जब थक जाएंगे हम
कहेंगे
थक गये!
रास्ते को छोटा करो।

LIBERATING INDIAN MIND (10)
NO ONE IS PATRIOTIC

“The other day you alleged that a section of our own people are working against our national interest. Call them by whatever name, but in a nutshell they are not patriotic.”

“You are misrepresenting me. I said people have different notions of good and bad on all the issues, including patriotism. Add to it that people do not have a correct idea of everything, do not want to understand anything. The little that they know superficially is the ultimate truth for them. They, right or wrong, fight to prove it the ultimate truth, but do not want to enlarge their knowledge from the interlocutor, who although well-versed, just wants to allay their misgivings with no intention to impose his views. This tentativeness is salutary in the sense that we cannot even walk if we keep measuring each of our step or the distance covered at each furlong. But yet there must be a measure of distance and a measure of everything for the things to remain streamlined.”

“Deep and correct knowledge of patriotism also? Don’t we know that devotion to the country is patriotism?” He retorted as if he was mocking.

“‘Perfect knowledge of even a single word is almost impossible,’ said our grammarian. In its depth, everything becomes as mysterious and as inexplicable as GOD,” I said emphatically. “Patriotism is no exception. You shall shudder to know that you know neither the meaning of country nor loyalty to the country; nor are you loyal to your country, nor is it appropriate to demand your loyalty towards the country.”

He was really aghast. He looked at me with disbelief to assure him that I was joking.

I continued as if I was delivering a class lecture, “It is not an empty word, not a momentary sentiment. It is something that flows through you so silently that you are not even aware of it unless there is a crisis. Demand of patriotism from others is made by sick minds; they create crises by many such unwarranted demands.”

“What harm is there in making such a demand yaar?”

“I don’t know it as clearly as I know that it is an unjust demand and counterproductive in addition. I think that no individual has the authority to make any demand from anyone else. It is a covert assault on one’s personal dignity, disapproved by law and civic ethos. You are not civilized in your behavior while making such a demand but are behaving as a bully. You are forcibly alienating the other even if he felt as much attached to
the country as you or more than you, because in truth you do do not count as measure. Look at the irony. The man demanding proof of patriotism from the other is himself not patriotic in the last analysis, and creates an enemy of the country where there may or may not have been one. ‘

“This is really something new to me, but it appears you are at the other extreme.”

“You mean I am also unpatriotic and doing the same from the other end? Is it?”

“No, I didn’t mean that, but it appears, extended to its logical conclusion, your definition erodes the very foundation of patriotism.”

“Patriotism is the exclusive virtue of the poor and incompetent.” I really wanted to shock him.

“What?” he cried in alarm.

“Have you ever heard the couplet of Rahim? One of the most perceptive poets India ever produced.”

He knew it was not a question addressed to him so looked expectantly at me.

“He defined patriotism as neatly and objectively as it can be.” I recited it verbatim, “सर सूखे पंछी उड़ें औरै सरहिं समाहिं। मीन दीन बिनु पंख के, कहु रहीम कत जांहि. After the lake gets dry, the birds fly to other lakes, but where can the poor fish go? They have to live and die with the lake itself. Only they are really and mortally attached to their habitat. Can you deny?”

“I really appreciate you. How beautifully you have summed it up.”

“I have not summed it up. This is just the introduction. Of course, your metabolism may be upset with a full dose served at a time.”

RESONANCE Of WHISPER

“Can you prove you are right ?”

I could not grasp the context but replied as bluntly, “No one has proved me wrong so far.”

“Except me.” he added.

I looked at him a bit bemused, still not grasping what he meant.

He waited for the quip to hit home and ultimately added with a laughter, “to day I tricked to seat you on my left and I am right.”

“hattere kii, this is the substance out of which you made such a big bubble as to crush me alive.”

“It was just the fuel, the fire is yet to be added.”

I waited for the fire.

“I wanted to ask you an unpleasant question. don’t you think you wasted your life toiling in a field not your own, whereas you could have written a dozen or more novels, that could loft you to the skies.

“I love my earth yaar! It is solid, florid, fruitful, fragrant, and more rewarding than any destination in the skies. There is nothing except illusion there. I am glad that I worked in a field that would have remained beggarly as it was before I entered it.”

“And I feel sad that all your work is likely to be rubbished. Those who will to suppress it have both the power of press and purse.”

