The times are changing fast. Nowadays, opinions, movements, and laws are changing like the pieces of a kaleidoscope. Social systems formed through thousands of years of penance, study, and evolution are now being ruled by immature ideas. Developments are occurring that can uproot anything in a single stroke, like dropping an atomic weapon on a city suddenly. The personal preferences of people are becoming laws.
If spirituality-less societies are created, or if existing societies become spirituality-less, a clear example of what can happen is the change in the nature of natural families. The traditional family system based on the universal original principle of Purusha-Prakriti has survived across the whole world, transcending the boundaries of country, time, language, and religion. That is the reason human civilization has grown sustainably everywhere. But in the West, due to ‘liberalism,’ the traditional family system was shattered long ago. In recent decades, thoughts like ‘gay’ etc., are being projected as ‘ideals.’ The celebration of new kinds of ‘marriages’ and ‘families’ is increasing. It is difficult to imagine what kind of strange turns and forms civilization will take because of continuous new experiments.
If there is a proper mixture of ‘spirituality,’ ‘righteousness’ (Dharma), ‘religion/sect’ (Matha), and ‘secularism’ in society, life can be meaningful and sustainable for a long time. There should be a clear awareness and consciousness of which context religions should show the way, and in which other context religions should be set aside to use the wisdom called common sense. Society needs a proper ‘Rasapaka’ (concoction) of all these. If anything exceeds the limit, the balance of society will be lost. The sustainable form will be destroyed.
A religious fundamentalist society is created by the mentality that “all the affairs of the world are under religions.” Violence and conversions grow. An intoxicated and agitated environment is created where there is no individual freedom, inner peace, or insights. If one tries to build a new society completely through “secular liberalism” out of the fear that “a religious fundamentalist society will be created,” that too fails. Another kind of danger is encountered. The consciousness of sin and merit (Papa-Punya) is destroyed in people. A tendency grows to reject all moral values as “judgmental.” A mentality arises where everything is “negotiable” without any standards for anything. The new “contract” theory grows strong, saying “morality and immorality are all wrong concepts; there is no such thing as immorality in the world at all. Everything that happens with mutual consent is acceptable.” According to the pioneers of this argument, all kinds of lust are correct; even “incest” (the vileness of lusting within blood relations) is not wrong!
In the West, at one time in the past, culture was at the stage of being completely destroyed. The misconduct of incestuous lust was growing. During the time of the Roman Empire, strange and disgusting experiments were happening. The Christians who came later erased all that to some extent (along with that, they also erased many good practices of the pre-Christian era). They imposed harsh religious dictates. A situation arose where life had to be led through dictates without spiritual freedom. Because of that, natural living was harmed. The suffocating reign of religious fundamentalists increased. “Secularism” was born and grew in Europe in the form of a movement to erase that. Gradually, the argument that “along with religious thoughts, spiritual thoughts are also not needed” began to become strong. Spirituality-less societies and communities were born. This is identified as the “Enlightenment-Humanism” period.
During this period, “philosophy” came further to the front (it is not correct to translate it as ‘Tattvashastra.’ In our tradition, both Tattva and Shastra have very different, extensive, and deep meanings). Many independent ‘philosophers’ became famous. Among these, even those who spread spirituality-less thoughts are identified as philosophers. Their ‘humanism’ grew in the form of completely human-centric thought. The attitude that “the thought of an individual is always universally supreme” became strong. Instead of loyalty to religious texts, loyalty to individual thoughts became primary. Instead of the worship of God, personality worship started. Marxism etc., became ‘dogmatic’ just like religious communalism. A new fundamentalism of the individual level grew, where whatever felt right to the rationalists was the theory. Like the slavery to religions, the slavery to intellects (Mati) grew. People became slaves of impressions and opinions. The worship of ideas started. A situation was created where there were no high standards to weigh everything.
Now that same mentality has taken deep root excessively and reached the extreme stage of ‘Woke’ ideology. ‘Individual liberty’ is reaching a peak and losing its balance. The argument is strengthening that “it is enough if any two people agree, the law and society must approve it; that is true freedom, that is true democracy; not approving it is a wicked mentality; there should be no obstacle to any decision taken at the individual level, instead, there should be respect and recognition.”
