This universe is formed out of both consciousness-force and matter. The domain of learning and experimenting with matter constitutes material-based science or what we simply refer to as science in the modern times. The domain of realizing and understanding consciousness and the theory and process of its enlightened evolution pertains to (the deeper science of) spirituality. The totality, purpose, and fruitfulness of the word “science” is accomplished only in adept amalgamation of material-based science and spirituality.
Though dealings in natural sciences began way back when man discovered fire, began to rear animals, started agriculture, began to weave clothes, build homes, pots and tools etc., its visibly significant advancement took place in the twentieth century only. Machines, equipment, weapons, drugs, means of conveniences etc. have been created in the twentieth century at a rate that has fast surpassed the same in any previous times.
In the twentieth century, there has been a significant increase in the interest of the common man towards material-based science. It has become an important subject in the curriculum of all higher and elementary schools as well. If modern science proceeds on ill-directed paths then there can be as much destruction as the development that has taken place over the past millennium. Though this issue is slightly out of context for the present discussion, what can be stressed is that spirituality has got left behind and ignored in the sequence of progress. It has failed to rise to an extent that could create a balance (with material-based science) like two wheels of a cart or two wings of a flying bird. Because of this imbalance alone, modern science and technology has got an opportunity to wildly encroach every walk of life and even cause widespread destruction and hazards in several ways. If both the disciplines had cooperated with each other, development would have been total and the descent of heaven upon the earth would have been possible.
Modern Science vis-a-vis Spirituality:
The basic principal of science, as we know today, is that it verifies all the hypotheses in terms of perceivable facts and evidential reasoning. Till it establishes truth by experiments and hard evidence, it neither gets satisfied, nor does it rest. All hypotheses of natural sciences can be tested in actuality and everyone has a freedom to do that. This is the reason that authenticity and universality of science has been accepted to be beyond suspicion. Anyone who needed science has used it also to his advantage.
In comparison, the first major difficulty with spirituality is that its hypotheses cannot be verified in physical terms. Whatever it talks about is invisible, sublime and often esoteric;
facts and visible evidences or proofs perceptible by other sensory organs or instruments cannot be used to validate or establish its concepts. The second problem has been that different religious schools and philosophies have not stated spiritual concepts in the same form. There are large variations in their expositions. In some places their statements are even highly conflicting. This mutual conflict and differences give rise to doubts like, when all statements of science are so similar, why should there be so much discrepancy in the statements of spirituality? Either, only one of these is right or all of them are wrong. The facts that statements of spirituality cannot be proven in the laboratories, and that different sects present different and sometimes mutually contradicting theories, are the two main reasons why spirituality has never earned as much acceptance as the material-based science. In this intellectual era spirituality has not just been ignored, it has also been looked at with skepticism and even ridiculed.
Consciousness is superior to matter. Only a living being uses matter as per his will. This establishes the superiority of consciousness and hence of spirituality. Scientists decipher the knowledge of matter, energy and manifested Nature, and are seen to reap rich benefits by harnessing its potential. Then should not spiritual scientists be as successful and advanced in their own domain? However what is normally seen is exactly to the contrary. Spiritualists are seen riding on flights of fantasy; they talk about a lot of occult or magical powers based upon mythological stories but can never actually demonstrate any of it. How can inner peace and possibilities like ascent to heaven be called as authentic facts? Why should not these be rejected as falsehood based upon asinine beliefs?
These are such confusing matters that people today accept only the physically verifiable aspects of science, while the science of spirituality hangs around by the weak threads of faith and emotions. No one has any objections to molding gold in fire or testing its purity hundreds of times on a benchmark; why should spirituality then remain tied up within the confines of illusory or fictitious claims? Why shouldn’t it put forth its principals in such a way that no one would try to challenge or falsify them? Those people who make a big propaganda about spirituality should at least not have been in a poor and downtrodden state. They should have influenced society to some extent and contributed to its development with their specialty. At least their surroundings and the environment around them should have been such that it could be said without doubt that there is no difference between what they speak and what they do.
Is Spirituality a Bane?
Modern scientists earn respect, praise, high position, wealth etc. Their contributions are recognized globally, appreciated by the masses and are remembered long afterwards. If spirituality is superior then the achievements of those who dedicate their efforts in this field should have been higher and not lesser. But this is not what is commonly observed. India has about six million so-called spiritual men in the attire of sadhus and swamis. Brahmins who have made religion as their means of livelihood are another about six million. So spiritual men and Brahmins add up to a population of about twelve million. This means that among every fifty people in India there is one person who earns his livelihood through religion or spirituality. If this ratio is taken with respect to only the Hindu population, the proportion of such persons would be more than double. In every 20-30 Hindus there is one spiritual man or woman, a sadhu–sanyasi, or a priest, or a preacher or a Brahmin. The personal state of all these spiritualists should have been relatively superior, but in reality most of them barely manage to make their ends meet and are normally seen propagating only misconceptions. If their state of affairs is analysed, it can be clearly seen that they are much inferior in terms of health, education, character, talent and usefulness to society, compared to normal people.
