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FOSSIL SOCIETIES?-1 (Part 1)
R. Nanjappa
Introduction
India is the base of Hindu civilization. But it has been under threat from1. Muslim invasions and rule 2. British colonial rule 3.Secular Indian govt. after Independence which has completely de-Indianised our education so that the youth of India (those under 35) are almost totally alienated from our roots. Hindus have no leadership on the religious or social or political fronts- leadership that will positively and unapologetically work for Hindus.Our religious leadership is either obscurantist (the orthodox speaking for a simple return to the past) or reformist in various degrees ( eg. new gurus and cults.) On the social side, Hindus are now divided on the basis of communities, with an eye on vote bank politics.. In the circumstances, Hindus are not conscious that they are a civilization or aware of the dangers facing them and the need to defend themselves intelligently.
This and two other essays (part 2 and part 3) are like the general introduction, with a global view.
ARNOLD TOYNBEE
There are many good writers on any subject. But most of their books get dated. There are some great writers whose books acquire added value as time passes. They stand up and defy time, and rise above the temporary concerns of particular societies and times. Arnold Toynbee is such a great writer.
ARNOLD TOYNBEE, (1889-1975) was a great historian of the last century. He studied world history not as the political story of nations and rulers but as the unfolding of civilisations. He looked at over 25 civilizations for which records were available and inquired into what caused their origin, rise, development, decay and eventual collapse.
NATION AND CIVILIZATION
He proposed that-
1.A civilization could flourish only if it could meet the various challenges.
2. It was a small minority in each civilisation which really contributed to its survival and growth. He called it ” the creative minority “. Eventually, it became a merely “dominant minority ” enjoying the status and demanding the privileges, but making no creative contribution. This was the main reason for downfall. 3. Societies turned to become mere fossils in the absence of creative renewal. He gave his analysis in a massive study running into 12 volumes titled ” A Study of History “. It was published between 1934 and 1961.
There is an abridged edition in two volumes- even this is voluminous. Toynbee dealt with issues more fundamental than political or social history of national units as commonly understood; therefore he cannot be considered a narrow academic historian in the conventional sense. He is a philosopher of history or meta-historian. He is among historians what Einstein is among so-called scientists.
Other ‘professional’ or conventional academic historians tended to dispute Toynbee’s ideas, holding that he promoted fancy theories and used known facts to sustain them. But this is what every historian does! They take the ‘facts’ or events and explain them in their own way. Are they not weaving their own theories? Toynbee commanded enormous public attention and esteem, but not much academic following. As usual in such cases, the very mass of his writings, with unending streams of details deterred quick mastery of his work.
JUDGING WITHOUT STUDY?
We get a feeling that most people tend to judge him without studying his work thoroughly- as we often do in serious matters! For instance, how many of us have studied enough of the literature on GDP or global warming to come to an informed understanding? We rely on some authority and feel scientists or specialists will take care! Do we board a plane fully knowing how the engine works? Alas! It is the same scientists who first created global warming, then denied it and now are at a loss to understand its full magnitude and implications! The scientists surely do take care of how their bread is buttered !
There are of course areas where we may disagree with Toynbee. For instance, we may not agree with the way he has dealt with Buddhism vis a vis Hinduism. In fact not many Westerners understand or can ever do justice to the connection between Hinduism and Buddhism properly. For that we need someone like Ananda Coomaraswamy, to be born in the West! But there are areas where Toynbee provides us with true insights. These are coming to haunt us now.
CIVILIZATION GREATER THAN NATION
The very fact that the major nations of Europe thought of forming the European Union shows that the idea of civilization is more solid than that of a nation state! The modern idea of the nation state is hardly two centuries old. The nation states that fought two world wars in the last century were mainly Christian! They fought the wars because they forgot their common bonds! It took two bloody wars to remind them of their common elements! It is the recognition of the common factors or interessts above national identities that prompted statesmen to forge European Union.
Today, the West is not a Christian civilization any more, as the State is separated from the Church-though Christians live there. The State is governed by secular-humanist ideals after the Enlightenment, and the public space for religion is shrinking. But what is forgotten is that even the humanist ideal as developed in the West has appeal only to those nations which were Christian in the first place, and/or were subject to their influence. The Muslims are not guided by the ideal of humanism in matters of government.