In the West, looking at everything from the perspective of ‘sex’ is increasing more than before. As it was in the Roman Empire long ago, now too, visionless lust has started to rule Western civilization. The argument that “there should be no control at all for lust” is loud in ‘Woke’ circles. People who argue that believing this way is true ‘liberalism’ and not believing it is ‘fundamentalism’ are increasing. For lust-based thinkers, all those who talk of control and rules are “fundamentalist forces.” Just as Semitic religions divided people as “believers” and “non-believers,” Wokes are doing the same. Their own new “secular-religion” has been created! It is subjecting the whole world to a new classification of “liberal” and “non-liberal.” People declaring themselves as “homosexual” is being promoted like a “fashion statement.” Whether they are homo or not, people did not use to speak openly like this about their personal sexual feelings in the past. Now in America, big CEOs, politicians, judges, actors—thus the influential people of society—are coming forward and making “declarations” by joining gay-pride and gay-parade movements. The “gay-movement” is being grown like a new missionary movement to the point of making church evangelists feel ashamed. A situation is also being created where only those who accept it are eligible to be the political leaders of the country, and agreeing with Woke ideas is the primary qualification needed for political leadership.
The power to stop humanity from being washed away in this wave belongs only to spirituality which possesses pure insight. In this regard, the mentality and civilization of India should show the way to others. The nature of India is based on pure spirituality. Ours is a spiritual civilization that has seen the Purusha-Prakriti principle. Lobbyists argue that India, leaving that aside, should become one with the West. “Lobbies” that imitate the Western liberals in thoughts and opinions and behave like an after-incarnation of the West are growing in India too. People who believe and argue that “the current opinions of the West are the ideals applicable to the whole world” are coming to the front.
Let such people be there. Whatever they say, it is impossible for “India” to accept that whatever kind of thoughts come from time to time in the West are the ideals for everyone. The original vision of India is spirituality and not uncontrolled, strange lust. The original nature of India is based on the Purusharthas. Here, there is a foundation of Dharma for Artha and Kama. For Moksha too, the path of Dharma is inevitable. The householder life here has a high foundation transcending all worldly limits. There is a sustainable dimension that is a guide to life. Ours is a society that has the foundation of righteous procreation, relationships, and kinship. Relationships like father-mother, grandfather-grandmother, uncle-aunt, younger uncle-aunt, sister-in-law, brother-in-law etc., are possible only in a traditional family. Systems where ideal relationships and offspring are not possible at all are not suitable for human society.
If the life of humans is to be beautiful and safe, the restraint of two main senses is very essential. One, the sense of tongue (Jihvendriya); another, the sense of genitals (Jananendriya). If the first sense is under control, there will be no disease, quarrels, or battles. There will be health and harmony. When the second sense is under control, there will be no disease, stigma, or scandals. There will be health and cleanliness. By the restraint of both these senses, both the inner and the outer will be pure. What is needed for this restraint is—maturity of intellect, decency of mind; wisdom, discretion, and the Gnyana-Vignyana (knowledge-science) of spirituality. This is the foundation of permanent happiness.
Beyond this is Vairagya (detachment/renunciation). That is the foundation for the transcendental dimension. Those who have it are Nitya-Sanyasis (perpetual ascetics). Actually, Sanyasa is a supreme mental state. Not an external situation. Saffron clothes, foot-worship, and discourses are not inevitable for it. All those seem necessary when Sanyasa transforms into an external situation too. That is, when the need arises to project Sanyasa externally along with the inner state of Vairagya. It is okay if Sanyasa is both an internal and external situation. Along with self-elevation, world-welfare also happens. Just that the external should not be grand while the inside is empty.
The supreme state like Vairagya is not needed for everyone. It is not possible for everyone either. For that, the restraint and control of the five senses is very essential. Mastery over the intellect and mind is very essential. That is not something possible for everyone. Therefore, leaving aside the matter of the Nitya-Sanyasa state, for the health and good mind of common people, and for the experience of natural joy of life, there should be householder thoughts mixed with spirituality.
As soon as spirituality is mentioned, there is no need to think that it is a harsh way of life that involves leaving home and being constantly engaged in penance. That again becomes a matter of the highest state. Common people can find spirituality while being naturally in their family life, being engaged in their professions, and getting the natural joys of daily life.
The “Nityanitya-viveka” explained by Vedanta is a perspective that can show the way to everyone. Nityanitya-viveka means the wisdom-consciousness of what is eternal and permanent in the world and what is non-eternal and temporary. If that vision of wisdom grows, if such thought is awakened, natural simplicity grows in you without you even knowing it. Peace and tranquility grow inside the mind. A blossoming mind that blooms without being provoked becomes yours. Excessive greed and desires disappear. The natural joy that is beneficial to the body and soul becomes yours. When life is “natural,” it is easy for awareness to become “spiritual.”
The further you come away from spirituality, the more the possibility increases of falling into the grip of distorted ideas that are taking a new form every day, every moment. Spiritualists are not like that; they are eternally content. It is not possible for those who have a true spiritual vision to be corrupted in any way. They do not feel they want distortions. At this hour, if agitated minds are to be brought to a natural state, the spiritualization of the world is an inevitable necessity.
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