On a foggy or cloudy day, or at the time of eclipse, even the daytime appears dark. But this darkness is only temporary. Brilliance of sunlight begins to shine with golden glow as soon as the smog is cleared or the shadow of eclipse shifts. The light of pure wisdom and sagacious acumen seems to have been blocked these days by a thick haze of illusions, superficiality, ostentations (hypocrisy), and widespread fallacious tendencies of quick-gains by whatever means. Nevertheless, the silver line of hope is that nothing is permanent in this world. The mist of ignorance and confusion that has pervaded the field of spirituality and religion is also going to be cleared soon.
The “Age of Truth” of the prehistoric times is going to revive in the future. In the post Vedic era, in mainly the medieval and the present times, humanity has suffered all round decline and degradation of the value-systems, and consequent attack of untoward tendencies, ignorance and distortions. This attack was hidden but akin to the attack of locusts and other pests, who arrive in huge groups, spread like a wide, thick sheet on the blossoming crop and ruin it in no time. Similar attack has occurred in the field of spiritual disciplines in this dark phase of several thousands of years. But thanks to the self-organizing system of Nature, the roots of spirituality remained alive in the pure minds and hearts of the great saints and sages. The long years of persistent endeavours of these elevated souls have ploughed and prepared the grounds for renaissance of spirituality to its original dignity.
The onset of new millennium may also be viewed as dawn of the new phase of change of an era. This is the phase of renovation, resurrection and reconstruction. New, luminous edifice of ancient culture is going to be built on its long forgotten and buried foundations. The architecture of new era will be a robust, glittering replica of its glorious past and will be erected by collective efforts of millions of awakened souls. The winds of new joy and enthusiasm have begun to blow in the subtle horizons to rejuvenate our energies for this unprecedented task. Human civilization in its ascent has witnessed culmination of intellectual evolution in the modern times. Now it will undergo mental, emotional, and spiritual evolution.
Spiritual evolution is not anything occult or imaginary. As we have discussed earlier, spirituality is not magic, mystery, or metaphysical faculty of spirits in the realms of life after death. Neither does it emanate from or deal with any religious doctrine or sacramental practice. Contrary to common beliefs and misconceptions, spirituality is a science. It is a science of self-awakening, refinement and virtuous transmutation of personality. It is a process of progress of individuals and the society as a whole that ensures auspicious welfare and well-being of all.
The onset of new millennium lies at the juncture of two eras. These are the years of epochal changes. Several futurologists have predicted that the 21st century would be full of devastating wars, natural disasters, energy crises and diseases, etc. Scientific analyses based on projected consumption rates and availability of natural resources, risks of population explosion, environmental pollution, ecosystem imbalance, unemployment, etc. also indicate similarly. But only those having extraordinary acumen can see that the spiritually empowered souls, in the visible or sublime forms are engaged in the grand churning that would stir out and throw away the poison and fetch in the elixir. Spiritual saints and sagacious visionaries like Yugrishi Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya have therefore assured that renaissance of spirituality and its constructive integration with science[1] would transform the prevailing circumstances and revert the cycle of declining human culture towards positive growth with possibilities of farsighted reconstruction and upliftment on all fronts of life. The natural calamities, wars etc. will be there in the early decades of this new era but will be checked from making global impact. Gradually, the intensity of negativity will cease and the change in the subtle world will get more and more visible in the manifested world (the world we live in) with new light of brighter tomorrow.
