It is pathetic to see people getting worked up and doing
endless debates on TV newspapers, etc., on a simple issue of something having
been said or not said in a film. Allegation and counter allegations and
expositions abound these discussions. But do they at any time understand that
the views expressed in the film are that of the writer and may be that of the
director who allowed it to be picturised in a manner that he thought was the
best. These dialogues do not belong to the actor who said them in the film even
though he might have agreed with them in his personal capacity, so why give
credit /discredit to the actor. He is just earning his money by acting in that
film like any other artist or Indian.
Having said that let us return to the question of hurting
the sentiments of a set of people following that religion. Is their faith so
weak that some dialogues spoken in a film, which is meant only for entertainment
and entertainment only, will shake their faith? If their faith was so weak then it is not a
faith but a belief which changes due to the changing circumstances and depending
on what others say. Faith is much above that. It is a faith that can move mountains.
It is this faith that their good karmas will lead them to enlightment and will
guide them connects to their god.
Is the religion so weak that its foundation will be shaken
and its existence will be in jeopardy by some comments made in the film? If it
is so then it is not a religion but a belief only and calling it a religion is
a slap on the face of religion. Our religion is our way of life and no amount
of comments, arguments that too in a film or in an article, can force us to
deviate from our way of life. This our way of life is so varied, so vast and so
encompassing that it will absorb anything that is thrown at it and still retain
its core values. It has proved itself over centuries and even absorbed the
onslaught of Mughals and British but still retains its core value and is still
surviving and kicking strong. I do not for a moment think that some comments
made by an actor in a film are going to change my way of life but the only
thing it will do is to absorb this comment without reacting to it as it is not
fit for me to react and keep going my way of life as defined by my karmas.
A religion is not defined by its rituals but rather the
religion allows its followers to perform rituals as it pleases them without
interfering between different rituals. Our religion allows numerous rituals and
people do perform them as they seem fit. Rituals are a way to concentrate so as
to allow oneself to connect to his inner soul and hence to god. They bring in a
sense of discipline, concentration and a way to reach the soul within you. It is
more to do with personal satisfaction. These rituals had a meaning, a
scientific reasoning as to why they were done in that particular manner and
required certain amount of knowledge in ancient times. But gradually people
have forgotten as to why they were done and are doing them by saying that it
has been done like this for generations and our forefathers did it this way.
Let us take the ritual of offering milk/water to the shivling or the constant
dripping of the water on the shivling. The water /milk is thrown away or
allowed to go out and is declared as unfit to be offered as prasad. Well this is
the way it has been done in the past and all new temples are just following the
practice. If people believe and have faith that it is to be done this way then
it should be done that way. But have at any time our intellectuals, dharamgurus
or religious/political leaders tried to explain to the general public as to why
it was done this way and tried to explain it to the followers or non- followers
as to why it required to be done that way only. Sadly, probably they do not
know it themselves and try to hide it behind mythology or stories. Hinduism is
not about mythology or stories but it was a very highly scientific way of life
and every ritual had a very scientific logic behind it. These stories and
rituals were made so that they can be passed even by word of mouth from
generation to generation and there were intellectual in ancient times, who could
interpret them and explain them properly to others as to why they had to be
done this way only. But sadly the Mughal
and British invasion and their rule of India destroyed these intellectuals and
the books of knowledge so that now we have very few written books but sadly
nobody to interpret even them properly. So now we have rituals but hardly
anyone to explain the real scientific reason behind them.
It is because of this mythological reasoning that it allows
other people to question as to why they are being done and pass comments on
then simply because they do not know as to why it is done this way neither
their forefathers knew it and there is nobody to explain the real scientific
reasons behind them, except for an absurd reasoning that it is always done this
way. Now days the generation is very intelligent and has a right to question
things and try to find the real reason behind them and it is the duty of
elders, gurus and intellectuals to satisfy them by sound reasoning. Raising
doubts or questioning it is not a crime but not answering or browbeating it or
agitating against it or not giving the correct logical reason for as to why is
to done this way is.
In the end the only thing I can say is that:
“Will the real Hindus stand up to enlighten the public about
what Hinduism is all about and what is meant by being a Hindu.”
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