Spiritualism. Albert Einstein’s God Letter.SPIRITUALISM – SPIRIT AND SOUL ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN. SPIRIT IS RELATED TO THE HUMAN NATURE THAT SEEKS FREEDOM. SOUL IS RELATED TO THE RELATIONSHIP THAT ESTABLISHES THE DEPENDENT NATURE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE. ALBERT EINSTEIN FAILED TO EXAMINE THE TWO ASPECTS OF HUMAN NATURE AND ITS CONDITIONED EXISTENCE
Albert Einstein’s hand-written letter in German questions whether an entity named God exists:
SPIRITUALISM – ABOUT SPIRIT AND SOUL-THE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN:
I am pleased to share this letter with my readers. I am not surprised. Albert Einstein is no exception and like all others before him and after him (like Richard Dawkins), he just chooses to examine one side of the coin and forgets that the same coin could have a second face. This is the same problem that I encounter while I read the thoughts of a variety of people. They fail to make the fundamental distinctions(for example, the distinction between the living and the non-living, or animate and inanimate) and they tend to examine one aspect of the standard dualism (for example, Appearance vs Reality, and Conditioned vs Unconditioned) . However, I have no reason to reject their views as they present a view of the coin, the face that they recognize. I would give a brief response and invite all to discuss the issue if that would be of any interest to you.
1. Human Identity and Human Individuality
2. Human Essence and Human Existence
3. Human Spirit and Human Soul
4. Human Creation and Human Evolution
5. Reality and Illusion.
There are two aspects or elements of human nature that are in perpetual tension with each other; 1. Freedom, and 2. Dependence. In ‘Spirit’ we seek Freedom, Independence, Liberation, Release, and Salvation. Freedom is associated with the man’s ability called imagination, and a man can find inspiration from within himself and from without to express his creative power of imagination. Man has this unique ability to set himself Free in his mind. Man is endowed with an intellectual ability to seek Freedom even when that Freedom has no correspondence with an external Reality. Man can think that he is Free while he exists in captivity. Man primarily uses his Freedom, the Free Spirit to manipulate the dependent nature of his “conditioned” existence that is sustained by the vital, animating, Life Principle called Soul which represents the second face of the same coin. Man exists as an Individual with Individuality while he is helplessly attached to the environment and the biological community in which he always exists. Man cannot escape from being an Individual with Individuality as this Individualism is the expression of the Individualistic behavior of the molecules (Deoxyribonucleic Acid or DNA), the biological basis for his existence. At the same time, this human Individual with Individuality cannot find Freedom for he survives on support from an external source which demands a constant relationship with an external community of living things.
Spiritualism – Albert Einstein’s God Letter. There are other definitions of the words such as Spirit and Soul.
I describe the second face of the coin as the ‘Soul’ which provides the attachment for man’s dependent or conditioned existence. Man’s Spirit is expressed as his Essence and man seeks to describe his Identity in terms of this Essence and will be able to do so if and only if the Spirit is in relationship with the Soul that provides the attachment to draw energy from an external source. Man’s dependence is often accompanied by an emotional state or condition called ‘Devotion’ which is expressed as a behavioral attitude called Humility.
The matter that concerns us is not that of verifying the existence of God. Man is condemned to exist under the influence of an Illusion that generates Ignorance or inability to perceive the Reality. The experience of Ignorance is a fundamental requirement to support human existence. The perception of Reality puts an end to man’s existence. Man is free in his Spirit to seek Mercy, Grace, and Compassion to understand the nature of Reality while he is trapped by the powerful influence of Illusion. The Illusion that I speak about, describes the lack of sensory perception of the fact of existence on the surface of a fast-moving object. Man is free to describe the motion, but is not free to have a direct, sensory perception of that motion. Man’s Freedom is in his Free Spirit called ‘Bhavana’ and his relationship with the world and universe called ‘Jagat’ (that which is constantly moving and changing ) in which he lives, is called Spirituality and Spiritualism.
I like the concluding remarks made by Albert Einstein in his letter and it reads: “Therefore I think that we would understand each other quite well if we talked about concrete things.” In that spirit, I would invite my readers to talk about concrete things; this discussion is not about Albert Einstein’s personal belief, it is not about his Identity as a Jew, it is not about the stories found in Bible, and it is not about God. Let us talk about concrete things; man, his structure, his function, his behavior, his nature, and his existence in the world that we know and understand today.
Spiritualism and Albert Einstein’s God Letter: What is Appearance? What is Reality? What is Conditioned? and What is Unconditioned? Can man know the reality of the nature of his physical existence? Man exists like this Pencil in Water and has no choice other than that of the experience of an Illusion.
E-Bay will auction the original, handwritten, in German, letter and envelope, sent on Princeton University letterhead, by Albert Einstein to Eric B. Gutkind, on January 3, 1954, a year before Einstein passed away in 1955, sent as response to Gutkind’s book “Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt”.
Key Passages in Translation into English from German: … I read a great deal in the last days of your book, and thank you very much for sending it to me.
What especially struck me about it was this. With regard to the factual attitude to life and to the human community we have a great deal in common.
… The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this. These subtilised interpretations are highly manifold according to their nature and have almost nothing to do with the original text. For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are also no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.
In general I find it painful that you claim a privileged position and try to defend it by two walls of pride, an external one as a man and an internal one as a Jew. As a man you claim, so to speak, a dispensation from causality otherwise accepted, as a Jew the privilege of monotheism. But a limited causality is no longer a causality at all, as our wonderful Spinoza recognized with all incision, probably as the first one. And the animistic interpretations of the religions of nature are in principle not annulled by monopolization. With such walls we can only attain a certain self-deception, but our moral efforts are not furthered by them. On the contrary.
Now that I have quite openly stated our differences in intellectual convictions it is still clear to me that we are quite close to each other in essential things, i.e; in our evaluations of human behavior. What separates us are only intellectual ‘props’ and ‘rationalization’ in Freud’s language. Therefore I think that we would understand each other quite well if we talked about concrete things.
Spiritualism and Albert Einstein’s God Letter : What is Appearance? What is Reality? What is Conditioned? and What is Unconditioned? Can man know the reality of the nature of his physical existence? Man exists like this Pencil in Water and has no choice other than that of the experience of an Illusion.Spiritualism and Albert Einstein’s God Letter: What is Appearance? What is Reality? What is Conditioned? and What is Unconditioned? Can man know the reality of the nature of his physical existence? Man exists like this Pencil in Water and has no choice other than that of the experience of an Illusion.
SPIRITUALISM AND IDENTITY-THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE: At Kurnool Medical College I learned about Man’s External and Internal Identity by studying Human Anatomy and Human Physiology. The Identity of Man as described by the Medical Sciences is different from the Identity of Man as described by Human Culture. This difference in Human Perception generates Social Conflict, Social Unrest, and Violence within the Social Community. To find Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility, Man must learn to find his True or Real Identity. Students entering a Medical School must acquire the ability to know and understand the “true” or “real” man if the Purpose of Medical Learning is that of Service to Humanity.
In Anthropology, Culture is described as the way of life of a human society transmitted from one generation to the next. Culture basically involves acquisition of Identity using identification tools such as the use of social affiliation resulting from association with the place of birth, locality of primary residence, birth caste, mother tongue, religion, food, social occupation, and others. Even among people who may belong to the same race or ethnic stock, social groups or social associations are created depending upon the nature of identification tool that is used. Very often, the Identity of a person is described in a manner to exclude that specific person from harmonious social interactions with members present in that social community. Identity is used as a weapon to separate people into social groups and this separation or lack of unity is the cause for social conflicts, social unrest, and violence in the community. For example, my birthplace identity is that of MYLAPORE, MADRAS CITY, or Chennai; but, at the same time I have also acquired the birth identity that describes me as a Telugu-Speaking person. I may claim Madras or Chennai as my birthplace, but I am not entitled to an identity called “Tamilian” as that identity is associated with a specific language called Tamil. Among Telugu-Speaking people, there are various other identities depending upon a person’s place or locality of primary residence. A Telugu-Speaking person may have any of the three identities; 1. Coastal Andhra, 2. Rayalaseema, and 3. Telangana. The tool that we use to describe our physical or external Identity in the material World is the source of Conflict, Unrest, and Violence.
SPIRITUALISM AND IDENTITY-THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE: Amarajeevi Potti Sreeramulu fasted unto death demanding the separation of MADRAS State on a linguistic basis and the result was the creation of the State of Andhra during 1953 and later the State of Andhra Pradesh during 1956. Kurnool City was chosen as the Capital City of the State of Andhra and Kurnool Medical College came into existence during 1956. Could this Medical College resolve the problems associated with Telugu Identity???Spiritualism and Identity-The Conflict at Kurnool Medical College : The Identity called ‘VISHALA ANDHRA’ or ‘ANDHRA PRADESH’ – My life’s journey began in Mylapore,Madras while Telugus and Tamils lived together in a composite State. I was a student of Danavaipeta Municipal High School,Rajahmundry,East Godavari District(S.S.L.C. March 1961); a student of Government Giriraj Arts College,Nizamabad,Nizamabad District( Pre-University and 3-year B.Sc, April 1965);a student of Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Kurnool District(M.B.B.S. April, 1970).My father had served in Presidency College,Madras,Victoria College,Palghat,Government Arts College,Rajahmundry, Srikakulam, Giriraj College,Nizamabad, Nagarjuna Arts College, Nalgonda, and B.Ed College, Warangal and other places.I got married in Cuddapah and served in Secunderabad Cantonment during my military service. I had lived my life in the composite State of Madras, and the three regions of Andhra Pradesh and in the two Capital cities of Kurnool and Hyderabad. What is my Identity? If you are a Student at Kurnool Medical College, How would you know my Identity?
I joined Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool City, Kurnool District of the State of Andhra Pradesh during November 1965. I arrived in Kurnool from Osmania University, Hyderabad where I was a student enrolled for a Master’s Degree (initially in Botany and later changed to Chemistry). I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree after obtaining four years of college education at Government Giriraj Arts College (also known as Giriraj Government Degree College), Nizamabad, Nizamabad District, Andhra Pradesh. However, this educational experience had no role in the selection of my Regional Identity. I was allowed to use my educational qualification that I acquired in the Telangana Region of Andhra Pradesh, and I was permitted to enroll in a Medical School located in Rayalaseema Region of Andhra Pradesh based upon the determination that I am a native of the City of Rajahmundry, East Godavari District, the Coastal Andhra Region of Andhra Pradesh. The State and the people of Andhra Pradesh have the freedom to determine and to describe my physical Identity as they like, but the question still remains; “What is my True or Real Identity?”
THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL REALITY OF MAN-THE IDENTITY OF MAN:
SPIRITUALISM AND IDENTITY – THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE : The Vitruvian Man c. 1492 by Leonardo da Vinci shows the two aspects of Man; 1. A Resting Phase, and 2. A Dynamic or Active Phase. For the first time in my life, I saw this image of the Vitruvian Man on the Cover page of the text book of Human Physiology( Best & Taylor ) during 1965 when I had joined Kurnool Medical College.Dr. Daniel John Cunningham( 1850-1909 ), Chair of Anatomy, University of Cambridge has provided this Manual of Practical Anatomy to help medical students dissect human cadavers and learn Human Anatomy. Whether humans know and understand Human Anatomy and Physiology or not, they come into existence with full functional knowledge of every constituent cell in the body. The Human Body has Innate Knowledge of its own Structure and Function. I had acquired this Knowledge from Uneducated individuals who had gifted their bodies to promote Medical Education. This is the learning tool that I would use to know and understand the External and Internal Reality and Identity of Man as described by Cells, Tissues, and Organ Systems that constitute the human organism.
If a man is viewed as a multicellular organism comprising of trillions of independent, and individual living cells, we need to know as to who or what is the Subject who lives because of the functions of these trillions of cells. The external reality of a Man involves the understanding of his physical Identity in the external world, and it describes the person in terms of his Name, Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Language, Religion, Nationality, Education, Social Occupation, Social Status or Ranking, Caste, Anthropometric measurements, and Biometric Information. This external reality and human Identity has a degree of correspondence in the external world and is often confirmed by others. But, this Identity that is derived from the morphological appearance and other factors is subject to change either under the influence of Time or Place. Hence, we will be forced to examine the internal reality of a Man and verify his internal Identity which is related to the Individuality of the Subject. For the Man to exist as an Individual in this external world, the Man needs the support of his unchanging Individuality, and the nature of this Individuality is known to the cells, tissues, organs and organ systems that constitute the human organism.
I would ask all of my readers and specially the medical students to recognize the fact that a Man’s cells, tissues, organs and organ systems that live and function to support the biological existence of that Man do not recognize the Identity of that Man in terms of his birthplace, birth Caste, mother tongue, religion, or a geographical region. Human existence has a fundamental secular basis and hence we are able to use our medical knowledge to render medical service to all Men without the distinction based upon Race, Ethnicity, Religion, Language, or Region. It should be easy to seek a National Identity and National Individuality and participate in global affairs as equals with a sense of Pride, Dignity, and Honour. At Kurnool Medical College, the study of Human Anatomy and Human Physiology have helped me to learn about the structural and functional integration of body, and mind and I describe this integration as a Spiritual function.
