Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Gandhi jayanti special I: Sach ki rahon me chalta chal (satya)
One of my old time favourite song is "madhuvan khusvu deta he", a song glorifying the idea of self-sacrifice for the purpose of others. It was a sweet melody because it sang Utopian stuffs. And anything Utopian, including communism, however infeasible it may be, always sounds so sweet! In that one line it said: come whatever keep on walking on the path of truth. I have never thought of this deeply. But contemplating on it now, I am wonder-struck at the deeper meanings it can bear. What is "truth" or "satya" (as Mahatma Gandhi will coin it)? Is it the bare unpleasant fact about things or is it the Utopian idealistic notions that we think are the best? Talking about the life Gandhijee himself, what was satya? Was it satya that he got craving for sex and went to a brothel or was it satya that he thought of morals and left it? Was it truth that he wanted to have meat or was it satya that he thought of his religion and "successfully suppressed" this craving? I think we are confusing here between "satya" and "morality"! Satya is the barest fact about nature. And my mind my dear friend nothing about nature is utopian! Nothing here is idealistic.Let's say I feel like having alcohol or spirit. Is this craving not "true" or satya? Do you think I will be called truthful if I think of religion and tradition and morality and suppress this feeling? Or let us imagine that my neighbour is a too much irritating for me. It happens sometimes. Some people just stand on your toes anyway! Is it not true that I feel angry when talking to him? Will I become more truthful or satyavan if I control my anger and try to appear calm even though I am really really angry in the heart of my hearts? Is not bigotry or self-deception the worst kind of crime against "satya"? Is not self-control the greatest mockery of the oath taken to keep on walking on the path of truth? Gandhijee himself has told again and again that non-violence in mind is much more important than the same in external actions. And this can never be thrust upon oneself! Then this thrust action simply becomes non-truth! Let's be bold and stand up to face our own selves! If I have short-temper let me accept it first. Everything else and all other lofty feats come after this simple acceptance of truth. If I have some cravings which the society calls taboos or evil, do the hell with society! Let me accept my very own self first, my own self as it is, not the utopian scripture-prescribed self! Let me not try to cremate my own self. Self-acceptance and self-glorification is the first and only step towards a mature society and mental peace. And this is certainly the first and firmest step on the path of truth or "sach ki raah"!
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8 comments:
loved this post.. What you said, I also realized the same feelings. If you deny yourself some pleasure, are you not contradicting your essence that feeds on that pleasure. is it being truthful? I remember a very beautiful line from the Matrix which goes like " To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human".
But another question that comes is, Is everything we like, really "good"? (if not, why would we like it).
Who defines "good"? Good or bad is a relative thing. It comes when we have some prior experience! And if we dont do the so called "bad" how can we go for the so called "good"? And if I like the so called "bad", then what to do? Deny my own liking? I think its better to try what I like, get hurt (may be) and learn it my own way, than to adhere to "age-old" wisdom! Makes the small life worth living I suppose!
It's true that we should first accept ourself as a person who are doing the current things whether it's good or bad in some point of view. But then what?
Should we think that we are right and we need not to change ourself/our habits or we should now try to change ourself??
Does this acceptance of our real image help us to change ourself ??
Why should we try to change ourselves? If I enjoy being what I am, then why should I change? And if at a point my likings change, then I automatically change. Its an evolution not a revolution! Its a learning phase for self-realisation, not a capsule course for some quick short term result. Lastly, lets first accept what/who we are; rest of the things will come of their own accord.........!!
I do not agree with you sir on this point of not changing at all. In this world you are not alone,you are connected to several other beings directly or indirectly.Some depends on you and some you are dependent on.So my point is that you can be yourselves enjoying being what you are, doing whatever you feel like but in the process if you are hurting someone's feelings whom you love/care for then you got to change yourselves accordingly. Darwin himself stated that everything is interrelated whether flora or fauna and if one changes then the other has to change itself to balance the environment.
Yes Rishab; everything is related and is in a balanced way. Our very will to "make things better" is to intrude into this delicate balance. Secondly, who knows what is good or bad for your loved ones? Can you guarantee that your act which may give instant pleasure to some of your loved ones, will give so in long run? In a world where constant change is the only constant thing, we really dont know what is good or bad! So adjectives lose their meaning. And hence I think, why to torture one's self in changing? Lastly whatever you are, there will always be some who will love you and still many more who will not... let me know what you feel........i am not giving any prophesy; just trying to discuss..........am myself searching.... PS: dont address me sir in blog sites; makes me feel older :P
bare unpleasant fact ... dukkha, anatta, anickka (existential suffering, not-self, impermanence)
These are universal truths, like Death
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