There are about seven hundred thousand villages in our country. If the six million spiritual men who spend their lives in the name of religion are divided by the number of villages, it comes to about eight and a half ‘spiritual persons’ per village, whose expense are borne by the masses. Even if this large community is unaware of scientific methods or procedures of spirituality, it could still play an important role by taking up social work and contribute to society’s development. It could take up simple activities like adult education, tree plantation, building gymnasiums, maintaining cleanliness, enhancing cooperation and rooting out superstitious practices, insane customs and social evils etc. With these activities alone there could have been a complete turnaround in our country’s intellectual, moral, and social state. But again the results in this regard are very disappointing. Such admirable saintly men who readily take up activities of service and contribute to the progress of our country, religion, society and culture can be counted on one’s fingers.
The most popular religious activities among the Indian masses include pilgrimages, attending religious fairs, taking holy baths, visiting temples, singing bhajan and kirtan (devotional songs), distributing free food and many other similar expensive pursuits. If the huge community of people that wastes its resources on such activities had understood the shabby and disorganized state of affairs of our nation and had worked on corrective measures, the situation would have been very different from what it is today. On the contrary, consumption of intoxicating drugs like opium, cocaine, tobacco etc, in the name of ‘tantra’ and ‘occult experiences’, and promotion of blind faith under the shadow of distorted interpretation of religious texts are the only activities that seem t to have been encouraged by the fake ‘gurus’ in this field.
A wide difference can thus be seen in the actions and accomplishments of modern scientists and spiritualists. Accordingly, superiority and inferiority of the two is ascribed. It is very unfortunate that the glory of spirituality falls much short in front of the might of scientific developments today. The value of a human being is evaluated on the basis of his achievements alone. On a weighing scale, the scientists’ side turns out to be definitely heavier than the spiritualists. Conclusions can be easily drawn by this simple analysis. Only the na.ve can be duped into basking in false glory, intellectual beings can be convinced only by hard facts. When huge financial resources are seen being wasted to support livelihood and ostensible behaviours of such a huge group of counter-productive people, feelings of disappointment, anger, disapproval and condemnation would naturally rise among the rational thinkers. They cannot be satisfied just by high-flown language and illusory mythology.
Grandeur of Spirituality:
So is this all that spirituality is? The answer to this is a clear and definite ‘No’. Because, if we turn back the pages of history and analyse the ancient era, we can see that glorious ascent of spirituality has always bestowed pristine joy, rejuvenating calmness and illuminating inspiration. The radiance of spiritual personality is precious like the divine beauty of the Himalayas. There were very few rishis (spiritual sages) in the Vedic times, but the dignity of their personality, the grandeur of their sadhana and the nobility of their service to humanity was so profound that even today its remembrance fills us with pride and reverence.
These spiritual scientists of yore used their own bodies and minds as laboratories. Through unflinching efforts and experimentation on the power of consciousness they had deciphered the hidden forces of Nature, and vital spiritual energy (prana) indwelling within and outside their being. They had enriched their personalities with innumerable distinct qualities and preeminent talents. They had awakened the extrasensory faculties using sublime currents of consciousness-force, and acquired amazing supernatural powers.
By endeavouring ascetic fervours and penance for self-refinement, these ascetics used to shine like chiselled gold and used to prove their value to the society by their altruistic, sagacious deeds. They created several compositions on philosophies of real nature of the world, and on yogic and spiritual experiments on mind-body system and the inner self. Their lives were exemplars of foremost signs of spirituality, namely, beatifying love and sensitivity for all beings. Such was the influence of their spiritual aura that in their hermitages, lions and cows would share a common source of drinking water. Whoever visited them and lived in their abode would return with an illumined outlook and improved personality. Their proximity was like that of a touchstone, and their patronage and blessings could fulfil all wishes. They always lived in bliss and radiated the same all around. The peerless roles they played in solving the problems of man and society deserve high praise.