“PEACE IS ATTAINABLE”-THE QUEST FOR SPIRITUALISM:
Spiritualism and Identity – The Conflict at Kurnool Medical College : The LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL is the largest of all Service Club Organizations and has members in some 150 countries. It was founded in 1917 to foster a Spirit of “generous consideration” among peoples of the world and to promote good government, good citizenship, and an active interest in civic, social, commercial, and moral welfare. Lions’ activities include several community welfare projects that encourage youth participation.
The ideas about Spiritualism and Spirituality are motivated by a desire to find Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in the living human experience. During 1965-66 I was studying Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Medical Biochemistry, and Physics (in preparation for First M.B.B.S. Part- III Examination to be held in March/April 1967). The Lions Club International of Nalgonda City, Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh invited me to submit an essay on the subject of “PEACE IS ATTAINABLE” to participate in an international essay-writing competition to promote the understanding of the concept of ‘peace’ among young students. My essay was also published in the Kurnool Medical College Magazine (1966) published by the KMC Students Association. In my opinion that I shared at that time, I expressed the hope that Peace is attainable if man is willing to transform himself to discover “inner peace and tranquility” and reflects it in his formulation of social interactions and social relationships. Peace is not a condition, and it is not a state describing the absence of warfare among national entities. Peace has to experienced by each individual as a personal, living experience. This Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility cannot be imposed upon others. It is accomplished through transformation within the individual and has to be attained at individual level. At the same time, the student community at Kurnool Medical College was agitated about the allocation of central resources for regional economic development of the country. The burning issue was that of locating a Steel Mill or Factory in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh. The students went on a strike, stopped attending classes and participated in events aimed at disrupting train and transportation services. This agitation demonstrated a conflict between National interests and Regional interests. I had some concerns about the direction of this agitation. I had the feeling that the Nation has to move forward on the basis of defining National Priorities. Regional Priorities and Regional aspirations for growth and development must be revealed by a National Plan as both kinds of Priorities have to be consistent and seek the same objective called National Prosperity. During 1966, Srimati. Indira Gandhi became the third Prime Minister of India and I felt encouraged that she would promote Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in the lives of Indian people. In my view, she represented a National Identity that transcends the Identity derived from Region, Religion, or Language, the types of Identity that divide people from each other and cause social unrest.
THE NATIONAL STUDENT SEMINAR ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION:
SPIRITUALISM AND IDENTITY-THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE : During 1967, Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, International Youth Centre based in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi had sponsored a four-week long National Student Seminar on National Integration. The participation in this Seminar as a student delegate representing the State of Andhra Pradesh gave me an opportunity to develop National Identity and National Individuality. This desire to acquire National Identity and National Individuality defines the nature of Social Conflict at Kurnool Medical College. The Conflict that began at Kurnool has eventually driven me out of India.
While I was in Kurnool Medical College, during June 1967, just before joining the classes in preparation for Second M.B.B.S. Part – I examination in Pharmacology (to be held in April, 1968), I had the opportunity to represent the State of Andhra Pradesh as a student delegate at the four-week long National Student Seminar on National Integration. This event was sponsored by Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, International Youth Centre based in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. The selection of student delegates was based upon essays submitted by the students to state their views on the subject of promoting National Unity and National Integration. The essay I submitted was also published in the Kurnool Medical College Magazine (1967). I recognized the problems associated with the social, linguistic, and other cultural traditions of the various regions of India. These traditions have been separating people from each other and are causing divisions in the Indian Society. For example, the social tradition called Caste can bring a group of people together and at the same time divide the entire Social community into various Caste designated social compartments. In the elections conducted for choosing officials for the student governing body at Kurnool Medical College, during 1967, all the students that belonged to the “REDDY” Caste community were eliminated in the contest for the posts both at the College and the Men’s Hostel. To address this problem of Caste-driven Social Identity, I recommended that students must formulate marital social relationships ignoring factors like religion, language, region, and birth caste. However, it must be noted that I have not intended to impose this remedy or solution upon others. I was only stating that each individual can choose for himself his own Identity and express it in his actions and behavior. During 1967, students of Kurnool Medical College were also alarmed about the Official Language Policy and feared that the Central Government may impose the use of Hindi language across the entire country and thus limit the job-opportunities that are available to students who are not native Hindi speakers. Students went on a strike to oppose this Language Policy and classes were suspended for a few weeks. In that context, it became clear that the need for National Unity and National Integration demands an ability to overcome the Language barrier. At the same time, the Telugu-speaking student community of Kurnool Medical College were divided into three camps based upon the place of their primary residence.
NATIONAL IDENTITY vs REGIONAL IDENTITY-THE CONTEST AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE:
SPIRITUALISM AND IDENTITY – THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE : Kurnool Government General Hospital, Kurnool. Kurnool Medical College prepares medical students to provide health care services at various hospitals and medical institutions. The contest for the position of General Secretary of the Student Governing Body/Association that was held during 1968 was defined by me in terms of discarding Regional Identity and to develop National identity and National Individuality.
During 1968 while preparing for Second M.B.B.S. Part – II examination( to be held during April, 1969 ) in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Pathology and Bacteriology, I participated in the election for the General Secretary of the Student Governing Body/Association of Kurnool Medical College. I asked the students not to give attention to my Regional Identity, the Identity called “Coastal Andhra” which was the Identity given to me at the time of my admission into Kurnool Medical College. I was defeated in the election by a narrow margin of seven votes and this loss was because of the financial inability of some of the students who had not paid the membership dues and were disqualified from voting in this election. However, it was a defeat and I failed in my simple mission to bring the student community together on the issue of Regional Unity. I recognize that as an Individual, I can choose to describe my Identity in terms that I know and understand. My failure in the College election did not wipe out my ability to transform myself.
SPIRITUAL NATIONALISM vs CULTURAL NATIONALISM – THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE:
SPIRITUALISM AND IDENTITY – THE CONFLICT AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE : Dr. Sripada Pinakapani, M.D. had served as the Professor of Medicine since 17May 1954 and had arrived at Kurnool Medical College/Government General Hospital during January 1957. He was the Superintendent of Kurnool Government General Hospital when he retired from service during August 1968. He is a great cultural icon and is nationally recognized by the award of “PADMA BHUSHAN” for his distinguished services in promotion of Indian Music called Carnatic Music. This Professor of Medicine had opposed my recommendation of developing National Identity and National Individuality that may discard the Caste Identity. The Social Conflict that resulted from his opposition has eventually driven me out of India, the Nation-State that I had wanted to serve and defend. He had refused to give his blessings and did not seek Success for my modest, and humble craving to serve the country by joining the Indian Army Medical Corps.
During 1969 while I was preparing for Final M.B.B.S. Part – I examination (November/December 1969) in Ophthalmology and E.N.T. Diseases, and Social and Preventive Medicine, I had the opportunity to obtain the grant of Short Service Regular Commission to serve in the Indian Army Medical Corps and was granted the rank of Second Lieutenant during September 1969. In the interview that was officiated by Dr. D. Bhasker Reddy, M.D., the Principal and Professor of Pathology of Kurnool Medical College, two students got selected but the second student opted not to join the military service. I finished the Final M.B.B.S. Part – II examination in General Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology during April 1970. During June 1970, prior to my departure to Lucknow to report for training at AMC CENTRE and Officers Training School, I visited the residence of Dr. Sripada Pinakapani, M.D. at his own initiative and an invitation that was sent to me through my paternal uncle, Dr. R. Anjaneyulu, M.D., the Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, B.J. Medical College and Sassoon Hospitals, Pune who had come to Kurnool Medical College and Government General Hospital as an external examiner in a post-graduate degree examination. We went together to give our respects to Dr. Pinakapani who obtained his M.B.B.S., and M.D. degrees from Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam. My uncle also obtained his medical degrees from the same institution. Dr. Pinakapani in the early phase of his career worked in Madras Medical College where my maternal grandfather (Dr. Kasturi. Narayana Murthy, M.D.) worked as the Professor of Medicine. However, I was not invited to his residence because of my family connections. Dr. Pinakapani specifically invited me to his residence to express his sense of dissatisfaction, resentment, and anger for I was planning to formulate a marital social relationship with another medical student at Kurnool Medical College and the mistake that I made in this choice was about her birth caste and religion. He was offended and I could easily understand his sentiment and the reason for the pain that I had caused. However, I could not understand his reason for withholding his blessings for success in my Army Service with which I have desired to serve and defend my country. His contribution to classical Indian Music is great. In my view, such Indian Cultural Traditions have totally failed to generate Unity among Indian people. India needs people who would serve the Nation putting their lives at risk. When I met Dr. Pinakapani at his residence, I wanted that he must acknowledge the fact that I was selected for the grant of Short Service Regular Commission in the Indian Army and was allowed to state my Rank as that of a Second Lieutenant. His concern about my Caste Identity should not prevent him from attaching a sense of value and purpose to the needs of India, a Nation-State. His Music could be very entertaining but it would be of no use to defend the country from its enemies.
My story reveals that the path towards Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility is neither easy, nor simple. The path is riddled with conflicts. The conflict that I experienced at the residence of Dr. Pinakapani, M.D., in Kurnool has followed me during my Indian Army Service. The Social Conflict, the conflict that I define as a conflict between Spiritual Nationalism and Cultural Nationalism had eventually driven me out of Indian Army and India during January 1984, the same year when Dr. Pinakapani received the National Award of Padma Bhushan. For I have chosen to define my Indian Identity and Indian Individuality, I was not able to find Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility while living among Indian people on Indian soil.
I define Spiritualism as a common sense approach to religion. I expect Medical Science must provide the insight to people. I view Spiritualism as an internally beneficial partnership between the cells, the tissues, the organs and the organ systems of the human organism and the Whole Organism that represents it as Human Individual. Nationalism involves a state of mind in which the individual feels that everyone owes his supreme secular loyalty to the Nation-State. The Spirit of Nationalism demands a shift in the focus of allegiance. The individual has to change his loyalty and break his sense of attachment to his local, or regional social and cultural traditions that could be based upon language, religion, caste, and place of primary residence. Indian Nationalism when derived from India’s cultural and social traditions has utterly failed to defend India from foreign conquests, and foreign occupation. I would invite Dr. Sripada Pinakapani, M.D., and all others at Kurnool Medical College and Kurnool Government General Hospital to give their prescription to defend National Unity and to promote National Integration to resolve the Social Conflicts that we are facing in the State of Andhra Pradesh and in the rest of the country.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India,
Bharat Darshan – The role of Cultural Nationalism vs Secular Nationalism in the Defense of the Republic of India
Bharat Darshan. Defending the Republic of India. Spiritualism vs Nationalism.SPIRITUALISM vs INDIAN NATIONALISM-KARGIL WAR 1999 : Indian Army Personnel salute the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Jammu & Kashmir, India on August 12, 2012 in celebration of 65 Years of Independence. The photo insert shows the winner of Gallantry Award of Param Vir Chakra, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav.
Essence and Existence in the Land of India:
SPIRITUALISM vs INDIAN NATIONALISM : On August 15, 2012, Indian people are celebrating the 66th Independence Day in commemoration of 65 Years of Independence. The Red Fort in New Delhi is the traditional venue for this celebration and the Indian National Flag is hoisted by the Prime Minister of India, the elected representative of People of India. In this context we have to explore the relationship between Spiritualism and Nationalism.
Today, on August 15, 2012, people of India also known as ‘BHARAT’ are celebrating the 66th Independence Day in commemoration of 65 Years of Independence. In this context, we have to examine the relationship between Spiritualism and Nationalism. In the ancient Land of India, human beings have lived continuously for thousands of years. But, it was a Land divided into several hundreds of small and large kingdoms until Indian people joined together in a Nationalist Movement to win their Freedom from foreign rule and occupation. Indians won this Freedom on August 15, 1947 when Great Britain ceased its occupation of India.
What is Nationalism?
SPIRITUALISM vs NATIONALISM-THE LAND OF INDIA : This National Flag of India known as ‘Tricolor’ has infused a sense of new ‘SPIRIT’ called Indian Nationalism, a sense of Devotion to one’s Nation.
Nationalism is the state of mind in which the individual feels that everyone owes his supreme loyalty to the Nation-State. Nationalism is a modern movement and it belongs to the modern world. Before the 18th century, people gave their loyalty to their communities, tribes, feudal lords, princes, or religious groups. The historical sense of attachment to the native soil, to social and cultural traditions, and to established territorial authorities has changed by the end of the 18th century when Nationalism began molding public and private life. Since then, Nationalism has become an important factor of modern history. The American Revolutionary Wars (1775-1783), and the French Revolution (1789) could be regarded as the first manifestations of Nationalism. It led to the formation of modern National States in Europe. The 19th century has been called the Age of Nationalism in Europe. The World War I, and World War II resulted in the spread of Nationalism in Asia and Africa and has manifested itself as a struggle against European Colonialism.
SPIRITUALISM vs NATIONALISM-THE LAND OF INDIA – Indian Nationalism won Freedom at a huge cost in human lives. The British Empire while leaving India during 1947 had divided the Land creating new National entities. The disorder that followed the Partition of India caused the loss of over one million human lives. The concept of Cultural Nationalism cannot and will not defend and preserve human life in the Land of India.
Nationalism began to appear in India after World War I. The Indian National Congress founded in 1885 began a new political process in the private and public lives of Indian people. It had produced leaders such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) who joined the Nationalist Movement for Indian Independence during 1915.The people of India started replacing the king as the center of the Nation. The State had become the people’s State, a National State, and a Motherland.
