Pf Anand S. Amaldass, Chennai
This century has witnessed many calamities leading to the death of millions of people all over the world. It is also true that good many well-meaning people were also articulate against such atrocities, challenging the decisions taken by the dictatorial governments. In spite of that the violence and killings go on.
How does a believer look at it? Does it mean that it is all inevitable and the decision is already made by the divine and the human beings are only instrument to carry out this divine plan. As in the Bhagavadgītā, Arjuna is told: “nimitta mātram bhava!” (Gita 11, 33) — be only an instrument, since the destiny is already decided. Quoting such scriptural texts to justify human machinations is not fair. It may be out of context. To cite another example from a different tradition, which claims that God chose them (this particular tribe) to be “a light to the world”. Does it act according to its proclaimed goal? Are there not enlightened ones among them to challenge them? Or are they helpless, as they are silenced by the imperialist ruling powers?
One has to accept that sufferings are part of life and there is no glory or liberation without facing the pain to reach that stage. So all have to take up the cross and walk and not remain disheartened. As Valluvar advises us: “By your efforts even the inevitable evil force can be overcome.” “But when trouble encounters you, rejoice.” — Iṭukkaṇ varunkāl nakuka (Kural 621) — “Accept it cheerfully”. As St. Paul would say: “We are cornered on all sides, but we are not desperate.” Where does this courage or confidence come from?
People are resilient while facing inevitable events such as tsunami or earthquake or pandemy, but when powerful nations begin to oppress their own people for personal benefit, how do we understand it? Death is not nothing. It can be tragic; it may be traumatic. Death is very important. Wise people may look at it with equanimity, as the poet T. S. Eliot reminds us in the Four Quartets: “In my end is my beginning.” But many do not live up to this wisdom very well. But realistically speaking death looks very different and so does life. They take on a new glory.
There is a parable by the German writer Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1805), who couches his idea what happens in a political state and the rulers are clueless as to how they should face the situation.
“The King Hovan-Kong once asked his minister Koang-Tuchang, what must one be the most afraid of in a State? The minister replied thus: “O Prince! According to me, One must not be afraid of anything more than what people call the rats in the statues.”
The King did not understand this metaphor. So the minister explained to him: “You know, O Prince, that one takes care to erect statues in many places befitting the spirit of the location. These wooden statues are hallow inside and painted outside. A rat has found its way inside and one does not know how to get rid of it. One cannot not use fire, out of fear that it would burn the wood of the statue. To place the statues in the water, one would hesitate, since the painted colour would be washed away. So they decorated and protected displaying great reverence to the statues before them — the rats inside.”
“And now who are the rats in the state?,” asked the King.
“The people”, said the minister, “who neither have any merit nor any virtue, but at the same time they enjoy the favour of the Prince. They destroy everything. One sees it and heaves a sigh over it. But one does not know how to go about it. They are the rats in the statues.”
Anand Amaladass S. J.
