SPLASHES FROM HINDU MAHASAGAR 1 by Chand K Sharma *** Jai Maharaj posts
and/or www.mantra.com/jai
Splashes from Hindu Mahasagar 1
"Chand K Sharma" <chandk...@yahoo.com>
Dear Friends,
We all know that of all the religions, Hinduism is the simplest, yet
least understood. To many of us, the perceptions about Hinduism
resemble the experience of six blind men who came in contact with the
elephant and gave diverse accounts.
It is due to te fact that when Hindus lost political patronage in
India, their institutions got crumbled due to the intolerance of
invaders. Being an open religion, individual interpretations have
added more volumes to the religious literature. While it was
continuously reformed and updated to match the changing situations,
superstitions and rituals continued to eclipse the shine of its
scientific rationality resulting in added confusion, misunderstanding
and diversification.
Present day youth identifies Hinduism with the rituals performed by
priests on occasions like marriage and funerals. Priestly greed is
turning the educated lots away from the religion. Casual tourists
photograph vagabonds and beggars in the guise of Sadhus to project
them as representatives and propagators of Hinduism. The youth
compare their apparent status with Christian missionaries who are
well trained, well paid and are specifically inducted to propagate
evangelization with political aim. Our culture is being presented in
distorted form. English media, controlled by convent educated
editorial staff in particular are motivated to misrepresent
everything that symbolizes with Hindu sentiments. We are often called
as snake charmers, superstitious, pagans and chauvinists.
Hindu Youth is over occupied to offer any defense. They are placed in
competitive environment to safeguard their settlements in life.
Having been thoroughly brainwashed they cannot look at their past
even if it is presented to them clearly in a modern light. They find
an escape route in secularism or in segments of Hindu sects carved
out of the mother religion. This situation is giving anti nationals
an opportunity to have a field day in defaming Hinduism.
The ray of hope is also there. The computer revolution and the new
science are reconnecting the great intelligence of the Indian psyche
that produced unfathomable mantras of the Vedas. Many informative
websites have come up on the Internet with authentic information
about our religion. Overseas Indians have taken the lead and have
become successful, affluent, well educated, and sophisticated not by
abandoning their culture; but by holding on to it.
I intend to share series of my write-up 'Splashes from Hindu
Mahasagar' as an humble attempt to project spirit of Hindu religion
in brief, without any intent to injure the feelings of any one. It is
neither aimed to preach Hinduism, nor to recount our history. It is
just a walk along the ocean of Hinduism to get a feel of splashes.
Much lies at the depth. It is not possible to explore the entire
ocean. The more inquisitives may explore some areas, some may enjoy
its majestic vastness, and a few may kick dust only and walk away.
Your feed back and suggestions are most welcome.
- Chand K Sharma
Splashes from Hindu Mahasagar -- 1
Vanvasies are the Founders of Dharm
Here are some undisputed facts around us that 'existed' since the
creation of the Universe. Today we call it our scientific knowledge.
The credit for discovery goes to the Early men who lived in forests
and subsequently to our ancestors who compiled the knowledge gathered
by forest-men called 'Vanvasi'. The process of gaining knowledge
originally initiated by Vanvasies is being carried forward today by
scientists and researchers all over the world.
Life around us
This universe is made of infinite number of atoms that are charged
with energy and are constantly in motion. They are revolving,
interacting and exerting pressure against each other. They are
grouping together to from various shapes that we see in the form of
mountains, lakes, oceans, animals, birds and human beings; and are
again parting to regroup in different shapes. The life in the
universe has thus been going on.
There are two types of lives: Jada (unaware) and Chaitanya (Aware).
Amongst Jada kinds are plants that grow, require food, shed leaves,
give fruit, regenerate, decay, die and are re-born. Trees,
vegetation, corals, and fungus come under this category. Their
existence is environment dependant and they cannot grow and live if
the environment is not helpful to their survival. They cannot modify
the environment to suit their need. They cannot move out from
unsuitable environment to helpful environment at their own.
Chaitanya types combine animals, birds, water-born creatures and
human beings. They are also environment dependant but have more
options. If the environment becomes inhospitable to their survival,
they can move out and relocate themselves. They can also adapt
themselves to new environment such as to find substitutes for their
food, shelters and protection.