SPIRITUALISM-NATIONALISM-THE LAND OF INDIA : Mahatma Gandhi is correctly recognized as the Father of the Nation. He won a huge political battle and won Freedom for millions of Indian people. Did he secure Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in the living experience of the People of India? The Past is Never Dead. Spiritualism is the potency generated by Consciousness; the Consciousness or Awareness of the fact of existing in a given physical environment. Spiritualism demands the existence of a Living Soul or Spirit.
Nationalism is not a political program or ideology; it is a perspective on such programs or ideology. Nationalism can be described as a sentiment that places the existence and well-being of the Nation highest in the scale of personal loyalties.
In political terms, it signifies a person’s willingness to work for the Nation against foreign domination. It reflects a person’s willingness to resist foreign political, economic, and cultural domination. Nationalism implies a group’s consciousness of shared history, language, race, and values. Its significance lies in its role in supplying the ties that make the Nation-State a cohesive, viable entity. The terms such as nation, state, or country describe a political entity in which people are united under a particular political organization and are occupying a defined territory. However, the term ‘Nationalism’ demands more than the existence of boundaries or political institutions. Nationalism includes the feelings or thoughts of patriotism, zealous love of one’s country, advocacy of national unity or independence and it involves the creed that fidelity to one’s State or Nation is more important than fidelity to individual interests.
Bharat Darshan – The role of Cultural Nationalism vs Secular Nationalism in the Defense of the Land of India. The Cultural Unity of the people of India was not enough to stop the foreign aggressors who ruled over India
We, the people of India and of Indian origin have to truthfully examine if ‘Nationalism’ has ever existed in the Land of India. We have to truthfully explain as to why the Land of India exists as an easy target for foreign invasion, foreign conquest, foreign occupation, and foreign political, economic, and cultural domination. The Cultural Unity of the people of India was not enough to stop the foreign aggressors who ruled over the Land of India.
Indian Nationalism won Freedom at a huge cost in human lives. The British Empire while leaving India during 1947 had divided the Land creating new National entities. The disorder that followed the Partition of India caused the loss of over one million human lives. The concept of Cultural Nationalism cannot and will not defend and preserve human life in the Land of India.
The Problem of National Unity and the role of Cultural Nationalism in India:
Bharat Darshan – The role of Cultural Nationalism vs Secular Nationalism in the Defense of the Land of India. In the ancient Land of India, human beings have lived continuously for thousands of years. But, it was a Land divided into several hundreds of small and large kingdoms.
There is a fundamental problem with the experience of life in the Land of India. The Nation – State was nonexistent during the greater part of Indian history. People did not give loyalty to the Nation – State but to other, different forms of feudal states. Before 20th century, political allegiance was determined by mostly local and regional factors such as that of a local princely ruler, regional language or regional culture.
Indian Cultural Nationalism mainly consists of expression of some national characteristics through nonpolitical activities such as art, literature, music, dance, and other forms of culture such as the performance of Temple Worship and Pilgrimage. A vast multitude of people may come together at a particular place in celebration of an event and return to their native places. India did not exist as a large, unified territorial state with political, and economic centralization.
The political, and economic centralization that existed in India was largely a product of foreign rule and foreign occupation of the Land of India. This lack of National Unity and the lack of a National identity and Individuality made India an easy target for foreign, military attacks.
The History of Jihad in India
Bharat Darshan – The role of Cultural Nationalism vs Secular Nationalism in the Defense of the Land of India
Sir Jadunath Sarkar, a former Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, a historian, reviewed the records kept by Al- Utbi, the Secretary of Sultan Yaminu -d- Daula Mahmud bin Subuktigin known as Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna. The Secretary in the Persian document called the Tarikh -i- Yamini recorded the details of several episodes of bloody campaigns waged by Sultan Mahmud between 1001 A.D. and 1027 A.D. Persian historian Ferishta (“Tarikh-e- Fereshteh” work by Ferishta about Mahomedan Power in India) also recorded the military conquests of India by Sultan Mahmud. The Sultan of Ghazna directed his military attacks on places of spiritual pilgrimage in India. He attacked the temple towns of Nagarkot, Thanesar (1011), Mathura (1018), Kannauj (1019), Kalinjar (1023), and Somnath (1024-25). He also attacked the holy places of Varanasi, Ujjain, Maheswar, Jwalamukhi and Dwaraka. These attacks were witnessed by Persian writers such as Al-Biruni (Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Biruni) and Ferdowsi (Abu ol-Qasem Mansur or Firdawsi/Firdusi). All of these historical records and documents reveal the scale of loss of human life. It is estimated that about two million people died in the Land of India during Sultan Mahmud’s repeated attacks. Asaru -l- Bilad, a Persian geographer had also described some of the foreign conquests of India.
K.S. Lal, an Indian historian estimated that about sixty to eighty million people in India may have died between 1000 and 1525 CE due to foreign invasions. It clearly demonstrates that the idea of Cultural Nationalism did not play a significant role in defending Indian people and had failed to preserve human life. Apparently, Cultural Nationalism did not generate the cohesiveness or Unity that is needed to resist and to defeat foreign military campaigns.
Cultural Nationalism vs Secular Nationalism – The Clash at Kurnool Medical College, Andhra Pradesh:
CULTURAL NATIONALISM vs SECULAR NATIONALISM – THE CLASH AT KURNOOL MEDICAL COLLEGE : The clash at Kurnool Medical College is a consequence of my participation as a student delegate in a National Student Seminar on National Integration that was sponsored by Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, International Youth Centre, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, India during June 1967.SPIRITUALISM – NATIONALISM – THE LAND OF INDIA : Dr. Sripada Pinakapani, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Superintendent of Kurnool Government General Hospital worked at Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool City, Andhra Pradesh, India from January 1957 to August 1968. He represents the face of forces opposed to the idea of Secular Nationalism. I was a student at Kurnool Medical College who had advocated the need for a National Identity and National Individuality and promoted the idea of formulating marital social relationships neglecting traditional cultural values based upon religion and caste. He had actively opposed my personal initiative and had encouraged my paternal uncle, Dr. R. Anjaneyulu, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, B. J. Medical College and Sassoon Hospitals, Pune City, Maharashtra State, India to sabotage my career in Indian Army Medical Corps by using his influential contacts with senior Officers of Indian Army Medical Corps.
I submitted an application to Chief Minister Office, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, India on September 02, 2012. The request made by me is registered by the Secretariat Departments of Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Application Number is shown as : SR 12014477 and it reads as follows:
“I was a student of Kurnool Medical College from November 1965 to June 1970. I represented the State of Andhra Pradesh as a student delegate at the four-week long National Student Seminar on National Integration sponsored by Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, New Delhi during 1967 to promote the need for developing a National Identity and National Individuality for National Unity and National Integration. I encouraged students to ignore any identity that is derived from region, religion, language, and caste as India needs Secular Nationalism and not Cultural Nationalism. This was opposed by Dr. Sripada Pinakapani, M.D., who then served as the Professor of Medicine and the Superintendent of Kurnool Government General Hospital. Since he had actively opposed the principle of Secular Nationalism, I would request you to reconsider the decision made by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to name a building on Kurnool Medical College/General Hospital Campus to honour him.”
ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE IN THE LAND OF INDIA:
Spiritualism in the Land of India
The ideas about human soul or spirit( Atman or Atma in Sanskrit language) find their profound expression in the oral and written literature of India. Indian thoughts about the nature of man and his existence can be traced to the ancient texts of Vedas (the Rig-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, and the Atharva-Veda) which were compiled from c. 1500 B.C. to c. 500 B.C. The Sanskrit texts known as the Upanishads (c. 900 – 500 B.C.) have systematized Indian philosophy. There are six classical systems of Indian philosophy that accept the authority of the Veda and the Upanishads; 1. Nyaya (6th century B.C. ) is a school of logic and epistemology, 2. Vaisheshika (3rd century B.C.) posits a sixfold classification of Reality (Substance, Quality, Activity, Generality, Particularity, and Inherence), 3. Samkhya (6th century B.C.) expounds two basic metaphysical principles; Purusha or Soul and Prakriti or Material Nature, 4. Yoga (2nd century B.C.) of Patanjali accepts Samkhya metaphysics, presents an eight-stage discipline of self-control and Meditation, 5. Purva-Mimamsa (2nd century B.C.) sets forth principles of interpretation of the Vedic texts, and 6. Uttara-Mimamsa or Vedanta which includes different schools of thought based on the Brahma-Sutras of Badarayana (early century A.D.) which summarize the Upanishadic doctrine and explain the teachings of the Upanishads. The most important schools of Vedanta are 1. the non-dualist (Advaita) Vedanta of Shankara (A.D. 788-820), 2. the qualified non-dualist Vedanta of Ramanuja (A.D. 1017-1137), and 3. the dualist Vedanta of Madhva (A.D. 1197-1276). Buddhism and Jainism are two important schools of thought that do not accept the authority of Veda and Upanishads. To a great extent, Indian traditions claim that man is an embodied soul. The mind, and body that represent the physical person is an illusion as the human body is thought to be “Asat”, or unreal, perishable, full of ignorance, and not happy. The real or true man as represented by soul or spirit is unborn. The real person is viewed as an eternal person who is not subject to change called life and death. Indian tradition considers that the Objective Reality of man or Essence of man is soul or spirit.
We must note that it is impossible to describe this mental concept called soul or spirit if it is never associated with its human body. The separation of man into body, mind, and soul is not supported by scientific study of man. Man comes into existence from a single, fertilized Egg-Cell. This man cannot be separated into distinct entities like material or physical body, thinking substance called mind, and an immaterial principle called soul. These three aspects of man have no independent existence of their own. There is no life and there is no human existence if body, mind, and soul are separated. Who you are describes your Essence and it is defined by What you do to establish the fact of your Existence. In other words, the Essence (Who you are) is preceded by the reality of Existence (What you do). Thus, Existence is the precondition to recognize Essence. Hence, I describe man as a living soul and not as an embodied soul.
In my impression, the traditional Indian views about human soul or spirit have failed to recognize the importance of human Existence as a precondition to define the nature of human Essence. Indian people have to give due recognition to the problems of human existence and must realize that Essence has no value if its meaning is not attached to the condition called Existence.
In my opinion, Spiritualism demands the existence of a Living Soul or Spirit to understand its characteristic functions that generate peace, harmony, and tranquility as a living human experience. Indians must define the concept of Spiritualism in the context of Self-Preservation.
If Indians seek their existence as a Nation, they have to forget the parochial differences to develop national individualities and the primary focus of allegiance must be the Republic of India and not that of the local language, religion, or culture.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Danavaipeta Municipal/Corporation High School, Rajahmundry, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India,
S.S.L.C. Class of March/April, 1961.
BHARAT MATA OR MOTHER INDIA REPRESENTS THE COUNTRY AND THE LAND OF MY ORIGIN.SHE IS THE CULTURAL AND SECULAR ICON OF THE LAND FOR SHE IS THE OWNER OF THE LAND,
An example of simulated data modelled for the CMS particle detector on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. Here, following a collision of two protons, a is produced which decays into two jets of hadrons and two electrons. The lines represent the possible paths of particles produced by the proton-proton collision in the detector while the energy these particles deposit is shown in blue. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
THE SPIRITUAL BEGINNING OF THE UNIVERSE:
Spiritualism and Anti-Matter: Nobel Physics Laureate Samuel Chao Chung Ting born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on 27 January 1936 received the Nobel Prize in Physics during 1976 along with Burton Richter. His work involved the discovery of a subatomic nuclear ‘MESON’ particle. He is the principal investigator for the international Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer that was installed on the International Space Station on 19 May 2011.
There is some evidence to suggest the possibility of existence of material that could be called Anti-Matter. It helps us to understand the structural and functional organization of Matter. The fact of the existence of relationships in the Universe to provide an internally beneficial relationship to the participants of such relationship shows that the Universe had a Spiritual Beginning. Because of the potency called Spiritualism or Spirituality, we have Chemical Elements with stable Atoms and they can form stable Molecules and bond together to exhibit stable properties and interact with each other in a manner that can be expected and be predicted. Everything that changes in this Universe is supported by the Unchanging, underlying Spiritual Principle. The flow of events in Time and Space have a Cyclical pattern and the flow is sustained by the Laws of Conservation of Mass, Energy, and Momentum. If Anti-Matter has been created, it has been safely removed, or placed at a distance without giving it the ability to interact with Matter. The fact of the existence of Life in the Universe suggests that the Universe had a Spiritual Beginning.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S., Personal Number. MS-8466, Rank.Captain AMC/SSC, Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle (1971-72), Personal Number. MR-03277K, Rank. Captain/Major, AMC/DPC Medical Officer, Headquarters Establishment No. 22 , C/O 56 APO(1971-74), Directorate General of Security, Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force, East Block V, Level IV, R. K. Puram, New Delhi – 110 022 https://bhavanajagat.com/
THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL MATTER:
Matter and anti-matter are almost identical, with the same mass but opposite spin and energy charges. They can form separate parts of some elementary particles but if they are mixed together they are both destroyed instantaneously. To create Living Matter, we need a Life Principle called Soul or Spirit that operates the structural and functional organization of that material substance.