The amazing scientific progress in transportation, aviation and communication technology have virtually converted the world into a global village. Mutual dependence in trade and economics has also brought the nations closer, in a single fold. The same is going to happen in the political scenario as well. Therefore the problems of the world should not be addressed only locally or regionally, there ought to be global solutions, which should also be implemented globally at one shot rather than being tried out individually and at remote levels. As we all know, applying medicinal ointments on the acnes of smallpox cannot cure the disease. Blood-purification or elimination of the virus from the patient’s body by timely immune response is an essential remedy in this case. Killing them one by one cannot check excessive growth of flies and mosquitoes. We need to cleanse the entire colony and even neighbouring localities to get rid of these insects and likely epidemic diseases. These familiar examples illustrate that the best approach to tackling the challenges daring the world today would be – to face and solve them collectively. The entire world should be viewed like one large nation, like a global family, which is united by the relation of humanity. The collective potential of human society is immense enough to root out the gamut of unsocial, terrorist and all sorts of negative elements in no time and also to resolve the plethora of other problems rising in different parts of the world. There is no challenge, howsoever gigantic that might appear today, which cannot be conquered by the immense force of collective consciousness.
The end of 20th century and the initial decades of the 21st will witness horrifying natural calamities together with the grand tug-of-war between the evil and the good, collision between conflicting philosophies of life, between rival cultures, etc. But at the same time, there will also be gradual strengthening and augmenting of cooperation between the constructive efforts of welfare and farsighted organization of liberal systems. This positive development will accelerate at an increasing pace with every year of the new millennium. The blueprint of the golden future ahead was clear in the clairvoyance and precognition of the rishis of our times, like Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya way back in the 1920s. He and elevated souls like him have also contributed their intense tapa – sadhana to awaken collective consciousness and to create the necessary ambience for the dawn of the golden era by 2020+.
The unique feature of the new world order will be: integration of modern science and spirituality and assimilation of spiritual values in socio cultural, economic, and political developments. Every field of life will be illumined by pure radiance of spirituality. The principles of vasudhaiva kutumbakam (entire world is like a family) and atmavat sarvabhutesu (everyone is like one’s own self) will materialize in reality in this very world. Unity and convergence will be the watchwords of all ideologies and humanity will be the predominant religion.
Interdependence and cooperation at the economical, technological, educational and socio-political levels will be so extensive that the domestic as well as international administrative bodies will function like waves in a global ocean. Where will then be a place for wars? The huge resources spent in national security and defence-technologies will then be diverted for upliftment and well-being of the masses. Mobilization of talents for down-to-earth projects and inclination of most people for disciplined and simple life-style would serve a great deal in alleviating the projected crises on the crucial fronts of energy, environment and health.
Disparity in use of land will be removed and people from crowded regions will be free to inhabit more spacious places beyond any constraints of national borders. By then, Nature would have taught substantial lessons to mankind, so the accumulation and luxurious consumption of wealth and power will be waned out from people’s life. Human society would have experienced the joy and gains of giving and helping others, so no one would like to commit the mistake of selfish possession any more. Equality among people without any barrier of race, creed, gender, socio-economic status, etc., will no longer be a utopian concept. Every man and woman will then enjoy equal rights and opportunities and live a happy and duty-bound life. Indeed one feels most happy in sharing and distributing whatever he has among all the loved ones. All this will be a natural consequence of spiritual outlook that induces a feeling of oneness with all beings.
Communication technology has already bridged the gaps due to geographical distances. Adding to this, Information Technology has virtually removed the barriers of languages, and accelerated the circulation of literature and transmission of information by virtually connecting people across the globe via the Internet. This has enabled all to access the same information at the same time, know each other’s culture, literature and society more closely, and letting them freely chat and interact with practically everyone, everywhere! With enhanced prudence and matured attitude of people in the coming decades, we shall see redundancies, distortions, and misuses of the world-wide-web and satellite links being replaced by intelligent and constructive uses of these amazing gifts of science and technology to impart expertise and experiences and to acquire and expand knowledge.
The history of human civilization has witnessed numerous revolutions of varied intensities that have turned the trends of life and changed the shape of the world in specific periods. These include industrial revolution, communist or labour revolution, anti-imperialism or pro-democracy revolutions, social revolution, and intellectual, scientific and technological revolutions. An unprecedented revolution in the 21st century will now transform this era. It will be a revolution of thoughts, emotions and values. It will uproot the vices, untoward tendencies, disparities and conflicts, and destroy the foundations of all fallacies and debouches. It will turn the wrongs upside down and set everything right, worth the dignity of human life. Indeed, it will be a spiritual revolution.
