||
Aum Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam||
||
Aum Namo Narayanaya||
 |
| Get well Tata Madiba Image-Google Images |
A
sombre cloud hangs over June 16th once again, as the country prays for the
ailing health of struggle hero and human rights icon, Tata Madiba. A sense of
uneasiness seems to condense on everyone’s spirit. The euphoric mood that normally
accompanies a long weekend has been substituted with welling emotions as we
recollect the tremendous self-sacrifices made by the great Grandfather of our
nation. The collision of Youth Day and Father’s Day gives us an
opportunity to also pay special homage to our Fathers who have played / play a
very significant role in our lives.
There
are many different roles of the Father. The dictionary refers to one who
procreates a progeny as a Father; one who is an elder in the society as a
Father; even the leaders of nations are referred to as Fathers. We find
sometimes... a man can barely show affection, love and care for his own child,
yet there are some who are prepared to give their life for people they have not
even met. That is the manifestation of a special Fatherhood - the Fatherhood of
God. Hence, when a nation such as ours tumbles into sorrow and grief at
the news of a former President’s health - it is an affection that the nation
shows towards a Father that expressed super love for them, returned their
dignity and respected them as his own. When Swami Vivekananda said that
"each soul is potentially divine", it was in reference to the
potential of that Fatherhood of God within each of us: the ability to express
selfless love and make immense sacrifices for the wellbeing of all.
Within
the spiritual tradition, there is a 'Guru Parampara',
where each Guru has transferred knowledge to His disciples in unbroken
succession and this lineage can be traced back to Brahman itself. Spiritual
strength and power has flowed through this great line and continues today
through various monastic orders throughout the world. In the very same way,
there is a 'parampara' within the family tree. The traditions of great
grandfathers have been passed down generation after generation, up to a certain
point. Like Sri Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita -Chapter 4, Verse 2-
that over a period of time the knowledge He had given to Vivasvat had
been broken... in the family context, it is because of the changing times that
this great tradition has been broken.
The
times of opulence and pageantry show contempt towards traditions and value
systems that were held in high esteem by our forebears. The material age
nurtures and fertilises the ego and creates a reflective mirror for affections
of the heart. Youth who grow up in this environment and who are potential
Fathers perpetuate this... thus the cancer of selfishness and lack of
empathy engulfs society. The process of developing from a potential
Father to Father to Grandfather and Fatherhood of God stops abruptly at the
Grandfather stage.
Why
should we manifest that Fatherhood of God within us? Why did the youth of 1976
sacrifice their lives for others? Why should people like Tata Madiba, Gandhi,
Steve Biko, Chief Albert Luthuli sacrifice their lives at the cost of their own
enjoyment for others?
Swamiji
proclaims: "Man is not travelling from error to truth, but climbing up
from truth to truth, from truth that is lower to truth that is higher".
The doctrine that "man is to become divine by realising the divine",
that religion is perfected in us only when it has led us to Him who is the one
life in a universe of death, Him who is the constant basis of an ever-changing
world, that One who is the only soul, of which all souls are but delusive
manifestations".
It
is the awakening to this consciousness that we are all one beating through
different hearts and being that one who is the seed-giving Father, as
proclaimed by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Helping others is merely helping
oneself because when others suffer, you alone suffer. That is the truth. You
may not understand it when you are engrossed with the gross body, but when you
have awakened that supreme consciousness within that you are divine, the veil
of maya is lifted, where you have a vision of the truth and reality as stated
by Swamiji that all worship is but preliminary when one sees God only in an
image... he who sees Shiva in the poor, hungry and downtrodden really worships.
Great
souls like Swamiji who don’t sympathise but express unalloyed empathy towards
others have come to resurrect the broken Parampara to Godhead. They have come
to show that the way to progress cannot be found around others, but through
others... in that all must be raised and then alone progress shall come.
As
youth - when we stand before the mirror, let us see the great responsibility
that has been placed upon our shoulders... let us see our duty to raise the
condition of the masses, let us see that duty of being the Father not only to our
children, but to humanity at large. Let us understand that if it were not for
the selflessness and the great sacrifices from icons like Madiba, we would not
be able to enjoy the liberties we enjoy now and in order for the future
generations to enjoy greater liberties, prosperities and bliss... we will have
to play our role in society.
On
this Youth Day, I offer prayers for the health of the great "Father of our
Nation" and ask that every youth be inspired and motivated by the lives of
our grea saints, sages and leaders. May we continue in the parampara of
divinity, is my sincere prayer.
With
love and prayers always
Yogan
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please feel free to comment on this post