ANTI-MATTER UNIVERSE SOUGHT BY SPACE-BASED DETECTOR:
SPIRITUALISM AND EXPLORATION OF SPACE FOR ANTI-MATTER:Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Payload Operations and Command Center at CERN, Geneva.
The International Space Station (ISS) is pictured on a computer monitor at the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) Payload Operations and Command Center (POCC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Meyrin near Geneva July 25, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Valentin Flauraud
By Robert Evans GENEVA | Wed Jul 25, 2012 6:05pm EDT
GENEVA (Reuters) – A seven metric ton particle detector parked for over a year on the International Space Station (ISS) aims to establish whether there is an unseen “dark universe” woven into the cosmos, the scientist leading the project said on Wednesday.
And the detector, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer or AMS, has already broken all records in registering some 17 billion cosmic rays and storing data on them for analysis, Nobel physics laureate Samuel Ting told a news conference.
“The question is: where is the universe made from anti-matter?” said Ting.
“It could be out there somewhere far away producing particles that we could detect with the AMS.”
Physicists say that the event 13.7 billion years ago that brought the known universe into existence and has been dubbed the “Big Bang” must have created equal amounts of matter and anti-matter. But then anti-matter largely disappeared.
Why that happened is one of the great mysteries of the cosmos which are being investigated through the AMS and scientific analysts back on the ground at CERN, the European particle physics research center where Ting spoke. The purpose of the AMS program, he said, “is to search for phenomena that so far we have not had the imagination or the technology to discover”.
Some researchers have suggested that the invisible “dark matter” estimated to make up about 25 percent of the known universe could be linked to anti-matter, but others say that is highly unlikely.
WAFTING VEIL
These scientists argue that anti-matter could not survive in the close proximity to parts of the visible cosmos that latest observations suggest dark matter occupies – sometimes like a wafting veil between planets and stars.
Matter and anti-matter are almost identical, with the same mass but opposite spin and energy charges. They can form separate parts of some elementary particles but if they are mixed together they are both destroyed instantaneously.
Ting was speaking at a news conference with a team of U.S. astronauts who took the detector, which was developed and built at CERN, up to the ISS in May last year on the last mission of the U.S. space shuttle Endeavour.
He said that so far the $2 billion detector, with its powerful magnets that bend particles with positive and negative charges in different directions, had functioned perfectly and not one of its multiple backup systems had its multiple backup systems had been needed so far.
Ting, a 75-year-old professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, supervises the research on the material gathered from the AMS from CERN, guiding a team of some 500 scientists in many countries, including Russia and China.
He is however cautious about how long it will take for real discoveries to compare with the sighting announced this month of a totally new particle, believed to be the long-sought Higgs Boson, in CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.
The boson is part of a force called the Higgs Field that turned the minute pieces of flying debris after the Big Bang into solid matter, bringing them together to form galaxies, stars and planets, and later life.
Asked when he expected to be able to report the first indications of dark matter or of an anti-matter mirror universe, Ting replied: “As late as possible,” explaining that the analysis had to be done scrupulously and “step by step”.
It would be at least 50 years “before anyone would be foolish enough to launch an experiment like this again” now that the U.S. space program was shut down and current Chinese and Russian spacecraft could not take a load like the AMS, he said.
Spiritualism-The Victory over Death : In Indian tradition, Lord Shiva is the Father Principle and His consort Goddess Parvati is the Mother Principle. Man attains Liberation or ‘Moksh’ and obtains his Release from bondage or ‘Mukti’ or ‘Vimochan’ by severing the connection called ‘Attachment’ to free oneself from the fear of Death. The condition called ‘Death’ causes fear if man is not aware of his Objective Reality. The Truth is that there is no disunity between man and God and there is no separation between man and God.
THE VICTORY OVER DEATH – BREAK THE PEDICLE OF ATTACHMENT – Man is attached to his life by a pedicle or attachment called ‘the fear of death’. Man conquers Death and can declare his Victory over Death by simply severing this attachment that arouses the sense of fear of Death. Spiritualism is the potency that brings man’s Essence and Existence to come together to establish the subjective reality of man in the physical world or the material realm. This hymn called ‘Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra’ in praise of Lord Shiva known as ‘Triyambaka appears in the ancient Vedic Book of Rig Veda.’
SPIRITUALISM – THE VICTORY OVER DEATH :
SPIRITUALISM – THE VICTORY OVER DEATH: In Indian tradition, the sense of pain and sorrow caused by death is overcome by coming to correct understanding of true or real nature of Man; His Essence and His Existence.
Spiritualism-The Victory over Death : The Rebbapragadas Family Photo. The Rebbapragada Group is mourning the loss of the second son of (Late) Dr. R. Anjaneyulu, M.D. former Professor of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, B.J. Medical College, Dean Faculty of Medicine, Pune University.
Ramakrishna ‘Rama’ Rebbapragada. Born. February 27, 1958, Died. July 25, 2012. A Funeral Service is being held on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at Boyd – Panciera Douglas Road Chapel, Pembroke Pines, Florida. In Indian Tradition the grief, the pain, and the sorrow caused by loss is overcome by declaring ‘The Victory over Death’ by expressing an understanding of true or real nature of man and his existence.
“EKAM EVA ADVITIYAM” – “I ONE ALONE AND THERE IS NO SECOND” :
The Individuality of man is described in a thought that is expressed in Sanskrit language and it appears in the ancient Vedic Book of Chandogya Upanishad( 6:2:1 ) which reads: “Ekam eva Advitiyam” meaning – “I one alone and there is no second.” The intent of this statement is that of seeking the unity of the Objective Reality of Man and the Ultimate Reality called God. There is no duality between the two and there is no disunity between Man and God.
SPIRITUALISM – THE VICTORY OVER DEATH : THE LAW OF CREATION AND INDIVIDUALITY :
In Indian tradition it is explained that the human body is composite of three principles; three bodies in one, ‘tri-ani-pada’ – the Causal, the Spiritual, and the Material; Man is a Created Being, Man is a Spiritual Being, and Man is a Physical Being with body, and mind. Human being exists as a dual entity or two “Purusha” – the Higher, Real-self( the Spirit, the Soul, or Atma ) which is unchanging and is the basis for Man’s Individuality, and the Lower, Body-self which is subject constant change in morphological appearance and is the basis for Man’s physical Identity in this world. The Law of Creation and Individuality claims that Man always arrives into the physical world as a newly created object that is original, one of its own kind, distinctive, and unique; an Individual that has not existed in the Past and an Individual that will never again exist in the Future in the material realm. I describe Spiritualism as the potency of the Spiritual Matter that brings Man’s Essence and Existence to come together. Being born relates Man to the Subjective and Objective Reality of a biological existence in the physical and material world. Man because of his innate Spiritual nature has the intrinsic power to uplift himself from an event called Death to sustain his Individuality which is the unchanging, underlying Principle that supports the existence of a changing form with a morphological appearance. Under the influence of the Cyclical Flow of Time, the events called Birth and Death flow from one state into another while the Individual with Individuality remains as, “I, one alone and there is no second.”
Spiritualism-The Victory over Death : I define Spiritualism as an Unchanging, Underlying Principle that supports the existence of every living Object that changes in Nature under the influence of the Cyclical Flow of Time.
ROYAL CARIBBEANS MOURNS THE LOSS OF RAMAKRISHNA REBBAPRAGADA :
Kindly read about Ramakrishna ‘Rama'(RAMU) Rebbapragada’s great contribution to Royal Caribbeans and to the Cruise Industry:
THE EVIDENCE FOR RECOMMENDATION OF GALLANTRY AWARD – ANNUAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORT-OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1971-72
SPIRITUALISM – OPERATION EAGLE – THE PAST IS NEVER DEAD :
GOLDEN EAGLE-OPERATION EAGLE-SPIRITUALISM-THE PAST IS NEVER DEAD: THE SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE MEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION EAGLE IS NOT DEAD. THE SPIRITS LIVE IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS.
The term ‘Spiritual’ describes the nature of a relationship, a partnership, an association, a connection, or bonding between two or more living entities based upon thoughts or feelings of sympathy and understanding. When I had participated in the military action called ‘Operation Eagle’ that initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh in the Chittagong Hill Tracts during 1971, I had formulated a spiritual relationship with the men of my Unit. I have described ‘Spiritualism’ as the relation between a changing object and its unchanging spiritual nature. Operation Eagle is a past event but because of the unchanging nature of the spiritual relationship, I have to claim: “The past is never dead and it’s not even past.”( Nobel Laureate William Faulkner )
I am happy to speak about the kind support extended by Dr. B. V. Ramarao, PhD, IRSE(Retd) to seek recognition for my participation in Operation Eagle and I am happy to publish this letter he had submitted to Dr. M. M. Pallam Raju, Honourable Union Minister of State for Defence, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Government of India:
DR. MALLIPUDI MANGAPATHI PALLAM RAJU, UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, RAKSHA RAJYA MANTRI, 108-B, SOUTH BLOCK, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, NEW DELHI: OPERATION EAGLE – THE PAST IS NEVER DEAD.
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE – OPERATION EAGLE -GALLANTRY AWARD:
RESPECTED Dr. M M PALLAM RAJU garu,
I had written to you in the past about the need to suitably honour Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, of Army Medical Corps, who did exemplary work beyond the call of duty in the Bangla Desh War in 1971, called OPERATION EAGLE, directly handled at that time by late Prime Minister, Smt. INDIRA GANDHI.
PETITION REFERENCE: case: CABST/E/2012/00154
A brief summary is as follows:
1. Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, had served in the Special Frontier Force from 22nd September 1971 to 18th December 1974. He was posted to Headquarters Establishment Number. 22 C/O 56 APO as Medical Officer. He served under the Command of Brigadier T S Oberoi. Under a Battle Operation Plan called Operation Eagle sanctioned and approved by the Prime Minister of India and her Cabinet Secretariat, he was posted to the South Column Unit of Operation Eagle under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan.
2. During 1971, Operation Eagle initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh with military action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In a written statement, his South Column Unit Commander Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan had stated that this doctor had displayed a great sense of devotion to duty, maturity, physical toughness, and bravery beyond call of duty during Operation Eagle for which he had recommended the doctor for a gallantry award. In his Annual Confidential Report(Officers) for the year 1971-72, Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan had written: “A very conscientious and Tough MO who worked hard during the Bangladesh Ops. He did very well and showed Maturity, which was beyond the call of duty. I have recommended this Officer for a gallantry award for which he deserves eminently. He is physically tough and cheerful. Is a fresh entrant with less than 2 years of Service and yet he displayed capability and confidence.” This written Annual Confidential Report(Officers) was forwarded by the Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force to Military Secretary’s Branch(Army), MS 4(CR), MoD on 13th May 1972.
3. The citation for gallantry award initiated by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan was duly reviewed and recommended by Brigadier T S Oberoi and Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General, Special Frontier Force. This citation recommending the gallantry award was sent to the Medical Directorate, Medical Branch, Adjutant General’s Branch, Army Headquarters. The Director of Medical Services(Army), MoD did not take any further action to obtain the sanction for the recommended award. It is not known as to why the Director of Medical Services(Army) has not forwarded the citation to the Military Secretary’s Branch(Army) MoD. As such it seems that the Medical Branch had blocked or prevented the sanction of gallantry award.
4. In a written testimonial given by Lieutenant General T S Oberoi PVSM VrC, General Officer in Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command, Pune – 411001, dated 14th February 1983, General Oberoi had stated that this doctor deserves befitting recognition for the Service he had rendered to the Nation during the time of a national crisis. The Southern Army Commander had categorically stated that the doctor was recommended for a gallantry award for display of gallant qualities in the face of the enemy.
5. The Prime Minister of India and her Cabinet Secretariat have established the eligibility criteria for grant of Service Medals, Decorations, and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle 1971-72. This doctor is eligible to receive the gallantry award that was duly recommended by his South Column Unit Commander Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, and it was duly reviewed and recommended by Force Commander Brigadier T S Oberoi and approved by Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force.
6. To serve the purpose of Justice and Fairness, I would ask that this doctor should be given the gallantry award that was duly recommended following the rules and procedures established by the Prime Minister of India for her Battle Plan of Operation Eagle.
7. Particulars of the above Officer are as follows:
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S., Personal Number. MS-8466 Rank Lieutenant/Captain AMC/SSC, Medical Officer, South Column, Operation Eagle (1971-72), Personal Number. MR-03277K Rank Captain/Major AMC/DPC Medical Officer, Headquarters Establishment No. 22 C/O 56 APO (1971-74), Directorate General of Security, Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force, East Block V, Level IV, R. K. Puram, New Delhi – 110 022 https://bhavanajagat.com/
Thanking You,
(Sd. BVRR)
Yours Faithfully,
B V Ramarao, PhD, IRSE (Retd.), Retired GM (Railways), 10, Prince Apartments, Balaji Nagar, VISAKHAPATNAM – 530 003 Tel. (0891) 2755691, eMail: rbodapati Dated 29 June 2012
Biographical Information:
R. Rudra Narasimham, Son of Shri. R. Suryanarayana Murthy, 13-92, First Cross Road, Prakasam Nagar, Rajahmundry, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Student of Danavaipeta Municipal/Corporation High School, Rajahmundry( S. S. L. C. – March, 1961.
A Personal Tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army.
A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971: Glorious Quran, Surah VIII, SPOILS OF WAR, Verse 01: “And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah.Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.”