It was the evolutionary impulse of the Omnipotent Consciousness Force (Brahm) that created this amazing universe and manifestation of countless life forms on the planets like our earth. Just imagine the grandeur of the transformation of the fireball earth into the modern world flourishing with amazing high-tech gadgets that have carried its ‘message’ to the other planets and stars beyond the solar system! This is only a glimpse of the power of the Consciousness Force hidden in a human being. We may not be aware, but the evolution of consciousness continues now as ever and would lead to divine ascent in a compatible spiritual ambience. The present phase of our lives has bestowed this exceptional opportunity of spiritual transmutation.
The spiritual revolution we are referring to is inspired and backed by sublime divine powers. They will invisibly motivate and guide the awakened souls in all walks of life to participate in this epochal revolution. Irrespective of whether they know it or not, whether they want it or not, all those having a compassionate heart and all those who care or at least think to save human values, to save the ecosystem and the future of the world, will feel some inexplicable inner urge to change themselves, to have farsighted sensitivity, to adopt spirituality and spread its light among those around them. If they continue to neglect it, the thrust of Nature will compel them to awaken. The waves of revolutionary changes will gradually embrace every one. The elevated souls who would lead this reform on the visible fronts have already arrived and are playing or going to play their key roles. The necessary ambience for this unique transition has already been created in the subtle world. The seeds are sown and saplings have also begun to sprout. They would gradually grow into trees and there will be a paradise of blossoming gardens on this land. The new revolution will eventually erect heavens on the earth.
An evidential example of how this revolution would progress, can be seen at a miniature level in the extraordinary achievements of the Yug Nirman Mission propounded by
Yugrishi Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. In the earlier Chapters of this book, we have seen a brief outline of the life and works of this sagacious saint (rishi) of our times, who pioneered renaissance of scientific spirituality and established working models of the institutions developed in its light in the form of Shantikunj at Haridwar, Brahmvarchas Research Center at Haridwar, Gayatri Tapobhumi at Mathura and numerous allied organizations and centers of the Gayatri Pariwar. Recent expansions of this mission include the first of its kind Dev Sanskriti University (DSVV) at Haridwar. What has been told and known about this angelic personality so far is only a tip of the iceberg. He kept himself away from publicity and never exposed his supernatural powers, as it would have only made people curious about his supernormal or magical personality and crazy for taking his blessings. This would have added to the misconceptions about spirituality as dealing with a mysterious or occult world. He believed, experimented and proved that spirituality is a science.
His life and works are paragons of how the devout endeavours of tapa and yoga–sadhanas are possible in ordinary life along with praiseworthy fulfilment of familial and social responsibilities. His time-tested foretells, conveyed through his logical interpretations and implications affirm that the spiritual revolution and dawn of the super consciousness force as envisaged by him and spiritual saints of his calibre is going to be a reality in this very world.
Many of those who have had the opportunity to meet, interact and be guided by spirituality enlightened personalities must have realized that spirituality is certainly a science of elevated psychology and enlightened emotions, a science of evolution of consciousness, a science of awakening divinity hidden in our inner selves. It is our ardent responsibility and also the urgent need of our times to deracinate all prejudices, misconceptions, and inhibitions, to eliminate all distortions, and to rectify all deformations and delusive convictions about spirituality. Mingling religion with communalism, insane beliefs and traditions and confusing spirituality with esoteric hallucinations, metaphysical imaginations, some sort of black magic, and obscure notions of life after death, ghosts, etc, has been a curse on human society. It has deprived us of benefiting from the most precious and most powerful source of illumined progress towards unlimited peace, prosperity and unalloyed joy and instead, has driven us and our mighty science and intellectual civilization to a wrong, slippery path. Its time all of us who can think liberally – independently of popular trend and intellectual bias, should learn, adopt and disseminate the true meaning and purpose of spirituality in new scientific light.
Source: What is Spirituality ?
