PLEASE WAIT AND PONDER

कृप्या..रुकें और विचार करें

Ø The simplest definition of Dharm is :
‘the rules framed by religion, to be followed by individuals and societies, so that the individual and the societies can grow and have FAITH in the Almighty’.

Ø Ramayan and all the other ancient Hindu history books were written in Bhakti mode for the obvious reason that, during the past, Hindus, have passed through some extremely difficult time, where sustenance of religion was more important than actual and serious observance of religion.

Ø During the last 1500 years, outside invasion, oppression, exploitation by rulers of Hindu society, had caused inward coiling of Hindu society, and change in attitude. Then further invasions, far greater oppression, and further inward coiling of Hindu society and further change in attitude. And this cycle continued several times. But now we do not have any RULERS, WE HAVE SELF RULE. Yet even now, no effort is being made to reverse the attitude that an average Hindu has.

Ø VEDAS are timeless. So is Hindu Religion. What we have with us, at present, is the first Kalyug edition of Vedas, Purans and other sacred book. I have no problem in accepting the aging done by the oriental scholars, stating that these books have been written at around 2500 BC. Naturally Kalyug edition of these books would have arrived after the start of Kalyug only.

Ø The thing to be understood by one and all is that Hindu God will not interfere in this KARMIC world in which we are living. Everyone will get the fruits of his or her KARMA. If HE wants to interfere, HE has to come and live as a human being( that is why we have several incarnation of Lord VISHNU). This is the GOLDEN RULE of Hindu Dharma.

Ø The one religious book that has widely been misunderstood is GITA– the ROOT of all Religions in the world, and is the MOTIVATION speech that Shri Krishna gave to Arjun on the battle field. GITA HAS ADDED A NEW AND ADDITIONAL DIMENSION AS TO HOW RELIGION CAN ALSO BE PREACHED IN KALYUG. One must know and understand that Arjun was the toughest man ever to be born on earth. When at the start of Mahabharat, Arjun decided that he will not fight Mahabharat war, it required the caliber of Lord Krishna, and the motivation speech of Gita, to motivate him to fight the war. No one delivers sermons or religious speeches on the battlefield. NO—you motivate people on the battle ground. And this is what Lord Krishna has done. The motivation speech along with explanations thereof ran into 18 chapters. Relatively, person of today’s world could be motivated by listening to just one line of that speech, if properly understood. And that perhaps is the only proof that commentator has understood Gita. We all know that religious books of all religion have been designed to motivate people of that religion. Sometimes the motivation works, rest of the time it does not. But Gita will motivate people. Its result has been guaranteed by Lord Krishna himself. However, all the commentators of Gita have simply tried to translate the Sanskrit text and added comment there on, thinking that it is another religious text.Gita is the MOTHER of all religion. THIS WILL NOT WORK WITH GITA. With Gandhi’s ahimsa mantra and a real functioning democracy, plus the motivation provided by GITA, wonders could have been achieved – yet we are struck with poverty, hunger and suicides.

Ø Mahabharata war, which involved the entire civilized societies/kingdoms around the world, was so massive and so destructive that it totally weekend the fabric on which the civilized societies of that period were based. They became susceptible to attack from barbarians both from within and outside the societies. This coupled with natural disasters totally destroyed the entire civilized life, slowly but surely, within a period of 500-1000 years. As a result, Kalyug started with Stone Age which no known history. Post Mahabharata, even Shri Krishna was instrumental in killing his kins who were involved in barbarianism. And the evidence presented by Indus Valley Civilization, that cities which were MUCH older were more advanced than those which were LESS old is physical evidence of the same.

Ø Lot of people have started feeling that Hindu Religion has totally moved away from the cherished path and is now completely moving in a different direction as a result that Hindus, by and large, although being highly religious, are not getting desired result as a society. Lack of education for girls, dowry deaths, suicides among farmers, increase in court cases among relatives, mistrust and discontent, are all physical parameters to measure the effectiveness or success/failure of religion in a society. This compiled with fact that religious shops ( no. of Gurus) have increased, the spending on religion by Hindus have increased drastically-- speak of disastrous misadventure. All this need to be corrected– at least sincere effort has to be made.

Ø Shri Ram is called Maryada Purushottam Ram. Before venturing any further, we must have a clear and acceptable definition of Maryada. Maryada simply means ‘the noblest and finest traditions of that time’. Those who follow it are called Maryada Purush, and the tallest, or the best amongst them is called Maryada Purushottam. MARYADAS, OR TRADITIONS ARE FOLLOWED BY HUMAN BEINGS...NOT GOD, and history records (however weak and disintegrated) are available only of the Powerful, Mighty, and the Noblest. Shri Ram was the most powerful, mighty and the noblest HISTORICAL FIGURE of his time. Until and unless we believe that Shri Ram was a historical figure, there is no point in believing in, or discussing, the Maryadas he followed. I repeat, God does not (and NEVER) follows any traditions or Maryadas. But human being is bound by Dharm and traditions. In the case of Shri Ram, this confusion is very evident, as people, while discussing him as God and an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, also deliberate why he was called Maryada Puroshattam. There is no problem in accepting him as God and also Maryada Puroshattam, but please do not mix the two. Shri Ram (the human being) was the Maryada Purush of the Treta Yug because he followed the noblest traditions of that time AND he is justly called Maryada Puroshattam Ram because he had the courage and conviction to IGNORE, at least on one occasion, the Maryada of his time for the sake of Humanity.

Note: If you want to understand more about Hindu Religion and Ramayan, please read all the posts.

RAM RAJYA… THE FORGOTTEN DHARM!

