Posted by Amit Kalra on November 6, 2009 at 6:00pm
“We are developing”, this is what in general, modern youth say and think that people abroad are highly developed. Yes, they are developed, but only in subjects of matter. They are better than us in manipulating the matter and produce artificial gadgets without which also, we can live very peacefully.We have two options: Either stick with natural, spiritual, pleasing (to soul), highly healthy, hygienic and meaningful Vedic culture of Bharat-varsha or try to imitate the western culture without thinking of the consequences.We may see the immediate comforts and sense-enjoyment available in western style of living. But we have to consider the price what we have to pay for it. Yes, nothing comes free of cost. The westerners have already paid this price. The very substance of happiness comes through deep relationships among personalities. Due to this economic development, relationships in western world have become very superficial. Now, no more deep relationships exist among followers of the highly paced western civilization. Consequently, people are not happy and they have become too much dependent on artificial gadgets in order to forget temporarily their loneliness and boredom. If we also, imitate the westerners, then definitely soon we will face same shallow relationships and frustration arising out of it.Education is meant for improving the standard or quality of life. It should enhance the good qualities of the student. However, modern education system is degrading the qualities of the present student generation. Because, it teaches only the “art of exploitation” for personal sense-enjoyment i.e. eating, mating, sleeping and defending. It could be exploitation of people, resources etc. This education has made serious false propaganda that “sense-enjoyment is the topmost priority of life and those who are not able to achieve it, they are considered to be failed.” Management Gurus teach that, “You are able to exploit better so, you are better manager”. This false propaganda has conditioned people so much that they are committing suicide if they are not able to achieve sense-enjoyment.This has impacted the natural sense of humour of the modern youth also. Nowadays, sense of humour of modern youth is totally based on making fun of others or personal sense-enjoyment, both of these activities involves exploitation. If we observe closely two youth talking and laughing, then we can analyse that they are either making fun of others or enjoying their senses together (senses include both gross and subtle like mind). People are conditioned in such a way that they do not know any other natural way to get happiness. Isn’t it so nasty or harsh way of getting happiness? In fact, modern etiquette gurus teach to maintain artificial smile on the face to win people, however inside the person may be crying out of dissatisfaction.Due to modern education which teaches “how to exploit better”, the friendship also has become dependent on two criteria, first-“both of the friends are good at having fun together (as mentioned above) and they do not interfere each other in their personal sense-enjoyment” and second-“they can be useful to each other in fulfilling some material motives or desires”. How much present relationships have begun to become superficial or empty? The relationships have already started to become shallow as we can observe brothers killing each other, neighbours staying like strangers etc. However, true friends always try to ensure real welfare of each other endlessly in all the circumstances, but unfortunately nowadays people, in general, do not know what the real welfare is.Prahlad Maharaj had learnt in the womb of his mother, the science of God. As he explains in Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.7.39räyah kalatraam pasavah sutädayogrhä mahi kunjara-kosa-bhütayahsarve 'rtha-kämäh ksaëa-bhanguräyusahkurvanti martyasya kiyat priyam calähTranslation:One's riches, beautiful wife and female friends, one's sons and daughters, one's residence, one's domestic animals like cows, elephants and horses, one's treasury, economic development and sense gratification—indeed, even the lifetime in which one can enjoy all these material opulences—are certainly temporary and flickering. Since the opportunity of human life is temporary, what benefit can these material opulences give to a sensible man who has understood himself to be eternal?This verse describes that economic development may be pleasing for some time, but it cannot endure.What to do: We must add the Vedic education given in scriptures like Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam from bona-fide sources in our knowledge base. Then we can become naturally happy.The pure souls are eternally in love with Krishna, God and this permanent love, either as a servant, a friend, a parent or a conjugal lover, is not at all difficult to revive. Especially in this age, the concession is that simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra (harer näma harer näma harer nämaiva kevalam [Cc. Ädi 17.21]) one revives his original relationship with God and thus becomes so happy that he does not want anything material. As enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu, na dhanaà na janam na sundarim kavitäm vä jagad-esh kämaye [Cc. Antya 20.29, Sikshataka 4]. A very advanced devotee in Krsna consciousness does not want riches, followers or possessions. Räyah kalatram pasavah sutädayo grhä mahi kunjara-kosa-bhütayah. The satisfaction of possessing material opulences, although perhaps of a different standard, is available even in the lives of dogs and hogs, who cannot revive their eternal relationship with Kåñëa, God.In human life, however, our eternal, dormant relationship with Krishna is possible to revive. Consequently, instead of wasting our full time and energy for economic development, which cannot give us any happiness, if we simply try to revive our eternal relationship with Krishna, we will properly utilize our lives. We are highly developed as we have taken rare birth as human and especially in India, the spiritual head-quarter of the world. We do not realize that this is the best combination but we think otherwise.Simply by setting the “Re-establishment of dormant loving relationship with Lord”, as our topmost priority and using the available economic and material advancement for the said topmost priority, we can get success. Only we have to decide, whether we want to enjoy the temporary and flickering sense-enjoyment or eternal loving relationship in association of Lord and His devotees.
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