GodMen Gone

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty

I don’t blame Gurmit Ram Rahim or Asharam Bapu or the Brahmacharies and Babas before them, for our history is replete with such names. Our desire to jump the life to come, if the present one could be made fruitful by any means- even miracles, magic and fraudulent means are welcome. Hindus read that God is nirakara and nirguna; God has no shape or form or attributes, but ,they go to the temples to bow down before an artist’s creation identifying the mask with the face. This stone, wood or jewelled icon does not speak, he only hears if at all, but we pour our grievances paying a token of our worth, a flower or fruit, to appease the speechless god and ask for everything- from child, promotion , wealth to another’s fall and death as if god will avenge for us. If something happens coincidentally, we cry full throated praise from house tops. If nothing happens we wait, perform yajnas, observe fasts and try all rituals and follow casual advises of persons who in their lives are often beggars of fate .

This weakness of men is exploited by some clever men who play midwife between god and man. Often they are equipped with true knowledge, intution and creativity like Shri Aurobindo but mostly the imposters carry the day. Lechers, sex-crazy godmen play Rasalila in real life as Krishna’s avatar. The gullible people savour the simulated drama as real and are motivated to see divinity in the imposters. A few magical tricks, a few induced fulfilment of their desires make them slavish robots of the godmen and they are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for them. Their rationality is often mortgaged to a few gifts or magical tricks of these cheats. Our desire to have what we often do not deserve makes us fall at the feet of the so called godmen . These tricksters and self serving men are like the directors of chitfunds and ponzi companies who lure the poor to invest their money believing their promise of doubling or trebling the invested amount in one year. The super clever politicians hold out another ideology before the common man promising them the whole paradise if they join their faith. Following one man of miraculous powers started with the religious leaders. The world has seen the Buddha, Mahavir, Christ,Mahammad and many variegated editions of the great masters who have enslaved or enraptured men and women to their faith. Once a faith is accepted the bhakt or devotee is ready to kill and die to save his faith and guru from all rational attacks.

In a large democracy like India with so many political and religious gurus, another class has also flourished- the godman who performs god like miracles  holds sway over the politicians and bureaucrats. The politicians protect the godman to get the votes of his large followers. The godman lives a lavish life shaming the epic description of luxury in literature . He moves in planes or two crore Mercedes and rapes and kills with impurity. The vote bank at his command is his insurance against rational attack on his faith and ways of llife. Since democracy is a game of numbers the politicians buy the support of these godman make them god substitutes for a large number of people. The godman build their empire and exploit the poor and emotional half-heads.

This has no place in a democracy. Let there be Rule of Law, good and compulsory education and no votebanks in the name of faith.  No man can ever be god. If gods are allowed to breed private armies to attack the state, the state will disappear. All the small and big godman be, first of all, depoliticized. Their seven star life style itself should be questioned by the state. At the same time let the common man be educated in the latest scripture, that is, The Constitution of India at all levels. Sectarianism and indirect sacerdotalism should be crushed by the state without discrimination. May the common man, the Aam Adami, be made powerful by proper administration, education and Rule of Law enforced rationally.