E-Paper
Psyche Behind Terrorism
We are what our deep-rooted desires are. The reality can be shaped by changing the way one thinks, writes Dr KK Aggarwal.
We are what our deep-rooted desires are, is an old Upanishad saying. The reality can be shaped by changing the way one thinks. This principle is often used by terrorist camps in brainwashing new budding young terrorists who are used as either suicidal squads or for terrorist attacks.
According, the Bhagwat Gita, human nature is a mix of Rajas Tamas and Satva gunas or nature. Today is the era of Rajas society. People like to read and hear stories full of rape, anger, aggression, terrorism, extra marital affairs etc.
From the way the current roles villains are being played in the movies by Heroes, one can understand that the Rajas era has started. In this era the collective consciousness of the people is towards negative mentality and tolerating and even encouraging corruption.
Satya tapas purity daan are the four pillars of dharma. If the first three are absent, it is the Kaliyuga. The only prevalent and accepted behavior is daya and or daan (charity). In this era, making suicidal squads are easy.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ten years back adopted an army of children aged 4-5 years and is training them as Shastra pandits. Once they will be ready they will be used to spread the message of Indian Shastras all over the world. During these 15-20 years Vedic knowledge is being stitched to their consciousness.
Similar squads can be prepared on any subject. A girl born and brought by commercial sex workers will only know that this profession is a noble one. Similarly, the son of a dacoit brought up in that atmosphere will fail to understand why dacoity is bad. Youngsters similarly trained for decades in terrorism will only perform violent acts.
Even Chanakaya used the concept of vishkanya in those days and justified its use to kill the enemies. Today many are using the same concept through the HIV Kanya module.
Many people think how can one take the courage and risk his or her life during attacks? The answer is simple. The same psyche applies as to the army javans at the front during war; to doctors while treating serious infections with high incidence of cross infections, to film stars in the movies attempting risky shooting scenes, or to a journalist going for coverage at risky areas. For these people, the only thought that is uppermost is to achieve something new or to do something which is unusual.
Every one is born with some needs. These may be at the level of physical (food, shelter, sex), mind intellect and ego ( jehadi, brain washed totally in one aspect) or at the level of soul. Most terrorist camps fulfill the basic physical needs of their trainees. They are supplied with money, sex, house, cigarette and booze in abundance. They are made to experience a deprivation of needs at the level of ego or mind. This helps them to enter into terrorism without only fear.
Our movies also have played a major role in this aspect. The way our culture and movies project people like Bhagat Singh and Chandershekhar Azad, it makes one think that if they succeed in their terrorist attack they would achieve what they want and if they die they may became history like Bhagat Singh did.
If we want terrorism to stop the negative mind in the collective consciousness of the people should change. We must shift our status from that of lower to higher leaders. We must learn to control violence in our own mind first.
We must control our shadow- self and behave the same whether we achieve success or loss in life.
(The writer is a senior Physician, Head Department of Cardiology and Deputy Dean Board of Medical Education-Moolchand Hospital, President-Heart Care Foundation of India, President Delhi Medical Association and Member-Delhi Medical Council.)
