Respect for Language

Sentiment is a big word. No law, no order, no constitution can be override a sentiment attached to some belief or region, or language. Recent controversy in Maharashtra on Jaya Bachchan’s statement is a stark example. 

Jaya Bachchan was reported to have said - “I am from Uttar Pradesh and so will speak Hindi”. As per Raj Thackeray, this amounts to disrespect for Marathi. His supporters torn off the posters of Bachchans’ movies and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) decided to boycott their movies. 

Hue and cry raised on Jaya Bachchan’s statement was completely beyond any logical understanding. At the first place, if one does not know the local language, he himself will face problems. He/she will face difficulties in day to day communication (maid, shops, conveyance, etc). Knowing the local language is always a plus, as one can correlate with people in a better way. But ultimately advantage or disadvantage of speaking or not speaking a language is for the person. It cannot be other way round. Language cannot be at disadvantage by somebody not speaking it. 

Marathi (or any other language) as a language is great in itself, and does not need any endorsement for whether it is respectable or not. If somebody does not speak Marathi, the language is far too great to be affected by it. If Marathi could speak, it would have said to Jaya Bachchan – “Ok, don’t speak me, it doesn’t matter. But if you speak, it would be nice and I will give you my affection.” 

Then, what is the reason for a fraction of people feeling insulted. Let us consider the ways, in which somebody can insult a language. A person may criticize the language based on its words or grammar or vocabulary, or usage of words or sentence formation. A creative criticism should be welcomed to enrich the language. 

Somebody may make a superfluous mockery about the language or its contents. There are two ways to face this mockery. If it is intended for fun, it can be enjoyed by all in good spirits. If it is intended to insult the language, the statement can be countered by giving factual information and inviting a debate on the matter. Vandalism, destruction, boycott only prove that one has lost ability to think rationally. Nobody can be stopped from saying or doing anything, neither can be compelled to say or do anything, except if it can result into real and grave threat. 

In Jaya Bachchan’s case, where is the threat? By whom, and to whom? Is this threat real or just an illusion in mind? She did not say a single word about Marathi, far from anything against it. She did not say anything, which would lower the respect of other people for Marathi. She did not mock at the language. Then what is the problem? 

The problem is Raj Thackeray and company themselves do not have any respect for the language. They are dependent on others for respect of Marathi. If a person from Delhi and UP speaks Marathi, they will feel proud, if they don’t, they will be disappointed. They do not have any respect for the language and want to derive it out of others. And they are not much different. We all do the same thing at national level. Whenever foreigners talks about yoga or speaks a couple of Hindi words, we jump with so called proud. Are we waiting for others to approve our languages or we ourselves will do something about it?

Language is not respected by forcing others to use it. A language is respected when rich work is performed in it, classic literature is created, heart winning movies are made, great theatrical performances are shown, its vocabulary is enriched or when its public usage is facilitated (not compelled). When Devaki Nandan Khatri wrote ‘Chandrakanta’, people learnt Hindi specially to read it. Why doesn’t Shiv Sena or MNS take up something like this? Why don’t they encourage great works to be done in Marathi? No, they will not do that for two reasons. First, threatening people, vandalizing shops and tearing posters is much easier than doing something creative like that. Second, they will not get so much political publicity in doing creative stuff, as they get in raising these unproductive controversies. 

And if anybody thinks that by compelling people to use or speak a language, he is respecting it, he would better think again. You compel a child to go to temple and he will make sure that he never ever passes through the temple. You compel him to give respect to you, and he will never listen to you. Human beings are free spirits by nature and more you force them, more they will resist. If you want respect for language, develop the language in a way that people start using it automatically. Shiv Sena and MNS may compel people to utter a few Marathi words or to put signboards in Marathi, but they will not create a place for Marathi language in people’s heart. This compulsion can never result into deep respect for language, rather it will get a bad name because of these people. 

And while this self appointed cultural police claims to protect the respect for Marathi language, they crumble the respect of India as a united nation, by bringing division based on language and region. They insult constitution, which allows each citizen freedom to express freely, irrespective of language. They insult the integrity of nation by restricting free movement across states. And they insult their own region and language by indulging in such activities and spreading a bad name for the entire state and community. 

And, finally if they aim at gaining some political ground by using these cheap tactics, they better get their notions corrected. Just look around for comments on these activities and they will find that most of the Marathi speaking population is against their unreasonable actions.

