Sunday, April 26, 2009

Karl Marx,Marxism and Hinduism

In my earlier Blog I had written that Marx had no knowledge of Hinduism. I was partially incorrect as he had indeed commented on Hinduism in his certain essays.
Karl Marx wrote about Hinduism being a religion of worshipping cows and monkeys. He called it a religion of absolute deprivation and forced ascetics. So he did have some knowledge of Hinduism but very evidently a second hand percept and a weak knowledge of Hinduism as a religion. His words and views merely reflected the views of the Christian missionary writers of that time. There is no record of his reading of any Hindu scriptures.
Any one who has studied Hinduism beyond the visible rituals would verily perceive his folly. Hinduism as practiced in Non Dualism as a philosophy is a precursor to communism. The Isa Upanishad shloka
Om Sahana Vavatu,Sahan Bhunaktu
Sah Veeryam Karvavahe
Tejaswina Vadhi Tamastu
Ma Vidvisha vahai
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
.
Amply demonstrate the desire of an all round growth. Bahujan Hitay Bahu Jan Sukhay also speaks of Greater Good for Greater Mass.
Marxism also speaks about Mass Upliftment. About rule of the Workers.
The distinction being, Marxism professed physical force as an essential instrument. Whereas Hinduism lay more emphasis on Inner transformation and the Strength of Soul was construed as the applied force.
Initially Marx under Hegel too, to certain extent believed in the said percept of Inner Strength. Latter on he moved on to more physical domain with the influence of Feuerbach and Engels. Yet when Marx writes that “Emancipation of a Man is brought about by his completeness. By destruction of his ego. By his realization of his inner self devoid of other embellishments of citizenship and other trappings”. He is talking about Morality and Hinduism percepts are evident.in his statements.
When Swami Vivekanand says that to a hungry man Bread is his God. He though a great Hindu seer is talking Marxism.
Marx professed the rule of Proletariat. Vivekanand said the next leaders would be one who is “Dasasya Dasam” . Hinduism is of service to the Proletariat whereas Marxism is the Rule of Proletariat.
Marx is all but a failure today. Even during his life time he remarked “Thank god I am not a Marxist”. His most ardent successors both Lenin and Stalin were not Marxist in the real sense. The Mass Murders of your own fellowmen to promote your Concepts can not be termed as Marxism or rule of the Proletariat. Marx Marx did not believe in Party. He was an ardent supporter of Multi Party democracy and Press Freedom. He would had strongly objected to the sort of Governance where the Government derives its strength from Secret Police keeping an eye on its populace.
Marx looked at Hinduism as a religion with all its ill hackneyed rituals.He had no perception of “DHARMA”. The very fact that basically Hinduism was not a religion but a “DHARMA” was alien to him. His basic understanding of religion was borne out of semetic religions. Principally that of Christianity and to a much lesser extent Islam.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Illusions

जी हां मैं भ्रम बेचता हूं।
इस गणतन्त्र की हाट में
मैं भ्रम बेचता हूं
सब तरह के भ्रम
रखे हैं मेरे झोले में
अलग अलग रंग
अलग अलग छाप के
पूरा विश्वास है आपको
आपकी पसन्द का भ्रम भी दे पाऊंगा
बताईये कैसा भ्रम ढूंढ रहें हैं आप
रंग बताइये आकार समझाइये
हां क्या कहा आपने
सफेद रंग में चाहिये है आपको
तो ले जाइये यह हाथ छाप भ्रम
पिछले पचास साल से एक ही माडल
ज्यों गुजरे समय की
अम्बासडर कार
मार्क एक से मार्क चार तक
कुछ अलग दिखने का भ्रम
फर्क सिर्फ नाम का
न फर्क किसी काम का
सिर्फ़ एक अकेला बिक रहा था इस बाजार में
यह तो पिछले पचास सालों में खुब बिका है

आपकी गराबी हटायेगा
आपके लिये
21 वीं सदी को सीधे सूर्य से
मोल ले आयेगा
भई खूब बिका है यह भ्रम

अच्छा कोई दूसरा माल दिखाऊं
तो भई ये ले जाइये
लाल रंग का भ्रम
इसके wrapper पर
छपी है एक मजदूर की तस्वीर
दम है कि इससे मिलता है
सर्वहारा वर्ग तक को
सुख और खुशहाली का भ्रम
इस भ्रम ने भारत में
मजदूरों के आराम के लिये
व्यापार-उद्योग बन्द करवाये
काम हराम है की धुन बजाई
निठल्लेपन के आराम से
बहुत ही दिलवाया है खुशहाली का भ्रम।


या ये ले जाइये भगवे रंग का भ्रम
इसकी विशेषता
जो wrapper पर छपी है
वह है राम के राज्य की तस्वीर
इसे मन्दिर की
लुभावनी शक्ल में ले जाइये
इस भ्रम से
लोगों को चमक तो नहीं
हां अपनी "SHINING" के ढेर
सारे नारे जरूर मिले


और भी बहुत से रंग व आकार
के भ्रम हैं मेरे झोले में
काले,हरे व पीले रंग के भ्रम

क्या पूछते हैं
कौन सा भ्रम मुझे पसन्द है
जिसे मैं पालता हूं
तो भाई साहब वह है
यह, बिन रंग व wrapper का
एक बेचारा सा भ्रम
जम्हूरियत में
एक आम आदमी,
एक अपग से आम आदमी की
लाचारी को परोसता
हर सवाल पर निरुत्तरित रह जाता
सर झुकाये पीठ पर
ढोता नामर्दगी
और पालता
अपने मर्द होने का भ्रम
अपने जिन्दा होने का भ्रम।