Spiritual Cleansing of Indian Society
Mukundan P.R.
It would be outrageous if it is stated that the problem of poverty in India is due to her spiritual background. Indian people are known for their great spirituality, but spirituality when practiced not in agreement with Yugadharma or as per the evolutionary character of the ages (Manvantara order), it becomes counterproductive, like the usage of expired medicine. The problem of poverty, in its social and individualized nature, has a spiritual aspect because poverty is the expression of the subjective deficiency in a person or society. The gross world of our experience springs from or is a reflection of the subtle dimension of our thoughts, beliefs and actions. In other words it is the status of the soul or the subjective dimension which determines the quality of our life and environment.
We cannot change the scenario of poverty without a qualitative change in the soul status. For example, many homeless people in Kerala were given homes free of cost by a government scheme. Age-old miseries and spiritual ignorance had made quite few of them pathetic drunkards. Within a short period, they sold their houses and became homeless again. A house under the canopy of the Creator is a divine blessing. We can help a homeless person. But the most enduring help would be elevating persons and societies subjectively so that the blessings of life never depart from them.
If religious beliefs lead to fundamentalism and extremism, if it causes fissures in the society, if it produces poverty and moral depravity, if it does not uplift human spirit to the vitality of truth, then it means that a spiritual distortion has taken place, calling for a positive social intervention. It necessitates a new method, to revitalize and rehabilitate the human spirit. We have found from our experience that what is needed is not the revitalization of old doctrines, but a spirituality that could practically uplift us to a new height of social and spiritual transformation in accordance with the evolutionary character of this age, Kaliyuga.
Whenever, whenever societies have come under the weight of regressive traditions and belief systems, they have suffered socially, politically and economically. We all know that the pagan ancient religions of Rome, Greece and Egypt were replaced with new monotheistic doctrines and belief systems, bringing about great social change. It was after this cultural and spiritual renaissance, the western societies evolved to play a leadership role in the world. Almost the entire world has now come under the influence of western culture. In the medieval period, the Arab and Persian civilizations became formidable when Islam crushed the pagan tradition and began to follow monotheistic religion. Similarly, no one can deny the strong influence of Buddhism in the rise of Japan, China and other countries in the Far East.
The relation between spiritual movements and economic and socio-political development is very obvious one. The common thread in all the above examples is a departure from the old customs and beliefs and courting of a more egalitarian spiritual path based on the belief in a monotheistic vision of God. All these are historical examples for the upgradation of the subjective status of societies through spiritual intervention. However, India remained isolated from this spiritual emergence after the time of Buddha. India remained locked in an island of cultural and spiritual malignancy. The history of her cultural and political enslavement and the depressed state of the majority of her people continues to this day. The economic and social deprivation of the underprivileged should be studied in this historical context of cultural and spiritual isolation.
India is the ancient land of the wisdom of sages, whose spirits enliven the spiritual sky of the world. Her development and progress is aligned to the egalitarian path of the Rishis. The spiritual heart of India needs regeneration. Her people should be liberated from the negative spiritual and cultural influences of the past, competing sects and castes. The befuddling ideology of unity in diversity is a meek expression of the helplessness of Hindus in particular and of others in general. India continues to remain in the secondary school of primitive (pagan) worship. India should graduate to a strictly monotheistic tradition under a strong spiritual leadership. It can help India emerge as a global spiritual power. But it is quite understandable that the question of spiritual leadership is not a simple one.
The Indian culture is based on the spiritual regime of the Rishis. India venerated Sri Ram in the Treta Yuga and Sri Krishna in Dwapara Yuga as they were the spiritual authorities of those ages. But when it came to Kaliyuga, India lost its spiritual track. It wallows still under the serfdom of devas unable to understand the true message of Sri Krishna, Sri Buddha and other sages regarding the worship pattern of Kaliyuga. Puranas state that in Kaliyuga 'naama samkirtanam' or chanting of God's name is the way. But whose name? One has no proper information on this. One view is that the name of the Supreme Guru of this Kali age should be chanted. But that Guru should have crossed all spiritual planes and realized the truth of Brahman. That Guru should at least have fulfilled and crossed the trimurty stage (deva stage) in spirituality and should function as per the Will of Brahman .He should function with the knowledge of three fold cosmic time and also should be receiving 'darshan' or spiritual vision from the Light of Brahman to guide mankind in all matters. After Sri Krishna in Dwapara Yuga, we do not know which spiritual master and his lineage has been born in this Kaliyuga fulfilling these conditions.
When India falters, the whole world gets spiritually lost. If it is stated that all the problems of the world today have originated from the spiritual error of India, it would be too difficult for us to comprehend. But believe beyond doubt that India is the spiritual center of the universe. It is God’s Will. Let us not forget that the world is established on spiritual truths of cosmic dimension. and India alone is the custodian of that spiritual wisdom. This Kaliyuga has brought India good tides of luck through the birth and life mission of Navajyoti Sri Karunakra for the spiritual cleansing of Indian society, to evolve it into its true pristine spiritual status.
