TRUTH

Most of us frequently use the term ‘truth’ arbitrarily. It seems to be an unreliable and abstract concept for me. Exploring some hypothetical incidents and experiences, let’s examine the spirit of truth.

Phenomenon 1: Devotees worshipping or praying to their favourite deities.

We think that many are praying to God because they are scared of Him and also that they are begging Him to forgive them and guide with kindness. Is there truth in this relationship between God and devotee? Check the following points of observation.

a. Devotee is not morally right in many things he does. He continues committing sins and crimes even after praying to God. Religious observations are just a formality to him. He is just playing a role. So, his character is not up to the mark to be liked and blessed by God. There is no truth in him as a devotee. He is not eligible to be called so as he lacks those standards and values. We see many such blokes daily.

b. God is not tangible. Most of us believe that there is God despite lacking evidences to prove it from the perspective of a scientist. Since we are unable to answer many questions and solve puzzles related to this material world, based on our common sense, scientific approach or logical thinking, we created an entity called God for our satisfaction. Then, can God be truth if He is intangible to His deepest devotees also!

The above discussion shows that there is no truth in God or in those following Him blindly.

Phenomenon 2: Courts of law delivering justice.

We resort to courts of law believing that there we can get justice. In fact, the term ‘justice’ itself is vague and complex. What seems to be right for me from my arguments and standpoint, in a context, might be injustice to others, when checked from different perspectives. There is no truth in justice also. Lawyers argue any case for money. Judges discuss it and deliver judgments. Let’s check the justifiability of it.

a. A boy and a girl slept in a room for a night without knowing each other due to their helplessness. The following morning the society presented them as wrongdoers. Police presented them in a court of law. Arguments were going on. One day they committed suicide without leaving a note clarifying why they resorted to that extreme step. All thought that they did so out of frustration or guilt. No police, lawyer or judge suffered about their deaths because they are not their relatives. Who are culprits in this scenario – police, lawyers, judges, society, culture or religion? We blame others within seconds and take years to appreciate somebody. Is there truth in our beliefs, practices and systems of rule? If we punish somebody only based on reliable proofs and leave all others, there is no truth in such system of law and order at all. We are searching for truth in such complex set of things and social order. Where is truth here?

b. A peasant farmer committed suicide due to unbearable losses and suffering in his source of livelihood. What brought him to that condition – the policies of the state and central governments, nature, costs of labour, seeds, fertilizers, insecticides, market rates for produce, family conditions or his lifestyle? It is difficult to trace the absolute truth, which pushed him towards that dead end of life.

Phenomenon 3:  Lovers and life partners often saying a lot about the success or failure in relationships.

a. During early stages of love and relationship, almost every male and female finds the creature of opposite gender very attractive and admirable. We can consider it a blind state of love or admiration. Slowly they get into the bond of live-in relationship or marriage. They enjoy that status of lives for some days or months. They decide to end that relationship one day. All those that observed their being close for long feel more shocked and surprised about their separation than the actual role players. Why did they break that bond? Is it ego, financial issues, wrong insights gained from the lives of married people in their familiar circle of relatives or society, health problems, boredom of life, thirst for novelty in bodily pleasures …we often fail to get the truth that separated them. We talk a lot about them without their invitation. Gossip is our favourite subject, not truth. How many times did you try to get to the truth?

b. We know about many couples, who live together forever, despite serious differences of opinion and lifestyles between them. What made them live so? They can break that bond at any time but they don’t or can’t do it? Is it to honour the society, minding the interests of their children, prestige of their social class or respect to Indian tradition and culture? We fail to find out truth, which is keeping them together for years together. Logically it should not happen. It is a matter of wonder and mystery to us always.