DHARMA

“Do something for your Atma. All these things will stay here, only your Karma will go with you. Do something for Dharma” I was coming out of a temple and one of the elderly ladies (quite known in the religious circle) was telling this. I have heard the same stuff number of times and more it is said, more superficial and meaningless it sounds.

It is Paryushan now and everywhere there are talks about Dharma. Suddenly everybody has become Dharmic. I hear people talking about Tapasya and their way of talking reflects that it is something really great. People are fasting (ranging from half day to a month) and everybody is supposed to believe that they are doing something great. After all, they are ‘not eating’. It is so difficult to be hungry, because you may die out of hunger. And, your senses are not so strong enough to let you remain hungry. It is a victory over senses.

Then they talk about remembering by heart all the processes and verses. I have realized that measurement of how much spiritual a child is, lies in his ability to mug up the Chinese-Japanese sounding words without understanding them and his parents’ ability to persuade him to do that.

There are people taking long trips to Teerth. Many of them are ‘known’ to have taken those trips every year (or even every month). And there are people who do everyday Pooja or go to temple everyday. Then there is elite class, which can boast of donating. Their names can be seen on every nook and corner of the temples and dharmashalas.. These look like the mini version of corporate hoardings on the cricket ground or in a musical concert.

And I only end up feeling surprised and confused and sometimes averse. Initially when people spoke to me about these so called ‘Dharmic’ activities, it was ‘so what’ at first and now it is ‘bullshit’. I might sound too harsh on this, but the way things are, you can’t help feeling frustrated. It may be bad not to follow Dharma. But it is foolish and disastrous to follow something for the sake of and in the illusion of Dharma. And this may be fine if we do it only to show others. The real danger is when we also start believing that this is spirituality. We deceive ourselves, lie to ourselves and then we say we are Dharmic. What a paradox!!

Another day, we friends were discussing and agreed that recent times has seen rise in religious activities. It was quite surprising, because you do not find any symptom of spirituality around. The pace at which mistrust, hatred, impatience and violence at all levels are increasing and taking newer shapes every day, people cannot be said to have become more spiritual. But everywhere you find people performing activities related to ‘God and Dharma’. Now the question arises - why these activities are not leading to Dharma or spirituality; why these do not generate good (if not great) human beings? Is performing these rituals giving people, what they really want? Is there any flaw in people’s thinking and beliefs? What is the parameter to see if things are going in the right direction?

Let us start from the beginning. Why at all there should be any drama of religion and god like this? What difference does it make if there is no religious activity? What if people never knew that there is any god or dharma. How the world would have been different?

I believe that it would have made a huge difference. Human beings (I am not sure about other living beings) can live and act at their ‘ego’ level or at ‘self’ level. Generally they keep swinging between the two and mostly inclined towards the first. In extreme situations they act totally at ego level. It is Dharma only, which is keeping the ‘self’ alive. Dharma, left in whatever form, is the only reason for things not going totally chaotic. Once this remaining Dharma is lost, the world will collapse. As we move away from ‘self’, all complications like ego, hatred and violence arise. If one is based in self, peace and harmony will automatically start showering.

Now what is the relation between living at ‘self’ level and Dharma. Dharma is defined as the basic nature of any person or object. To know and to reach the basic nature, that is, to reach the self is Dharma. Everybody can have a unique way to reach there and we all should strive to find that way. We are all different, so paths are also different.

It may happen that somebody else’s path appeals to us. We find that the other has gained something when he walked on a particular path and it feels like we can also gain something. So we decide to give it a try and when we gain from it, we feel overjoyed. We feel so thankful to the person that he seems like everything to us. We want to thank him, honour him, worship him. We give him flowers, we touch his feet and just try to thank him for what he did to us unintentionally.

It is surprising that today people are doing all this without feeling thankful and overjoyed. And how can they be thankful or overjoyed if they have not gained anything. And if they have not got anything, why are they doing all this drama? Have we not skipped a very important step before doing all the religious activities – to follow a path somebody walked? Only then worshipping has some meaning.

Even if we feel that something will come to us later and so we feel thankful today, are we sure that the path used by Mahaveer or by Jesus or by Buddha is the one for us? Just because we are born into a particular family or society or country, can we take it for granted, without using our own understanding? Ok, let us assume that you are a Jain and Mahaveer’s path is best for you. Then what are you doing here in temple praising him? He will be best honoured if you follow the path he showed. All the great souls will even be more honoured if you search for your own path. This is what they did.