கே: தலைமை, பெருமை, புகழ் பெற சூத்திரங்கள் வடிவில் மூன்றே மூன்று வரிகள்..?
ப: நொந்தது சாகும்
வீரியம் பெருக்கு
தேசத்தைக் காத்தல் செய்!
கே: மேன்மை பெற வழி?
ப: கூடித் தொழில் புரிதல் வேண்டும் – நெஞ்சக்
குடைச்சல் எல்லாம் மெல்லச் சரிப்படுத்தி
நீடித்த நன்மையினைக் கருதி – நல்ல
நீதி தவறாதபடி பாகம் இயற்றிப்
பேடிப் பதர்களைப் பின் விலக்கிப்- பொது
பெரும்பயன் கருதித் தம் சிறு பயனை
வேடிக்கை போல் உதறித் தள்ளிப் – பொது
வெற்றியினை நாடுவர் மேன்மை பெறுவார்
கே: எங்களுக்கு என்ன செய்தி?
ப : நல்ல காலம் வருகுது, நல்ல காலம் வருகுது!
சாதிகள் சேருது; சண்டைகள் தொலையுது!
வீரம் வருகுது, மேன்மை கிடைக்குது!
தர்மம் பெருகுது! தர்மம் பெருகுது!
நல்ல செய்தி பெற்ற மன மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் பாரதியாரை வணங்குகிறோம்.
புன்முறுவலுடன் ஆசி தருகிறார். விடை பெறுகிறோம். தேசமும் தெய்வமும் இரு கண்கள் எனப் புரிந்து கொண்டோம். முன்னேறவும் முதலிடத்தைப் பிடிக்கவும் முயற்சி தேவை என்பதையும் உணர்ந்து கொண்டோம்.
சேர்ந்து செயல்படுவோம்; பாரதம் உலகின் தலைமை பீடத்தை அடைய ஓயாது உழைப்போம்! வாழ்க பாரதி திருநாமம்.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Two interesting news items have appeared in news papers in Tamil Nadu.
1.A six and a half foot high Siva linga was discovered near Mathuranthakam in Tamil Nadu.
When the PWD carried out repair works in the Vettur Lake, the bulldozer hit a big stone. When it was taken out, people came to know it was a very tall Siva Lingam. Immediately the Tamil devotees erected a Pandal/ thatched shed for the statue and started worshipping it. The temple that was built around the Siva Linga might have been destroyed by Muslim invasion several centuries ago.
As soon as the news of the discovery of the statue spread to near by villages, people came from different places to have the darshan of Lord Siva. Seyyur panchayat under which Vettur lake comes has no Siva or Vishnu temple until today. So the villagers consider this as a god sent gift
*****
The stone – named as Kalveeramman – had been worshipped by the locals for decades.
2.The second news item about a SATI stone is in English published in New Indian Express.
Sati or Saha Gamana is an old Hindu custom of a widow ascending the funeral pyre of her husband.
The discovery was a Sati Stone. Though Manu Smrti and Rig Veda did not speak about Sati custom it has been in 2000 year old Sangam Tamil Literature. Six or seven references are found in the Sangam Tamil literature. In one of the poems the Pandya Queen was so adamant that she jumped into her husband’s funeral pyre in spite of requests from the priests and ministers. It is in Pura Nanuru verse 246. The other references are about the wives of Karikal Choza and Ay Andiran
Kanchi Paramacharya Swamikal, Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt (1894-1994) gave an excellent talk on Saha gamana alias SATI. Women were not thrown into pyre by people. Th wives did this out of extreme devotion to their husbands.
He narrated the SATI incidents from Periya Puranam and Mahabharata.
Madri did Sati when Pandu died; When Kunti also tried people prevented her.
Appar’s mother Mathiniyar did Sati when Pukazanar died according to Tamil Periya Purana.
When Kalippakaiyar died , Appar’s sister Tilakavati tried Sati, but Appar prevented it, saying that he would also jump into the pyre.
When Orissa queen tried to test the devotion of Padmavati, wife of famous Jayadeva (author of Gita Govindam) said that Jayadeva is dead as a joke, immediately Padmavi fell dead.Later Jayadeva revived her with the help of Lord Krishna
When the erred Pandya King died in front of Kannaki, Pandyan queen also falls dead.
In Rajathan many queens including Chitoor Rani Padmini , did immolate themselves when their husbands were killed in the battle.