SPIRITUALISM – TIME AND LIFE – SPIRITUAL INTERACTIONS :
LORD GAUTAMA BUDDHA HAD OBSERVED THAT WHATEVER IS BORN, PRODUCED, OR CONDITIONED CONTAINS WITHIN ITSELF THE NATURE OF ITS OWN DISSOLUTION. LIFE IS CONDITIONED TO EXPERIENCE CHANGE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TIME AND LIVING THINGS ARE BORN TO EXPERIENCE DISSOLUTION AT THE END OF THEIR LIFETIME.
Gautama Buddha had observed that whatever is born, produced, conditioned, contains within itself the nature of its own dissolution. The greatest miracle is that of explaining the truth and to make man realize it. What is the Truth? To know the truth about Life, we have to understand the influence of Time. Individual living entities exist during their own LifeTime while the vital principle that animates all Life remains imperishable, immortal, eternal, and unchanging. Time is defined as the duration in which things are considered as happening in the past, present, or future. Time is the measurement of duration, the period between two events during which something exists, happens, or acts. This concept of Time demands that we must make a fundamental distinction between static and dynamic events. Static is the term used to describe a body, mass, or force that is at rest or in equilibrium and hence it is inactive, stationary, not moving, or progressing. Life is a dynamic event in which the object called the living thing exists by a tendency towards change or productive activity. Life requires the presence of a vital, energetic, animating principle that maintains the equilibrium called existence while responding to a flow of events that measure the duration of the existence of that living thing. In my view, Death is also a dynamic event and it is not a static event as the change called Death inevitably flows to cause Rebirth. The flow of Life must be synchronized with the flow of Time for both of them to proceed until Eternity. I describe Spiritualism and Spirituality as the potency that generates Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in the Time and Life Interactions to provide the Living Experience that is dependent upon Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility. To know this, we may have to know about the Cyclical Changes of Matter, and the Cyclical Flow of Time. Chemistry is the Science that would give us the understanding of Living Matter and the Cyclical Changes that are caused by Chemical Reactions. In the study of Life, Chemistry is the Science that describes the nature of ‘Spiritual Interactions’. The ‘Spiritual Interactions’ between Time and Matter establish, support, and preserve the existence of Life on this planet Earth.
MATTER – CHEMICAL ELEMENTS AND CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS :
HENNING BRAND(c. 1630-c. 1710), GERMAN ALCHEMIST WHO DISCOVERED PHOSPHORUS DURING c.1669 or 1674. I WOULD DESCRIBE CHEMISTRY AS THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUAL INTERACTIONS.
ROBERT BOYLE (1627-1691)THE FATHER OF MODERN CHEMISTRY. Anglo-Irish Physicist and Chemist who separated the Science of Chemistry from Alchemy. He gave the first precise definitions of a Chemical Element, a Chemical Reaction, and Chemical Analysis. He discovered Boyle’s Law(Gas Laws).
All ‘Matter’ is composed of fundamental materials called Chemical Elements. A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical processes is by definition an Element. There are about 88 ‘naturally’ occurring Elements, and about 20 Elements are used in measurable amounts by most living organisms. Phosphorus is an essential Element to all Life as it is a component of DNA and RNA that make up the genetic material of all cells and control reproduction of both the cell and the organism. Phosphorus is part of the energy storage and utilization system at the cellular level. In addition, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Cobalt, Cadmium, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Molybdenum, Boron, Sodium, Chlorine, Fluorine, Iodine, Sulfur, and Chromium are all essential to one form of life or another. Elements can combine with one another to form a wide variety of more complex substances called Chemical Compounds. A Chemical Compound is a substance in which two or more Elements are joined by Chemical Bonds. A Chemical Compound can be created or broken down by means of a Chemical Reaction but not by mechanical or physical separation techniques. It helps to make the distinction between Mixture and Compound. Most naturally occurring Matter represents Physical Mixtures of Chemical Compounds that could be separated using simple physical techniques. While the number of known Elements is small, the number of possible Compounds is almost ‘infinite’; perhaps a million or more Chemical Compounds are known to exist. When two or more Elements combine to form a Compound, they lose their separate identities, and the product called Chemical Compound has characteristics quite different from those of the constituent Elements. For example, the Common Salt or Sodium Chloride is a combination of the highly reactive metallic element Sodium(Na) and the poisonous gas Chlorine(Cl). The unique taste and flavor imparted by Salt cannot be discovered by studying the physical and chemical properties of Sodium or Chlorine. Elements in Compounds always are combined in definite proportion. For instance, a molecule of Water is always made up of two Hydrogen(H) atoms and one Oxygen(O) atom. Again, I would like to pay attention to the fact of two gaseous elements, Hydrogen, and Oxygen with quite different physical and chemical properties can combine to form the Compound Water which has altogether different properties from either Hydrogen or Oxygen. The simple, pure, original, and sweet taste imparted by Fresh Water cannot be discovered in its constituent Elements. I have mentioned that the Element Phosphorus is basic to all Life. Phosphorus is discovered in c.1674 by Hennig Brand. It is an extremely poisonous, yellow to white, waxy, solid substance. When exposed to air, Phosphorus ignites spontaneously. Some of the commercial uses of Phosphorus include the making of detergents, toxic nerve gases and explosives. We have to learn to make the distinction between Chemical Elements and Chemical Compounds and apply this understanding to know the nature of relationship between things. Calcium Phosphate is the principal material found in bones and teeth. Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP is the fundamental energy source in living things. It is very understandable that all Matter is composed of units called Atoms and the physical structure of Atom is well-known. We have to be very careful and avoid deriving understanding about Life and Living Matter from the descriptive knowledge derived from Quantum Physics. To understand the nature of living experience, we need Chemical Molecules and Chemical Compounds whose qualities and characteristics may not be discovered from the study of Nuclear Physics. The phenomenon of creating and breaking down Chemical Compounds in living organisms is known as Metabolism. A Chemical Compound’s smallest units are, Molecules, and Ions. A Molecule can exist in the free state and still retain the characteristics of the Element or Compound; a Molecule can be formed by an Element when it consists of one Atom, or two, or more similar Atoms; a Molecule can be formed by a Compound when it consists of two or more different Atoms. The term ‘Ion’ is used to describe an Atom or Molecule bearing an electric charge as a result of having a number of negative electrons unequal to the number of positive protons in its nuclei. ‘Ionization’ is the process that describes the formation of ‘Ions’ from neutral Atoms or Molecules. ‘Ions’ that are positively charged are known as ‘Cations’, and that are negatively charged are known as ‘Anions’. Simple ‘Ions’ consist of a single charged Atom; double, triple, or even higher positive or negative charges are possible. Oxidation of Hydrogen removes its single electron and gives H+ or cationic Hydrogen which contains no electrons and it has a nucleus which is composed of one proton. This cationic Hydrogen plays a particularly important role in the Acid-Base Chemistry of the human organism with many reactions exchanging protons between soluble molecules. The internal environment of a living cell includes Hydrogen, Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium, Calcium, Chloride, Sulfate, Phosphate and several organic acid ‘Ions’. The chemical events collectively called ‘Metabolism’ require the concentration of Hydrogen Ions and electrolytes to remain within narrow limits in the tissue cells and in the fluid which bathes them. The term ‘pH’ or ‘Acidity’ is a measure of the Hydrogen Ion concentration and a reading level of 7 indicates ‘Neutral’. Human life is possible only if the Hydrogen Ion concentration of body fluid is kept within a narrow range. In health, a blood Hydrogen Ion concentration of 36 – 44 nmol/Liter or pH level of 7.37 – 7.45 is maintained by several closely integrated but widely differing mechanisms.
THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS AND CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OF LIFE :
HENRY CAVENDISH(1731-1810), British Chemist and Physicist noted for his discovery of Hydrogen, a gaseous Element during 1766. French Chemist Lavoisier named the gas Hydrogen in 1783. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and it is the major fuel in fusion reactions of the Sun. However, this gas in its free state is very rare in our planet Earth.
Hydrogen, the most abundant Element in the universe is present in its diatomic, molecular form. Hydrogen is important for the formation of Stars. In this photo image, NGC 604, a giant region of ionized Hydrogen in the Triangulum Galaxy is seen.
Hydrogen makes up most of the mass( over 90%)of the universe and about 75 % of natural Matter by number of Atoms.Naturally occurring atomic Hydrogen is rare on Earth because Hydrogen readily forms covalent Compounds with most Elements. Hydrogen is present in the Water Molecule and in most Organic Compounds found in living organisms. Hydrogen forms a vast variety of Compounds with Carbon that are called Hydrocarbons.
To understand Life, we have to know about Hydrogen as it is the fuel that Sun expends in its role as the Cosmic source of Energy that supports the biological existence of all terrestrial organisms. Man exists on the surface of planet Earth not on account of the merit of his physical, or mental work and effort. Man has no direct access to this source of energy produced from Hydrogen fuel. If Hydrogen is important to support the existence of Life, we have to understand the nature of ‘Spiritual Interactions’. Secondly, Hydrogen is important as it is required to form the Water Molecule. However, Oxygen, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, is the most abundant Element at the surface of the Earth. In the terrestrial environment, Oxygen accounts for about half of the mass of the Earth’s crust, 89% of the mass of the oceans, and 23% of the mass of the atmosphere or 21% of its volume. Oxygen makes up about two-thirds of the human body. It is a vital substance which supports vital functions. Among Chemical Elements used by human body, Oxygen has the highest electronegativity and electron affinity. Oxygen can form ‘Anion’ with a double negative charge by accepting electrons from a donor like Hydrogen. Most of the Earth’s rocks and soils are principally compounds of Oxygen with Silicon and other metals. It is well understood that most organisms depend on Oxygen to sustain their biological processes. Biological Oxidation-Reduction Reactions are ultimately the sources of energy for the higher plants and animals. While speaking about the importance of Oxygen in the biosphere, we must recognize that Oxygen is responsible for natural decomposition of all organic material. Waste products from the activity of the living organisms, dead plants and animals decompose or oxidized through the agency of microorganisms. Thus, Oxygen plays a key role both in its support of important processes of Life and Death. Organic decay and decomposition is of fundamental importance for Life to renew itself and to be reborn and to cause rebirth. The study of ‘Spiritual Interactions’ must include the study of Life and Death.
Joseph Priestley and Karl Scheel were the first to isolate the gaseous Element during 1773-74 which was named by Antoine Laurent Lavoisier as Oxygen. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, and is the most abundant Element found on planet Earth.
Oxygen makes up about 90% of Water, two-thirds of the human body, and 20% by volume of Air. Normal atmospheric Oxygen is a diatomic Molecule.
The common Chemical Reaction in which Oxygen unites with another substance is called Oxidation.Combustion or rapid oxidation, the burning of s substance may generate light and heat. The process called Oxidation need not involve the generation of light and heat. Oxygen itself does not burn. The Respiration of plants and animals is a form of Oxidation that is essential to the liberation of the energy stored in such food materials as Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins. Oxygen is necessary to sustain Metabolism which primarily involves the Oxidation-Reduction Chemical Reactions. If the Oxygen concentration were to drop to about half its value in the atmosphere, humans could no longer survive. The loss of Oxygen is critical as the human body has no means of storing Oxygen. Because the human body stores no Oxygen, any interference with breathing and ventilation that lasts more than a few minutes can cause Death.
Dr. Daniel Rutherford(1749-1819), Professor of Medicine & Botany, Edinburgh University, Scotland, discovered Nitrogen in 1772. Joseph Priestley and Henry Cavendish in England, and Carl W. Scheele in Sweden also get credit for the discovery of Nitrogen. The French Chemist Antoine Lavoisier proved that it is an Element.
On planet Earth, Nitrogen, the most abundant uncombined Element occurs as the diatomic molecule. Atmospheric air is 78.06% Nitrogen gas by volume. Nitrogen is an important component of Protoplasm or Living Matter. It is very remarkable to note that one type of organic molecule with a nitrogenous base plays a variety of roles in support of living functions.
Adenosine Tri Phosphate or ATP is a Nucleotide; the monomeric unit of Nucleic Acid,contains a Purine or Nitrogenous base called Adenosine, a Sugar called Ribose and three Phosphate groups.In most Chemical Reactions of all cells in which transfer of energy occurs, the nucleotide ATP is involved. It functions as a Coenzyme in many enzyme-catalyzed reactions and helps in the performance of chemical, electrical, and osmotic work in animals, plants, and microorganisms.
Cyclic Adenosine Mono Phosphate or cAMP is formed from ATP by the catalytic action of the enzyme Adenyl Cyclase. It controls many important functions in the cell including the ability of the cell to generate electrical impulses and is called “Second Messenger.”It is responsible for the intracellular mediation of hormonal effects on various cellular processes; e.g., Lipid Metabolism, Membrane Transport by opening Ion Channels, and Cell Reproduction.
All living organisms need organic nitrogen compounds such as Proteins, Vitamins like Thiamine and Riboflavin. In nature, Nitrogen from the air is ‘fixed’ by some bacteria and plants. It is then made available to all organisms through ‘Nitrogen Cycle’.
