Dina Nath Batra
The Committee on Petitions of the Rajya Sabha, under the Chairmanship of Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, MP, Rajya Sabha, is considering a petition praying to put a check on “Cyber Pornography” by amending the IT Act 2000. The petition is signed by Jain Acharya Vijay Ratnasundersuriji and three others and countersinged by Shri Vijay J Darda, MP Rajya Sabha.
It has been stated in the petition that more than two-third of the India’s population is below of 35 years.
This large section of the population, which is the hope for the country’s future, is getting digressed, disorted and distressed on account of the growing free sex culture through cyber pornography. Cyber pornography is creating an extremely bad effect on the adolescent children and even adults giving rise to various type of problem of psycho-physcial nature. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), sexual deformities, etc. This is also instrumental in raising incidents of sexual exploitation of children. Today, besides computer and television, the mobile phone has become a very handy source for adolescents to view such porn sites.
The petitioners have made a vehement prayer that steps be taken to check cyber pornography which is having an extremely bad effect on the country’s youth as well as the adults leading to various types of social and medical problems as well as perpetration of crime. In this connection, petitioners have advocated for amendment in IT, 2000, so as to make pornography on computer/mobile a crime entailing severe punishment to producers, distributors and viewers of such sites.
We think in terms of pictures. Our words are nothing but the symbol signifying these pictures. The moment we utter the word “tree” the picture of the tree is imprinted on the mind. Our mind has stored innumerable pictures of the thoughts. They remain dormant in the mind and come to the surface whenever needed. Our mind is like a wonderful tape recorder. It records and stores even minute details of experiences. It is also like a sensitive camera capable of reproducing the minutest details. The one who records all pictures of all events and scenes is (YAMA) Kala’s accountant Chitra Gupta. Regarding the power of mind, there is an incontrovertible law, like attracts like, like begets like, like becomes like. In other words when we think good thoughts they lead us to good thoughts they lead us to good people and good things in life. What we are today is the fruit of our thoughts, once a thought arises in your mind, there is a every likelihood that it will occur in mind again and again.
Time has come not to distort the personalities of the young instead, we should work for an education that is total development of personality
Morality has innumerable aspects. One of these aspects is brahmacharya or continence. Nay, brahmacharya is not just an aspect; it is a grand ideal! It is the king of ideals! brahmacharya is the rock foundation of every single virtue. It is because of the lack of brahmacharya that great monasteries have lost their lustre and have become remnants of their glorious past. It is because of the lack of brahmacharya that the grand temples of learning schools, colleges and universities – have lost vigour, power, sweetness and most importantly their purity and have become mockeries of the ideal.
Most people are not even aware that there is an ideal called brahmacharya. Among those that know, most are scared even to speak about brahmacharya openly. Then there are many who brush it aside as unnatural and as perversion. This ignorance is because of lack of correct understanding regarding the grand ideal. Nowadays there has been an attempt to impart sex-education through pornography, radio and television. But this new, commendable experiment lacks the required intensity to reach the millions and millions of people in this vast country. Moreover, the details incorporated in the programmes are very less. Of course, the prevailing knowledge on the topic of brahmacharya itself is hopelessly insufficient. Really, so much needs to be learnt about this most important topic of brahmacharya. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a system of disseminating the significance of brahmacharya. The elders must make special efforts to know about brahmacharya themselves first and then educate youths about it in a dignified manner and with a heart full of faith in its efficacy. Youngsters too should learn about it with faith, reverence and dignity: this moral dignity with regard to sex-education is extremely important. Because sexuality bears a tremendous influence on the person’s mind, behaviour and the entire personality. There are records of many great sages and spiritual seekers who fell during the time of their austerities because of their inadvertence in sexual matters. The fact being so, what to say of the poor common man! How can the common mass survive the onslaught of sexual impulse? In this regard, Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures give plenty of directives. But if those teachings are not practiced in everyday life, they will remain just as bound books and studying them will be only an intellectual pastime.
As soon as we raise the topic of brahmacharya, the first question that is asked is “Then should everybody completely renounce sex?” No, not at all. This is a momentous question, deserving deep analysis and a detailed reply. But let us rather give a straight reply—the scripture prescribe the time tested path of marriage for giving a healthy outlet to the sexual impulse. Why don’t people keep themselves bound within the precincts of this holy institution called marriage? Sri Krishna says:
/ekZfo#¼ks Hkwrs”kq dkeksfLe Hkjr”kZHk “I am that lust which is bound within the precincts of the holy corridors of marriage!”
Let us join Jain Acharya Vijay Ratnasundersuriji Maharaj, other petitioners and spread awareness throughout the country for an amendment of cyber pornography IT Act 2000. Let us channelise, the youth to some useful constructive work. We should distress the adolescents no more.
(The writer is national convener of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, New Delhi)
