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The
Science Of Religion - Need Of The Hour
Times of India
“Revered
scriptures and particularly the vedantic treatises discuss
and dwell upon two facets of religion - the ethnical and the
scientific. All popular religions in the world are varied
expressions of Eternal Religion - Sanatana Dharma and thus,
have ethnical tag attached to them. This is so because they
represent ethnical distinctions of religion. God is one but
deities are many. Likewise, religion is one but sects are
many. The varied expressions in the world represent the
ethnical dimesion of Eternal Religion which is Oneness. The
ethnical religion bind us in the constraints of birth,
choicelessness and absense of spirit of inquiry. Each
religion in the world, no doubt professes freedom and spirit
of inquiry in its own way.
Notwithstanding this, the fact remains that in ethical
religion, we impose restrictions and barriers of sorts. The
so called custodians of religious have to accept the blame
for hampering the individual growth aimed at entering the
sphere of " Oneness" of all, irrespective of caste, colour,
creed, faith and nationality. The ethnical dimension is
often guilty of nurturing sectarian and parochial feeling
which is the greatest obstacle to achieving the goal of "
one global family". This approach and dimensions is
responsible for numerous human maladies today.
Alas! we
have shut ourselves in the narrow confines of man - made
religions. Due to this entanglement, our condition is like
the caterpillar who gets entangled in its self - woven
cocoon. We too are caught in the clutches of ethnical
aspects of religion. Just as the caterpillar develops into a
butterfly bursting the cocoon to enjoy freedom, we too can
get across the meshes of ethnical dimensions of man - made
religions by imbibing eternal religion which is essentially
knowing and realising God within this human body. Remember,
if we remain confined to ethnical dimensions of religion, we
would start as ' believers' and end up as ' believers' only.
Contrary to "belief theory" of ethnical religion, the
science of religion prompts mankind to seek and enquire into
the Absolute, the Ultimate, the Supreme Brahman. One is
transformed into an inquirer, a seeker and a experimenter of
the inner world of ultimate reality.
We have
made rapid strides in the field of science and technology
including space exploration, we have left the scientific
dimension of religion unexplored. This dimensions of the
inner world - the hinterland of our own consciousness can
alone unite us with our origin - the fountainhead of eternal
bliss - paramatman. Inner world of conciousness is terra
incognita (unexplored region) to mankind. That is why the
science of religion is need of the hour. It is high time
that religion is taught as a science of experience. Trans
-dichotomous experience of cosmic conciousness is a pre -
requisite of inquiry, exploration and journey into the
metaphysical world of ultimate reality.
The
aforesaid discussion takes us to a very pertinent question.
What is God realisation? Is it merely oral doses of
scriptures and moral, ethical and spiritual values? If not,
what constitutes eternal religion and the science of
introversion - spirituality. What is that knowledge that
could work as panacea for the suffering humankind. It is
spiritual realisation only. Herein below, we discuss the
practical aspect of religion that is badly needed today.
Modern
philosophers, intellectuals, prelates, clerics. Theologians,
eschatologists and ecclesiastical giants have dwelt at
length on core issue of God - realization. Whatever they
give by way of advancing theories and treatises contain only
verbal instruction. Alas! theory is not capable of producing
the desired results. Theory sans practical experience of
divinity inherent in man is like stuffing people mind with
prolific description of Atman and Paramatman only to
eventually confront with natural questions like where is He?
How I can see Him? Did verbal instruction and assurances by
Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Gita pacify Arjuna? No, they did
not. From chapter one to ten of Gita, Lord Krishna replied
to a plethora of questions of Arjuna. This constituted
shiksha - verbal education. This, however, did not quiten
the agitated, confused and wavering mind of Arjuna. Replies
generated further questions. Though the answering authority
was Lord Himself, even then verbal knowledge could not
satisfy, convince and pacify the flustered mind of Arjuna.
Till then Arjuna identified Krishna as merely a physical
body. All exhortations and teachings of Lord did not yield
any lasting effect. This was in reality a divine sport of
Supreme Brahman in human embodiment. He wanted to show to
the mankind that attainment of God is beyond verbal
knowledge. Lord thus showed to the limiting value of theory.
Eventually Lord blessed Arjuna with divine eye to make him
see His cosmic form Physical eyes can just see the outward
form. The inner soul can be practically perceived by the eye
of spirit. The celestial vision is not a work of imagination
of cosmic consciousness, which permeates horizon, widens and
we comprehend the play of the cosmic mind. Human being is
fundamentally and essentially divine in nature. However, the
divinity in man is shrouded and veiled by the endless chain
of thoughts and desires. Vedanta envisages removal of
encrustation of incessant flow of thoughts and desires and
unfolding of inherent divinity of man. Atman - the real self
of man constitute the invisible energizing force within. It
is only on knowing and realizing the indwelling spirit
within in practical sense that shackles of our gross body,
mind and intellect are broken.
Practical
dose of spirituality can alone affirm and solidity the
abstract truth that is sought to be taught and revealed.
Simply knowing that the supreme spirit dwells in all beings
as Atman is not sufficient. It is the vision in practical
sense which would arouse unshakable faith. Thus, we need to
cultivate the science of religion. This is the clarion call
we wish to make from Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan. The
ethnical dimension of religion should yield place to
practical and scientific dimension of religion as
illustrated above. This is the need of the hour to save
humanity already sitting on the brink of apocalypse from
drawing closer to a holocaust.”
THE
SCIENCE OF RELIGION - NEED OF THE HOUR
Times of India
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