Phenomenon 4: Rapes and murders taking place in our societies regularly.

a. Despite many laws and regulations in India against the crimes of rape and murder, these are occurring every day and night in some place. Rape is a physical assault on a creature of opposite gender against her wish. There are no age, community, religion, place or race restrictions in this sphere of human conduct. Daily we read in newspapers about various incidents taking place in every part of India. Why are rapes taking place at all? Are all rapists really criminals and sinners? Why are we seeing them only as heinous creatures but not politicians, businessmen and various other classes of people in our societies who are threatening the peace and freedom of girls and women in our places? What prompted them towards raping a creature? Is it the exhibitionist culture of modern girls and women, the physical vulnerability of them, failure of police and lawyers in keeping the systems of social reformation strict and speedy or the evil basic instincts of boys and men? How many of us can ever find the truth for this phenomenon. We simply keep commenting about these incidents. We suffer when we too become victims. We are not interested in exploring the basic truths in any matter but its various shades only.

b. Murder is ending the life of another person peacefully or terrifically. Some plan it a lot if there are many benefits and profits from the murder of a creature in their family or business field. Why does a murder take place at all? Is it for a little money; out of jealousy; out of fear; out of ego; out of commercial reasons; out of stupidity; out of superstitions; out of retaliation; out of anger; for social reformation? Apparently we may find one reason for a murder but what actually led to it remains as an issue of intricate analysis. Trying to satisfy one’s self, killing others somehow, is a trait of humanity. Police and defense personnel do it officially as part of their job. If others do it, it would be a crime.

Phenomenon 5: Politicians talking a lot in public meetings.

a. Almost every politician, in the contemporary Indian politics, directly or indirectly, states that his or her objective is to serve the people. They assert that they are ready to sacrifice their lives also for people. During the last 60 years of Indian politics, how many actually died, voluntarily, for the cause of their people, proactively. We all love our life more than that of others because we are essentially selfish as human beings. Politicians are actually worse than ordinary people. Do they really ever die for their people? Then why are they talking that nonsense in public places? Is it to attract or cheat people through their sweet words; to acquire political power through public sympathy; to get the image of great speaker; to play the role of an intelligent opportunist; to exhibit their natural or acquired communication skills? Why are they regularly telling those many lies, which fail to impress people if they think logically about every promise made by these politicians? How many people are searching for truth in their words at all?

b. We find some politicians, who are very ideal and visionary. They always think and work for their people. Narendra Modi is one of such great politicians in the contemporary India. He is a bachelor. He has no wife or children to think and worry about them. He need not struggle 16 hours a day for his people of Gujarat because they are not as ideal and visionary as him. They are choosing him because he is bringing progress and happiness into their lives, not because they are great voters or individuals! It means people are very selfish and narrow-minded. Do they choose a great scientist if he comes from the USA or Canada to bring extraordinary changes into their lives ideally? Can they believe in the goodness of a fellow of another place or race? Are they psychologically associated to Modi because he is a Gujarati? Are they worshipping Modi as a politician, as their ruler, as an RSS follower, as an idealist or as one that can plan and work for others honestly? Why is Modi craving to be the chief minister of that state or the prime minister of India? He knows that his life would be more stressful and restless if he assumes even higher positions in this democracy? Is he running after fame? Is he really an idealist? Is he a gentleman? Based on what proofs can we treat him as an ultimate leader? Nobody can satisfy the demands and interests of 100% of the stakeholders. Some would be always disappointed about the thoughts and acts of a philanthropist also? Are people good or politicians? Why? How can we detect the truth in this field?

Phenomenon 6: Girls and women spending a lot for beautification.

a. I observed that girls and women are spending a lot of money and time on the idea of decoration and beautification. Boys and men follow them passionately even if they don’t resort to spas, beauty parlors and salons for beautification. They buy a variety of clothes and gadgets in comparison to males. Why are they thinking and behaving so? We often state that women developed a lot in India. They are studying a lot and doing great jobs. Then, why are they still trying to look attractive to others through their clothes and exhibitionist attitude? Boys and men are wearing clothes to completely cover their bodies despite the fact that females do not rape them even if they walk nakedly on roads! Girls and women know that many undesirable incidents are happening in this holy land of India if they are found vulnerable and attractive to others? They are augmenting this situation being more focused on their beauty than security and future? They are intelligent and visionary in almost every field of human thought and activities. Still they are failing to safeguard themselves from the assaults of boys and men. Are they foolish, stupid, helpless or innocent? Why are females unable to find out ways to defend themselves in any place at any time?

