by A. E. Purushothama Rao |
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POWER IN RELIGION
When we think of electric power, we are reminded of its capacity to burn, to move fans or locomotives, to cool things in a refrigerator, to make computers and other machines to work or to cause death. In one word, power is the capacity to effect a change or to resist a change. What then do we understand by the expression "Power in Religion?" Is it related to its capacity to bring about a change? If so, what kind of change is it? Is the power in a particular religion proportionate to the number of people professing it or the number of countries declaring themselves as being run on the dogmas of that religion or on the military and economic might of such countries? Surely, it is not. The power in a religion cannot be measured by the outward physical elements such as just mentioned. The number of people and the number of countries professing a certain religion and following the rituals prescribed by it, can at most represent the physical power of that religion. Just as the body of a person is different from his soul, so also the physical power in a religion is different from the real "Power in a religion."
The real power in a religion is the power of its soul to elevate human beings to become more human and less beastly. It can be understood by the number of people whose lives are living examples of the great principles of that religion. But the present day concept of "Power in religion" seems to be different. We see a mad rush among religions in the present times, to increase the number of their followers by hook or crook, caring very little for enlightening them to become humane. The body of religion is being strengthened, whereas its soul is languishing. The fact that two world wars were fought by nations professing Christianity, a religion of peace and non-violence, is an example of this. It seems paradoxical that the top-ranking arms-producing and arms-dealing nations in the world to-day are Christian. Gathering people under the banner of a certain religion and persecuting others not agreeing with their particular dogma or waging wars in the name of religion should be considered the worst irreligious act. Surely it cannot be a measure of the "Power in a religion." THE LESSON OF HISTORY
Islam was founded by the Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century AD. The followers of Islam conquered all lands from Atlantic to the Hindukush (at the border of India) within 70 years after the death of Prophet Mohammed and converted them to Islam. But they could not enter India up to the 11th century AD. Islamic rulers ruled India for about 800 years but could not convert all Hindus to Islam. In fact, less than 25% of people (including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) became Muslims. The rest remained Hindu in spite of the atrocities committed on them. Their temples were demolished and millions of them were massacred; still they stuck to Hinduism. The British ruled India for about two centuries. In spite of the overt and covert support of the colonial government for the Christian missionaries, they were able to convert only 2.5% of Hindus to Christianity. If it had been any other religion, it would have been erased from the face of the earth as a result of the fierce attacks mentioned above.
What then is the secret of the immortality of the Hindu religion? Where does its power lie? The Hindu religion never depended on the might of the rulers of the country for its survival. Hinduism survived even when Hindu kingdoms were destroyed by barbarous aliens. The power of Hinduism is not centered on an individual, be he a monarch or a Jagadguru (pontiff), by whose elimination the religion would collapse. It rests rather in the eternal Vedic knowledge which was discovered by Vedic rishis (seers), who declared that communion with God can be experienced by anyone who strives for it. According to Hinduism, a person need not resort to a mediator to have access to God, because He stays verily in one's own heart. The thing that stands between a person and God is ignorance of one's own true nature. The Vedas say, "This Atman (being) hidden in all beings, is not manifest (to all). But (it) can be realised by all who are accustomed to inquire into subtle truths by means of their sharp and subtle reason." (Katha Upanishad 3.12) Quite interestingly, there is no concept of a Satan in Hindu dharma to frighten people into submission.
It is a cardinal principle of Hindu dharma that none will be condemned to suffer the tortures of hell or be rewarded with the luxuries of heaven eternally. How long people will stay in heaven or hell will be based on the merits or demerits they earned by their actions in this world, not a moment longer. They will need to come back to earth after that. That is why Hindus are not afraid of death or hell because they can always improve their status spiritually. Any talk of eternal hell or eternal heaven will be amusing to them. Is God that irrational and unjust? He is a firm believer in the virtuous actions of individuals and not in their confessions of faith. He knows that even God cannot help one whose actions (karma) are sinful. This is the reason why Hindus are generally non-violent and service-minded. Even though human beings are essentially animals in matters of hunger, thirst, fear, sex, rest, etc. they are endowed with intelligence through which they can discriminate between the good and the bad, the eternal and the transient. It is declared in Hindu scriptures that if a person is bereft of dharma, he is as good as an animal.
THE TRUTH CLAIM
Hinduism is not afraid of being questioned. It invites inquiry and questioning, because it is not dogmatic. No dogmas can allow or withstand questioning. Truth alone can withstand it. A religion which suppresses any questioning of its creeds, is not sure of its unassailability. Such religions resort to physical suppression and elimination of every kind of thought not in agreement with theirs. Such religions do not stand on strong ground: their power is superficial. Hinduism is not like that: the strength of Hinduism emerges out of its basic foundation of truth and its verifiability. It has nothing to fear. That is why we find seekers of truth from all corners of the world rushing to India in search of gurus who can initiate them into the path towards God.