Mahaveer created his own path. He wanted to go in search of truth, but his mother said no. He stayed back. That was his path of non-violence, by not hurting others even by saying no. When everybody agreed, he left home and moved to forests. At one point, he did not feel the need of clothes, so he did not bother to have any. He roamed in jungles and did not feel like eating much, so he did not eat.

He used hunger as a means and saw the effect of hunger on his body. How it reacts? How it craves for food? He remained neutral looking at the bodily activities impartially, while the old karmas kept rising in the form of emotions, pain, irritation, uneasiness and so on. He kept watching. He gradually started realizing the whole pattern. He could see the clouds disappearing gradually and light coming. As the karmas kept dissolving, he progressed to reach to the real self.

He found that when he is hungry, the karma comes out easily and more visibly and thus can be dissolved more effectively. He realized that as he dissolved karma, he became more clear about the truth. He knew himself better and could understand the life around more clearly. He was not burdened with unnecessary thoughts and preconceived notions. He was free from thoughts. He was in the moment. He could really enjoy that moment. There was no karma element, driving him into sad situations, by coming out in the form of emotions like anger, jealousy or fear.

He realized that fear is possible only if we cling to something. It is not the fear of losing something, but the exaggerated reaction of ours which is the problem. It is good to have sound health, but an addiction to talk on health and worrying about it can drive you and others crazy. It is good to know that snake can bite you and so be careful while it is around. But it is hysterical to run away from a rope, imagining it to be snake. It is the fear, the preconceived notions, karma elements, which generate that imagination.

When fear arises, it is better to be afraid than to suppress it by trying to prove that I am not afraid. The best way is to watch the fear. It gradually dissolves and what remains is only the fact. Ok this is snake, so what should I do? Should I run away or kill it or pray before it or put some other food items for it. You can think rightly only if you are free of karma. When there are no clouds of karma on you, then only the ‘self’ can think, act and say correctly. So the whole essence is to free the ‘self’ from karma and that is called Dharma.

How should one go about doing it? One of the most widely used techniques is to watch the Karmas and dissolve them. However, it is not so easy. Even those who know about it, get deluded. So there are many techniques given by evolved people. Most of these are meant to prepare us so that we become able to witness karmas.

Somebody said, surrender yourself to God. Now, what does it mean? If you surrender yourself to god, then there is nothing of yours – no property, relationships or even your thoughts and emotions. A true surrender will free yourself from holding and clinging to anything - thoughts, worries, body diseases. At this point, you just watch. You don’t do anything, but just become a spectator. And in those watching moments, you can see karmas dissolving and you getting nearer to the ‘self’.

Somebody says, do fasting. When you decide not to take food for a particular period or take only specific food, something magical happens immediately. You had been obeying demands for food from body and mind all these days. They were masters and you were a servant. Suddenly by deciding, by taking a resolution, you become the master. It immediately gives you a transformation. It immediately revives you. It immediately makes you strong and slaves become slaves.

Then at some point, you feel hungry. This means karmas are coming out and this is the time to watch them. In normal routine, these karmas do not come out. They are lying deep. Only in extreme situation these will come out and at that time, you will overreact on the situation (leading to more karmas). So, here is the time. Watch them and dissolve them. Whenever you are not happy or feel sad or hurt, that is the best time to watch for karma. When you feel joy you cannot make yourself to watch karmas and they will not easily come out at that time. So watch for these moments. Fasting is nothing, but a means to create that situation.

Somebody says, repeat verses or some special words or chant some bhajans, etc. What happens when you do this? As you go on repeating, after sometime, you will keep repeating it, but your mind will be in the market or fighting with some friend or seeing some beautiful girl or playing some game. This is what happens most of the times and you feel happy that you chanted Ram Naam thousand times.

The intention here is like this. When you chant and repeat the verses, watch the chanting and the words. When you keep repeating, the efforts are not required in remembering. After sometime, it becomes automatic and effortless. Then comes the important step. If you are not conscious, then you will slip into day dreaming. But if you keep yourself alert, you will start witnessing the chanting and the words. Then you will realize that you are not doing it, it is happening. Then you see that you are watching and it is happening. And suddenly you are detached from the activity. Suddenly you go beyond your illusory self. Suddenly you know yourself as a distinct entity. And then everything becomes clear. From here the journey to realize the self starts. Bhajans, shlokas, names, whatever you chant or repeat, all have same effect.

There is no Dharma out there to protect you from accidents or death or to give you profit in business or to clear your exams or to give you a good wife or husband or to get your daughter married or to win you a lottery. Dharma can just let you meet yourself and to help you become free from slavery of emotional, mental and bodily demands and pressures, which exist in you in the form of karmic elements. Yes that’s it. Those who really know, understand that it is ‘everything’.

