Swine flu and other diseases that spread as a result of sanitation and hygienic practices present serious problems to society. However, the reality is that a greater problem plagues all of mankind. This problem is explained par excellence in our scriptural teachings. Mental disease is a main source of physical illness and major disease, yet it is never the focus in modern science and research. Hinduism and its scriptures are our medical journals wherein the best medicine for mental disease and cutting-edge research done by our sages and swamis are stored. And guess what? There are no side effects!
Mental hygiene is the most important practice needed by mankind. As the proverbial saying goes, “As we think, so we act; as we act, so we become!” The pertinent questions are: what is the present state of our global society? Are we a peaceful people? The chilling reality lies in the state of the human condition: cancerous, diseased and perverted beyond understanding. The source of all problems lies in the way we think. There is nothing and no one to blame but the mental state of mankind.
The postmodern human condition distributes the plague at the speed of light with the onset of modern communication and international flows of money, information and people. There is no sense of “we are different than everyone else” because we are living in societies that are no longer restricted or banned from these international markets. The flow of medicine, media and “developed” technologies and ideologies are our children’s future reality. How are we coping with this, if at all? Are we leaving our children bare and defenceless? We must equip them with our Hindu weapons of love, philosophy and yogic practices.
Hinduism is and has always been the most sought-after repository for permanently fixing the human condition in its mental and physical afflictions. The rise in numbers that practice yoga, meditation and pranayama is as a result of the need to naturally attune ourselves with the environment. Anger, lust, hatred and other negative qualities destroy our psyche. Anger is like an acid in our system that does more damage stored than if poured out. What are we storing in our system? Are we keeping these negativities in our mind to deal with modern-day challenges? This method will never work and will not give answers to our daily stresses. We are destroying ourselves without realising that our thoughts are our greatest asset to a healthy life. What are our thoughts?
The most dangerous type of pollution is mental pollution. The antidote is to clean our minds with mantras, bhajans and slokas that act like sanitizers for our easily corrupted minds. We should take the example of Shree Valmiki, Adi Kavi of the sacred text, Ramayana. As he emerged from that ant hill, so must we emerge from that cloak and disguise that restrict our real purpose in life. We must start somewhere, for even as Valmiki sought to cleanse the mind of his sins but mistakenly said “ma-ra-ma-ra-ma-ra”, meaning “to kill”, the great and powerful name of Shree Ram saved him as “ma-ra” repeated continuously becomes “RamaRamaRama”. We must transform ourselves and life shall forever be filled with good health, contentment and peace.
By Pt. Varistha Persad