WE have now come to the stage where we will be discussing the DHARM OF RAMRAJYA. Ramrajya was the rule of Shri Ram over the entire world, sometimes after his coronation and after he became the Chakravarti Samraat. In this rule, everyone was happy and satisfied. Everyone followed the Dharm and laws were made so that people followed the Dharm. 
Naturally the question arises as to what that Dharm was? 

Obviously it was an all inclusive growth of entire humanity plus prevention of misuse of nature. 

After the death of Ravan, Shri Ram was able to dismantle the caucus of Brahmins which even Parashuram was unable to dismantle and abolish caste system. But to do all this even Ram had to pay the price. Mata Sita had to be disowned on the basis of physical evidence, though we all know Ram loved her and she was not at fault. This fact is important to be mentioned in Ramrajya as Sita was not guilty but could not present any physical evidence that she did not go with Ravan on her own free will.  Ram, on the basis of physical evidence or lack of it,  had to disown her.

Discussion on Ramrajya cannot be complete without separately mentioning that any issue that comes for adjudication had to be decided on physical evidence PRESENTED and NOT on basis of belief or personal knowledge.

Before venturing any further, it is important to have a clear and acceptable definition of Dharm or Religion. If you translate the Sanskrit word DHARM, the answer is RELIGION, so for all practical purpose one can accept DHARM(or DHARMA as some say) and Religion to be one and same thing, in different languages.[Technically speaking Dharm and Religion are not the same thing. While Dharm contains set of rules for the group of people following that faith, Religion defines the faith. We will ignore this fine distinction]. 

Dharm essentially has two parts. 

1. One contains a set of rules which are to be followed by the people of that faith so that the societies can grow,
2. And the second contain set of rules to be followed by people of that faith for offering prayers and perform rituals.

Part of the second is personal while the rest is not. The rest is your religious obligation towards your family and the society. Put in more simply how much you believe in God or how you worship is personal, while the rest is not. The rest is totally outwardly…it starts with your interaction with your family and moves further outwards towards larger family and the society where you are living in. All this constitutes Dharm. The simplest definition of Dharm is: 

‘The rules framed by religion, to be followed by individuals and societies, so that the individual and the societies can grow and have FAITH in the Almighty’.

Having said that. let me add one thing further; Sanatan Dharm is NOT rule based. The rules can be framed by the current society on the basis of knowledge of VED; and Ved is GYAN for living in society.

When we talk of Dharm, there were certain rule which already existed and which are so relevant even today, that no Hindu Dharm can progress without following them. Not following them or ignoring them means decline of society, distress and dissatisfaction all around. And they were for Rishis, maharishis, gurus, and generally for people wearing saffron clothes. Since these people were the stalwarts, or caretaker of religion, they never owned or possessed any property(not even by opening Matths and creating and enjoying property through that source), they invariably walked on foot, took simple food, walked around the country side or would go and stay alone in deep forest for at least nine months of a year. They stayed in a cottage (not the AC one!), invariably followed and promoted nature and environment. 

When they delivered religious sermons, the rule was, that everyone can listen to them and see them and they can also watch the audience and their expression (no, they did not use the loud speaker). This was called Mahamantra. These religious stalwarts knew that not following the Mahamantra, would destroy the society, and the Hindu religion itself. EVEN TODAY, THIS MAHAMANTRA HAS TO BE REVIVED AND FOLLOWED BY GURUS, MATTH OWNERS, SADHUS, AND ALL SAFRON CLAD PEOPLE, IF HINDU RELIGION HAS TO REGAIN ITS LOST GLORY. 

Now, when we talk of Hindu Dharm, we have to accept and understand the broad outlines of Sanatan Dharm where God (or Vishnu, should we say) incarnates and comes on this earth as Avatar, as and when Adharm or evil on this earth increases to unacceptable proportion. What is unacceptable proportion is not decided by we human being. It is decided by Lord Vishnu himself. But one thing becomes absolutely clear; God answers prayers of individuals, but God does not interfere in the matter of human beings, as a society, though he is Almighty. If HE feels certain corrections are required to contain Adharm, HE comes on this earth as Avatar. Rest of the time, we earthlings, has to move ahead, following the Dharm. In other word, put in more simply, Hindu gods, or God will not interfere in our life, as a society. We are on our own. 

When Sage Valmiki wrote Ramayan, there existed the social problem of one person marrying several females. During the time of Goswami Tulsidas, the problem was much more severe. Please understand that when sages write granths(epics), they keep their existing societies requirement, too, in mind.

Sanatan Dharm is always current Society centric.

Now, regarding the DHARM of RAMRAJYA. 

a) During Ramrajya everyone had the right to worship any Dev or Devi, any stone or imageless God (Nirankaar). Worship was his personal choice. But one has to go, regularly, to the nearest temple situated in his society or Mohalla. In case one was not visiting regularly (regularly means daily, alternate day or weekly, depending on the choice of the person),the temple situated in the society or mohalla, he would not get any benefit of visiting Siddh temples, situated all over India, or, for that matter, any benefit of performing ‘TEERTH’(Pilgrimage). That was part one.  

b) The other part, too, was also simple. One had to work, with honest and sincere intent, for the progress of his family, his larger family and the society (one can say mohalla, sector, sub sector, area) in which one was living, and show highest respect and regards to females.

AND THAT WAS ALL. 

While the first part (prayer or worship) may or may not guarantee a ticket to Heavens (depending on one’s performance on other part, or one can say outward performance part), a sincere and honest effort in discharging ones duties for the progress of his family, his larger family and the society, guaranteed a ticket to Heavens. 

And this, the DHARM of RAMRAJYA, is the only Dharm which can take us forward. Why we are not practicing this or even making efforts for its revival, is something to be answered by the Dharm Gurus of Hindu religion. We shall discuss more about it in future posts.