“Even alive, I stand nowhere in comparison. Why should you wait for my death to obliterate me from the public memory. I am too small and too humble to challenge them all singularly, and yet something has happened that they have themselves gone in their hidings, the din of the press and power of purse still on their side. And know you, the internet,Cyclopedia all the media under western control also beat their drum but the one becoming a beating retreat.”

He said nothing but remained unmoved.

“They all share one thing in common.” I added after a pause.

He fixed his eyes on me expectantly.

“They have all over-lived and even in their life time they had been continuously incurring new illnesses till they went in coma. If you have resources, those in coma may be allowed to breath for years.”

“No bad consolation for a man known to none that himself.” He taunted and then after a brief pause made amends, “I agree the clamor has mellowed, say died. But do you think you count so much as to mute them all who enjoyed unchallenged sway.”

“The whisper of truth is louder than all the din created by drums and loud-speakers” I repeated without bringing me at the centre. “it is like the first bubble visible in the gruel to be followed slowly by more bubbles all and ultimately the entire cauldron bubbling and frothing ready to overflow. You may gag one voice in one corner but irrepressible voices in unseen corners coming with stronger and stronger notes converging to form a chorus can not be muted with power of chair, press and purse together. That has been my abiding faith and the source of my confidence.”

He said nothing. Kept looking at me with a suspicion. “I know you are the first to have said most of the things. But you know, you are not going to get the credit for that. Others will grab you as if you didn’t exist. As if it is their discovery. As if you followed their footprints.” He added conclusively.

“Dedication to cause is measured by your indifference to credit. Your only concern is the victory of the cause. That is immanent.” I replied with resignation and prepared to leave.

कितना सहयोग है आपस में। वामपंथी संघ पर फासिस्ट फासिस्ट होने का अभियोग लगाते हैं और ऐन वाजपेयी जी के निधन पर संघियों ने अपनी जबान से नहीं (वह तो है ही नहीं बेचारों के पास) अपने आचरण से कहा, “आप ठीक कहते हैं।”

संघी वामपंथियों पर आरोप लगाते रहे हैं कि वामपंथी कठमुल्लों की औलाद है, उनसे भी भी कट्टर, और एक कथित वामपंथी के वाजपेयी विषयक विचार से मुल्लों वाले आक्रोश से थूकने की होड़ करते हुए उन्होंने वही इबारत दुहराई “आप ठीक” कहते हैं और साथ यह भी कबूल किया, “हम रुग्ण है, क्षयग्रस्त हैं, हम थूक सकते हैं, सोच नहीं सकते।”

करकंगन न्याय में विरोधी सिरे एक दूसरे के सबसे निकट होते हैं। “कह कबीर ये दुहूं भुलाने कौन राह ह्वै जाई?”

मेरा लेखन उस रास्ते की तलाश है। वह कंगन को फेंक कर उसके दायरे के भीतर से गुजरता है।

दिल भी उसको ही कहा करते हैं कहने वाले।
जिसने बर्वाद किया फिर भी सँभाले हैं जिसे ।।

one percent inspiration ninety nine percent perspiration

मुझे एक ओर तो इस बात की प्रसन्नता है कि कुछ नए मित्रों में शब्दविचार में रुचि बढ़ी है, कुछ ने इतिहास के उपेक्षित या जान बूझ कर झुठला कर नकारे जाने वाले पक्षों की जांच का काम आरंभ किया है दूसरी ओर प्रसिद्धि की जल्दी में या अधिक से अधिक काम करने की चाह में जांच पड़ताल में कमी दिखाई देती है।

फेसबुक का मंच इतना बड़ा है. लोगों की रुचि और ज्ञान के स्तर में इतनी विविधता है कि कच्ची से कच्ची गालियां दे कर हजारों की वाहवाही लूटी जा सकती है। संख्या इस परनिर्भर करती है कि उस व्यक्ति के विरुद्ध संचारमाध्यमों से कितनी सफलता से अभियान चलाया जा चुका हे या आप की टिप्पणी कितनी घृणा पैदा कर लेती है। इसका किसी विचार के सही या गलत होने से कोई संबंध नहीं। सतही और अधकचरे विचार भी प्रशंसकों की फौज जुटा सकते हैं।

