MARATHI ASMITA DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR
When I am born my first identity; of which I am not even aware of is that of my body! I do everything unknowingly to survive. Subsequently, I begin to identify myself with my mother, father, family members, friends, nursery, school, college, village, language, culture, traditions and so on! Gradually I start growing further and get awareness of nationality and the world in which I live. It is important to note that one identity is not contraposed to another, and I live with these identities in harmony. Just as I care for my body, so do I care for my parents, family, friends, school, college, spouse, children, society, village, region, nation and world with an almost
automatically developed sense of proportion. However, the life is not always simple and smooth! As I begin to internalize the concept of global unity or universal unity, the actions against the “life” and “mankind” start appearing as “sins”. I begin to sacrifice my physical wants in preference to these values I have learnt and imbibed! This is how the process of rising above the identities (not denying them) begins! In the same manner, I begin to rise above my identity of family, if my family member went against the interest of mankind.
Not only this, I begin to rise above my identities related to my traditions, customs, rituals, religious practices, if they go against the interests of the mankind! It is important to realize that this is a process of unfolding of and manifesting of the true self! It is also important to realize that during this process I do not become the enemy of my body, family, institutions, village, region, my culture, religion, traditions, and my nation and so on! I must understand that in as much it is unnatural to deny my physical and subsequent identities; it is antinatural to try to confine myself in any one of these
identities and restrict my growth and blossoming. The leaders with restrictive identities may attract me because; restrictive concepts justify and pamper my sectarian thinking, my mean selfishness, my petty ego, and my disgruntlement and dissatisfaction due to my own drawbacks! Not only that I may get enamored by some kind of chauvinism, but I may get trapped in fanatic and terrorist ideologies, which promote varieties of such restrictive concepts, due to my perverted sense of arrogance, pride, jealousy, envy, and so on! Today I am listening to the issue of Marathi asmita everyday on TV.
I must understand that restricting my identity to being Marathi creates a conflict in my mind when it comes to judging humane and inhuman acts. A person committing inhuman acts; if is Marathi and a person serving mankind selflessly happens to be non-Marathi, whom should I identify myself with? Who should I consider as mine? Whom should I accept, love and respect? This holds true for other identities such as my family, nation, religion and so on; as well! There is no denial whatsoever that I am Marathi, but I am not merely Marathi! I must understand that seekers of truth involved in the blossoming of mankind; whether belong to any of my restrictive identities or not; are my soul mates! It is
said that one of the simplest ways of realizing this is and blossoming with the universe, is NAMSMARAN. It is up to me however, whether to keep blossoming together with the universe, or get trapped in the restrictive identities and throttle my soul!