Only human beings can change the environment to some extent.
Superiority of Humans
Humans are the only specie who have the capability, not only to adapt
to the changes, but also to change and control the environment. Thus,
humans can form life styles to live in deserts, jungles, cities,
mountains, and under extreme temperature variations. Humans can
change environment by cutting or growing trees, they can grow plants
for food, and have carried water and food to inaccessible areas.
Humans have controlled environment by controlling floods,
construction of dams, generation of electricity, curing disease, and
innumerable scientific inventions.
Thus not only human beings changed their own life styles, but they
gained control also over the other 'Jada' and 'Chaitanya' species.
Therefore in return, Human beings, have the duty to preserve and
protect environment for all kinds of life.
Humans are better equipped to do better things than birds, animals
and other creatures.
The idea of ONE-NESS in all living creatures
Soul is the Power that keeps life going. Soul is the power that
resides in every living thing to make it perform. As electricity lets
different gadgets work and perform different functions according to
the design and components of the gadget, soul is the prime mover of
all living things to perform according to their bodies. Depending
upon the design of the gadget, electricity performs different roles
of diverse nature. Electricity cools the refrigerator, heats up an
oven, photographs, records, lights up, reproduces sound and
electrocutes also. When electricity is cut off, the gadgets stop
functioning in spite of all components remaining in their perfect
shape and shine.
As variety of electrical appliances can be supplied electricity from
the same source yet out puts of gadgets could be different according
to their design. Likewise, while all living things have different
bodies, the soul performs different roles according to the body of
the soul. A soul in lion's body would kill while that in a cow's body
would provide milk. A soul would fly in bird's body, while similar
soul in snake's body would crawl. Thus a soul in human body would
have superior attributes than a soul residing in the body of an
earthworm. Once the soul departs all bodies become dysfunctional,
decay and start stinking.
No doubt, soul-wise all living beings are one but bodily they have
been made different.
However, body-wise also there are many similarities to prove that all
have been produced in the same factory. Every 'Chaitanya' has a nose
to smell which is located between a pair of eyes that are capable to
see, all have two ears to receive stereophonic sound signals, one
mouth to speak, two hands to hold and two legs to move about. All
have near similar systems to eat, chew, digest, expel and reproduce.
Various parts in the body of living things function in coordination
with the environment. Unlike wild grass, these have not 'grown'
haphazardly, but have been rationally designed with precision, and
assembled with other body parts for optimum convenience compatible to
their roles, and are fine-tuned to perform in the outer environment.
The growth of body parts is proportionate to the size of the main
body. Growth of certain body parts like teeth is timed to match with
the actual need.
All living bodies are an assembly of various systems such as blood
circulation, respiratory, digestive and nervous systems. All these
systems have capability to receive and process inputs and to generate
outputs. They are self-regulating. Mal-functioning in one system
affects the other systems. There are several lives put in one living
body such as blood corpuscles, sperms, and bacterial cells, each one
having its own body with life in it. Sometimes these bodies are
invisible to the modern microscopic aids but these microorganisms do
exist. There are thousands of varieties of in vegetation, microbes,
worms, fish, bird, animals, and apes.
Humans have few more advanced body parts and are equipped with some
sort of advanced automation capability. Compared to animals and
birds, human beings not only can exercise control over their own
passions but also of their fellow beings. By choice they can cause
others to react by anger, lust, greed and fear. They have capability
to discriminate between good and evil for themselves as well as for
others. They can anticipate the changes in the environment, the
consequences of their actions; can communicate not only with other
human beings but with animals also through specialized knowledge.
They perform their role by choice for which superior senses and a
brain to process have bestowed upon them.
No doubt all living beings have been designed and created by the same
creator.
Who regulates our actions?
Animals and birds perform their body functions through instinct and
reflex action. They have limited memory component designed for their
body type. When they feel hungry they search for food, when
threatened, they protect themselves, and communicate within their own
species. The environment induces them to sleep, reproduce, and rear
their off springs. They also have passions like hunger, greed,
jealousy, sex, anger, fear and affection. They are driven into action
by instincts to satisfy their passions and have no control over them.
So much so that environment controls their reproduction, as they
cannot be bred off-season. They are selective for themselves to a
limited extent but cannot distinguish between good and evil for their
fellow beings.