इसलिए जिसमें लेखक बनने की महत्वाकांक्षा हो उसे लिखने का अभ्यास लिख कर फाड़ने के लिए करना चाहिए। संभव हो तो पहले लिखने का अभ्यास करने से भी बचते हुए, केवल पढ़ना, डूब कर पढ़ना, नोट लेते हुए पढ़ना, सन्दर्भ, पृ. सं., प्रकाशक, प्रकाशन वर्ष या संस्करण देते हुए नोट लेना, उस क्रम में ऊहापोह के साथ समस्या को समझना, इंटर नेट पर फेसबुक पर भी जो जानकारी सही लगे या सोचने का नया कोण मिले उसे भी कापी पेस्ट के तरीके से लेखक का नाम और लिंक का स्रोत और तिथि दर्ज करते हुए नोट लेना चाहिए और इसकी एक अनुक्रमणिका तथा पढ़ी पुस्तकों, पत्रिकाओं की सूची तैयार करने पर समय लगाना चाहिए। इससे ही इस मैदान में टिक सकते हैं। जिसे चालू भाषा में लंबी दौड़ का घोड़ा कहते हैं।

सर्जनात्मक लेखन के लिए यह जरूरी नहीं, पर पाएदार काम के लिए वहां भी जरूरी है। उर्दू कविता का रहस्य यह है कि उसमें प्रतिभाशाली कवियों को लंबे समय तक किसी वाक्सिद्ध शायर की शागिर्दी करनी पड़ती थी। जफर कम प्रतिभाशाली शायर न थे, बादशाह अलग से, पर उनके दो उस्ताद थे, दाग के उस्ताद गालिब और इकबाल के दाग। हिन्दी के जिन कवियों को भाषा के प्रवाह के लिए जाना जाता है उन सभी ने यह स्वच्छता और प्रवाह उर्दू कविता से गहरे लगाव से पाया था।

संगीत, नृत्य, मल्ल, खेल बाजीगरी या ऐक्रोबैटिक्स और योगसाधना सभी में गुरु के निर्देशन में लंबे अभ्यास से गुजरने पर ही ऊंचा स्थान मिला है। गुरु का अलग होना जरूरी नहीं, पर गहन अध्ययन और यशलिप्सा से मुक्त होकर लंबी तैयारी से बचा नहीं जा सकता। प्रतिभा की भूमिका नगण्य है पर पसीने की भूमिका असन्दिग्ध है, गुरु का स्थान विधाता से भी ऊपर है। अं. मुहावरा one percent inspiration ninety nine percent perspiration.

जो लोग प्रसिद्धि की जल्दी में रहते हैं, छोटे रास्ते या पिछवाड़े के रास्ते के शिकार हो जाते हैं वे डुगडुगी बजा कर बाहर हो जाते या कर दिए जाते हैं। जो लिखने से कतराते हैं, सही तैयारी करते हुए विषय में डूबे रहते हैं वे उस अर्जित संपदा के दबाव से बचना चाहकर भी बच नहीं पाते। मूर्धन्य विद्वान ये ही बनते हैं।

मार्क्सवाद की भारतीय शिक्षा प्रणाली में एक ही योगदान है- छोटे रास्ते या पिछवाड़े के दरवाजे की सुलभता। नारा लगाओ ज्ञानी कहाओ, नारा लगाओ कलिवद बन जाओ। नारा लगाओ कुर्सी पाओ। अपने विषय के स्रोताों का ज्ञान तक जरूरी नहीं । उसी शिक्षाप्रणाली की उपज होने के कारण दक्षिणपंथियों की दशा भी अच्छी नहीं। यहां तो कोढ़ में खाज यह कि अनुशासन कमजोर न पड़ने पाए इसलिए शिक्षा और ज्ञान और स्वतंत्र चिन्तन को हतोत्साहित किया जाता रहा है। हालात बदले हैें पर बुरे से अधिक बुरे की दिशा में बदले हैं। नारे की ताकत बढ़ी है । लाल सलाम का स्थान वन्देमातरम ने लिया है। जरूरत नारा बदलने की नहीं, दिमाग बदलने की है। आदत बदलने की है।

SECULARISM: A TRIBUTE

“I pay my tribute to Atal ji. He was a notch above other RSS men, but you called him secular. How funny that a product of RSS is made the last flag bearer of secularism! Don.t forget, you added ‘the only’; as qualifier. You declared the last specimen to have left the stock and none is in the making.”

I had no desire to run into debate. I did not answer.

“You knew what secularism meant before using the term.”

“Even if I tell you, you are perfect idiot, you shall not agree. Is there a sense in indulging into word-war on an occasion which begs for silence.” I uttered half reluctantly.

“Silence only for two minutes yaar!” You are urging me to stitch my lips when even the mutes are vocal in his memory. I just wanted to tell you, secularism is a western concept and tyou should know that imported goods and ideas are handled with care.”