Tamil Epic Silappadikaram narrated more self immolation cases of devoted women.
SATI originated when Parvati killed herself because her father Daksha insulted her husband Lord Siva. Parvati’s name was Sati in the story.
Here is a news item of couple in New Indian Express:-
By Express News Service VIRUDHUNAGAR: A sati stone depicting a warrior who died in jallikattu, dating back to 17th century, has been discovered in Ramanujapuram near Aruppukottai by a history professor. The stone, dating back to 17th century CE, was identified by R Vijayaraghavan, Assistant Professor in the Department of History at SBK College, Aruppukottai. The stone – named as Kalveeramman – had been worshipped by the locals for decades. Speaking to TNIE, Vijayaraghavan said: “The stone must be around 320 years old. Though we find sati stones occasionally, what makes this one special is that the warrior must have died in jallikattu, as two jallikattu bulls are carved near him. His wife had died soon after by ‘sati’ which can be identified with the L-shaped position of her hand”. He said apsaras (heavenly women spirits) have also been sculpted at the bottom so as to show that the spirits of the couple were happily received.
tags- Sati Stone, Ramanujapuram, Siva Lingam, Vettur Lake
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
தர்ம ராஜா “ராஜ சூய யாகம்” நடத்தி அரசாண்டு தனது சாம் ராஜ்யத்தை
அபிமன்யுவின் மகனான பரிஷித்தை மன்னனாக்கி துறவரம் பூண்டு சுவர்க்கம் புகுந்தார் தம்பிகளுடன்.
பரிஷித் நியாயம் தவறாமல் அரசாண்டார். காட்டிலிருக்கும் மிருகங்கள் நாட்டிலிருக்கும் மக்களை துன்புறுத்தாமல் இருக்க அக்காலத்து மன்னர்கள் காட்டிற்குச் சென்று வேட்டையாடுவது வழக்கம். படைகளுடன் சென்ற மன்னன் ஒரு மானின் மேல் அம்பு எய்ய அதை துரத்திச் சென்ற மன்னன் வழி தவறினான். தனித்து விடப்பட்டான்.
காட்டில் வழிதெரியாமல் அலைந்து திரிந்து கடைசியில் ஒரு முனிவர் தவம் செய்து கொண்டிருப்பதைக் கண்டு ஓய் முனிவரே இங்கு ஒரு அம்பு பட்ட மான் ஓன்று ஓடியதைப் பார்த்தீர்களா??? முனிவர் தவத்தில் இருந்தால் பதிலேதும் கூறவில்லை. பல முறை வினவியும் பதில் வராத்தால் மன்னன் கோபம் கொண்டு அருகில் இருந்த இறந்த பாம்பு ஒன்றைக் கழுத்தில் போட்டுச் சென்றான்.
உணவு சேகரிக்கச் சென்ற மகன் தன தந்தை சமீகர் கழுத்தில் இறந்த பாம்பை கண்டு ரத்தம் கொதித்து சாபம் கொடுக்க முயன்ற போது சமீகர் பொறுமையின் சின்னமாக தன் மகன் கிரீசனை தடுத்தார்.
ஆனால், சமீகரின் மகன் கிரீசன் என் தந்தையின் கழுத்தில்
செத்த பாம்பைப் போட்டனோ அவன் இன்றுலிருந்து
“ஏழு நாட்களுக்குள்” பாம்பு கடித்து இறப்பான்”. தகவல் அறிந்து கதறி மன்னிப்பு கேட்டான் மன்னன்.
சாபம் கொடுத்தது கொடுத்ததுதான் மன்னிப்பே கிடையாது. அதேபோல் எழே நாட்களில் பரீஷித் மன்னன் பாம்பு கடித்து இறந்தான் என் அப்பா ஒரு நாடாளும் மன்னன். அவரை கடித்த கொன்ற பாம்புகளை விட மாட்டேன் என்றான் மகன் ஜனமேஐயன். பாம்புகளைக் கொல்ல ஒரு பெரிய யாகம் செய்ய பரிஷித் மகன் ஜனமேஜயன் தலைமையில் ஒரு குழு திரண்டது…….
பெரிய பந்தல் போட்டு யாகத்தை ஆரம்பித்தனர் முனிவர்கள்.
பாம்புகள் ஒவ்வொன்றாக வந்து விழுந்தன யாகத்தில்.
