“CORRUPTION” – Why? How to overcome?

(A Vedic paradigm to fix the “root-cause”)

BACE Vedic Forum

bacevf@gmail.com

Generally, people need incentives to work. Most of us perform actions with some goal in mind. We want to achieve the end result in the best manner and thereafter claim the fruits of our effort. Better are the people who perform their actions and work without any vested interests and personal gain, i.e. those who consider work their duty and responsibility. They follow the principle of ‘sarva jan hitaya, sarva jan sukhaya’. But, unfortunately there also exist a special, smart and intelligent class of men who want to achieve everything without putting in proper effort. These people claim the fruits without working and this is indeed corruption. Corruption is a welfare loss in general. Economically, it leads to leakages and conspicuous consumption which is very problematic to the social strength of any economy because it marginalises the poor. The burden of this corruption falls straight on the poor. At the personal level, it degrades the consciousness. There develops a tendency to further cheat or bribe as we are lured to follow this short-cut method to achieve our goal.

Especially in our country, corruption has translated itself to unprecedented levels so much so that the whole country is unanimously fighting to root this out. Corruption is the fallout of the development process. With the development, structures, institutions and systems expand. This leads to de-centralisation of power and opportunities for the intermediaries to manipulate in between. Historically, any system or government tried hard to do away with corruption through a framework of rules and regulations but did not succeed. The prime cause of this had been faulty implementation of plans and secondly, avenues for the corrupt persons to escape again through illegal means (bribing the judiciary). Corruption has now become an integral part of the system. Any external force no matter how strong is not sufficient enough to break the system until there are endogenous forces integral to the system that work against its stability. Thus, the focus of any effort to stabilise any system should not be mitigating the external forces but resolving the opposite forces in the system. However, we can clearly assert that government focused on external forces by imposing rules and regulations.

To solve, we must know the problem. Today, the problem is not corruption. It is simply a form which has manifested itself externally. The real problem is the tendency to ‘cheat’. Our body is made up of matter which is limited and temporary. Thus, we can sense everything only in some range. Due to this, our senses are often illusioned. This illusion makes us commit mistakes and to cover up our faults, we resort to lies and in the process deceive others. These are also the four fundamental defects of living entities. But, this does not mean that we are bound to live in such a system. The solution to this has been given by many personalities like Chanakya, but the perfect insight is found in Bhagvad Gita. It says that because we perceive ourselves to be bodies, we hanker after bodily pleasure arising out of the contact of senses with sense objects. This creates an attachment for the sense objects that makes us very passionate to work and the same time very possessive in nature. In the process, if we succeed in achieving the desired sense objects, we further become attached and if by chance we fail, then it makes us angry (B.G. 2.62-63). Both these acts make us lusty and greedy by taking away our intelligence. This further entangles us in bodily pleasure.

Human life is simply not meant to run after sensory or carnal pleasure like a mad elephant. Animals have low consciousness and cannot understand the purpose of life. Animal life is definitely unregulated because they have no notion of morality and social welfare. But, human life means regulated life based on the principles of austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness. If we analytically see animals do not possess any of these virtues. Following these principles intrinsically implies condemning those activities that degrade them. Intoxication, illicit sex, meat eating, and gambling are four activities that completely destroy these injunctions; commonly found in animals. Unfortunately, instead of demolishing them, the present government is promoting them on a massive scale because they are high profit-low investment ventures. This has in turn increased conspicuous consumption. Government has now legalised production and marketing of wines, prostitution, slaughterhouses, casinos and short term speculative activities. The tendency to enjoy has escalated exponentially but the incomes have not gone up in general. People are therefore compelled to resort to usurious and illegal means of earning money to satisfy their urge of consumption. All this is happening due to lack of spiritual insight. However, these principles are part of any religion as they are part of the human society because without them humans are no better than animals.

The biggest folly of the government and the anti-corruption practices are that they want to achieve the result without focusing on the real problem. On one hand, we are promoting conspicuous consumption by increasing their production while on the other trying to achieve a corrupt-free nation. There is an integral contradiction in the formulation of such a system. Such practices can go on forever but will definitely fail to eradicate corruption unless these four principles are strictly established in the social and economic system through the intervention of the political systems.

No More Identity Crisis

Mayank Goel

CESP, SSS, JNU

mayankgoel90@gmail.com

Is our identity our institution, passport, pan card, belief, religion, caste, mind or even our body? We have so many identifications that it sometimes becomes difficult to recognise which is our original identity. Pause for a moment and think do we actually have these many personalities or it is mere lack of knowledge or illusion or ignorance that makes us think in this way. It is really strange to know that our identity is changing. Change in personality defeats the notion of identity because if we try to perceive, identity is something which has to be specific, should always hold true, and remains unchanged after any transformation. This definition holds true irrespective of the subject in which the term identity is dealt with. This then raises the obvious question what our real identity is?

