AFVOA Newletters of Year 2004

Page 117 of 153 International Conference of Religions at Kyoto, Japan, and the United Nations’ 50th Anniversary celebrations. In 1998 and 1999, his Sudarshan Kriya technique gained even greater recognition when additional medical studies confirming its benefits were published. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has inspired numerous educational and charitable organizations around the globe. He established the Art of Living Foundation in 1982 to promote self development and health-related educational programs, many of which feature the Sudarshan Kriya technique. To date, his programs have been enjoyed by more than a million people in more than 100 countries} 97. In life, there are things to be learnt and forgotten - learnt because the same mistakes should not happen again, forgotten because when they stay in you, they can traumatise you, inhibit you, create hatred in you and even colour your vision. 98. In any conflict there are two communities involved. One will be the victim, the other the culprit. When victims dwell on their atrocities, they become more miserable. There is self pity and hatred. This is not good for them or for oneself. You have to bring the culprit to justice but you cannot do it if you are hateful. 99. In the name of bringing people to justice, hatred is often rationalised. If a culprit is made to feel guilty again and again, he becomes hardened and either justifies his mistake or denies it. You should not make someone stew in guilt if you want them to reform. Making someone feel guilty all the time only widens the gap, breaks communication. It is only through love and understanding that a culprit can be brought to his senses and can be made to regret and reform. 100. What are the things to be learnt and forgotten? 101. Upper Caste Hindu atrocity on Dalits should be learnt and forgotten. Otherwise, if you are a Dalit you will hold the grudge and hatred against the caste Hindus and you will dismiss anything that comes from upper caste Hindus even if it is good - it is like throwing the baby with the bathwater. If Hindus hold on to the past, first they will feel guilty, and when you feel guilty, your whole identity is shaken. Guilt does not make one comfortable; it ferments and becomes hatred and then aggression. Instead of denying, if you acknowledge, you will do more affirmative action for the Dalits. 102. Similarly, Mughal atrocities on the Hindus: Mughals destroyed many Hindu temples and also imposed zias. This should be learnt and forgotten. It should not be held against the present generation Muslims. It’s not fair - even if you have committed a mistake, you don’t feel comfortable feeling guilty. And how can you make a community feel guilty for the atrocities of a few religious or political leaders way back in history? Nobody wants to feel guilty; such guilt will not bring people together. 103. On the contrary, what is totally unjustified is an effort by some intellectuals to deny facts and rewrite history projecting Aurangzeb and other rulers as pious rulers (as done in the text books of Karnataka), calling Aurungzeb as a devout Muslim who banned music; some historians even went to the extent of justifying Mohammad Ghazni’s invasion of the Somnath temple. 104. Sikhs, though a small minority, have contributed significantly to the country and in no way should one demean the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus. Projecting Muslim rulers as pious will