This is not the right place for singing paeans of great rishis. However there are innumerable contributions made by them that can be called as extraordinary by all means: like Vyas’s Literature, Jamadagni’s hermitage-school, Nagarjuna’s Chemistry, Charak’s Botany, Sushrut’s Surgery, Yagyavalkya’s research on Yagya, Maitreyi’s sacrifice for attaining true knowledge, Vishwamitra’s Science of Mantras, Parashuram’s
fight for uprooting injustice and vices, Vashishtha’s efforts to re-establish Satyuga in the Tretayuga through Ram, Dronacharya’s skill of Archery, Dadhichi’s donation of his bones for the construction of vajra, Bhagirath’s devout ascetic endeavor (tapa) to invoke the flow of the holy Ganges, Anusuya’s tapa to invite the water currents of Mandakini, Panini’s Sanskrit Grammar, Patanjali’s Yoga, Vaiseshik’s Atomic Science, Daksha’s Physics, Arjun’s mastery in battles, Agastya’s capacity of drinking ocean, Narad’s travails across the world for people’s welfare, Vishwakarma’s Architecture, Kaundinya’s efforts of global dissemination of Indian Culture, Chanakya’s establishment of university and so on. Rishis like Suta and Shaunak used to organize discussions on religion at different places. So strong was the spiritual strength of the rishis that they transformed the lives of evil men like Valmiki and Angulimal and uplifted them to high portals. Noble contributions of the rishi culture continued in the post Vedic ages as well. Buddha’s renaissance of religion and Shankaracharya’s dissemination of divine knowledge changed the trends of their times in the righteous direction. The rishis of medieval and later times made possible the much needed social reformation and revival of human values against the tides of cultural decline, and political anarchy. Samarth Ramdas made a plan for struggle for freedom and national integrity and got it executed through his disciples — great kings like Pratap, Shivaji and Chhatrasal. All credit for Chandragupta’s successes is due to Chanakya. Great saints like Kabir, Raidas and Meerabai, removed the caste disparity in the society. Vivekanand the disciple of Ramkrishna Paramhans placed the shaky edifice of Indian Culture onto a firm footing. Swami Dayanand the disciple of Virjanand waged a battle and destroyed widespread ostentations propounded in the name of religion. Such were these truly spiritual persons that simply remembering their personalities and great deeds it is enough to spark an elevating thrill.
They molded the character and guided the noble deeds of great Kings and Queens like Harshwardhan, Ahilyabai, Ashok, Karna, Harishchandra, Ashwapati, Chakravarti Bharat etc, who created glorifying annals of the Indian History. Their protection and guidance inspired divinity in the great women like Savitri, Sukanya, Kunti, Gandhari, Renuka, Arundhati and so on. Under whose mentorship young princes like Dhruv, Prahlad, Luv-Kush, Abhimanyu etc. could attain high realms of immortal distinction, even the cows of whose Ashrams were so special that the mighty Kings like Dileep went there to look after them – take them for gazing; grand empires were bent on whose feet, whose curses ruined the devilish might and uprooted the wrongs in no time, whose blessings were like divine boons, such was the majesty of the rishis – the scientists of spirituality. Their field by no means can be termed ordinary, to enter which the likes of Vishawamitra and Bhatruhari even abdicated their gigantic kingdoms. The science that transmutes ordinary mortal beings into angelic paragons cannot be a maze of illusion.
It was because of their preeminent talents that India used to be called the Guru of the World. Their adept guidance had enlightened the masses to the extent that the thirty-three crore (330 million) citizens of India in the Satayuga were counted as devatas. These examples illustrate the miraculous achievements of the rishis by adopting the principles of spirituality. Their presence alone had brought enormous good fortunes to India; they had nurtured this land into what may be referred as ‘superior to the heavens’.
All human beings are alike, but among the scores of ordinary beings, rise of a few to extraordinary levels proves that whoever attained greatness must have had some strong support. This support is nothing but the light of spirituality that bestows glory and status of a divine being to this mortal structure of bones and flesh called human being. This is not a hypothesis or a mere statement; the lives of true achievers of spirituality indeed prove it.
It is clear then that the science of the soul is great in itself and its capability and dignity is no less than that of any other branch of science. In fact it is greater. However, when people do not garner requisite resources to search for the real diamond, and merely satisfy their desire by acquiring pieces of glass, then they are denied the vaunted glory. Nowadays people wish to achieve all the payback by pursuing namesake prayers, rituals and remembrance of God’s names, which actually is achievable only by adopting spirituality in true sense. The seekers as well as critics of the science of spirituality should note that no one can become a spiritualist by renouncing home, living on alms and dyeing one’s clothes in saffron. The only way is to inculcate spiritual ideals into every aspect of one’s life, every action, every fragment of one’s body, and into each wave of thought. The principle of right achievement at a right price applies everywhere. Those who get waylaid from this only earn exhaustion, disappointment, failure and ridicule.
Source – What is Spirituality?
