeper and its intellect and insight is evident in its understanding and explanation of the human mind and behavior. 

The three Gunas, Satva, Rajas and Thamas  ( ஸத்வம், ரஜஸ், தமஸ்) that humans have been created with, as elucidated in Srimad Bhagavad Gita is a very logical clarification. Satva is explained as a quality that is pure and illuminating, Rajas as well entrenched attachment that induces Action and Tamas as delusion leading to indifference, slothfulness and sleep. 

The events and happenings in the world around us do not indicate the dominance of Satva but more of Rajas and Tamas. Rajas is a quality associated with the Doers, most likely to be engaged in managing people and things. The zeal, drive and energy that Rajasic people possess are unmatchable. Their single minded focus on their goal which is normally clearly quantified and the devotion with which they pursue it, are worthy of emulation.

We can find Rajasic people everywhere - Managing the State, the armed forces, establishing and running businesses from the tiny ones to huge conglomerates, managing various divisions, running hospitals, educational institutions and every conceivable entity. There is no doubt that the world can never survive without them. Usually possessing robust health, they bring along with them dynamism and the zing of energy. They are keen eyed, razor sharp with ability to ask the relevant questions even of personal nature for assessing people and no hesitation at all in asking them. The World today recognizes Economic Success as true success and therefore with each economic success they get more sure-footed, supremely confident and see themselves as infallible. They are quick to identify an idea that would soon catch the imagination of the people as they sense a need or a vacuum much ahead of the others and therefore the world needs them very much.

When the Rajasic attribute becomes excessive, missions would no doubt be accomplished but the means adopted could be debatable. All the resources in command would be employed effectively but be it a business idea or a social cause, it becomes a tool for personal advancement. Religious Texts, Government Laws or ideologies left or right, irrespective of the spectrum, the excessively Rajasic would find ways to use these to empower themselves. Waves of Enlightened beings, Social Reformers have emerged to bring about a transformation, but this transformation is hard to accomplish as Rajas is a much needed attribute. Only the excess needs to be addressed, and it is extremely difficult to quantify.

The Extremely Rajasic always believes in getting things done by any means and revels in belittling subordinates for immediate results regardless of the long term effects. It is not uncommon for them to be surrounded by a coterie of yes men.   Such a state is possible only if a person is driven by strong passions, caused either by attachment to something which could often be material and a Very Strong Egoistic Tendencies. 

To sustain the high energy levels, it is fairly common to find such persons involved in activities that are frowned upon by the society. And people who by their misfortune happen to work with them will also need to seek such solace as a means of escape.

To sum up, such persons driven by results are highly celebrated and reach commanding positions in any establishment. 

1.      He or She will be intent on reaching quantifiable goals at the cost of anything including ethics, trampling over people and other factors such as environment. 

2.      They usually are so focused on short term goals and gratifications that the impact on the future is totally ignored.

3.      There is usually a constant need to project themselves as the best and to put down others as incompetent.

4.      They can come up with innovative models – finding ways to extract more for less labour costs; be it hiring temporary staff forever to negotiating terms with a supplier; many of them could be lessons on trampling on the weak. The long term of effects of such policies – extracting work for long hours, denying retirement / medical benefits will no doubt have costs the society will have to pay up for later. Firing people at will, just to use cheap labour, in a country with no state support for the unemployed will be disastrous in the long run. Denying people time with family will result in the next generation being brought up with little or no values and clarity about life. The social costs are going to be huge.

5.      When we ponder over it, the spiraling NPAs in the banks would have also been due to unreasonable targets set by the Rajasics in the system and similar Rajasics outside the system quick to take advantage of it.  

It is debatable if Excessive Rajas as a quality was ever celebrated as it is today, in popular thought and aspirations. Had there ever been such total veneration of people possessing this quality in excess?

Former FBI director James Comey in his new book entitled, ‘A Higher Loyalty : Truth, Lies and Leadership’ that discusses US President Donald Trump says, “ His leadership is transactional, ego driven and about personal loyalty.”  

 That almost sums up the traits of an excessively Rajasic person. The world needs to ponder on how much of Rajas is necessary and how much is excessive. It is a difficult proposition indeed but it is time the intellectuals and the spiritual masters in the country gave it some thought. The quest of humans to achieve the dominance of Satva even in an individual requires lot of discipline and effort. To achieve it as a society requires a concerted effort. There is a strong need to do so now.