The nonmetallic Element, Carbon is known to man since ancient times. Organic Chemistry is the study of Carbon Compounds. All living organisms contain Carbon Compounds and hence Carbon is the central Element in the Compounds of which organisms are composed. The Carbon Element found in all living organisms is primarily derived from Carbon Dioxide found in atmospheric air or dissolved in water. It occurs both free and combined form in nature and makes up about 1% of the volume of dry air. Carbon Dioxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. It is the raw material for Photosynthesis in green plants and is a product of animal respiration and of the decay of organic matter. It can cause Death by suffocation if inhaled in large amounts. If this Chemical Compound Carbon Dioxide, a gas that has the potential to cause Death, can impart ‘SWEETNESS’ to a substance that we recognize as ‘SUGAR’, it speaks about the potency that I describe as ‘Spiritual Interaction’ between the Elements of Life.
Plants incorporate Carbon into Carbohydrates and other complex organic molecules by means of Photosynthesis. During Respiration or Cellular Oxidation, living organisms combine Oxygen with portions of Carbohydrate molecule, releasing Carbon in the form of Carbon dioxide and water.
Water Molecules are the simplest and most abundant of all the Molecules found in the living cell. The simplest forms of Life such as the Virus particles may exist as Molecules of Nucleic Acids and need living cells for their replication. Most Chemical Reactions inside the living cell require the aqueous medium. Cells contain 70 to 80% Water. Cell Chemistry involves the study of Reactions in aqueous solutions. But, much of the Water in Cells is not ordinary Water; it is found ‘structured’ in shells surrounding macromolecules, especially proteins. The activities inside the Cell are separated and take place inside compartments that are regulated. It is important to know that most of the Water inside the living Cell is structured and the Chemistry of the living Cell demands separation of events at Molecular level.
ANTOINE LAURENT LAVOISIER(1743-1794), French Chemist and Physicist. He discovered the Composition of Water Molecule and of various other Organic Compounds.
Water Molecule looks very simple and yet it plays a mysterious role inside all living cells. It is essential to Life and its propagation. Its Spiritual nature is revealed by its pure, original, and sweet taste it imparts apart from its role as a Chemical Compound. It is the main mode of transport of many Elements that are needed by the living organisms. Water is the Agent that leaches Nutrient Elements and Compounds from rocks and soils and makes them available for use by plants ,and animals.
THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF TIME :
SUN THE COSMIC SOURCE OF ENERGY SHINES ALL THE TIME. IT IS APPARENTLY AN UNCHANGING EVENT. HOW DOES MAN MEASURE HIS TIME?
The Flow of Time is measured as the duration or the interval between two events; Time exists for man and other living organisms as the measure of the period of duration from Sunrise to Sunset that causes an environmental change; the alternating periods of Light(DAY) and Darkness(NIGHT). Earth’s Rotational Spin transforms the instant called ‘FUTURE’ into an instant called ‘PAST’ without giving man any choice to know the instant called ‘PRESENT’. Earth’s Revolution brings Seasons that man experiences at regular and constant intervals of Time while man simply exists on the surface of planet Earth with no physical experience of Earth’s Motions through Space.
Things in Nature change with Time. Does Time exert a ‘FORCE’ entirely of its own to change things in Nature? If Time is viewed as a ‘FORCE’, or ‘POWER’, who controls this Force or Power and what are the Laws that operate this Force or Power? The Clocks and Calendars that man has invented create the illusion that we live in a world of mathematically measured segments of Time. Sir Issac Newton(1687) stated that the flow of Time is absolute. Time is looked upon as a flow like a river: It “flows equably without relation to anything external.” Herman Minkowski, a Mathematician, added Time as the Fourth Dimension of three-dimensional Space. Time is seen as a dimension like Height and Width and it gives meaning to events and the order in which they occur. In 1905, while postulating the Theory of Relativity, Albert Einstein had observed that the measurement of Time is affected by the motion of the observer and hence it is not absolute. Gravity affects both Time and Light. The measurement of Time is affected by the gravitational field of each celestial body. The experience of Time on this planet is an illusionary experience and it may not be an absolute experience. Physicists tend to describe Time and Space as the building blocks of this universe. In the context of understanding the relationship between Time and Life, we will be forced to see Time in the internal Biological Clocks that keep all living entities in ‘sync’ with Nature.
The Biological Clock: Every Living System behaves as if it contains a highly dependable ‘CLOCK’. It is a self-sustained internal timing mechanism that controls the ability of an organism to synchronize its existence with events in its internal and external environment.Such Time-Dependent variability in Function is called a Biological Rhythm.
All living things have in their nature a plan for their own dissolution and have the ability to use some unique Time-Dependent biological mechanism that is indissociable from life itself. Biological Rhythms represent the periodic biological fluctuation in an organism that corresponds to and is in response to periodic environmental change. Biological Clock in man measures Time as the Solar Day, the period of Earth’s Rotational Spin relative to the Sun. Such Biological Rhythms that occur once a Day are called Circadian( Latin Circa: About, Di: Day ), Solar Day, Diel, Daily, or Diurnal(Day-Active) Rhythm. The Rhythm is synchronized with an external Time-giving stimulus. Within the 24-Hour Cycle, a person usually sleeps approximately 8 hours and is awake 16 hours. For the health and the well-being of man, the daily alteration of Sleep and Wakefulness is important to maintain optimal physiological functions. Man is conditioned to exist under the influence of Time which is operated on planet Earth by its Rotation on its own axis.
THE CYCLICAL FLOW OF LIFE, MATTER, AND ENERGY :
All living organisms depend upon about 20 naturally occurring Chemical Elements. In order for Life to survive, these Elements must be constantly recycled in forms that plants and animals can use. Nutrient Cycle is the term used to describe the natural processes that keep all the Chemical Elements needed to support Life circulating within the Biosphere or Ecosphere. The far-reaching nature of Nutrient Cycles reveal the Interactions between Time, Life, Death, and Rebirth. Life continues using the process called Rebirth. Death is an important requirement to regenerate Life. The dissolution of individual living entities under the influence of Time is a prerequisite for Renewal of Life and the propagation of Life over the limits imposed by Time.
THE WATER OR HYDROLOGIC CYCLE :
The Water Cycle or Hydrologic Cycle is necessary to the operation of all Nutrient Cycles. The energy for the transportation of Water Molecules is provided by the Sun and it is the Fundamental Basis for all other Time-Life Spiritual Interactions.
Water is important to all life forms for its role in the control of environmental conditions and as it is the main mode of transport of many nutrients; it is the agent that leaches nutrients from rocks and soils and make them available for further use by living organisms.
THE CARBON CYCLE :
The Carbon Cycle clearly illustrates the complexity of relationships involved in the processes of Recycling Nutrient Elements in Nature. Life depends on the interwoven and interdependent relationships of green plants and animals, supplemented by the activities of bacteria, and the constant transport of nutrients within the Ecosystem and within organisms.
The Carbon Cycle describes the exchange of Carbon between living organisms and non-living environment.To maintain Life, an organism not only repairs or replaces( or both ) its structures by a constant supply of the materials of which it is composed but also keep its life processes in operation by a steady supply of energy. Living Systems must be supplied energy on a continual basis. Once spent, the energy for Life cannot be replenished except by further exposure of green plants to Sunlight. The Chemical Elements of Life are continually recycled by such processes as Photosynthesis and Respiration.
THE OXYGEN CYCLE :
Photosynthesis and Respiration are complementary functions and drive the Oxygen Cycle.Oxygen is necessary to sustain Metabolism. Oxygen is also important and is responsible for natural decomposition of organic material, waste products of Metabolism, oxidative decomposition of dead plants and animals through the agency of microorganisms.
Oxygen is equally important for Life and Death as Death must be accompanied by decay and decomposition of organic material to release the Nutrient Elements for further use by other living organisms.
THE NITROGEN CYCLE :
All living organisms participate in the Nitrogen Cycle. It includes the processes and Chemical Reactions involved in producing organic Nitrogen from inorganic Nitrogen and subsequently breaking down organic Nitrogen back to the inorganic form.
The Nitrogen Cycle begins when atmospheric Nitrogen and Hydrogen combine to form Ammonia in a process called Ammonification. The Nitrogen Compounds are made available to plants which combine them with the products of Photosynthesis to form Amino Acids, which are the basic components of plant Proteins. Animals eat plant Proteins, break them down into Amino Acids during the process of digestion, and recombine them to form their own particular forms of Proteins in order to build tissues and organs of their bodies. Through breakdown of waste products, death and decay, organic Nitrogen compounds reenter environment.
THE PHOSPHORUS CYCLE :
Phosphorus recycles more slowly than other Nutrient Elements. Phosphates are taken up by the roots of green plants and used in organic synthesis. They are passed to animals through ‘Food Chains’. Ultimately, Phosphates are released to soil through bacterial and fungal decomposition after the death of an animal.
We need to make the distinction between the Chemical Element Phosphorus and Phosphate the Chemical Compound that supports Life. The Phosphate mineral found in the rocks may have taken millions of years before it became available to plant Life.
ECOLOGY – LIFE AND DEATH SPIRITUAL INTERACTIONS :
Life depends on the interwoven and interdependent relationships between living organisms and the environment. No organism leads a truly independent existence of its own. Each organism lives by either consuming other organisms or the products from other organisms. In a Biological Community, Life and Death have a relationship which has a Spiritual Basis.
Ecology describes the movement of Chemical Elements and Chemical Molecules in nature because of the interrelationships and interconnectedness of organisms that form the ‘Food Chains’. This flow has a cyclical pattern and Life and Death could be described as two stages in this exchange of material and energy between the living and non-living environment. Greek philosopher Heraclitus( c. 535 B.C. – c. 475 B.C.) held that there is no permanent Reality except the Reality of Change. His famous maxim : “You cannot step twice in the same River.” I beg to differ from his view. The permanent Reality describes the unchanging Spiritual Nature of a Chemical Molecule that supports Life and Existence. Water Molecule came into its existence billions of years ago and it still retains its unique and distinctive properties and is entirely unaffected by the influence of Time while it undergoes both physical and chemical changes in its Interactions. I seek to describe Spirituality in the unchanging nature of Chemical Molecules that operate the dynamic events of both Life and Death. If Life involves a series of Chemical Reactions such as the Redox or Oxidation-Reduction Chemical Reactions, the same dynamic process continues into Death causing changes to promote Regeneration, Rejuvenation, Renewal, and Rebirth. Spiritualism could be the Dynamic Force that promotes Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility in the material transformations of Life and Death.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India,
M.B.B.S. Class of April, 1970.
Biographical Information:
1. Place of Birth: Mylapore, Madras City, Chenna Patnam, Chennai, Madras State, Tamil Nadu, India. Born Hindu(Brahmin, Niyogi, Smartha), Telugu-Speaking.
2. Date and Place of Marriage: January 29, 1973. Town Congregational Church, Cuddapah, Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Special Frontier Force – Operation Eagle – Honors and Awards Representation:
OPERATION EAGLE IS THE NAME OF BATTLE PLAN APPROVED AND SANCTIONED BY PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI TO INITIATE LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH WITH MILITARY ACTION IN CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS.Operation Eagle initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh with Military Action in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Major General(Honorary)Shri. Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force was the Commander of this Operation in Chittagong Hill Tracts.Operation Eagle-Honours and Awards Representation: The Congress Party Leader, the Chairperson of United Progressive Alliance(UPA), Ms. Sonia Gandhi, had received Bangladesh Freedom Honour Award-‘SWADHINATA SAMMANONA’, on behalf of her mother-in-law,former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi in a function held in Dhaka on Monday, August 01, 2011. President Zillur Rahman of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina and Ms. Sonia Gandhi are seen in a photo image taken at President’ House-Bangabhaban. Captain(Retd) A B Tajul Islam, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs was present at this function. Captain Tajul Islam had participated in Operation Eagle.
OPERATION EAGLE – HONOURS AND AWARDS REPRESENTATION:
MS-8466 CAPTAIN R R NARASIMHAM AMC/SSC – OPERATION EAGLE-GALLANTRY AWARD- THE REPRESENTATION IS ABOUT THE RULES AND CONDITIONS THAT WERE USED BY INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER TO FORMULATE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO RECEIVE DUE RECOGNITION AND SANCTION OF MILITARY HONOURS AND AWARDS WITH OR WITHOUT ANY AFFILIATION TO THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OR INDIAN ARMY.
Shri. B V Ramarao, PhD, IRSE(Retd) of Visakhapatnam, India, on 25th October, 2011, sent a letter of representation to the Honourable Prime Minister of India and Honourable Raksha Mantri( Defence Minister) seeking the sanction of Gallantry Award of Vir Chakra that was recommended to Number. MS-8466, Rank. Lieutenant/Captain. R. R. Narasimham, AMC/SSC for his display of gallant action inside enemy territory while participating in Operation Eagle during 1971. Shri. B V Ramarao had received a response from Military Secretary’s Branch, New Delhi. The letter reads as follows:
This reply from Military Secretary’s Branch(Army) clearly reveals the unwillingness of Indian Army to find the citation that was initiated by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, the Commander of South Column Unit, Operation Eagle. The citation was duly reviewed and authenticated by Brigade Commander, Brigadier T S Oberoi and was duly approved by Force Commander Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force as required by the rules and conditions established by the Prime Minister of India who had formulated the eligibility criteria for giving recognition and for granting Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle irrespective of an individual’s affiliation to the Ministry of Defence or Indian Army. Ministry of Defence and Indian Army had no role in this decision made by the Prime Minister of India and they have no vested authority or power to change the rules of Operation Eagle and the grant of Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle.
