Neelkanth........................... Mahadev

After a really really long time, I read a book that was gripping enough to keep me at the edge of my seat as I turned each page.

Although it was released almost a year and half back, I got to know about it only after one of my colleagues kept raving that it was the book that couldn’t be put down until it was finished. She claimed it was the next ‘Harry Potter series’ only to be written by an Indian author. Now being a hardcore Harry Potter fan, I found it a little unsettling, but nevertheless thought it was a shot worth trying.

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After much an await, I finally laid my hand on – ‘The immortals of Meluha’ – the first of the ‘Shiva Trilogy’ written by yet another IIM pass out. Now, don’t get me wrong.  I have nothing against the IIM’s guys.  But most of the IIM pass-outs who have turned out to become writers have ventured into the already trodden path of - college life, rich dads, poor girl friends, sex, inter-religion/inter-caste marriage, starting their own business and the likes of it. And I thought this guy was no different.

But, for a change, Amish’s writing turned out to be different. His writing was a journey of a lesser known tribesman to become one of the greatest Gods known to the mankind – that of Shiva, Neelkanth or Mahadev as he comes to be identified as! Not only had he done his homework on the subject, but he transcended them into such easy flowing words – that it was impossible to put the book down! The book is definitely a page turner!

Of late reading books just for pleasure has become a passé for me! Unknowingly I seem to be picking up some kind of learning from there; something that sets my thoughts in motion; something that lingers on my mind for quite some time. And the same happened when I read ‘The Immortals of Meluha.’

Just like we mortals get confused when faced with a dilemma, the Neelkanth also faced a similar situation. Not to forget, this is the journey of Shiva to become Mahadev. No doubt he will face more such situations. But this particular situation describes the unfairness rendered out to a particular section of society. He is shown the path by a follower of the Vasudev. The explanation he provides stands true even to this day. I only hope another follower of the Vasudev emerges in this Yug to shown the path of righteousness to our political leaders as well who seem to have forgotten their mankind and head back to the roots of becoming animals!

What the pandit says is thus: ‘What any society needs, o Neelkanth is, flexibility with stability.  Why would you need flexibility? Because every single person has different dreams and capabilities. The birth son of a warrior could have the talent to become a great businessman. Then society needs to be flexible enough to allow this son to change his vocation from his father’s profession. Flexibility in a society allows change, so that all its members have the space to discover their true selves and grow to their potential. And if every person in a society achieves his true potential, society as whole also achieves its true potential.’

‘But this is about flexibility. What about stability?’

‘Stability allows a person the freedom of choice, my friend. People can pursue their dreams only when they are living in a society where survival is not a daily threat. In a society without security and stability, there are no intellectuals or businessmen or artists or geniuses. Man is constantly in fight or flight mode.  Nothing better than an animal. Where is the chance then to allow ideas to be nurtured or dreams to be pursued? This is the way all humans were before we formed societies. Civilization is very fragile. All it takes is a few decades of chaos for us to forget humanity and turn into animals. Our base natures can take over very fast. We can forget that we are sentient beings, with laws and codes and ethics.’

‘All right. But why would letting people achieve their potential cause instability? In fact, it should make people happier with their lives and hence society would become increasingly steady.’

‘True, but only partially. People are happy when they change lives for the better. But there are two situations in which change can lead to chaos. First, when people face a change by others, situations that they cannot understand. This scared them almost as the fear of death. When change happens too fast, they resist it.’

‘The second is when people cannot make the transition they want to improve their lives for reasons beyond their control. Many such discontented people can become a threat to society as a whole?’

‘Their combined rage can lead to unrest, even violence.’

The Vasudev was able to predict the future on the turmoil a birth based caste system would create on the society. He was able to predict what is happening in the society today. What he wasn’t able to predict was how our political and religious leaders would take advantage of the unrest in the society because of the caste system. Given the way people are blindly following these religious and political leaders, there is little hope that people themselves will realize what is wrong with the society and how it is affecting them personally. I only hope another Vasudev comes to guide us!