Swami Ranganathananda says, "Religions of the world are generally based on unquestionable dogmas and creeds, but sanatana dharma is based on verified and verifiable truths of human nature, supersensory but not supernatural. The supernatural has no place in Vedanta or sanatana dharma, because its concept of nature is very wide, including the Self or subject of knowledge along with sensory objects of knowledge."
Professor Max Muller says, "It is surely astounding that such a system as the Vedanta should have been slowly elaborated by the indefatigable and intrepid thinkers of India thousands of years ago, a system that even now makes us feel giddy, as in mounting the last steps of the swaying steps of a Gothic Cathedral. None of our philosophers, not excepting Heraclitus, Plato, Kant or Hegel, has ventured to erect such a spire, never frightened by storms or lightning."
Swami Jitatmananda in his book Modern physics and Vedanta says:
"Vedic rishis discovered cosmological truths not through empirical observation but through intuitive insight gained in samadhi. Samadhi is a process of withdrawing the senses into the mind, the mind into the intellect and the intellect into the pure consciousness. In other words it is the reversal of creation, a return to the primordial uncreated state. In this return journey, the illumined seer discovers the stages which the external universe passed through during creation." Hence the rishis are not the authors of Vedas.
THE HINDU CONCEPT OF POWER
The power of Hindu dharma lies in elevating a person from leading a life of mere satisfaction of animal instincts such as hunger, thirst or sex to a higher moral and spiritual level which will facilitate his pilgrimage to his original home, that is, to achieve ultimate communion with God which is bliss supreme. According to Hindu religion, human beings are not sinners by birth. They can become sinful or virtuous by their acts on account of which they will be blessed with a happy or a miserable life in the next birth. The misery one suffers in this world is not something that God has thrust on him in a whimsical way. God neither favours some nor frowns at others. He is just and loves everyone equally, whether one is a believer in God, an atheist or an agnostic. It is people themselves, who elevate or degrade themselves by their actions and thereby earn a happy or miserable life in the next birth, either a higher human life of divine qualities or a lower life, such as that of a savage, an animal, a bird, a fish or an insect. This is based on the principle of cause and effect. One who does a deed, good or bad must also enjoy its fruits, good or bad: it is inescapable. As such, another birth is inevitable for everyone unless one has become a realised soul in which case he ceases to be born, having attained liberation (moksha). This is the law of karma (action) and punarjanma (rebirth). Everyone wants to be better placed in the next birth which will help him progress in his pilgrimage towards God. So naturally, he will be induced to do good to others and not to hurt other living beings not only physically but even by word or thought. Thus Hindu dharma elevates a person to become humane.
Hindu dharma is universal. It does not differentiate and discriminate people as believers and non-believers. According to the principles of Hindu dharma, all people progress towards God in their own way and at their own pace. It is immaterial if one has to take one or many births to reach the goal. As such there cannot be only one way of reaching God for all. Vedas declare that "Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti" which means that the Truth (God) is One but sages describe it variously. So, it is wrong to decry others who follow a different path for reaching God. Hindus accept all paths as valid. Shiva Mahimna Stotra says, "Oh Lord, just as rivers taking different routes, crooked or straight, reach sea only at the end, so also people who take to different spiritual paths according to their aptitude and intellectual ability, ultimately reach You only." Herein lies the power of Hindu religion.
Hindus did not march their armies on foreign lands to subjugate them and to impose their way of life and religion on them. They did not resort to coercion, violence or mass murder for that purpose. They set their own examples of noble and cultured
behaviour before the world so that others were inspired to emulate them. It is a fact that Hindu dharma spread to most of the countries of the world and even to the Americas long before the birth of Christ. But Hinduism did not go as an appendage to conquering Hindu armies. It was spread by monks, learned Brahmins, seers and even by traders who lived exemplary lives. Hindu dharma was accepted willingly by all people for their own betterment. No exploitation in the name of religion was ever resorted to by Hindus.
The unhindered and continuous religious life of Hindus for the last ten thousand years speaks of the vitality of Hindu society and Hindu dharma. Hindu society stood as a rock witnessing the birth, growth and the death of great civilisations like the Greek, Roman, Babylonian, Egyptian and Persian. Hinduism has conquered death because it is based on eternal truths and stands for peace and prosperity of all of humankind irrespective of the religion they profess. Hinduism wishes to destroy no one but to uplift everyone so that humanity may live in peace and harmony. Herein lies the "power of Hindu religion." STOP REPLACE ******************************************************************************************************************-->
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