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COMPLEMENTARITY

&
EQUALITY

DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR
When we see inequality in the form utterly
miserable living conditions on the one hand and
extremely luxurious life style on the other; we
almost instantly feel the need for equality. This is
so, especially if we are not used to, habituated to
or addicted to luxurious life style or misery;
which makes us callous and insensitive or
helpless and moribund; respectively! The innate
urge for equality is actually due to the humane
feeling that we all (and not just few) should get
food, shelter and other pleasures of life. This
noble pursuit of equality is thus due to our high
emotional quotient and being one with the
aspirations of millions! The urge for equality is
born out of our sensitivity; whether we belong to
the class of luxurious life style, middle class or
utter poverty and socio-economic exploitation.
Thus Gautam Buddha was a king; Karl Marx
was born in middle class; while Dr. Ambedkar
was born in socio-economically exploited class,
but the revolutionary idea of equality was
articulated by all three; as a vitally important
value and was upheld by millions.
But the noble vision of Buddha, Karl Marx and
Dr. Ambedkar; which we seemed to share once;
are far from being realized. The aspirations of
millions are still being throttled in the abysmal
and miserable living conditions.

Why is this so? Why have we failed to bring the


dream of equality in reality? Why do we still
suffer from the stress of inhuman inequality,
disparity and discrimination in and around?
Have we failed to understand the essence of the
teachings of Buddha and Dr. Ambedkar? Have
we failed to empower ourselves with holistic
perspective, policies, plans and programs and
actions? Have we failed to rise above our
subjectivity and pettiness? Have we therefore in
turn; failed in to help our brothers in getting
empowered? Are we indulging in slogan
mongering for the sake of our petty gains and
vested interests? Are we shackled (and have we
opted to be shackled) in illusory, sectarian and
ineffective “solutions” such as monetary gains
and reservations? Even as the slogan of
“equality” has stayed in the forefront; it has not
made any difference in the life millions. Have we
“misused” the slogan of “equality” for getting
blind followers and building sociopolitical clouts;
for our mean motives?

It appears that we have not understood (and we


are not too keen to understand) the spirit
underlying the concept of equality and
immaculate and impeccable governance of the
universe that can be achieved by appreciating the
element of complementarity inherent to and
integral to equality. It appears that; our sublime
emotion associated with the urge of equality; is
not enriched by the wisdom of appreciation of the
complementarities; and has therefore remained
naive and restrictive. It has become an
intellectual and emotional shackle; that is
hampering the growth and blossoming of our life,
interrelationships and interactions!

Is it not true that even if we are sensitive and


spend our lifetime in struggling for equality we
would continue to fail in absence of the wisdom of
appreciating complementarity inherent in the
essence of the concept of equality? In fact; if we
go on insisting on unrealistic and impossible
equality; would it not indirectly and unknowingly
help the exploitative inequality in defeating us
intellectually and socio-politically?

Insistence of mere superficial or external aspects


of equality in terms of similar food, similar
clothes, similar houses, and similar behavior is
fanatic! Such fanatics actually throttle the
blossoming and inner growth of mankind (and
even other species)! This is because; the spirit of
equality (inseparable from complementarity)
embodies freedom of growth and blossoming of
everyone! This spirit of equality gets jeopardized
by insistence of superficial or external aspects of
equality!

It appears that it is necessary to understand that


equality is actually commonality that runs
through not only all human beings; but also
through the species. Hence appreciation of this
commonality that most justifiably upholds with
utmost intensity; the provision of everything that
is required for the blossoming of all the species!
This value of provision of everything for the total
blossoming of one and all; is magnanimous,
insuperable, invincible and essential!

Let us see; how in the following instances mere


insistence of superficial or external aspects of
equality; harms and does gross injustice!

An infant without teeth should get milk or other


liquids, a grown up person with good teeth
should get food that can chewed and eaten and an
old person with dentures should get food that
could be easily chewed with dentures.

The children should get toys and blessings, grown


up people should get scope for fulfilling their
creativity and productivity according to their
aptitudes and elderly should get rest, respect and
opportunity to pamper and bless the youngsters!

An ailing individual should get care and a healer


should get freedom to deliver the care! A mother
should get the freedom to breast feed and a new
born to suckle!
In essence equality means provision of everything
for the blossoming of one and all without
ignoring the complementarity inherent and
integral to it!

Based on this holistic perspective; we can develop


international laws, conventions, national
constitutions, local laws/rules and intellectual,
emotional, instinctual and physical actions to
enhance the blossoming (Total Stress
Management) of one and all. The Minimum
Common Program or Core; of the Total Stress
Management is the practice of NAMASMARAN!

BUT WHAT IS NAMASMARAN?

(The following explanation is given by Dr.


Shriniwas Kashalikar in response to a
clarification sought by Dr. Suhas Mhetre; for the
benefit all those, who are not conversant with the
concept and practice of NAMASMARAN)

Namasmaran means; remembering the name of


God, Guru, great souls; such as prophets and holy
objects such as planets and stars. It may be
remembered silently, loudly, along with music,
dance, along with breathing, in group or alone,
either with counting by rosary (called SMARANI
or JAPAMALA) or without counting. The
traditions vary from region to region and from
religion to religion.

However the universal principle underlying


NAMASMARAN is to reorient your physiological
being with your true self. In fact while reorienting
with true self you aim to establish and strengthen
the bond or connection; between; your
physiological being; with your true self. You aim
at reunification with yourself!

Since remembering your true self is the pinnacle


of or culmination of individual consciousness, and
individual consciousness is the culmination of
every activity in life, remembering any name of
God or Guru (any symbol of your true self) is
equivalent to opening the final common pathway
for the individual consciousness associated with
every possible activity to get funneled into or
unified with objective or cosmic consciousness.
Thus NAMASMARAN is in fact the YOGA of
YOGA in the sense that it is the culmination of
consciousness associated with every possible
procedure and technique in the yoga that you are
familiar with. It is the YOGA of YOGA because it
is the culmination of consciousness associated
with all the activities in the universe, which it
encompasses as well! It is YOGA of YOGA
because everybody in the world irrespective of
his/her tradition and the beliefs; would eventually,
ultimately and naturally reach it it in the process
of liberation. Even so called non believers also
would not “miss” the “benefit of remembering the
true self through one symbol or another”!

Just as NAMASMARAN is YOGA of YOGA it is


meditation of meditation also! It is the natural
and ultimate climax of every form of meditation.

These facts however have to be realized with


persistent practice of NAMSMARAN and not
blindly believed or blindly disbelieved with casual
approach!
In short NAMSMARAN is super-bounty of
cosmic consciousness for every individual to
realize it (cosmic consciousness)! This is truly a
super-bounty because a person, who experiences
it, rises above mercenary, commercial and even
professional and charity planes and manifest
super-transactions in his or her life!

These are just few observations to give rough


idea about what is NAMASMARAN.

NAMASMARAN is an ocean of bliss. Its true


meaning is beyond description in words.

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