Improving the Conditions of our Temples

Improving the conditions of our temples, while trying to wrest them from the control of the Government

 Temples are our places of worship; but their significance is much more than that.  They are symbols that our ancestors defended with supreme sacrifices, the right to worship in a manner of our choice, against religions that fiercely fought to destroy this freedom. While the gods of other indigenous faiths have been forgotten in several parts of the world, we have been fortunate in inheriting them, thanks to our illustrious forefathers.  It is our duty to do our utmost to preserve this culture and Dharma for the coming generations. The war that the Abrahamic faiths wage is still on, and just as fierce; only the planes and spheres where they are fought have expanded. We also have to contend with a population that has exponentially increased, with people too busy to apply thought, and problems that result from inappropriate use of modern materials and concepts.

It is sad that we had been governed all these decades by people conniving with forces which want to see this culture and dharma decimated. Extracting the control of temples from the Government is no simple matter that can be accomplished overnight. While the efforts are certainly on, what can the ordinary devotees do in the meantime instead of mere activism or lamentation?

Step 1.  Recognize - Our Temples have managed to survive over the centuries due to great sacrifices 

We have inherited our temples, because of thousands of our forefathers who have paid for the temples to survive, with their lives, their material possessions and much more to ensure that this culture was not totally annihilated. History books do not teach about the destructions and threats but help spread misinformation. To net people who managed to scrape through their history without imbibing the misinformation fully, we have books and websites dedicated for the purpose with large number of people working for their ‘cause’.

We need more research on the history of each temple other than the sthala puranas, so that true perspectives can be displayed for the devotees to understand. We need to necessarily display at least the estimated date of the structure, the names of the kings and places found in the stone inscriptions with their period, in each temple including those in small hamlets. This will help people pause to think of the great people who have treaded the roads around the temples and treat them as sacred too.

Step 2.  Understand - Temples have been created with great efforts.

There are elaborate and specific do’s and don’ts as per Agamas for the construction and maintenance of the temples. People need to be educated to assimilate the super human efforts that are needed for the process of constructing a temple.  It would help them approach temples with more humility and reverence.

Our temples are living proof that our forefathers had good knowledge of Architecture, Engineering, Geometry, Metallurgy etc. Please note that the construction of temples was Not done by the Brahmins.

It will go a long way for people to understand that Temples are not only for seeking favours from God; or for performing Pariharams to absolve sins as prescribed by astrologers.

Step 3.  Donate – In the form of Service

Devotees need to get themselves involved in large numbers in the upkeep of the temples. There are several groups in Tamilnadu with people volunteering for temple cleaning, but at the moment we still have people only in small numbers while we need Huge armies of volunteers.

Centuries earlier when we had no electricity, lighting of lamps in the temples was considered a noble deed and donations were made liberally. Armies of people were engaged in the task of providing ghee and oil for this purpose. Today we have electricity, and can do with fewer oil lamps than before.

Previously, lives of the people were centered around their temples and there was no dearth of devotees engaging themselves in service of their Gods especially after the harvest, when the busy agricultural activities ceased for some time.

So today keeping with the changing times, the need of the hour is to have more hands; armies of devotees who can serve temples with love.

Step 4.  Organize – Need of the Hour – Activism and Organization for cleanliness around the temples

There is an urgent need for toilets for the small traders and visitors around the temples. These should not be constructed too close to the sacred temple walls, but at the reasonable distance, accessible to all. No amount of money should be spared for this effort.

Display sketches and photographs done in the last 200 years to show that the places are not as crowded and dirty as they are today.

The Archeological Survey of India and several other entities must be in possession of these. Help from Private collections are to be sought.

Below is the picture of the historic Chidambaram Temple in done in 1762 CE  - Picture Courtesy Rare & Historical ‏@RareHistorical Mar 29

 

Step 5.  Identify and Restore – Every temple (at least in the South) has a Sacred Tree and a Water Body attached to it.

Identify the Sthala Vruksham in each temple and take good care of it. Identify the Sacred Water bodies and Groves attached to the temple and restore them on a war footing. This will highlight the vision that this culture had towards the environment.

Step 6.  Train – The role of the priests in the temple

Temple priests need to understand that their role now in much more than Pujas and decorating the Murthies. They need to have mandatory training on the current issues faced by dharma, basic psychology and public speaking too.  Priests need to understand the challenges ahead and reach out to people; help them pray in their hour of need and distress, as families and communities are unable to play the role they earlier used to.