This letter sent from Office of Inspector General Special Frontier Force to the Military Secretary’s Branch contains written evidence about the citation initiated by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, Commander South Column Unit, Operation Eagle.A Personal Tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army.
A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971: Glorious Quran, Surah VIII, SPOILS OF WAR, Verse 01: “And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah.Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.”
Testimonial by Lieutenant General TS Oberoi, PVSM, VrC, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command, Pune – 411 011:
Southern Army Commander General T S Oberoi had served as the Commandant of Headquarters Establishment Number.22 during Operation Eagle in the rank of Brigadier and was promoted to the rank of Major General and had served as the Inspector General of Special Frontier Force after the successful accomplishment of Operation Eagle 1971-72.
REMARKS OF EX- NUMBER MS-8466 LIEUTENANT/CAPTAIN R R NARASIMHAM, AMC/SSC, MEDICAL OFFICER, SOUTH COLUMN UNIT, OPERATION EAGLE :
The rules of eligibility for the grant of Military Honours and Awards for the participants of Operation Eagle were established by the then Prime Minister of India. The rules have not stated that the Honours and Awards are conferred within a specific period from the date of the act. The citation to confer the award of Vir Chakra was initiated by the South Column Unit and it was duly reviewed by Brigadier T S Oberoi, the Brigade Commander at the Force Headquarters, and Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force, the Formation Commander and was submitted on time to the Medical Directorate, Medical Branch, Director of Medical Services (Army), Adjutant General’s Branch, Army HQ, MoD, New Delhi for appropriate further action. The Military Secretary’s Branch (Army) must demand the Medical Directorate (Army) to forward this citation for consideration of an award by the Army HQ Honours and Awards Committee. To receive this Gallantry Award, the Prime Minister of India had established specific rules and conditions and even Indian Civilian Officers including Shri. Sujan Singh Uban, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, the Senior Medical Officer, Shri. G B Velankar, Assistant Company Commander, S.F.F., and Shri. Tarachand Pande, Assistant Company Commander, S.F.F., who participated in Operation Eagle did receive Military Honours and Awards. In my opinion, the rules of the game cannot be changed by Defence Minister/Defence Ministry or Indian Army HQ or the Military Secretary’s Branch (Army) MoD. The decision to grant Military Honours and Awards was made by the Prime Minister of India and the decision was communicated to all the participants of Operation Eagle in the formal official briefings held at the Force Headquarters prior to operational deployment in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Government of India and the Prime Minister of India have the duty and responsibility to defend the sanctity of an official decision made by Srimati. Indira Gandhi in the discharge of her official duties.
THE SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE: I served this organization from September 22, 1971 to December 18, 1974. I was not a mercenary working for a foreign government or Agency. I was fully involved and was prepared to defend the legitimate border between India and Tibet as established by the McMahon Treaty and the Simla Agreement of 1914 between India and Tibet. We as an organization defended our own territory to defend our natural rights. We were fully ready to conduct offensive operations against our Enemy who is in illegal occupation of our Land.
OPERATION EAGLE IS THE NAME OF BATTLE PLAN APPROVED AND SANCTIONED BY PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI TO INITIATE LIBERATION OF BANGLADESH WITH MILITARY ACTION IN THE CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS.Operation Eagle initiated the Liberation of Bangladesh with Military Action in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force was the Commander of this Operation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.Operation Eagle-Honours and Awards Representation: The Congress Party Leader, the Chairperson of United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Ms. Sonia Gandhi, received Bangladesh Freedom Honour Award-‘SWADHINATA SAMMANONA’, on behalf of her mother-in-law,former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi in a function held in Dhaka on Monday, August 01, 2011. President Zillur Rahman of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina and Ms. Sonia Gandhi are seen in a photo image taken at President’ House-Bangabhaban. Captain(Retd) A B Tajul Islam, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs was present at this function. Captain Tajul Islam participated in Operation Eagle.
OPERATION EAGLE – HONOURS AND AWARDS REPRESENTATION:
MS-8466 CAPTAIN R R NARASIMHAM AMC/SSC – OPERATION EAGLE-GALLANTRY AWARD- THE REPRESENTATION IS ABOUT THE RULES AND CONDITIONS THAT WERE USED BY INDIA’S PRIME MINISTER TO FORMULATE THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO RECEIVE DUE RECOGNITION AND SANCTION OF MILITARY HONOURS AND AWARDS WITH OR WITHOUT ANY AFFILIATION TO THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OR INDIAN ARMY.
Shri. B V Ramarao, PhD, IRSE (Retd) of Visakhapatnam, India, on 25th October, 2011, sent a letter of representation to the Honourable Prime Minister of India and Honourable Raksha Mantri ( Defence Minister) seeking the sanction of Gallantry Award of Vir Chakra that was recommended to Personal Number. MS-8466, Rank.Captain. R. R. Narasimham, AMC/SSC for his display of gallant action inside enemy territory while participating in Operation Eagle during 1971. Shri. B V Ramarao received a response from Military Secretary’s Branch, New Delhi. The letter reads as follows:
This reply from Military Secretary’s Branch (Army) clearly reveals the unwillingness of Indian Army to find the citation that was initiated by Lieutenant Colonel B K Narayan, the Commander of South Column Unit, Operation Eagle. The citation was duly reviewed and authenticated by Brigade Commander, Brigadier T S Oberoi and was duly approved by Force Commander Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General of Special Frontier Force as required by the rules and conditions established by the Prime Minister of India who had formulated the eligibility criteria for giving recognition and for granting Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle irrespective of an individual’s affiliation to the Ministry of Defence or Indian Army. Ministry of Defence and Indian Army had no role in this decision made by the Prime Minister of India and they have no vested authority or power to change the rules of Operation Eagle and the grant of Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle.The remarks made by Lt Col B K Narayan on May 13, 1972 in my Annual Confidential Report for 1971-72 are as follows:”A very conscientious and Tough MO who worked hard during the Bangladesh OPs. He did very well and showed Maturity which was beyond the call of duty. I have recommended this Officer for a gallantry award for which he deserves eminently. He is physically Tough and cheerful. Is a fresh entrant with less than 2 years of Service and yet he displayed capability and confidence.A Personal Tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, The Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army.
A Sermon in Kaptai, Bangladesh Ops 1971-72. A personal tribute to Colonel B K Narayan, Islamic Scholar who served in Olive Green Uniform. The Imam of Friday Prayer in Kaptai on December 17, 1971: Glorious Quran, Surah VIII, SPOILS OF WAR, Verse 01: “And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah.Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.”
Testimonial by Lieutenant General TS Oberoi, PVSM, VrC, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Headquarters Southern Command, Pune – 411 011:
Southern Army Commander General T S Oberoi served as the Commandant Headquarters Establishment Number. 22 during Operation Eagle in the rank of Brigadier and was promoted to the rank of Major General and served as the Inspector General of Special Frontier Force after the successful execution of Operation Eagle 1971-72.
REMARKS OF PERSONAL NUMBER MS-8466 CAPTAIN R R NARASIMHAM, AMC/SSC, MEDICAL OFFICER, SOUTH COLUMN UNIT, OPERATION EAGLE:
The rules of eligibility for the grant of Military Honours and Awards to the participants of Operation Eagle were established by the then Prime Minister of India. The rules have not stated that the Honours and Awards are conferred within a specific period from the date of the act. The citation to confer the award of Vir Chakra was initiated by the South Column Unit and it was duly reviewed by Brigadier T S Oberoi, the Brigade Commander at the Force Headquarters, and Major General Sujan Singh Uban, Inspector General Special Frontier Force, the Formation Commander and was submitted on time to the Medical Directorate, Medical Branch, Director of Medical Services (Army), Adjutant General’s Branch, Army HQ, MoD, New Delhi for appropriate further action. The Military Secretary’s Branch(Army) must ask the Medical Directorate (Army) to forward this citation for consideration of an award by the Army HQ Honours and Awards Committee. To receive this Gallantry Award, the Prime Minister of India had established specific rules and conditions and even Indian Civilian Officers including Shri. Sujan Singh Uban, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, the Senior Medical Officer, Shri. G B Velankar, Assistant Company Commander, S.F.F., and Shri. Tarachand Pande, Assistant Company Commander, S.F.F., who had participated in Operation Eagle received Military Honours and Awards. In my opinion, the rules of the game cannot be changed by Defence Minister/Defence Ministry or Indian Army HQ or the Military Secretary’s Branch (Army) MoD. The decision to grant Military Honours and Awards was made by the Prime Minister of India and the decision was communicated to all the participants of Operation Eagle in the formal official briefings held at the Force Headquarters prior to operational deployment in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Government of India and the Prime Minister of India have the duty and responsibility to defend the sanctity of an official decision made by Srimati. Indira Gandhi in the discharge of her official duties.
On January 24, 1966, Indira Gandhi became the First Woman Prime Minister of India heralding the Dawn of a New Era in India’s national life.
The Interfaith Dialogue must only be used to give equal represenation to all religious beliefs and faiths and must not be used as a tool to change a person's opinion/belief/faith.
Multiculturalism is the policy or principle of giving equal attention or representation to the cultural needs and contribution of all the groups in a society. In the development of a pluralistic society, in the existence of a nation with groups distinctive in ethnic origin, cultural patterns, religion, and language, or the like, it would be useful to have “Interfaith Dialogue” to promote social harmony. Unfortunately, we live in a world which is not multipolar and a few nations and a few social/religious groups are actively seeking to expand their sphere of influence and pursue an agenda to dominate the world by changing the opinions/beliefs/ and faiths of other human beings. It is important to understand the role of Interfaith Dialogue in promoting peace and to prevent war. Such Interfaith Dialogue could be of some value in an academic context where the participants of the dialogue seek better understanding of each other in the pursuit of academic knowledge that pertains to theology, morals and ethics, traditions, holidays, festivals, and food culture of people. Such understanding would help in promoting better social interactions and to promote peace and harmony at workplace, or in the local community. Historical events of the past such as the foreign conquest and occupation of the Land of Bharat or India were not shaped by Interfaith Dialogue. Even today, such Dialogue has no role in formulating international relations. War or Aggression between nations will not be prevented by holding Interfaith Dialogues. In the conduct of warfare, it is the aggressor nation or party chooses to define the identity of the victim nation or social group that is targeted for an attack. It would be of no help or consequence if the victim pleads to describe his identity in terms different from the terms of identity chosen by the aggressor. The victim has no choice other than that of defending an identity that the aggressor has imposed to launch his attack. In the context of defining Indian Identity, the Dialogue process will not influence the behavior of Islamic Jihadist groups who attack the Hindu Identity of India. Similarly, the Dialogue process will not deter the Christian Evangelists from conducting their acts of infiltrating and subverting the Hindu society of India to convert the beliefs and faith of Hindu population of India. I have described Indian Identity as that of Individualism. Man exists in this physical world with no choice other than that of being an Individual and has to experience the Subjective Reality of his own existence. We need to formulate universal principles and policies to promote the well-being of all men, of all races, of all religions, of all cultures, and of all nations while showing respect to the Individuality of man who exists as part of a social group.
RELIGION AND FOREIGN POLICY :
I appreciate the fact that many of you would like to discuss the term ‘interfaith dialogue’ in the context of a debate, discussion, or participation in a public forum, meetings, seminars, symposia, and etc., I speak about ‘interfaith dialogue’ in the context of the conduct of foreign policy by national entities. National entities develop foreign policies to define their political relationships with other entities in support of their perceived national interests. Apart from diplomacy, trade, and cultural contacts, national entities often use the military option to achieve their foreign policy objectives. As a former member of Indian Armed Forces, and the Land Forces of the Sultanate of Oman Land Forces, I had a direct opportunity to participate in Security and Intelligence Operations in support of the United States of America and Great Britain. As you would know, military operations, military planning, military training, and military tactics involve preparation to engage the enemy, confront the enemy, and kill the enemy while facing the risk of getting killed by the enemy. The men have to be mentally prepared for this task of killing the enemy and voluntarily accepting the risk of death and injury. The men have to be fully briefed about the enemy, the nature of the enemy, and as to why it is desirable to kill the enemy. Men have to be motivated for the battle and I have attended several such sessions at different locations to fight the enemy defined by the military planners. Religion is the most important element and plays a big role in motivating people to kill others. Particularly, it plays a vital role in Infantry combat operations where a direct and physical fight is needed to achieve the military objective. National entities use religion as a tool to psychologically motivate people to fight wars. There is a dialogue and there is communication between the military planner, the military commander and the men who have to execute the orders given. United States and Great Britain have engaged in several wars across the globe and several times have engaged in proxy wars providing training, finance, military equipment, and logistical support to either other national entities or rebel groups. You must carefully look at the war plan and as to how it shaped the battle in any given conflict. To quote some examples, religion was used in fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, to break up the Republic of Yugoslavia, to create the State of Kosovo, to bifurcate the Republic of Sudan, in changing the regimes in Iraq and Libya, and to support the ethnic conflicts in Albania, and Chechen Republic of Russia. I have not personally participated in those conflicts, but I was trained, briefed, and equipped by the same Intelligence and Security Agencies which are involved in all of these conflicts. So, I have a personal knowledge, experience, and understanding of American and Great Britain foreign policy when the policy uses religion as its tool to accomplish a military mission to obtain the foreign policy objectives.
