Spotlights on Hinduism and Religious Values : 1.

1.

The influence of religion over the masses is definitely on the wane, since religion, unfortunately, has latterly tended to become formalistic, ritual-ridden and church-oriented, with its social rigidities, mechanised disciplines and an emphasis which began to appear more like an external pressure on the individual rather than a spontaneous incentive for the development of the natural spiritual potentialities of the seeking spirit.

Corruption and such other pointers to personal and social deterioration can be attributed ultimately to a lack of the true spiritual sense among mankind.


The charge against Hinduism that it is fatalistic is born of an ignorance of the scientific law of cause and effect, traditionally known as karma, upheld by Hinduism as one of its necessary tenets in the field of its vast compass.

Very few, even among Hindus, have a correct knowledge of what true Hinduism is.

This is perhaps the fate of the majority of followers of the other religions in the world, also.


The interpretation of the law of karma that it inhibits progress by making people slaves to the belief in the inevitability of whatever is to happen is erroneous.

The law of karma does not mean that.

What it actually implies is that every cause produces an effect of equal force, similar to the force of gravitation in the field of physical nature.

Inasmuch as the universe is a balance or an equilibrium of forces and it tends to maintain this balance on any account, a disturbance of this equilibrium by any individualistic action receives a kick back by the power of this equilibrium of the universe in its attempt to restore its lost status quo, and this reaction produced by the universe is really the essence of the law of karma.

If it implies any sort of ‘inevitability’ as suspected, it is the kind of inevitability that is involved in the fall of an apple from a tree due to the law of gravitation.

This cannot be called fatalistic with the shade of the anathema that seems to be suggested thereby.

The force of karma can be overcome by purushartha or the higher creative effort which every individual is capable of and can achieve by a gradual  pproximation of oneself to the nature of Reality.


The charge of fatalism leveled against Hinduism is therefore unfounded.

If well-meaning, highly educated people of today, too, subscribe to this erroneous notion, that would be an added credit to the depth of their knowledge and the profundity of their wisdom!

 Swami Krishnananda
To be continued  .....