அவ்வழியே வந்த ஸ்தபதி ( வீடு கட்டும் ஆலோசகர்)இந்தப் பந்தல் வாஸ்து சாஸ்திரப் பிரகாரம் இல்லை.நாடே அழியும். உடனே நிறுத்துங்கள் யாகத்தை…….ஆ னால் ஜனமேஜயன் நிறுத்த வில்லை.மேலும் மேலும் சர்ப்பங்கள் வந்து விழுந்தன.
அவ்வழியே வந்த ஆஸ்தீகர் என்னும் முனிவர் உடனே யாகத்தை நிறத்தக் கட்டளை இட்டார்.இல்லை யென்றால் நாடே அழியும். முனிவரே சொன்ன காரணத்தினால் யாகம் நிறுத்தபட்டது .
வாஸ்து பிரகாரம் கட்டப்படாத எந்த இடமும் உருப்படாது. துனபத்தையே விளைவிக்கும்.
இதோ உங்கள் வீடு எப்படி அமைய வேண்டும் என்பதை சாஸ்திரப் பிரகாரம் வரைந்து காட்டியிருக்கிறோம். இதை “மாதிரியாக “ வைத்துக்கொண்டு புது வீடு கட்டி வளமாக வாழ வாழ்த்துகிறோம்.
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge; this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICE – 3
R.Nanjappa
Lifestyle induced problems
Many serious modern health problems are related to lifestyle: heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, etc. Our economic problems are due to lifestyle: the acquisitive society trying to live beyond its means where everyone tries to emulate the lifestyle of the top 1%, leading to mindless consumerism promoted by senseless advertising and aggressive marketing. Our environmental problems are due to lifestyle choices: high-energy consuming patterns, high waste generating products and processes, obsolescence built into products, etc
Lifestyle is precisely the practical statement of a philosophy!
If these problems are to be solved we have to change our lifestyle! That means we have to adopt a different philosophy! One philosophy solves multiple issues!
Understanding V Action
This is indeed an irony. Issues affecting whole societies can be tackled only on the basis of some broad parameters, a greater vision which only a philosophy can provide. Yet that is what is impossible to arrive at in modern societies. For a philosophy to emerge, you need a vision across narrow academic disciplines- which are arbitrary human divisions. The same person is consumer, voter, patient, priest, neighbour, lover, parent etc. Our academics will treat each as a separate category !
Our economic problems- such as growing poverty and inequality in spite of the nominal growth, the prevalence of hunger etc are precisely due to political causes, decisions. Our environmental problems are due to our economics and lifestyles. Behind both is a lack of philosophical perception- lack of understanding of fundamentals which cut across disciplines.
Return to Larger vision
Lord J.M.Keynes, greatest economist of the last century observed:
The master economist must posses a rare combination of gifts. He must be mathematician, historian, statesman, philosopher…. He must study the present in the light of the past for the purposes of the future. No part of man’s nature or his institutions must be entirely outside his regard.”
[Quoted in ‘Doughnut Economics’.2017 p.288-9]
That is, an economic problem cannot be solved by purely economic means, or within the discipline of economics! Nor does the solution lie within strict economic limits. Yet it is impossible today to have a total approach as the leading Universities like Harvard and London School of Economics do not accept such a philosophy! And they are the ones turning out economists by the truck load! And the economists are too arrogant to listen to others!
Plato is right!
Here we use ‘philosophy’ in the original sense: not as a concept or belief, but as the basis of behaviour, showing different results. This is something modern societies are not prepared for, though the number of individuals convinced of the need for change is increasing. This is a problem we face living in urban conurbations, which are not compact, cohesive communities. For example, in many cities in India one is not even able to walk safely on the road; one cannot use the bicycle either. One has to use the car or other motorised transport. For the vast number of commuters, alternative lifestyle is simply no choice! Here, philosophy is felt as a luxury, or elitist stance, though that is the key to the solution.
Philosophy promotes an integrated approach, broad vision. But we have been trained in the methods of analysis and division in the name of objective science in the last two centuries. It seems the modern generation is incapable of philosophical reflection in the true sense. From being rational beings, we are becoming morons!
We may thus say that problems of modern governance or living are problems of lack of appropriate philosophy! We realise that Plato is right and relevant in an entirely new way!
Tamil and Vedas 