I have a good understanding of the military threat posed by the foreign policy of United States and Great Britain to degrade and devitalize the Republic of India. United States and Great Britain have openly supported the Khalistan Movement, and the Kashmir Separatist Movement. These rebels have openly met with Members of Congress and Parliament and received open encouragement. These countries have clandestinely supported various rebel groups that operated in Northeast India and they have used Christian missionaries as paid agents to motivate the rebels to fight the battle. My Unit while operating in Chittagong Hill Tracts during 1971 Operation Eagle, has captured a British national ( with Australian passport ) working as a Christian Missionary and he was providing motivational support to the Christian Mizo rebels who were being trained in East Pakistan’s military posts in that region. East Pakistan had deployed the Frontier Regiment and the men are mostly Pathans and a few Baluchis. They are all devout Muslims and have no reason to be served by a British Christian Missionary. This Missionary gained access to those military camps as he was a paid agent. My concern is not about debating or discussing the theology of Christian religion. Both United States and Great Britain use this religion to promote demographical changes and to use that population to bring about a political change that would be of advantage to obtain their foreign policy objectives. American Evangelism is a multibillion dollar industry and it is entirely subsidized by the State. All the donations, and contributions given to the American Evangelists are tax-exempt. These donors do not pay federal tax on the funds contributed to Church. In other words, American Evangelism must be viewed as a State sponsored Enterprise. In the wake of terrorist attacks on American soil, United States is not allowing foreign Islamic Organizations to support and fund charitable work in the United States. They are not allowed to support even simple educational activities at Islamic Schools. I would ask the Indian Government to follow the example of the United States and stop the flow of foreign money into India. Churches in the United States must support the needs of their local population where there is unemployment, hunger, and poverty. United States must stop these tax subsidies to Evangelists working in foreign countries. They can use those funds to preach Christianity to people of their own Land who do not care to attend Church or worship God.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.,
R. Venkatanarayanan wrote:
1. If the word “dialog” is worrying how about using the term, “debate” or “discussion”?
2. Why should one expect or propose or demand that the starting point for debate, dialog or discussion with a Christian Missionary or Mullah should be the acceptance by the latter that he or she will not seek to convert another person? Is ‘conversion’ the only or the primary point of difference or discord between the Abrahamic religions and Hindu Dharma? If so the corollary seems to be that the Hindus must adopt any means to stop it. What are the means other than violence? Is it the proposal?
3. How are Hindus to tackle the misleading or mischievous interpretations and analyses of Hindu Dharma and practices in the intellectual arena, without writing, speaking and debating in the public domain? By running away? Burying their head in the sand? By violence? By voting in the elections?
4. Why should all dialog, debate or discussion be to “convince” the opponent? What about convincing the onlookers/audience?
Should we not consider the foregoing aspects dispassionately? If we do so, will we not be able to come up with some constructive and useful suggestions to deal with inter-Faith matters? Or we Hindus, as a people should think or hold that there is nothing called inter-Faith matter of importance or interest to Hindus?
R.Venkatanarayanan
On Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 7:52 AM, Rajiv Malhotra wrote: Mr. Rajiv Malhotra is the chairman of the Board of Governors of the India Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, U.S.A. He has participated in interfaith exchanges for over a decade and has published two books. The hyperlinks to his books and blog posts on this subject are included at the end of this post.
“The real problem with these internet threads is that they assume there is only one kind of dialog. This is the same reductionist mentality as one religion, one book, one church, one history, etc.
There are many kinds of dialogs between opponents. Before writing something about “dialogs” a serious scholar should take note of this and examine various kinds of dialogs such as the following:
academic panel discussion: each person explaining their own thesis to other scholars/students. Little or no real “dialog” back and forth among the panelists.
fight to knock each other down.
diplomacy in front of the public to win over public support, while remaining opponents internally.
motive of a discussant could be merely to use the event and get int more mainstream discussions and forums, rather than getting branded in one extreme – so he plays his cards accordingly.
some forums are really to promote someone’s book. Calling it a dialog is merely a way to get it approved by the authorities, who would otherwise not give their support for an event that serves one person’s interests.
Genuine desire to learn from one other.
Private meetings to pretend to reach some agreement to a specific problem or dispute.
These are not mutually exclusive. No generic sweeping statement can be applied to all dialogs without some such taxonomy. There are other variables as well which would make the taxonomy even more complex.
One must play the game according to the particular playing field, and this comes from experience of having encounters, not from armchair mouse-clicking activism like most of our “experts” tend to be.”
regards,
rajiv
On Sun, Jan 22, 2012 at 8:42 PM, Mukund Apte wrote:
What you are saying is correct that the competition for resources is the bad thing. But I say competition per say is bad thing. Wherever organisation and ORDER exists, competition cannot be absent. every religion has been established in organizational frame. The people herein therefore have a tendency to compete with others to rise in the hirarchy of the Organisation and this create bad blood as well as conflict in the Religion. All COOPERATION amongst people is lost.
Sanaatan Dharm is based on सहकार There being no hirarchy or even Organization people help each other for progress ON THEIR OWN, i.e. by Cooperation. The चातुर्वर्ण्य is organized to prevent competition and improve cooperation. Responsibilities are allotted to different groups (they are also not pernanent but variable as per desires of the people).
This was mainly based on the behaviour of other species in the Universe. They had their own DHARM and they follow quietly without conficts anywhere. So सनातन धर्म developed on similar lines and with same principles of cooperation and no competition. Every specie in the world lives happily without competition and conflicts, why can’t man does same thing and live peacefully?
This is only because Religions are organized with determined hierarchy. People surely desire to rise in the hirarchy and get involved in jealousy and competition with others. Still this much is acceptable because it is within the small group of the Religion. This situation explodes when some religion considers others i.e. different thoughts/religions not worthy of even existence. Then real conflict starts. With organization, cooperation has been discarded and now with dislike and hate, peace also gets kicked away. The current माहौल (condition) prevails.
Sanaatan Dharm is immersed in Cooperation of ALL SPECIES in the Universe. This aspect has to be understood by all religions and must accept cooperation as basic principle. Again Man is not supreme and very different than other species needs be accepted by Religions. Religion is for its followeres (only) whereas धर्म is for ALL entities and species in th world. With regards to all,
—-Mukund Apte
On Sun, Jan 22, 2012 at 11:02 PM, Major(Retd).R.Rudra Narasimham wrote:
MAN IS A SOCIAL BEING :
The problem with this dialogue is that of the undisclosed motivation for the dialogue. Is it a dialogue to come to a better understanding of each other and to avoid conflict in social interactions? Is this a dialogue to change the opinion and belief of the participant and to mentally prepare the participant to reconcile and give up resistance without the use of physical force? To be a true Christian, to be a true Muslim, the person has no choice other than that of converting people to embrace their faith. The Christian thinks that he is preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Saviour. The Muslim believes that he is acting in obedience to the commandments of Allah. Both of them have very clear objectives. In that context, the dialogue is not an academic exercise and it has no academic purpose or value. Even if they do not openly disclose their motivation or inner intentions, Indians have to better understand their own history, the history of foreign conquest and foreign occupation. The Indian conquest began in a very significant manner by Muhammad of Ghazni and the Arabic word ‘Ghazi’ refers to a Muslim hero, especially one who wars against infidels. The Muslim thinks of nonbelievers as infidels and the Christian thinks of nonbelievers as heathen. Both Muslim and Christian define the word belief and all others in the world are nonbelievers. If they recognize the presence of a nonbeliever, they are required to take action to avoid sin and its consequences.
But, religion, and religious faith is not the biggest problem in the world. The problem is that of competition among members of the same speices for shared resources. Man is a terrestrial organism and there is competition between social groups for the same resources that support human survival and human existence. Man is a social being and he always exists in a social community. Man has a tendency to compete with others while being part of a social group. Man tends to expand his territory to gain access to the natural resources and uses warfare as a tool to expand his territorial rights. There is a fundamental motivation for human behavior and the motivation or drive comes from the perception of his economic condition.Karl Marx has proposed that human history is shaped by man’s economic progression. The Communists have proposed that the Revolution is the answer for man’s economic ills. Just like Muslims, and Christians, the Communist believes in changing man’s social condition to bring the Revolution to cure the problems of man’s existence. In India, we see the problem of Evangelists who would like to bring a peaceful demographic change by converting the people to Christianity and then the Leaders of this change would have access to the natural resources of the Land and can use them without fighting bloody battles. By becoming Christians, people can avoid those nasty battles, save their lives, protect their existence and live upon the few resources spared by the Masters. This has been witnessed in Africa where millions of people got converted and still remain in poverty and misery. The Muslim has tasted the loot and plunder of India over one thousand years and he knows that he can take what he wants by using the power of his sword. However, he cannot do it by himself. He encourages and motivates his followers in the name of God and tells them that it is a divinely ordained duty. The taste of fruits of victory is very addictive and he would seek more of it because of the pleasure it brings. The NaxalMovement inspired by Communist Bosses does not need God, and man is simply willing to join others and wage a group fight to improve his own economic condition. But, we have all seen the results of Communist Revolution. The Party Leaders and officials control the wealth and enjoy it while talking about economic emancipation of man. The social pressures that we see today have economic causes. If not for the sake of God or religion, China would like to extend its influence into India to get a better hold on India’s natural resources. This exploitation becomes easy if people do not challenge it or resist it. In the United States where there is plenty of use of guns to commit crime, people are often reminded to give away their wallets, purse, handbags, backpacks, and belongings if a gunman makes a demand for those items. The Police tell us that it is not rational to lose life to protect such personal belongings. People are advised to give away the car keys and leave the car if a gunman demands to take your car. So, Indians have to make hard choices. They all can become Christians, they all can become Muslims, or they all can become Communists, but if they have to save their life, they may have to give their car, purse, and belongings if a gunman threatens to kill them. They cannot fight this battle as individuals. If they want to fight or resist, there is no choice other than that of fighting as a group.
Dr. R. Rudra Narasimham, B.Sc., M.B.B.S.
INTERFAITH DIALOGUE: HELP OR HINDER
Dr. Babu Seelan :
Several Hindu scholars, saints, teachers, helping professionals, Hindu political leaders, writers and journalists have been entering or engaged in some form of interfaith dialogue with leaders of closed, fundamentalist, mechanistic, reductionists desert dogmas.
It is genuine, sane and required for all concerned Hindus to ask “what do we gain from entering such dialogue with those who refuse to change? What ideas from the desert political dogma which has been used for invasion, plunder, slavery, colonization, oppression, war and terrorism have special significance or value for understanding our relationships? Their closed, rigid, non-compromising belief system and behavior always have been creating effective obstacles in practicing our universal, peaceful Dharma. Islam and Christianity, as closed, rigid, and fundamentalist paradigms have their own philosophy, blind belief system, teachings, followers, war machine, separate states and powerful organizations and are strongly defended by their adherents.
We Hindus are fundamentally all alike and our basic aim is the optimum development of human being. We believe in “World is One Family” (“Vasudeiva Kudumbahakam”). To enhance this goal, we Hindus need to be aware and guided by the best we know of their past brutal history, current sinister plans, cunning strategies and techniques and goals of Islamists and Christian Missionaries.
Yes, the world is changing. We are faced everywhere with the evidence of conflict, hate, destruction, war, beheading, terrorism and coercive religious conversion. Spiritually malignant Muslims and Christians all over the world are trying to establish their own kingdom based on their blind faith. We Hindus are faced with these numberless forces of destruction and conquest. In this time of dire need, it is natural for few Hindus to engage in dialogue with our nemeses. Their good intention is to ceaselessly battle in an effort to thwart the destruction of our Dharma, and stop or slow down coercive and deceptive religious conversion of innocent and gullible Hindus. It is no wonder the frightened Hindus looks wishfully to magic and mystery for protection against our powerful adversary.
One would expect that in the face of overwhelming blows from the the brutal hands of Jihadi and Missionary warlords, Hindus would oppose steadfastedly in a unified, powerful political force. But this is not the case. Hindus are facing destruction from without and within. In this context why Hindus are displaying their extraordinary propensity for dialogue with our enemies attacking on our own existence?
Is the dialogue or debate with our distracters is helping to change their destructive dogma? Are we going to demand that they cease and desist from this deadly paradigm conspiracy? Are we strong enough to demand equitable physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, political opportunity for Hindus for a meaningful life? Hindus are currently stand with their feet in the mud, their eyes fixed on the stars.
Are we going to be successful by this dialogue to force our enemies for a theoretical change? At this juncture, we need to look at ourselves, and force Hindus to grab political power, declare India as a Hindu Rashtra and change Hindus more effectively for political participation. We have to go beyond interfaith dialogue and use our knowledge for desired change in the closed dogmas? Do we have the power to effect change? Or our enemies will psycho program us using the cunning strategy of dialogue? Christians and Muslims know how to use different increasing social pressure tactics on Hindus. We need to prepare ourselves to deal with Hindu frustration, anger, and those who feel powerless to face the organized and powerful enemy.
The increased need for Hindus is to be competent and strong to teach our adversaries new ways of dealing with Hindus .
Out of these concerns and questions, painful as they may be: Always remember that Shanti comes from Shakthi (Peace comes from strength). It is also important to remember that criminal thinkers and their destructive habits are not going to change with our eclectic and peaceful approach. Hindus need to be strong, and realistic. Reality is always more rich and accurate than our mental picture of it.
Whole Dude - Whole Spirituality 