INDEPENDENCE FROM IGNORANCE

A tryst with destiny was fulfilled 62 years ago. India was finally "free" after centuries of domination. The plunderers right from the Sassinids, Persians, Turks, Mongols, Arabs to the Mughals and the British, all established their own dynasties and starting looting India. No other country or land mass was looted as much as India was. For a period of over 1000 years, Indian land mass was attacked and invaded thousands of times. The identity of Indians were changed so many times- isn't it anything but a miracle that in spite of over a millennium of invasion, the great land has sustained itself?

Cultural imperialism was so very dominant, and any other land with over a 1000 year period of invasion and humiliation would lose its identity and its core values. Yet, Indians have managed to retain their rich culture and tradition. Isn't it a wonder?

In my view, this was possible because the people from India realized that material aspirations were inferior to spiritual bliss, and that was something which could not be killed. However, an ominous task awaits. Although rapid strides have been made in every possible field since independence, new challenges present itself everyday. Population, pollution, scarcity of natural resources, intolerance, ethical depravity, etc. are some of the current problems which have raised its head in ugly proportions. However, there is a much bigger problem which is silently eating into us. The biggest problem in the 62nd year of independence is the ignorance of the masses.

Ignorance is bliss, so it is said. But that so called bliss is binding us into deception, delusion and slavery. Ignorance is steeped in us in every aspect, right from the monumental to the mundane issues, from spiritual affairs to worldly matters- our ignorance is so acute that for any 10 things we do, we don't have the knowledge or belief in our actions for at least 5 of those things. Try to answer these questions:

1. We go to the temples, the priest does so many rituals- we follow them, even at home, at an event, special ceremonies, etc. Do we know the reason behind all those rituals or WHY we do them?

2. What is the reason behind fasting (staying without food) on some days in certain religions?

3. Why do we exchange garlands/rings during marriages?

4. Why is kneeling/bowing down or touching the feet, a mark of offering respect in almost all cultures in the world? (or) Why do we bow/touch the feet to offer respect?

5. If the we have to pay the tax to the Government, isn't it simpler to actually adjust everything in the salary, instead of undergoing an exercise of tax filing?

6. AIDS- how many of us are aware of how it spreads, or how it originates? More on this HERE.

7. Why is the colour red associated with anger/rage, green with envy/jealousy ?

8. If wars are fought in a free-for-all fashion, what is the use of infantry marching in ranks in a disciplined manner?

9. Black cats, number 13, walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, dropping salt, touching wood, etc. are all superstitious beliefs. And there 1000s more- anybody knows why we do them?

10. Why do we eat three times a day, at specific times (breakfast time, lunch time and dinner time), and not usually at other times?

The aforementioned points are day to day issues and yet most of us don't know the reasons behind them. Our ignorance coupled with an inexplicable fear of bad tidings if we fail to do certain things have given rise to superstition in India. If things are being done just because it was the custom, is not a reason to justify our actions. We need freedom from this ignorance which has plagued us for centuries now. Nothing could better explain our rationale for work/action than could this following verse from Chandogya Upanishad:

It says, whatever you do- FIRST KNOW IT FULLY. Then, BELIEVE in it, and THEN, DO IT. First comes knowledge, then belief in that piece of knowledge/information. Only after we know and believe in something should we perform our actions. This verse explains the essential requirement for ANY action to be performed, even breathing. Our problems started when we lost the knowledge- but yet believed in certain things without knowing what it is. Take any of the above mentioned examples- we do it but we have lost the knowledge. That gave rise to superstitions. Naturally people will start to ask questions, and many times they won't get convincing answers and hence they will lose the BELIEF. All this is because we lost the knowledge in the first place. And when we do action without knowledge or belief, it is nothing but ignorance.

And it is this ignorance which has crept up so alarmingly in India's society that nobody really knows a way out. What we need is not an independence day to remember our heroes- if we introspect deeper, nobody can conquer us if all our actions are supported by knowledge and belief. Our true freedom comes when we have conquered our ignorance. Until then, we are just fooling ourselves by a false sense of being "independent", while we are becoming slaves to ourselves.

KNOWLEDGE- BELIEF- and then, ACTION... in that order. Follow this in your day-to-day life, and you will find a marked increase in your productivity and your inner freedom.

JAI HIND!