ARTISTIC VISION VERSUS THE REAL LIFE DRAMA by Dr. Jernail S. Anand

How many of thy men

Denied their due

Remain oppressed and suppressed

You said there is a Corps of the Good

Where are they based?

Or are they scattered here and there,

Unorganised and, hence, unable to help?

Your good men did not come to help them,

Now, they are waiting for you

O Lord

What are YOU waiting for?

Will you act

Only when they lose their faith

And turn heretics?

Gods wait and wait

Till the Evil start thinking

They have no objection.

In drama, cosmic forces intervene

To resolve things

The foul meet their end

And the good are rewarded

But in real life

Nemesis often loses its reason

And overtakes the good.

Truth has so many people

Who love it,

Yet it is the Untruth

That finally prevails

While gods are looking helplessly

And biting their nails.

I wonder if there is one drama in the entire literary corps which deals with evil and in which the evil goes scot free. It is not only elevating but reassuring too for men of the world, so that they keep their faith in the stories which tell that evil finally comes to harm. But men of our world, whom the poet tries to convince, have always encountered a different story. Either this world does not belong to gods, or, if it does, they are too indulgent, at least on this earth, because it is the evil that reigns, and the good are languishing in penury, if not jails.

The artists and poets when at their creative best, transcend the truth of their times, and present it in a way that carries an elevating message for humanity.  Here, the real is mixed up with the ideal. The artist has a mission, to reshape the truth with a message for future. Naturally enough, this message has to be wholesome for society. The artists and writers keep observing the phenomenon. If they present the things as they are, how can they justify themselves as protagonists of a better world? It is only the artist who stands between the fact and its fiction.

But if we look at what is happening, life is a sordid drama. It is an unhappy tale of suffering.  All the people, since times immemorial, are in hot pursuit of happiness, yet how many have found it? It is a dark planet in which, knowledge is like a lamp which, instead of light, sheds darkness, and we are only groping in it. All this is inspite of the intelligence and smartness which men proudly think they are in possession of. Gods have made great provisions for mankind, yet men have messed up the whole show, so that there is absolute scarcity and maldistribution of assets leading to the flight of happiness from this planet.

The Perfect Artist and His Imperfect Creation

Can a perfect artist create a world which is imperfect? An artist takes care to create a piece of art which is perfect in itself, and the truth of this artistic creation is not only giving joy to mankind, but also to bless the people with visions of a higher reality. If an object of art succeeds in giving these elegant moments, the art and artist both stand blessed. But, it would look sacrilegious to say that the world of God, the greatest creative artist, is entirely imperfect. It is a big question: Was it God who created a faulty universe or it was his creation, man, whose intelligence brought in this creative disaster? Was there any problem with the design or is it with the structure? Or, is it that even these blues are a part of the greater design? If God is so powerful, how can small men trespass his wish and miscarry his brief?

When I look at both the worlds, I find the artists are better organized than God. Would an artist design such a topsy turvy world in which men live on denial? Millions go without food. Thousands have no shelter. And what about people for the sake of food, who are selling their bodies and their souls? Not only that, millions in the industry of joy, are running after happiness? There are jokers of the circus, for whom laughing is a part of their profession. Otherwise, when they are at their home, with their kids, and wife, in a scanty kitchen, they sigh in the silence of their homes.

I sometimes keep wondering what powers these gods possess? What makes them feel proud? If they consider themselves superior, well, let them. But we humans can question: Where are they when people in utter desperation call upon them?  Why they do not appear when helpless souls invoke them? This world is erected on deceit and double dealing. The scriptures which hold honesty and humility at a higher pedestal, turn their eyes away, when such people are found suffering. They are defrauded and divested of their peace. The idiom of this world is different. They believe in different gods. Where are thy followers, O gods?

Truth Prevails: A Holy Tantrum

Socrates comes to my mind and the Great Gurus of the Sikhs who were martyred by ill-bred kings. Millions of wars have been fought and as many gallons of blood shed on the soil as sacred as Kurukshetra, and as profane as Panipat – the poor, the powerless, the helpless, - the lambs, whom gods loved, perished in millions. Lord, you were busy settling scores with Satan in the Hell, look below and see, Hell has shifted its headquarters from the virtual to the real time domain. We can see your Satan in our leaders. We can see hell on our roads and in our restaurants. Will you like to see our films on OTT platforms? Can you digest the violence, nakedness, foul language, drugs and every vile thing getting five stars? Come and see Dr. Faustus neatly settled among our intellectuals. Your teachers, your doctors, your professionals do not listen to the qualms of their conscience. It is normal, very very normal, for a milkman to add water to the milk, and everything that the businessman sells, is tainted and bluff. Now, this world is not inhabited by men, come and meet businessmen who believe in instant wealth, and financial scams. Can you still say: Truth Prevails?

This tainted mind is your creation. This broken faith is thy creation. God! You do not come. You do not appear. We believe in the Premium Membership. Take more money. But make your delivery fast. It is no surprise, you look helplessly from the stony idols, while Devil’s men knock at our doors and deliver whatever we want. They are moving about all the times of day and night, on their mobikes, in their bag carrying the provisions of hell. Do you want to see what is being sold like hot cakes? These days, hot cakes have been replaced by drugs. People buy wisdom, they buy happiness, they buy jobs, they buy positions in competitive exams. I saw some people, carry ads. Contact for best results in any examination, including Civil Services.

Author:

Dr Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 161 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari  [Italy] honoured him with the award of an Honourable Academic.  Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engg and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus:The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. [Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com Mobile: 919876652401[Whatsapp] [ethicsacademy.co.in]

Link Bibliography:

https://atunispoetry.com/2023/12/08/indian-author-dr-jernail-s-anand-honoured-at-the-60th-belgrade-international-meeting-of-writers/