b. We know about male lyricists and writers describing the beauty of girls and women a lot in almost every age through poetry or otherwise. Are not girls and women finding boys and men that attractive in their age? If so, why are they not writing much, focusing on the handsomeness and virtues of men just as males are doing towards females through their creative pieces of expression? Men fought for women in every age? Did women ever fight among themselves to win the love of a boy or man? Is not their love brave and ideal? They know how to shout on roads about equal rights to them like men? Various men fought for the rights and development of women in all ages when we check history of social reformers? Did girls or women ever fight for the cause of men in their societies? Why this selfishness and cruelty in girls and women towards creatures of their opposite gender in every age? Are not they more selfish and narrow-minded than men in almost every facet of life? They often state publicly that they are second to none. They realized that they achieved equal status with man in almost every field of human activity. Then, why are courts of law according special status to women always? We are keeping some seats reserved for ladies in buses, legislatures, employment and so on? Does not it mean that we are still treating them as helpless creatures, who cannot live without reservations to a great extent? If they are equal to man, they must drive trains and lorries, fight in battlefields like male soldiers, rape a boy or man at their will, walk fearlessly alone in any place like men and so on. Is it happening now? What is the truth in the ideologies and movements of feminists? Do they want to achieve anything without the help of man or with his support and guidance always? Cruel men are pushing innocent girls into prostitution in many regions? When do girls and women make hundreds of boys and men gigolos applying their intelligence and vision for their race? They can enjoy their lives when they can retaliate against bad men in every way possible? It is not enough if they focus much on their beatification only and avoid courage.

Phenomenon 7: Presenting Mahatma Gandhi as the father of nation (India).

Most of us tend to assess the worth of a person based on a few apparent evidences only but not those hidden behind his life or profession. If a person gave me one lakh rupees freely, I appreciate him readily. I don’t worry to think how he earned it. What made him to behave so towards me just like that?

a. Gandhi lived, struggled and died for India, out of excessive love for its people and freedom to them from the clutches of the British. As such, he appears as an extraordinary man and freedom fighter to all of us. We are still printing his photo only on our currency notes to express our sense of patriotism and loyalty to values. Gandhi is a great freedom fighter but a big failure as a husband and father. He did not spend enough time with his wife or children. They missed him a lot in their lives. One that fails to satisfy the interests of his wife and children, according to Gruhasthaashrama Dharma, is not a great Indian, according to Indian culture. We are talking a lot about Gandhi now because we benefited a lot out of his sacrifices and vision for Indians those days. We are not worrying about status of lives of his dependents those days because we are selfish. How many of us are thinking about the children of Gandhi now? Where are they? How are they living? We are spending huge money every year for our dirty MLAs, MPs, ministers and party commands? They don’t sacrifice their lives for anybody. It means, as Indians, we don’t think and worry about the builders of this nation and their heirs but only about those who tell lies to us always. Gandhi worried and fought for freedom to such selfish and narrow-minded Indians? One that failed as a father and husband, should not be treated as a great man by the nation if we are following our culture perfectly? How many of us are thinking about the actual lives of our celebrities? Are they idealists? If yes, they should spend most of their time with their life partners and children and other dependents. Are they doing it? They are spending most of their time for us, nasty Indians. We are the supporters of such dirty culture. We admire Mahatma Gandhi for his standards and values but how many of us are following those virtues now? It means we are hypocrites. Then, why should we say that Indian culture is great? If Indian culture is great, why did many foreigners rule us for centuries? If our culture taught us to be united during times of regional or national crisis, why are we fighting among ourselves in Parliament and other places based on linguistic and regional feelings? Is there unity in diversity at all?

