By: Patitpavan Das
Just as a single tree with sweet-smelling flowers spreads fragrance in the whole forest, a virtuous son makes his entire family famous. But just as a single dried up tree, if set aflame, burns up the whole forest, a rascal son destroys his whole family.
Two separate current cases of rogue sons born to rich fathers remind me of these couplets from Chanakya. One is that of a drunken teen involved in a car crash, and another is that of a lustful fiend masquerading as a law-maker. Both caused death or severe damage to lives of the innocent. And in trying to protect their wards from impending action of law, albeit by unlawful means, their dear papas, grandpas, and now even their mamas have put themselves in jail or legal trouble.
There was the wicked Kamsa of yore, who brazenly incarcerated his poor father and sister just to protect his own lowly life, and then we have these modern Kamsas who put their families behind bars by their sinful activities. In contrast, we have heroes like Lord Krishna who released His parents from unlawful imprisonment, and Hanuman who helped rescue Sita from the clutches of the monster Ravana.
Whereas in ancient times, there was one Kamsa and one Ravana, now anywhere one looks, one can see an abundance of such elements. Are the parents to blame? Surely. But so also are the educational systems, media – social and otherwise, and society at large. According to scriptural injunction, one should not become a father, mother, teacher, or a close relation if he cannot save his ward from the cycle of birth and death. But modern India has chosen to forget to a large degree this culture of her ancestors, preferring to imitate the spiritually-blind civilization of the west. But a materialistic outlook never helps, and this is being proved not only in the west, but now in India too.
Thus the need of the hour is spiritual revival. And the Hare Krishna movement is poised for this very purpose. It serves like an oasis in the parched desert of this hedonistic material world. And any unbiased person can see a gulf of difference between the youth of this movement, and the rest of the world.
Listening to the Srimad Bhagavatam, and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra – this is the treatment recommended to cure this modern condition. Therefore it would serve everyone well if this Bhagavata dharma can be taught and practiced in the educational institutions of the world. But it is lamentable that except for the science of Krishna consciousness, every other branch of knowledge is studied in the universities.
So it is high time the thinking populace and the governments of the world sat up and took note of this movement. Otherwise the demon-sons of worthless fathers will surely burn up the world.
Chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