It is in fact a million dollar question. There are two views to answer the same question. First, material sciences or material theories that are based on direct perception and inductive knowledge. These definitions usually fail to answer all the questions and do not give an understandable picture pertaining to ‘identity’ because they are confined to external environment which is nothing but matter. Matter is anything which is inactive, limited and temporary. That’s why all our senses which are nothing but products of matter are limited – can see, feel, smell, hear and touch only in a range.

The alternative to material science is spiritual science. We instantly become sceptical on hearing the term ‘spiritual’. This is our biggest folly because one certainly needs to taste honey to know its sweetness. Any speculation won’t suffice. The identity crisis occurs because we are not empowered with the real knowledge of the self. We tend to identify ourselves with our designations, positions, or the state of being. All these portfolios keep on changing. We tend to associate our identification with something or the other, overlooking the fact that all the positions are ours but this is not what we essentially are. In a similar fashion, we find ourselves one with the body. Just like we are not our hands but our hands belong to us, this body, made up of matter belongs to us. It is due to misidentification of considering body as the self that we are surrounded by an ocean of problems, tensions, frustration and mental breakdowns which reaches its heights when someone dear to us passes away.

We, having a higher consciousness should then ponder; who was there who passed away? If the body was the self, it’s still there! It is the soul that passes away. This knowledge of self or the soul is the base of spiritual science, knowing which the air becomes clear and everything seems so simple in life. This is our real identity. We are spirit souls, indestructible, unborn, eternal, unchangeable and immutable; beyond the concept of matter; that pervades the material body through consciousness. All our relations to people and material things are important due to the presence of soul. As soon as the soul leaves any living entity, that relation subsides. So it is the soul which is more important around which everything should be centred.

Those who are in full knowledge of the bodily conception of soul and who know that bodily desires are the results of being influenced by the illusion, do not become addicted to the body and its pleasure. They know that just as the fire which burns and illuminates, is different from firewood which is burnt to give illumination; similarly the soul, the seer within the body, is separate from the material body.

The planet where we live does not allow us to be isolated like islands. One lesson, this school of life on this planet forces us to learn, is that when we come together willingly to communicate with a positive purpose or to pray together and to unite for the good of the whole, then harmony and peace can exist. Unless and until we make this, the centre of our existence, world peace and harmony will remain a Utopian world because it is essentially this unity that brings forth the spiritual vibration emanating from the Supreme. This vibration is of spiritual love which is not based on bodily relations or mutual attraction but is necessarily one in spirit. It is then we all will realise that even though we look so different on the platform of body, language, religion, caste, etc., we are all alike and expansion of the same energy. This is the real oneness, real unity in diversity arising from our real identity.

We need to realise how similar we are in order to expand our hearts and hands to others we may have previously rejected. This is how love and understanding will dissolve boundaries that keep us stifled as a society and individuals and keep us far from entering higher dimensions of consciousness. A lack of love for us reflects lack of love for Godhead. We are not our beliefs, religions, castes, identity proofs, institutions, minds or bodies. We are all divine souls on a wondrous journey. It is essentially this unity between us with Godhead as the centre that can give us the real happiness and satisfaction we search everywhere and in everyone but fail to achieve.

We, absorbed in bodily consciousness believe in ‘survival of the fittest’ and thus do not worry how we harm others in this rat race to ‘eat, drink and be merry.’ Claiming our forefathers to be apes, the origin of this beautiful planet to be a big bang, we cannot imagine ourselves to be more than a bunch of chemicals or atoms colliding with one another both inside and outside. Such a blunt, blind, superficial outlook renders life meaningless, making the world purposeless which is neither useful to us nor to others. We, the youth need to think twice is this what it is? Is this our identity?

The Vedic life that centres around the real identity of individuals as souls and our loving relation with Godhead and His creation; empowers us to consider another man’s wife as mother; other people’s wealth as garbage, and to wanly treat others in the way we want ourselves to be treated. Thus, spiritual life arising out of our real identification is based on the firm foundation of co-operation of all, welfare for all, proper utilisation of God-gifted resources in a sustainable way and freedom from selfishness. This is the world that we should not only conceive but work together to make it a reality.

