The word Hindu originally meant people living on the banks of the river Sindhu. Through centuries, it has gained more religious-cum-philosophical connotations. Now, it refers to those who believe in the philosophy of Vedas and silently practice all sorts of rituals that evolved in due course. For the practical attainment of liberation, Hindus have Yoga, which is a system complimentary to Samkhya. Gita expounds the synthesis of three Yogas or ways of attaining union with the Supreme. They were Gyana-yoga (union through knowledge), Bhakti-yoga (union through devotion) and Karma-yoga (union through action). Since Ages, knowledge (data in the modern sense) was being passed from Guru to disciple; knowledge was not either sold in the market or put to auction.
Today, what we have is only the shadow of a profound heritage – no values are socially promoted, except in words. Everything, subtle or concrete, good or bad is measured in various units and is show cased with a price tag on them. The worst thing is that that there are only very few souls committed on a spiritual path to the Ultimate. We do not believe in Nature or any natural courses. We insist on strategies that could easily market what one intends. Huge flex hoardings of vicious ads decorate even religious places. Prayers are paid, offerings are taxed and discourses are expensive …….. Thank God! We have polluted air for free.
Advertisements have become bread and water for everything. Even poojas are arranged by marketing experts. All sorts of general communication mediums are half filled with advertisements, most of them cheating in disguise. It has come to be that even a devil with an appropriate marketing skill can strive here. I remember a physician who opened a clinic in a foreign land. Nobody came to his clinic. He put a hoarding which said, ‘guaranteed treatment for all ailments at 500 bucks, Damage if any compensated with 1000 bucks’. In a world in which everything is translated into e language, it is no surprise that e people look out for e Vedas and e Ashrams. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard about an e heaven which I can recommend.
Joseph Mattappally
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