He is mean to me

If somebody feels that people are making fool of him or people are mean to him, the total fault is of the person himself and nobody else. Fault is not about doing something for people who do not value it or try to take advantage out of it. But fault is of doing something and feeling bad about it depending on the reactions of others.

It is true that we all expect people to respond properly for something done by us. It is very normal to feel bad when you know that people are taking advantage out of your generosity.

But first of all, let us see what we are doing? We feel like doing something. We feel like doing it because we wanted to do it. We do it. Now we should be happy about following our heart, about taking an action which WE wanted to take. But what we do - We try to get the acknowledgement from others. Nothing wrong in that. We should take reactions from people. But problem is it goes to the extent that our future actions become dependent on it? So if somebody gave a return smile, we will smile again, but if somebody didn’t, we will hate his face (many times we do not know what was the reason of him not smiling).

Similarly, many times we think that the other person is being mean to us. But it is always better to understand it completely before making interpretation. It is even better to talk it out. But we do not do that, we are more comfortable assuming things, than opening up and saying things as they are.

And it may be that person is trying to take undue advantage of us. but how can a person make us do something which we did not want to do? And if we wanted to do something, and he is taking advantage out of it, let him take. How are we bothered about it? If we feel that something should be done for the other, let’s not do it. But doing it and then cribbing – isn’t it fooling ourselves?

Another aspect of such cases is - it is not only that other people are mean in these cases, but many times person makes himself gullible to such things. He will have a self image of being good to others. He secures acceptability from doing things for others. Now even if he knows that other people are taking advantage of him, he will not have courage to come out and say 'this is enough'. He will continue doing that and will keep cribbing on the back. He will not break his image of being nice and will continue his goody things. He will not understand that by winning others acceptability he is losing self respect. Now if he does not have courage to follow his heart, how can he blame others? The people who support his goody actions, may seem like his friend but they make him even weaker. The reactions they get is rather a good trigger to know that you are following your heart and falling into other’s trap.

They say, if stone and glass crashes and glass breaks, it is not because of stone, but the nature of the glass. This may sound very rude, but it is the fact. This is not to support the mean actions of others. There is no doubt that we all should have gratitude to goodness done to us. But point is, we can’t go and change the world to react as what we wish. We can only work to become strong enough to face any foolish, stupid, mean or shrewd behaviour.

There are people who know what they are doing and are happy about it irrespective of what others say or do about it. They do their part, let people do their own. Everybody is free to do what he or she wishes. If we start bothering about reactions of others, we cannot move even a single step. Everybody has his own way of thinking.

Yes, it is difficult to do acts independent of other’s reactions. But this difficulty is just an illusion. Ask a person (or ask yourself), who has been spoiling his hours and days remembering other’s reactions. Ask him, by doing that what he has done to himself and his time. Is it not difficult to spend time like this? I think doing what we want to do and leaving reactions to other’s choices is much easier. It’s only a matter of knowing it.

Kissa Kalam Ka

Story dates back to the time when India had just got the independence and villages were waking up on call for growth. Rampur village in Eastern Uttar Pradesh was one of the such villages, where people were looking at development activities with wonderment. People did not know what they were supposed to do and what does all these activities mean for them. What they could make out from speeches was that they will be not be hungry afterwards and they will be protected from floods, winter and heavy rains. People in white dresses came and talked about eliminating poverty and providing basic amenities. Talks sounded good and unconvincing at the same time. But villagers listened to the talks with curiosity and tried to understand as much as possible.

During last few days, they learnt a new term, Literacy. They were told that if they can write their names, they will become literate. People did not know what it means to write or read, but were in awe about the whole campaign. Loudspeakers declared the importance of being literate. It was told that it will bring more freedom and power to them. The words sounded nice and all were curious to know more.

However, there was nobody, who could answer their questions. Leaders came and made long speeches in praise of literacy. Auto Rikshaws with loud speakers came making various announcements. but nobody told them the meaning of literacy or how to become literate.

There were few enthusiastic youngsters who were very much fascinated with the idea of literacy. Then there were few others who showed no interest. Rest of then were ready to go into any conveneint direction.

So these enthusiasts attended all the speeches and listened to all announcements. They saw all the coloured papers which the volunteers brought with them. They were trying to make sense out of the pieces of information.

One prominent thing they realised during all these days is that there is something called Kalam (Pen), which is used for writing. It is very powerful instrument. Pen is inevitable for writing. People with pen are the literate people.