The Importance of Veda in the Contemporary Society (II): Jurisdiction of the Veda

Saurav Sarmah

CEAS, SIS, JNU

In the previous issue, the validity of Veda was conclusively established. Since the Veda is unauthored and self-evident, its authority does not depend on any other source of knowledge. Indeed, only the assertions issued by the agencies recognized by the Veda can be accepted as authoritative. The recognized agencies are ‘sastra’ (scriptures: Veda, Pancharatra, Purana, Ramayana and Mahabharata), ‘sadhu’ (statements of the bona fide teachers affiliated to or honaoured by any of the four traditions: Sri, Brahma, Rudra and Kumara) and ‘guru’ (the bona fide teacher or spiritual master who initiates or instructs an individual subject). The mechanism of sastra-sadhu-guru (together known as ‘sabda pramana’) is fine-tuned to resolve all contradictions inherent in the process of knowledge acquisition.

The Vedic authority is not limited to any geographical, temporal or cultural co-ordinates. It is applicable in all circumstances. So, it is improper to refer to the Veda as Hindu or Indian scripture. In fact, societies paying allegiance to Vedic authority existed throughout the entire planet Earth about 5000 years ago (corroborated by Purana, archaeology and local traditions). Of course, misinterpretations (Nyaya, Vaisesika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, etc.) and deviations (Pasupata, Shakta, Jaina, Lokayata, sophism, paganism, animism, etc.) also prevailed in many places. The core of this knowledge-based civilization remained within the territory bound by the Himalayas in the north and the ocean in the south. On February 18, 3102 BC, the Earth entered a temporal phase known as Kali-yuga, in which quarrel and hypocrisy are the pre-dominant qualities among human species. Since then, the true import of the Veda, gradually, faded from the collective memories of several societies, reducing them to uncivilized (non Aryan) status.

The first major split within the core of the Aryan civilization occurred in the vicinity of the great river known as Sindhu. A philosopher known as Zarathustra (Zoroaster) rejected the conclusion of the Veda that God is the singular cause of material creation and preached the doctrine of two separate and antagonistic causes. He thus introduced a rival to God (later referred to as Satan within the Semitic tradition) and rejected His omnipotence. This doctrine became popular within the Persian Empire and assumed the status of state religion. The Persians (from Cyrus the Great to Nadir Shah) invaded the Sindhu valley and beyond several times. They used to pronounce Sindhu as Hindu (because the Vedic sound S is pronounced as H in the Avestan language), which in the course of time, became the name for the entire civilization beyond the river. Later, when the Greeks (under Alexander the Great) overran Persia and intruded into the Sindhu/Hindu valley, they began to refer to the river as Indus (dropping the H), from which the name Indika/India is derived. Hence, both the terms Hindu and Indian are based on limiting co-ordinates and are foreign to the Veda.

The Importance of Veda in the Contemporary Society (III): Historical Development

Saurav Sarmah

CEAS, SIS, JNU

In the previous article, we discussed how the Vedic civilization got restricted to the Indian sub-continent due to the effect of the Kali-yuga (beginning February 18, 3012 BC). The true import of the Veda, gradually, faded from the collective memories of several societies, reducing them to uncivilized (non Aryan) status. Afterwards, there was a major split near the Sindhu valley, when the deviant teachings of Zarathustra were given the status of state religion in the Persian Empire.

The Vedic civilization weakened further when the priestly class forgot the conclusion of the Veda (Vedanta) and continued indiscriminate slaughter of animals in sacrifices meant for the satisfaction of Vishnu (God). Then, out of compassion, Vishnu descended as Buddha, deluded the demons (in the guise of priests) by preaching atheism and wrecked havoc on the infallible status of the Veda. The message of Buddha spread throughout the Asian continent (except perhaps the Western reaches beyond Persia). Another threat to Vedanta philosophy emerged in the form of Adi Shankara, when he twisted the meaning of Upanishadic statements to deny God’s personal qualities and His eternal dominion over all living entities. The demonic class of men became his followers all over the Indian sub-continent and thus, he tacitly re-established the Vedic religion (after a prolonged period of atheistic dominance).

The Vedic superstructure nearly crumbled under the sword of Islam, which defeated the weakening and unpatriotic ruling class and ruled for about 800 years.  The so called Hindus were persecuted and their place of worship and pilgrimages were destroyed. In fact, the entire trace of the ancient civilization was wiped out from the Sindhu valley (now in Pakistan). However, the mechanism of sastra-sadhu-guru was preserved by great teachers like Visnuswami, Ramanuja, Nimbarka and Madhva and the pure theistic message of the Veda was gradually propagated in different parts of the sub-continent. The devotional fervour induced the appearance of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who inaugurated the Sankirtana Movement (the pristine form of Vedic religion recommended for the invincible Kali-yuga) for the deliverance of the entire planet Earth from clutches of nescience.    