b. We often treat Pakistan and China as dangerous enemies to India from the standpoint of defense priorities and historical factors. Pakistan is a small country. China is an ordinary country in comparison to India from many perspectives. Why are we scared of them now? Because they have patriotism and we don’t have it. A Pakistani terrorist is fighting for the cause of his religion blindly. A Pakistani soldier is sending infiltrators into the land of India knowingly because he loves Pakistan and hates India. How many Indians are as patriotic as these Chinese and Pakistanis? We know that China is building secret walls around India to frighten it more in different ways in future. We know that Pakistan is not reliable to us. What are we doing to safeguard our interests in this complex scenario? We are not thinking and working for the safety and development of India now but our political and regional priorities. We are worrying about the rats and cats in our house, neglecting the tigers and lions ready to attack on our house soon. They kill us one day if we focus on minor domestic issues only. So, we failed as rulers and patriots of India also at regional, national and international level. If we are timid, our enemy acts anger and power before us. If we are more patriotic and visionary than our enemy, we need not care about their gimmicks because we know how to save ourselves at any point of time. If we cannot face our villain, we must make them as our great friends at least. We could not achieve this status also till now applying our superior knowledge and strategies as statesmen. It means a set of idiots and rogues have been ruling India since independence. Then, how can we say “Mera Bharat Mahaan”. What is the truth about Indian culture and patriotism? Are we good people in bad conditions or bad ones in a holy land? We don’t know truth about ourselves! Without self-awareness, how can we assess others better? 

Phenomenon 8: Artists and Artistes.

I often fail to distinguish between the meanings of these two words. One thing is certain that both are good at some form of art. Art is anything that educates or entertains a set of people in an age.

a. I believe that artist is one who does not sell his art for livelihood or commercial purpose. He or she should love an art form and live for it. He or she should entertain others just like that. He or she must have acquired the specialties and skills of an art form by birth. As such, it must be a god’s gift. I think there are many artists in India possessing these qualities. They must not be commercially oriented persons but those who seek pleasure and fulfillment in practising an art form for the sake of contemporary society. They must live and die for that art. They must have great qualities as artists. Ilayaraja and S P Balasubrahmanyam might be artists from the perspective of people when they did not deliver their art forms for commercial orientation. Once they entered film industry, perhaps, they turned into artistes. Artist practices an art out of his or her admiration for it. Artiste uses it for selfish needs.

b. Ilayaraja and S P Bala Subrahmanyam have been charging money from their clients for long for providing them with music and songs. So, they are no more artists but just artistes. Beauticians, teachers, preachers, choreographers, painters, drama artists…perhaps these are all artistes because they are taking money to present their art forms publicly to entertain others. They invest a lot of energy and efforts to be in limelight of their chosen fields as professionals. They promote themselves. They often think and behave artificially to satisfy their clients or other interest groups. They have double standards. They need not have values. They live for themselves, not for others. They change colours according to the trends in contemporary society. They are businessmen to the core. Their concern is for profit from anything they do. They are least bothered about giving shape to and sustaining any art form. Art is a source of income and comforts for them. They tell their clients to book three or five star hotel rooms for their stay before and after their scheduled programs. They don’t spend their money for transport also. The organizers have to provide them with everything. They are selling their artistic skills on pure commercial terms and conditions. Is this the truth about artists and artistes? How should we distinguish them? Whom should we admire and why? Are they sacrificing their lives for an art form or depending on an art form for their survival and development? When does an artist become artiste and vice versa?

I often feel much confused about ‘truth’. What I believe as absolute truth might be a bitter lie to others. We are all living in a sphere of imaginations, beliefs, assumptions and dreams. We often don’t have time and interest to explore the reality of a given incident, feeling, experience or expression. We take most of the things in our lives for granted. We assess them based on our understanding and knowledge. Thus truth seems to be a mystery to most of us if we contemplate it rationally and logically. Our lives, characters, moods, views, beliefs, tradition, culture…everything keeps changing continuously being influenced by what is happening around. In this drama of evolution of man and universe, truth is a lie and lie is a truth. They play hide-and-seek with us day and night. We can never assess them perfectly.