by
Dr. Indulata Das (May 23, 2008)
We are "a largely ignorant crowd" because we feel pained by
the paintings of MF Hussain in which he paints our mothers in the
nude. We are an ignorant lot because we feel insulted when our mothers
are shown copulating with animals.
We do so because we have been instructed by our scriptures
that mother commands highest respect and disrespecting mother is a
heinous moral crime. We have also been taught that mother should not
be disregarded under any circumstance not even under uttermost
distress (Nartenapyavamantav ya).
We have been tuned to the teaching
that we should consider mother as a goddess (Matridevo bhava).
We have
also been told that the debt of a mother can not be repaid even in one
hundred births (Na tasya niskritih sakya kartum varsasatairapi) and
that mother should never be taken lightly because her gravity is more
than that of the earth (Mata gurutara bhumeh).
Because of such teachings we attach more importance in
serving the mother and the motherland than in striving to attain the
wondrous comforts of the heaven ( Janani Janmabhumi scha Swargadapi
Gariyasi ).
We have been taught that guru is the embodiment of the
trinity Brahma, Visnu and Maheswara (Gururbrahma gururvisnuh gurureva
maheswarah) but mother stands superior to all gurus (Ebhyo mata
gariyasi).
We have been instructed to pay high respect to the father
because respect to a father pleases all the gods (Pitari pritimapanne
priyante sarvadevatah) but at the same time we are directed that
mother should be respected thousand times more than father (Sahasram
tu pitrin mata gauravenatirichyate ).
We have been taught that those who get a chance to sacrifice
their lives while defending the honour of the mother and the mother
land are immensely fortunate.
Had all these been the teachings of any other community
these would have been considered as high moral values of a highly
ideal society. And those who adhere to such human values would have
been respected as great human beings.
But no. We, the worshipper of such values are a largely
ignorant crowd because we are stupid Hindus, the despised lot of
Hindustan, which is incidentally our own ancient land.
Our feelings are no feelings because we are Hindus. Our
sentiments are no sentiments because we are Hindus. Our ideals are no
ideals because we are Hindus. Our wisdom is abominable ignorance
because we are Hindus.
Equal treatment is assured to all the citizens of Indian
democracy. But that is not extended to us. Because, we Hindus are
lesser citizens of the country.
A book was written in some alien land which allegedly hurt
the sentiments of some citizens in India. The book was readily banned
and the property of the writer in India was officially seized.
The sentiments of some other people who also belong to the
same country were hurt more vulgarly and in a much uncivilized way.
But the offender received high respect to the tune of securing a
respectable place in the school text book. And complaining against him
by the offended was considered a crime. Because, it was the case of
the lesser citizens of the country, the Hindus.
After all these inferior citizens are a largely ignorant
crowd who do not know that they have no right to feel offended.
Indulata Das
Qr.No. 5R9 Forest Park
Unit-1
Bhubaneswar
Orissa, India
Indulata Das <indulatadas@yahoo.co.in>