Step 7.  Revive - Traditions

Each temple has traditions of its own which has helped preserve many arts, crafts and thereby the artisans and craftsmen. A single decision not to use polyester and synthetic fibres for the murthies would help revive handloom and help weavers in a big way.

Step 8. – Use - Donation of money to temples and pilgrim centers needs to be more organized

Donations to beggars need to be more organized. House them and feed them in exchange for their labour in the drive for cleanliness; only the very old and the very infirm need to be exempted.

Step 9. – Meaningful  Pilgrimage

A Pilgrimage used to be a journey for seeking something for the soul.  It had a sanctity attached to it and would be undertaken only when certain conditions were satisfied.

With very limited facilities for transport, any journey would have been quite arduous in ancient times.

               In India until recent times, selling cooked food was considered against Dharma.  There were houses built for the travelers to rest in all the Pilgrim centers and routes.  These rest houses were called Chathrams / Choultries  and building them was considered a punya karma.

So, without the assurance of Reserved Accommodation and such creature comforts, or even food, long distances had to be covered on foot, with numerous lakes and water bodies for water, trees on the roads for company.    But even journeys undertaken in groups had to contend with robbers and murderers.  So there was very little option for individuals or very small groups attempting a pilgrimage on their own.

Shastras had imposed elaborate purification standards for the pilgrimages. Therefore, the whole experience of preparing for a holy trip,  travelling on foot with only God in mind, performing charitable acts en route,  singing bhajans and listening to scriptures , meeting different people , passing through different places; a pilgrimage was meant to be  a journey of discovery , including self discovery culminating in the darshan of the deity. 

Such devotees who came to the temples, after a physically challenging journey and with a mind conditioned to higher consciousness would have added to the sanctity of the place.  True there would have been exceptions, but this would have been the general scenario.

Now, having given up on everything else, people think it is only the darshan that matters and bribe their way to the sanctum. I try to picture a pilgrimage to Rameswaram  as done in the olden days even a century ago, when India’s population was only 25 percent of what it is now, the place would have been far less crowded and certainly less dirty. A pilgrim, after weeks of travel and with a mind attuned to make a fresh start after absolving all sins, would have found the ritual bath in the Sethu sea and the 27 theerthams  truly meaningful and cleansing.   With a sense of having been reborn, he or she would have walked to the Sannidhi praying to Sri Ramanathaswamy for a more fruitful life.

From Kashi to Rameswaram, Tirupathy, Puri, Dwarka  and numerous other Kshethrams all over India have become sacred due to such Pilgrims over the centuries.  Their thoughts, conduct and prayers have only enhanced the holiness of the places.

Contrast this with the scenario as seen on a typical day today.  People come in hordes, in trains, buses, cars, vans and every other conceivable mode of transport.   Not all of them with God in their minds.   Many of them watch movies on their way,  play all kinds of songs   at a deafening tone.   Throw garbage, dirty the place and do everything to pollute the pilgrim centre. No devotee who considers a place sacred would dirty it.  But people do it all the time these days without a second thought.

When rituals are observed without any meaning, without time to apply conscious thought, they lose their sanctity. Priests now have a reputation of swindling gullible people conducting rituals en masse.

Is it any surprise that tickets are issued for Darshan , bribes are given and taken for special Darshans and Prasadhams?  There need not be any doubts that purity of thought and action are mandatory for anything to be Holy.

Why shouldn’t pilgrimages by foot be organized? It might be more meaningful than meaningless treks organized elsewhere.

The need of the hour is not to develop more pilgrim centers into holiday destinations.  The awareness that Darshan alone is not the purpose of a pilgrimage needs to be emphasized.  This should help reduce corruption in our temples.  It would also help people approach temples with more reverence, more peace, and bring about cleanliness and sanctity.

 Step 10. – Educate

It is not enough for the followers of the Hindu religion to be merely human with all the faults and foible inherent to humans. While the Abrahamic faiths are under no obligation to explain even the biggest atrocities committed in the name of their religion, Hindus are always put on the defensive, even for normal human failings. Educate Hindus that we cannot be merely human for our culture to survive, but we need to be super humans. It is time to do the penance now.

 - Published in Hindu Post on April 28, 2017