A popular tale about Krishna goes as follows.
Krishna is having dinner sitting in heaven. His wife Rukmani is serving him. On the Earth a devotee of Krishna is surrounded by some thugs who are moving menacingly towards him to rough him up. Krishna watches this and gets up to go to his aid. Rukmani is disappointed that her husband has to leave suddenly and tries to stop him but Krishna is determined to leave. Suddenly he sits down again and resumes dinner. Rukmani asks him, “What happened, My lord? Krishna replies, “My devotee has picked up a stone”.
The strength to take on a bully is a spiritual trait.
The greatest thug so far in India, for centuries, has been the State. Since Mughal time till of late it has been our mai baap. It was so ruthless that we, its victims were singing its praise lest it should hit us harder. Our show of respect towards it was a victim’s eulogy for its oppressor. We were fearful and thus dishonest. But a new consciousness is rising.
The whole public- across sectors has been fed up with the State and it is now learning to say ENOUGH. The corporate sector is powerful so we hear its protests (in what a Ratan Tata or a Lalit Modi says or does). The common man is also whimpering- just that he is not as audible. But we did hear his whimper post 26/11. Rather than crying foul about Pakistan’s sinister aggression- the populace made the Indian Government the butt of its attacks. Why? It was pent up ire. In India we “Sir” the incompetent and dishonest politician and bureaucrat. It is like respecting a predator. It is a profane act.
This hypocrisy is disappearing. This nation is becoming bold- pure. Machiavelli has said (sic) When you avoid wars, you have to fight them tomorrow at a greater disadvantage. We did not fight the Mughal invader enough so the British came who squeezed us dryer. We didn’t fight the British enough so now we have the Indian politician ruling us- A bigger predator.
Where is this strength coming from? One reason is India has risen on the world map. The whole world has acknowledged the mettle of the Indian entrepreneur and the Indian professional. The British propaganda against Indians was very strong but it is now wearing off as many other nationalities have been exposed to us and they admire us in many ways. The changing urban landscape and the contrast that is visible e.g. the highways and flyovers still take years to build but the commercial megalithic buildings come up in no time. This contrast tells that the private sector works and the Government drags. Also is the pent up frustration and humiliation of centuries which we bore silently. This silence was shameful. And after a time shame is too difficult to bear. So the victim of ages is ready to fight.
A no-longer-silent-revolution is brewing. Earlier Indians were only taking off their shoes at the doorsteps of a temple now they are taking shoes off at every other aam sabha. At great risk to themselves they fire these footwear missiles at the oppressor. This is active spirituality with the power to transform the society.
Society is like a stew. If you don’t shake it then the scum rises to the top- just as it has in the Indian society. The feudalistic Indian society needs a shake. This temple going community is now shaking the town hall. In my view we are now becoming really spiritual through this fight. It is baptism by fire. God Bless.