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Geetanjali
Sub Editor
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Spirituality: Dying an unnatural death
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Spiritual personalities of
freedom struggle |
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The cosmos is in motion. From the Big Bang onward, energy became matter, and from matter, life emerged. Today, in the process of awakening of human beings, our self-aware consciousness is also emerging, revealing new potentials for human, spiritual, cultural, and even global evolution and transformation. But, the foundation stone for all these developments is laid by 'Spirituality'. India is popularly called "Jagadguru"- a status of pride bestowed upon the divine land of the country since ages and as disseminated by the spiritual masters like Ravidas, Ramdas, Vivekananda, etc. "Bharat," the Hindi name for India is a combination of two words- "Bha" (Prakash or Light) and "Rat" (Leen or immersed). Thus, India is a land of spirituality, a country that is inundated in the divine light that signifies God.
The filament of spirituality was manifested in every endeavour of India, including its freedom struggle. As we celebrate 60 glorious years of independence, we need to recollect the contribution of this unnoticed force of spirituality in the Indian freedom struggle. Peace is undoubtedly an integral fraction of eternal essence of spirituality. Hero of freedom struggle Mahatma Gandhi practiced peaceful aggression against British, but actual spirit of spirituality implying enlightenment of the soul, as described in Indian scriptures was introduced to freedom struggle by Aurobindo Ghosh. Also, Dayanand Saraswati laid the foundation of "Arya Samaj" on the basis of spirituality.
Aurobindo Ghosh proved his mettle as the freedom fighter of enslaved India, but his life took a turn when he was jailed in Alipur. He meditated round the clock for almost a year and absorbed the divine essence of spirituality within himself. His release from the jail was a new dawn of Indian spirituality. Aurobindo can be appropriately regarded as the "Saint of Indian freedom movement". After his experience with spirituality, he did not fight for his motherland with the fierce worldly weapons, but with "Brahma-Bal" (the power of God). Some of Aurobindo's famous words are, "Britishers like fiend are eating up my motherland. I won't sit quite now, but I also would not refuge to destructive weapons. I will fight with the power of God residing inside me." Aurobindo exclaimed on 15th August 1947, "This achievement of freedom is the birth of spirituality in India."
The wave of spirituality has thus taken Indians to their roots time and again and has made them an example for rest of the world to follow. "As the pace of human across the Globe is accelerating at an impeccable speed, their resort for peace of mind is also increasing. The need for spiritual relaxation of mind, body and soul is directly proportionate to the level of stress a person undergoes," says Komal, a researcher working on the subject of spiritualism. The eternity of spirituality is now observed in the form of meditation, yoga, counselling and discourses. "In the past 60 years of Independence, our country has witnessed economic, social, educational, technological and diplomatic progress. Institutions like IIMs, IITs have mushroomed for educating and training the youth- the blood and flesh of the nation. All of them value spirituality and thus have incorporated meditation sessions in their curriculum," says Deepa, student of Human Rights at IGNOU.
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| Contemporary spiritual masters |
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Though, at present the rapidly increasing pace of life and cut-throat competition have made a man economically and socially strengthened, but it has also created a void or emptiness in his life that is craving for fulfillment. In the wake of achieving entirety, they resort to spirituality, but a few spiritual feudals have taken advantage of their helplessness and are trading in spirituality. The fraudulent spiritual masters readily available at any and every turn of the lane have slaughtered the essence of spirituality. The disparities in personal lives, expectations and competition at the professional front have left the present society thirsty of relaxation, peace and prosperity. But, what shall they do? Where shall they go? Because there is one water- vendor at every turn of the road, whose business is to befool the public and fill their pockets. They are preaching superficial techniques, which have no relation to the theories mentioned in the "Upnishads," another bi-product of spirituality. They don't have anything substantial. They are cashing people and selling fraud.
"If you slit throat of a person, it is a punishable crime. More than that, it comes in the eyes of the blind mistress of law. But, when the traders of spirituality slit the mental orientation and the "Shradhha" (faith) of a person, it goes unnoticed... What an unprecedented magnitude of loss! There is no punishment for playing with emotions," says Deepa, when asked about the repercussions for cheating on the name of spirituality. These modern spiritual masters are eating up the spiritual strength the ancient "Jagad-Guru or Bharat" like a termite. They are spreading so-called "Naam- Daan" (name of God) in the name of spirituality, but behind the curtains they are carrying a whole trail of malpractices. Most lately, the country came across a jolt with the case of Dera chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, whose evil practices were highlighted through a sting operation. Before that, Kirit Maharaj and Pilot Baba were also caught red- handed through sting operations while converting black money into white.
"The cost for one spiritual counselling session of Shri Shri Ravishankar is in thousands. Does that mean spirituality is the prerogative of rich and poor should remain devoid of divinity?" asked Deepa. Needless to say, spirituality has thus received a setback in these 60 years of independence and the torch of divinity that was lit by the saints and spiritual masters of past is dying an unnatural death.
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Economy at 60