They could find mention of Kalam in all speeches. One of the volunteers showed them the picture of Kalam in one of the banners, they had brought. It looked great and villagers saw it with awe of unattainability.

Within two months after their first introduction to Kalam, all villagers were convinced that they need Kalam to be literate, most of them even convinced that it is very difficult to get it. Kalam was talked inside homes, among friends, on Chaupal and on every corner. As they talked and wondered about Kalam without knowing what exactly it is, Kalam became more even more awesome and unattainable. People dreamt of having a big Kalam. Childeren made Kalam models with wood and played with it.

Then, the enthusiasts started getting restless. They decided that they will get the Kalam and become literate. They realised that kalam being such an important instrument will require lot of hard work to get. You must sacrifice a lot to earn this instrument. So they worked harder in fields to earn more and to save more. They walked to nearby places in search of Kalam. But as all the places in their reach were no different, so they could not find Kalam there. 

Then elections got over and people from capital cities in white dress stopped coming there. Everything came back to the same old way and people started back their old life. Years went by like this but the memory of Kalam remained with them. They could not forget what a precious object it is and they wondered if they would ever get it. 

Then one day a young engineer entered Rampur. He was on a country wide vacation trip and wanted to explore far off villages. He liked Rampur and decided to stay there for 3 days. Being a friendly and knowledgeable person, he immediately made friends and fans in youngsters and children. People liked him when he talked about how world is progressing and how we are getting modern. People had awed expressions – they believed him that what he is talking is true, and without any reason, they knew that these things are distant like moon for them. 

Then somebody brought out the topic of Kalam, as if taking out the precious box buried in the soiled courtyard for decades.  Our young engineer was surprised with the reverence people had for Kalam. He remembered something. He had a good collection of pens after being at so many places. He thought it would be a good idea to gift pens to these people as a return gift for their hospitality. 

He took out his collection and offered a pen to each of them. People were stunned and surprised. They could not speak a word. They had been waiting to get Kalam for such a long time and it is here suddenly. Is it a dream? Some people became emotional and kept the gift with full gratification. A few were confused – what to do now when they have got it? How is it going to help them? 

Our young enthusiast noticed a group in the corner discussing something. They looked concerned. He asked if he can help anyway. One of them got up hesitantly. He had suspicion in eyes. 

“This is not real” he said. 

“What is not real.” 

“This Kalam cannot be real. We know it is a great object and it cannot be so easily available” 

“Yes, it is great and it is easily available.” 

“No, you think that we are villagers and so you are fooling us with this log of metal. How can we believe you?”

 “This is Kalam and it can write and that is the proof.” 

He drew a figure and wrote few words on paper. People looked on with curiosity. 

“Even my charcoal can do this.” The same fellow started again. 

“True” 

“So what is great in this?” 

“I don’t understand what greatness you are talking about?” 

“We were told that we will become literate with Kalam. Can this piece you gave us will make us literate?” 

“Yes, but you will have to learn it. And you do not need Kalam. You can lbe literate even with your charcoal.” 

“Enough. This person is misguiding us and is equating Kalam with Charcoal. Every person in the village knows, what a great object Kalam is. We have been using charcoal for ages and have remained in the same misery.  If you do not have Kalam, better not cheat us with these useless materials.” 

“I am not cheating you and I am telling you the truth” 

“You gave us a ordinary piece of coal, named it Kalam and trying to become a hero. Why should we believe you? 

“See, you want to become literate. I can tell you how you can learn it.” 

“We all know that Kalam will make us literate. Why do we need to learn or do anything? Boy, stop fooling around with us and better tell your real motive.” 

“I just want to help you.” 

“Are you trying to fill our mind with knowledge from your materialistic and immoral world and destroy our great culture? I think, I am getting your motive now.” 

Our young man could see the friendly shine in eyes of people around turning into hostile fire. Even people who were happy initially now looked at him suspiciously, if not with hatred. He still tried to convince them that literacy is not a distant dream and not a hard task. It is achievable by learning and discipline. They do not necessarily need Kalam for that. Kalam does not make them literate. Person has to work for it and nobody else can do it for them. 

But he realized that with every word of him, people are getting more restless. He was disappointed with the way people had created image of Kalam in mind, without understanding its real meaning and the meaning of literacy. 

At last, he found himself helpless and decided to leave with heavy heart. Villagers of Rampur returned to their homes trying to convince themselves that they had averted an attack on their true beliefs. 

They are still waiting for the KALAM.