Both Jada and Chaitanya are parts of ecology. 'Someone' seems to have
created them with pre-assigned roles to maintain the ecological
balance. Their activities are regulated by 'someone' through their
'Prakriti' -- instinct or nature, as we may express now. This
instinct works like a 'software chip' to motivate living things to
perform their assigned roles. Lion keeps check on the population in
forest, and big fish control smaller fish in oceans. Snakes limit
rodents and in turn are food for eagles. Earthworms soften
surrounding soil to let plants take nourishment and grow.
If these species did not perform their assigned roles they would
become 'useless', although they are not aware of the value of their
roles. They do not have any choice either. But their Prakirti is
their inbuilt charter of duty. Some species perform their assigned
duty by day, while some others by night for which they are equipped
since birth by Nature. They are self-regulated and no body calls them
to duty. A scorpion, snake or lion is bound to kill the pray even if
that had saved their life.
The Life-Supporting systems
The working of entire Universe is system based. The systems are
reciprocal and work in cyclic order with auto regulation. Their
timings are synchronized to minutest perfection. Sun has been rising
every day from East and has never set in other direction than in the
West. All planets have confined their movements within their allotted
orbit and speed. Oceans stock reserve supply of water on Earth. To
keep the water fresh, it is regularly being percolated twice a day by
tides caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. Every year earth
travels nearer to Sun to get more heat to cause water to turn into
vapor shedding its salty taste. Millions of tons of water are
transported in the form of clouds, thousands of miles away from the
sea, re-converted into water in the form of rain, to provide fresh
drinking water for all species. The surplus water is channeled back
to the sea for storage through rivers. The Sun lights up the entire
globe for all of us to perform our functions, provides necessary heat
for lives to sustain, crops to ripe, and causes snow to melt to
replenish daily supply of drinking water. At night there is moon to
cause tides, and to provide softer light for those 'on duty' to work,
while others sleep undisturbed. There are many other systems that
have been working at their optimum level for millions of years.
Whenever a system goes out of tune disturbances are caused. The
systems do get overhauled to resume work automatically.
Who created the systems and assigned duties to various living things?
Surely there has to be one central source of authority to have
created such well-coordinated systems! The elements that we know to
support this system are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space and 'some'
central regulatory authority to coordinate and oversee this huge
universal system on going.
We know there were no houses and villages. Early men lived in
forests, and there were no schools and hospitals. Early men living in
forests kept thinking as to who created the systems around us and
with passage of time arbitrarily named this mysterious central source
of power to be called 'God.' As this power is present everywhere, at
every time we characterize this power to be omnipresent, omniscience
and omnipotent. No one has seen Him, but everyone has realized His
existence. Overwhelmed by His benevolent magnanimity, gift of life
and life sustaining systems humans feel humble and grateful to Him
and have been trying to 'locate' His whereabouts since ages.
Of all living beings the "Aadi Manav", the Early man, "VANVASI"
living in forests was the first to think about God and started
searching Him.
That was the beginning of Religion for the entire mankind.
Early man living in forests saw the rising of the Sun, Moon, stars,
thunder, lightening, large and small animals, rivers, oceans,
mountains, disease, and death. He wondered. Some of them thought of
solving these mysteries around their environment, by their individual
perceptions, thinking, knowledge and discussions with other fellow
beings and often they used their imagination and created mythical
stories. Thus starting from India, in every part of the world,
history came into existence. Subsequently artists made beautiful
pictures to translate myths into visuals. Supernatural persons came
to possess more hands than ordinary persons, as they were believed to
possess more knowledge and power and formed part of history.
The Religion that emerged through the search of Aadi Manav is known
today as 'Aadi Dharm' or Sanatan Dharm or Hindu Dharm. Other
religions originated afterwards and had many similarities with
Sanatan Dharm. Europeans called it paganism. In nut-shell Sanatan
Dharm evolved around the concept of living in harmony with elements
of Nature, Animals, and Birds. Sanatan Dharm has propounded the idea
of "Vasudev Kutumbkum" implying whole world to be one family. This is
Aadi Dharm -- the religion of mankind initiated by Vanvasies.
Chand K Sharma
End of forwarded message from Chand K Sharma
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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