This is all you know and do, and all your problems are solved. You do nor care to know the history of the word, history of the western society, even your own history and what and how much they imbibed from the eastern founts to humanize their barbarous selves and yet are incensed to deliver your overflowing knowledge to some one more foolish than you and that in brief describes you, your bagpipers whom the entire generation of half wits has been following and flaunting as secularism, and teach the meaning to those who taught the meaning to the teachers of your teachers.”

“If one is charged the sentences become longer and complex and a bit incomprehensible. You should respect the basics of conversation yarr! I think you thought that the westerns stole the concept of secularism from our Vedas as they stole the secrets of science and technology. Am I wrong?” He taunted as per habit.

I felt bad. “The idiots have only one refrain to dismiss and deny everything of which any other nation could be proud.’ I thought in anguish.

He waited for a time and then resumed his onslaught. “O.K., agreed that it was an Indian concept, nay, not Indian, a Hindu concept, But it looks funny that they had the concept but no name. Remember how many somersaults we took to name it properly, dharmnirpekshata, oh me! what an adumbrated term, sarvadharm samabhava, practiced as sarvadharm durbhav, but failed to agree on any one. कोई नाम तो बता यार। बिना पगहे के छुट्टा सांढ़ जैसा यह विचार घूमता होगा तो लोग रात्ते से हट जाते रहे होंगे।” He deliberately changed the language in order to tease me further, summing up by “गाली देने का मजा तो मदरटंग में ही आता है।”

I did not loose my cool despite provocation. “I know it is easy to convince a snail to come out of its shell, but difficult to convince a differently oriented know-all of the benefits of listening others patiently, but even so I venture to take a risk. Listen patiently. The term used for secularism was RAJADHARM. And i did not dub Vajpeyi the only secular among the surviving ones, not as the last specimen of a stock but the ONE AND ONLY ONE in our post Independence history, including Nehru. The only one who knew the correct meaning of the word and practiced is with austerity. If you need a definition, it is treating all the citizens of the country as ones own children. This is the exact meaning of praja. Another innocuous word incomprehensible to people taught in your school.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1938853322842731&set=a.803797903014951&type=3

SILENCE! THE ONLY SECULAR INDIAN HAS PASSED AWAY!
ज्योतिर्वृणीत तमसो विजानन् .
ॐशान्तिः शान्तिः शान्ति

(In continuation) IV
“I fear we may slide into the same groove, but you should not forget that some of them participated in the freedom struggle, while you as you admit deliberately distanced from active politics.”

“You have given me the answer. Our freedom movement itself was negative. Throughout over freedom movement we had not have a clear idea of freedom. All our energies were focused on capture of power. Instead of being their refurbished self they wanted to retain everything and themselves to become the shadows of their rulers. Cultural and psychic emancipation was not on their agenda. Slavery is more psychological, physical emancipation amounts to removal of the hindrance in attainment of freedom. In absence of this, those who earlier fought the British, started a new war to win their share in the booty.”

“Booty.” He got alarmed.

“Yes my dear, booty. They made the country more slavish, emulating their masters, their culture, arts, literature, ignoring their own inheritance. They forgot they had a past of their own and that could offer them the launching pad for a new take off. We became more parasite after gaining our political freedom. We even forgot the task ahead.”

He appeared to be in agreement.

“And as far participation in the freedom struggle, I know of no other predecessor except Ram Vilas Sharma, nor see many who succeed, who see the cultural servility, and rise to fight.”

“I have never seen a fighter so neutral and safe in his neutrality, ready to shame those who lost their lives and remained undeterred till the lost drop of their blood ran out.”

“I do not show, can not show, the slightest disrespect to those from whom I draw my fire and fuel. I do not show disregard even to the misguided souls who opt to sacrifice their life to change the world as per their dream. I only lament that no one joined the war of emancipation, which I have fought single handed, undeterred for five decades and am still in the thick. Instead they chose to make my task impossible. I don’t blame any one in particular, but the entire society. Yes, I blame those more who guided and intellectually governed them. Mind it, war of emancipation is not fought with your head in hand, but with seer hard work disregarding fame and fortune. It more difficult a fight, in which you stand first of all against yourself, your servile habits, the invisible shackles, before turn towards others, and defeat the designs of your enemy, by refusing honors and awards offered to keep docile.”

SILENCE! THE ONLY SECULAR INDIAN HAS PASSED AWAY!
ज्योतिर्वृणीत तमसो विजानन् .ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्ति !!!