Scourge of Omniscience

Omniscience, once reckoned an attribute of the Almighty only, has now become proletarian, especially in the digital age. Proliferation of social media platforms have made it evident that most people believe they have that quality, as they hold forth on every subject under the sun, irrespective of whether they are qualified to do so or not. It is no wonder that most of the time they are talking through their hat. Even more wondrous is the fact that instead of just ignoring them as beneath one's notice, others, probably because they have nothing better to do, answer them, making way for a full fledged conflagration out of what should be a storm in a teacup at best.

It makes one wonder people do not appropriate another Divine attribute, Omnipotence to themselves. Certainly they might have, but for the fact that, if they were to exercise it, others equally egoistic, would retaliate, & bring them down ignominiously to earth in no time!

The root cause of this may be another offshoot of the digital age, namely the decline of the reading habit. One has to mandatorily read to acquire knowledge. People are not plants to absorb knowledge through Osmosis from the surroundings. Assumption of knowledge & acquisition of knowledge are two entirely different things, the latter demanding many years of focussed, disciplined effort.

The biggest culprits in this democratic age are the politicians who, little educated & less cultured, attaining their office through the vagaries of the ballot box, go on a taxpayer subsidised ego trip, pontificating on all & sundry to their sycophantic and paid followers.

From Slavery to Sainthood

In Jain history, there is story of a princess sold into slavery during a war. A noble merchant, sensing the aura of her, bought her, took her home & treated her like a daughter, & named her Chandanbala as she would not tell her name. But his wife, being  jealous, during an absence of the merchant, put her in chains, shaved her head & locked her up & herself went to her mother's house . On his return, the merchant learnt his wife gone to her parents' house & only later of Chandanbala. Immediately he released her from the room, went to get a blacksmith to cut her chains, & gave her dry lentils to eat.

Meanwhile Lord Mahavir who was fasting, came that way. He would break his fast only on five conditions. It should be offered by a princess, with a hairless head, in chains, dry lentils offered while standing one foot inside the house & one outside & in tears. Chandanbala wanted to offer her lentils to him before consuming it. Mahavir knew she was a princess, but as she was not in tears, he started to leave. But disappointed, Chandanbala started to cry. Then Mahavir came back & accepted the food. 

Later she became the first female disciple of Lord Mahavir & started the community of "Sadhvis" (Jain nuns).

In Margaret Smith's scholarly book "Rabiya The Mystic", she writes about the legend that the Prophet himself appeared to Rabiya's father in a dream before her birth & told that she would guide Muslims on the right  path. But soon afterwards, there was a famine & Rabiya was orphaned & sold into slavery (like Chandanbala above.) Her master worked her hard until once he saw her praying & an aura around her. He immediately gave her freedom.

She led the life of a recluse, constantly praying. When asked about marriage (which is almost mandatory in Quran) she said "It is for those who exist physically. I exist only in Allah." When a Governor offered her marriage, she said "Renunciation of this world means peace, while desire for it brings sorrow." Many miracles are also ascribed to her. But her views on the miraculous powers obtained by spiritual austerities strikingly anticipate the views of the 19th Century Indian Saint Sri Ramakrishna. She lived to nearly ninety years of age & is the most well known female Sufi saint.

Inappropriate Comparisons

It is quite common to make these to prove a point. For example to prove the superiority of Indian Classical Music, it is compared to Western Pop, Rock or Jazz music. It is like comparing oranges & apples, which are quite different fruits. If one has to make a comparison, (comparisons generally being odious!) it should be with Western Classical Music. Here, even the origins are similar. Indian Classical Music evolved with the religious chants of the "Saamaveda", one of the four Vedas, the Founding texts of Hinduism. Similarly, Western Classical Music's fount was the Plain Song or Gregorian Chants in Churches.

Similarly with religions, the best practices of one should not be compared with the worst of another, but with the best of another. The best teachings of Hinduism should be compared with the best of other religions. Hindu Mystics should be compared to Christian Mystics like St. Teresa, Julian of Norwich or Muslim Sufi mystics like Omar Khayyam & Rabia Basri & definitely not with missionaries or fundamentalists.

Here, it may be noted in passing, that no religion approves forcible conversions (like the infamous Spanish Inquisition) or the Islamic ones. All the true followers were insensible of anything except to strengthen their own devotion to God rather than inducing others. Christine De Pisan, the first professional woman writer of the West, in her allegorical book on feminism,"The Book of the City of Ladies", dedicates the third & last part of the book, to describe the highest towers of the city as dedicated to the numerous mystics & Martyrs of the Christian faith. Similarly, the Sufis, the beloved of Allah, are dedicated to strengthen their faith in Him.

This parity of comparison may put a correct perspective on things, with diverse streams of thought filling into their own place, without infringing on others.