MY LAND, MY PEOPLE
In a world torn by racial discrimination, the philosophy of the Vedic scriptures shows a way to harmonious living.
Recently a politician from Maharashtra declared that his state is for the Marathis alone, and people from other states should leave Maharashtra. Perhaps this statement sounds familiar. You too might have been subjected to it. Discrimination on the basis of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin is a global issue. Pubs in London, subways in Germany, offices in USA, and even government policies in many countries reflect this phenomenon. Emotions are roused by propaganda of fear and insecurity: “The ‘other man’ will take my job, my land, my wealth.” The only shelter appears to be politicians and social leaders who cry out loudly, “My land for my people!”
Man seeks security and shelter, and a cohort of individuals similar to him does appear to provide it. But what probably started as a primitive concept of making borders to guard against hostile strangers, has now evolved to attitudes of misconceived racial superiority, religious fanaticism, long running tension between nations, war, and global terrorism.
YOU ARE DIFFERENT
Let us try to analyze this theory of ‘My land for my people’.
It makes one think that ‘my’ people are those who are my relatives, or those born in my caste, culture, region, religion, or tract of land. Everyone not sharing my designations is thus unfit to enjoy on equal footing.
Superficially one may find differences between one man and another. But deep inside we are all the same our blood is red and bones are white, our hearts beat the same way, and the lungs breath alike, the eyes, the brain, the cells, the physiology and anatomy, the heartfelt joy of love and the pain of loss everything is identical in all the six billion people of the world. Our difference is just skin deep, or perhaps, it is just a difference in cultural practices.
Kindly ponder over the facts. Is this difference worth cultivating prejudice, hate, and violence?
LAND AND MONEY
Recently I traveled to the holy town of Janakpur, the birthplace of Mother Sita. The town lies in Nepal, and after a simple securitycheck we crossed the borders from India and stepped in to a ‘foreign land’. I looked around. The land was same as we had seen on the Indian side of border same colour, same grass, same trees. There was hardly any difference. As one travels further one may see more geographical variations, but barely do they correspond to political boundaries. Most states are created simply by drawing a line on a map. There is hardly any physical reality to the demarcation except the barbed fences.
So what the world teaches me to consider ‘my land’ is a tract of land given to me on a very temporary basis. It existed before I came into existence, and it will continue to exist even when I am gone, supporting people that will have no connection with me. So why have a false sense of proprietorship? Why fight over it?
The Maharashtrian leader accuses the outsiders of taking over limited job options rendering the natives unemployed. But a look at the industry after mass scale migrations of outsider laborers shows that their vacancies are still not filled by the locals. In some cases it is because the jobs require specialized training and in others it is because the locals are unwilling to do the menial jobs done by the migrants. So the industry suffers.
The migrants may also be accused of being parasites availing better facilities without contributing anything in tax returns. But barely 15-20 percent of Indians pay taxes, and they support the remaining populations. The migrants may not pay direct taxes but by doing their job they do support the economy. Everyone can be employed based on the skills he possesses enabling him to be socio economically productive. What about Maharashtrians working outside? Should we call them back?
ANCIENT WISDOM SHOWS THE WAY
We can see by plain commonsense that the policy of discriminating against members of other states is not a mature understanding. Here we would like to present before the readers an insight into this problem based on Vedic wisdom.
The Bhagavad gita states that identifying ourselves with our physical and mental attributes is an incorrect understanding. Our real identity is that we are spirit souls, parts and parcels of God, the universal father.
Sri Isopanisad, another Vedic text states:
isavasyam idam sarvam
yat kinca jagatyäm jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam
yat kinca jagatyäm jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam
“Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well
to whom they belong.” (Mantra One)
Based on these principles let’s try to find a holistic solution to the original problem.
When we are unaware of our real spiritual identity, our intelligence sways to the strong current of false identity created by this material body. So we begin to think I am a man, I am Indian, I am housewife, I am rich, I am brahmana. We think everything related to this body my relatives, my house, my caste, my nation is mine. This network of illusion expands and completely entwines the thinking power of a person. In this bound stage he can only think of ‘mine’ and ‘yours’, and this is the basis of discrimination.
But when we understand that we are spirit souls and God is the original father of all living entities then we can identify with a fellow being as our brother or sister. The distinction based on physical, cultural, and other differences melts away and a new relationship centered around pleasing Krsna evolves.
Now we should apply the second principle as elaborated in Sri Isopanisad. When we consider God as the owner of everything and are satisfied with what we need, we will be happy to share the remaining with others. Poverty is the result of greed of a few and exploitation of many. A simple life of satisfaction and sharing holds the key to poverty eradication. As the invocation of Sri Isopanisad states: “The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes . . .”
We can be assured that since God is perfect, His arrangements to care for the inhabitants of this world are also perfect. There is no need for a child of God to fear.
With the acceptance of these spiritual principles we find our hearts free from the narrowminded concerns of the politics of this world. Hatred, tension, and differences cease to bother us. A spirit of love and care for our less fortunate brethren bathes our motives and guides our actions.
We can then easily identify with the teachings of Srimad Bhagavatam which states:
yasyatma-buddhih
kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu
bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih
salile na karhicij janesv
kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu
bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih
salile na karhicij janesv
abhijnesu sa
eva go-kharah
eva go-kharah
“A human being who identifies this body made of three elements with his self, who considers the byproducts of the body to be his kinsmen, who considers the land of birth worshipable, and who goes to the place of pilgrimage simply to take a bath rather than meet men of transcendental knowledge there, is to be considered like an ass or a cow.” (SB 10.84.13)
Someone may say that unity is possible even at some material level. Caste, color, birth, nationality etc., can also unite people. We see, however, that differences do exist at a micro level even in an apparently united group. For example Maharashtrians may unite against people of other states, but they have internal differences between people coming from different areas in Maharashtra. Indians and Pakistanis may not see each other eye to eye in their homelands, but can gel as amicable friends in a white neighbourhood.
A SPIRITUAL ATTACHMENT
Attachment for the land that supports us and the people whom we relate to is a natural human tendency. Is there a way we can spiritualize this need?
Looking for a solution I was reminded of an incident. I was performing a parikrama of Vrndavana alone. It was dusk and ahead of me were a simple Vrajavasi family. The husband carried a baby boy on his shoulders and with his right hand held the hand of his elder child. The wife followed behind, her head covered. They spoke in Vraja boli, sang songs glorifying Lord Krsna and Srimati Radharani, and revealed to their children various holy spots on the pilgrimage path.
I followed them, an urbanite, educated in western methods, brought up in a sophisticated way that was far away from that rural reality. Culturally poles apart, and a complete stranger yet in my heart I was feeling a strong bond of kinship with that simple Vrajavasi family, a bond stronger than any connection that I had with anyone in this world.
“What is the foundation of this bond?” I pondered. The answer unfolded in the words of Lord Caitanya: “aradhyo bhagavan vrajesatanayas tad-dhsma vrndavanam.”
“Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, in the Vrndavanadhama of Vrajabhumi, is the supreme worshipable Deity, and His place Vrndavana is similarly worshipable.”
That day on that dusky path around the holy town of Vradavana, that Vrajavasi family and I were united in our attraction and worship of the Supreme Lord Krsna and His dearmost abode Vrndavana.
Perhaps this is the attachment that all of us need.
(Murari Gupta Dasa)