Is India Facing a New Enemy?

suchandra · June 21, 2007

Many Vaishnavas are worried about an apparent injustice in the world, writing articles like Gouranga Kishore das about 0.001% owning 99.9% of the world's riches. This is, however, how this material world functioned since millions of years. When Lord Caitanya appeared in a Muslim regime - there was surely all kind of oppression against the Hindus going on - but is it mentioned in the Gaudiya Vaishnava literature? The only thing what is mentioned, devotee means to tolerate the dualities of this world and that it is our karma. Is India facing a new enemy? This should be rather the exact resultant reactions of past activities and as Prabhupada says, "trying to improve your material situation is the business of rascals".

IS INDIA FACING A NEW ENEMY

<table class="contentpaneopen"><tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top" width="70%"> Written by The Editor

http://www.vina.cc/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=234 </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" class="createdate" valign="top"> Tuesday, 19 June 2007 </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">

Hundred years ago most Hindus lived on a vegetarian diet, worshiped their deity, studied the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana and other Vedic scriptures, chanted mantras and lived in harmony with nature, animals and humans. India has a rich spiritual living tradition which flourished and survived even during twelve centuries of foreign suppression. Although the religions of the Old Testament (Judeo-Christianity & Islam) invaded India to destroy Hindu culture, and they were successful to some extent, their final goal was not achieved. Hinduism survived and in 1947 India became the largest democracy on this planet.

Surprisingly after India regained its independence it started to loose interest for its own spiritual tradition and practices. Shouldn’t India be happy to be free again? Sure it was, but then shouldn’t it dance in ecstasy and embrace it’s rich ancient tradition with more enthusiasm? During the last 60 years of independence more Hindus have abandoned their spiritual values than during twelve centuries of foreign rule. (forced conversions do not count)

During the last 60 years of independence more Hindus have abandoned their spiritual values than during twelve centuries of foreign rule. (forced conversions do not count)

It would be foolish to think that this is happening by chance. An ancient spiritual tradition does not disappear by itself at a point where it should be flourishing. So what is going on?Basically the followers of the Old Testament have not given up. They have found new and more effective ways to attack "pagan religions". One of their key weapon has become their multinational Media companies. The Television and Print Media is a great means of molding popular opinion and they have been very successful so far.

The first movies to be produced in India were religious movies about the life of Sri Krishna (Mahabharata) and Sri Rama (Ramayana). This is what the religious minded people wanted to see, their real heroes Whom they worshipped for so many centuries, and no doubt to see Them moving on Television was very attractive and thats how Television became popular in India. What the innocent population did not know was that the TV program was slowly to be changed as multinational Media companies started to establish their presence on the indian TV market. These Media companies know very well how people can be influenced to change their habits and beliefs by watching Television. Of course, to satisfy the Hindu population spiritual programs are still being broadcasted and the simple laymen might think that things are still alright. But how can a child or spiritually uneducated person differentiate what is good or bad if at morning the TV shows a sadhu reciting Vedic scriptures and singing mantras, at night a soap opera shows a husband having an affair with another woman and this is praised as real love, while the grandmother in the background is worshipping Sita-Ram? And at other times Hindu teens are shown going to McDonalds ordering a Chicken Burger with Coca Cola. How can a child differentiate what is right or wrong if Mother says one thing and Father says another thing? It cannot, because both are his parents and the child is bound to become confused.

“While one can always explain a camera's intrusion into some facets of social upheaval as necessary in this age of information, the machine has the power — at least in the hands of an unfeeling individual — to facilitate rank invasion. The pictures that emerge can, then, be a source of provocation rather than pacifism.

Now, with children being some of the most eager spectators, screen horror, especially such liberal doses of it that is being beamed, has the potential to impair an impressionable mind. A recent survey by the Centre for Advocacy and Research along with Unesco and Unicef in some major Indian cities, including Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Hyderabad, found that the young had become more addicted to gruesome serials during the past several months. Television has in its own largely irresponsible manner tried to "satisfy" this apparently insatiable appetite that boys and girls have developed... A mother, for example, feels no remorse after murdering her son in a popular Hindi drama. There is a lot more destructiveness and brutality in some of the other serials. What is upsetting about this is that the perpetrators of crime are presented as heroes — polished, suave, rich and beautiful — and children are naturally bewildered when they find it hard to distinguish between the reel and the real world.” (The Hindu)

The Television is no doubt a great technical invention and if it is used to elevate the viewer it can be a good tool. But we should be aware that these multinational Media companies are working hard, investing billions of dollars, to get their message of materialism through.

India and other countries have suffered for centuries under merciless, religious bigots, but India's spiritual tradition could not be destroyed until today because purity is there, saints are there to protect the sanatan dharma. We can only pray to the pure saints and Krishna to protect us from these strong influences, which have spread so successfully in India and elsewhere, and to enlighten us on our spiritual path.

"To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." (Bhagavad Gita 10.11)

"Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion." (Bhagavad Gita 18.78)

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Guruvani · June 21, 2007

There is nothing that is going to turn the tide of Kali Yuga. Time marches on.

Nothing will change until a major cataclysmic event occurs and alters the course of mankind.

Talking about it isn't going to change anything.

India has suffered in poverty for centuries and there is nothing that is going to change their pursuit of modern advancement of technology.

But, Pakistan could fall to the Islamic militants someday and then they will have an arsenal of nukes.

One thing for sure, sooner or later there will be a major event that will smash the modern materialistic culture and those that are left behind will have to pursue a less aggressive way of materialistic civilization.

I wouldn't even count out a major Volcanic erruption (or two) that puts Earth into another ice age.

Sooner or later something major is going to happen.