SHOULD WE WORSHIP HUMAN  BEINGS AS GODS? BETTER HAVE                                                                                        INTROSPECTION

                                          Prof Dr Colonel K Prabhakar Rao    Retd

 

               Of late ,one finds that many swamijis,  Gurujis,  and pontiffs,  are trying to come to lime light in the existing political scenario. India is the only country where number of these are so many  each claiming different following. There was a time when the  pontiffs stayed at Ashrams i.e. Hermitages        and spread their teachings. They never craved for any popularity. It is most tragic that in present political atmosphere, the leaders have not spared the pontiffs also. It has become a fashion now to have a Guruji and also to show to public that they have one. What a sorry state! Our  political leaders are no exception. The President goes to Andhra Pradesh to visit Tirumala and places like Puttaparthi. I remember the incidents when these officials prostrated in front of these Swamijis or self-styled human gods. It is good to be religious. But why show off? Whom we are trying to impress?   In this, Islam scores over us. They do not recommend any type of worship more so a human being. 

            One feels sorry when large cut-outs of the jiyyars, Swamijis are displayed on the roadside. Sometimes next to filthy garbage dumps and drains along with Matinee idols. Should we reduce the pious pontiffs to the levels of commercial cine artists who know nothing more than doing some obscene belly daces and shakes? The society must have introspection and assess the damage that is being done to national heritage by these gimmicks. I remember an incident long ago in which a note pontiff arrived to install the statue of a goddess at a temple His entourage consisted of young disciples and few others and these men were stationed at a vacant private house very close to my house. In the morning, these youth went to the temple in pious clothes after taking bath and they took part in holy activities at the temple. One day in the night after dinner, I came out of my house after dinner for a stroll. I was surprised to listen to some pop music and later some Telugu film songs from the latest films that were apology to Indian music. Some of the songs were also vulgar that bore the stamp of  typical  modern Telugu cinema. To my horror ,I found these songs emanating from the house where the entourage was kept by the temple administration.

                          I felt very much pained when the youngsters who earlier wore holy clothes were wearing tight jean pants with patches  and were also smoking while some were doing break dance to the tunes of the perverted Telugu music  that has polluted our cinema. I had courage to approach them and enquired   why they should indulge in such actions while they are followers of a holy man. I got a reply that both were different and evenings belonged to them. I consoled myself thinking that they were young persons. However, I could not  in heart and heart  swallow the fact that  their way of living was  not pardonable.   

                     The Swamiji  who was staying in the temple later left  to the house of a minister  in a luxury posh  car  to bless the leader. What a sorry state of affairs! Earlier, even mighty kings and princes like Rama  and Krishna visited the sages at Ashrams  with most humble  submissions  and the sages never  ran after the kings. Sadly the standards have fallen to deplorable levels  and it is a pity that  some of the holy men  are after popularity. Coming back to the holy man  at the temple near my house , I learnt that the swami and the his followers returning in their luxury bus  met a tragic accident  and  some of them broke their limbs and the swamiji was also very badly hurt. Could it be that the lord did not forgive them for deviating from holy path? All should know that everyone has to pay for their sins in this world only.

       Coming to the aspect of a living god, Some time ago, A senior Swamijis of An Ashram said that everyone has to leave his body  and none can escape . Even Lord Rama never claimed himself to be the god.   How foolish we are   in accepting statements from living gods. Many holy men are not claiming that they are living gods. Lord Krishna and Lord Rama appeared on this earth as human beings born out of mothers’ wombs and left the world after leaving the mortal bodies made of flesh and blood.. People should see the real truth and blindly should not follow   taken away by the charisma or impressed by some tricks performed that have not stood tests of science. One must remember that service to man is service to god. . God is nowhere except in your body. He is everywhere, if someone claims; he is god that means he is off the centre and needs medical correction. God save such characters.