Meanwhile, Europe had emerged from the Dark Ages (when knowledge was choked by the doctrines of the Church) and the Crusades (the inconclusive contest of arms between two great Semitic faiths, viz., Christianity and Islam). The project of colonial expansionism took the European adventurers, traders, missionaries and mercenaries to all the continents of the planet and the indigenous cultures alongwith their traditional socio-religious structures and self-sufficient economies succumbed to the European onslaught. Although the physical control over the planet was reluctantly ceded by the Europeans, they continue to control the global knowledge system (elitist culture, school curricula, universities, mass media, pseudo religious institutions, etc.) and people have been turned into consumers to pump profits for the corrupt business class. Therefore, there are so many resistant movements like Jihadism, Maoism, local nationalist insurgencies and civil society protests. However, such forms of material struggles have failed to resolve the real problems of our existence.

Until the late 19th century, the Sankirtana Movement was limited within India, where it got lost amidst the conglomeration of false doctrines (voidism, impersonalism, mysticism, ritualism, casteism, etc.) and illicit practices (Tantric sex, ganja smoking, etc.). Due to the efforts of three great teachers in the lineage of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, viz., Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Prabhupada, the Movement was purged of the degrading elements, institutionalized and then transformed into a global phenomenon.

[Correction in BVF: Tattva-Darsana 1.1: Isopanishad is a part of Shukla Yajur Veda: Vajasaneya Samhita]

The Importance of Veda in the Contemporary Society (I): Validity of the Veda

Saurav Sarmah

CEAS, SIS, JNU

ghimirey2000@gmail.com

Veda means knowledge. The word Veda is related to the Sanskrit root ‘vid’ meaning ‘to know’. So, it encompasses the entire corpus of knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. Actually, knowledge is established through three primary epistemological premises, viz., sense perception, logical-mathematical inference and reliable testimony. However, when a subject employs inductive methodology to acquire knowledge, it is inhibited by four defects, viz., limited senses, illusory perception, mistaken inference and cheating propensity. As a result, inductive methodology cannot reliably establish any type of knowledge, let alone the ultimate conclusions on reality. (For instance, throughout history, men have died and they continue to die; but we can never conclude that man is mortal applying induction because there may be an unidentified man or a future man who will never die).

On the other hand, Veda is ‘apauruseya’ meaning that it is not a composition of any agency, whether human, divine or demonic. Indeed it is co-eternal with God: His very cognitive and contemplative function. Therefore, Veda is untouched by the four defects. The unauthored Veda, also known as ‘sruti’, remains in the mind of God and at the beginning of material creation, He gives this infallible knowledge to the seers or ‘drsta’ in the form of ‘mantra’ or sound vibrations because they are qualified by their sinless character. The entire cosmos along with the laws of nature is designed according to this knowledge. Thereafter, the ‘sruti’ (including both the exact sounds and their meanings) is received by the worthy disciples of the seers through the aural medium and they in turn, instruct the next generation of qualified disciples and so on. Thus, the Veda has been preserved and transmitted through generations in its exact form.

The Veda holds a unique status among all sources of knowledge that it is the authoritative parameter for establishing the validity of any other source of knowledge, which may be based on empiric, rational or prophetic evidence, because the Veda contains the perfect cognition and contemplative logic of God. Hence, even God respects its authority and His statements (like those in Bhagavad Gita) conform to the Vedic conclusions. Only in special circumstances, when He wants to delude the demons that He may criticize the Veda. (For instance, Lord Buddha preached atheism to stop animal slaughter in the pretence of Vedic injunctions).

Moreover, in the absence of Vedic authority, there would only remain contending and evolving schools of thought, with their separate gods, prophets, theologians, philosophers, etc. As a result, it would be impossible to create a universal standard of morality and the society would gradually degenerate to moral relativism, which means, each person would abide by his own whims and societal consensus, although uncertain and unreliable, would assume the guise of authority.

Due to the existence of the stated properties, the Vedic injunctions have to be accepted as self-evident or axiomatic standard of reality. However, one need not accept the Vedic authority on blind faith. It is not a revelation to a single person or a group of persons at a particular point in history and at a particular geographical location. It is an eternal tradition of plurality, which is based, not only on philosophical disputation but also progressive levels of self-realization. We can accept the Veda only if the stated results of its injunctions, according to the merit of place, time and object, are attained. Throughout the Vedic history, we have many instances of personalities who have lived according to the Vedic standard and achieved proper results, including the most conclusive realization of direct audience with God. Thus, the validity of Veda is established.