An ideology is a tool or road map to guide a society to bring about social change. Without an ideology a group would be challenged to develop their society. It is like a farmer wanting to cultivate a parcel of land but is bereft of tools.
What I am witnessing is a kind of an animal existence, that is, looking forward to the next meal without any higher goals. In fact, man’s existence has been reduced to fulfilling his natural urges and more so, with a drive to fulfil them using the meanest methods.
The BJP/RSS offers a ray of hope to Indian society. They are implementing a Hindu ideology drawn from the Hindu scriptures and developed through the modern age by ideologues such as Veer Sarvakar, Deen Dayal Upadya and M.S. Golwakar.
Our politicians, leaders and heads of households need an ideological map to steer forward toward a goal. The purushartas or the four goals of life is one such prescription to guide society. The purushartas lays down moksha or liberation as the goal and dharma or righteous living as the foundation. The pursuit of wealth and pleasure is circumscribed by dharma and moksha. To pursue wealth and pleasure at the expense of dharma and moksha is like a river breaching its banks, a calamity we experienced in the recent floods.
The ashramas or the four stages of life is another ideological bedrock of Hindu dharma. Bramacharaya or student life is practiced until age 25, followed by house holder life until age 50-60 when the individual begins to gradually relinquish his attachment to his family to total renunciation to prepare for the afterlife.
A casual look at the ashramas and purushartas would reveal that there are many benefits to be derived from them if followed. For example, our youths must be made conscious of using their early life to strengthen discipline and engage in learning. Today, many individuals have wasted their youthful years in fun and merriment instead of pursuing learning.
Detachment or renunciation of ties with family is essential. If followed this is supposed to keep us on the pursuit of moksha or liberation. Far too many of us are still engaged in pursuit of personal wealth after retirement rather than finding time to serve voluntarily in social and cultural organizations. For example, a retired accountant can lend his expertise to help small businesses to better manage their accounts. James Tuitt, the first principal of Williamsville Secondary School, served in the in the southern branch of the Teachers’ Credit Union after retirement until his passing in his 90s.
Religion is the seeking of liberation and not a social event. Unfortunately, too many Hindus have come to relegate worship to a social event. Meditation, japam and chanting are obfuscated with fashion show, decorations, and sumptuous meals. Going to a pooja or interfaith service hardly provides an awakening of consciousness. Worship should not be used as an avenue to display material success.
The pursuit of pleasure is naked monkeying around. Classical dance, music, and songs are no longer treasured as our taste buds have grown coarser. Pleasure is today a drink-up with loud music. Filmi music is no longer the first choice but chutney with no holds barred; dance has no steps but only gyrating the waist. What is most appalling is that father, mother, daughter, son, and neighbor, all lap up this abhorrence with relish.
Learning or braminical pursuit is no longer the aspiration of the youths. Knowledge and money are interchangeable. Learning is equated with income and our brightest minds pursue professions with the hope to get rich overnight. And just as a jockey would poke his horse to reach the finish line so also children are harassed by their parents to accumulate wealth. Enjoying what one does is not of importance, but the remuneration or revenue derived.
Politics is not development; it is staying in power by distributing welfare. A robust welfare program is the sole strategy to win power. Running deficit budget and borrowing money is the norm. Hard work is never prescribed for success; you just dress for the role-clothes maketh the man and association with the right people.
The runaway crime that we are witnessing is not a lightning from the blue but a social scourge that our politicians have cultivated over the years. In the haste to win elections, politicians pursued vote banks instead of a policy of self-help. Today the chickens are coming home to roost and to the detriment of all.