The instance of how the American nation came into being is a lurid reminder of this inhuman state of affairs. Various people from Europe sailed forth to that continent in search of material wealth and happiness and began to establish their settlements. In the process, they annihilated the original inhabitants of that land. The barbaric atrocities and the savage genocide indulged in by the so-called civilized Whites makes hair-raising reading. The original Red Indians, who have managed to exist till today in certain areas, have remained there as but showpiece specimens.
Nor is America a solitary instance. Wherever the Western Whites had gone, whether Australia, America or Southern America, they have left behind the same trail of death and destruction.
If one were to dispassionately observe the characteristics of the present-day civilized modern societies, they appear to tally, almost word to word, with the attributes of the asuras as detailed in Bhagavad-Gita!
The Hindu philosophy steps in here to offer a cogent solution. It says, the real source of happiness lies within oneself and not without. Even a little introspection will bear this out. Take the instance of a man who is absorbed in enjoyment of music. Just then if he receives a wire conveying the death of a near and dear one, he immediately loses all interest in the music and goes away. If really music had the inherent power to give happiness, then it should have made the man overcome his sorrow and made him continue to listen to music. But the very opposite was the effect. Music, which was a source of enjoyment till a moment before, had now become a point of repulsion to him.
It only means that the external objects, which appear to give us happiness, serve only as pretexts or instruments whereas its real source is within. But still we go after the external objects, only because of delusion. It is like a dog which begins to bite and chew a dry bone. After a time, the bone pieces cut into its mouth. Blood oozes out, the dog tastes the blood and feels elated. That is how the external objects seem to give us happiness! It is obvious that such enjoyments will, after a while, stop giving us pleasure and land us in sorrow and disappointment.
It is a matter of common experience that a restless mind can never be happy. It is only when the mind is calm and peaceful that man enjoys happiness. To achieve such a quiet and tranquil state of mind, it is necessary to see that the various types of desires do not raise their heads in the mind. When the water is disturbed by ripples, one cannot see what is at the bottom. Nor can we see our reflection in it. When the ripples calm down and the water becomes still, everything becomes clear. So also, when the mind becomes quiet, one becomes aware of the reality in the depths of human mind. So long as the mind is restless, that awareness is lost. And so happiness which stems from the awareness of that reality is also lost. It only means that if the mental waves could be calmed, then one could enjoy happiness even without the aid of any external object of enjoyment.
Just as the river flowing within the bounds on either side will be beneficial, but becomes destructive when it breaks its bounds, so also is the case with the stream of human life. It is only when it flows between the two bounds of Dharma and Moksha that it will be conducive to the happiness of both the individual and the society. Whatever is permissible within these two bounds could be enjoyed by one and all. It is only this arrangement that can strike a balance between enjoyment and peace of mind and ultimately lead one to the state of highest bliss.
The mission of Hindu consolidation that the RSS has taken up is inspired by this vision of unlocking the door of supreme happiness for the entire mankind. And as days go by, we are confident that the so-called progressive modern societies are also bound to take refuge in this ancient yet living wisdom of this holy land. As the Sanskrit saying goes “the jackals of other theories will be howling only so long as the Lion of Vedanta does not give out the great and all-powerful roar!”