How many of you are on the waiting line for a green card? A green card technically is permanent residency in the US. With a green card, one is pretty much a US citizen except one cannot vote and should not be outside the country for a certain period of time. All other privileges (including some state and Federal benefits) are available. For students, this is a big boost because the student does not have to spend exorbitant amounts of money for higher education. For workers also, this is a big plus as one can work anywhere anytime without hassles and regulations. The caveat, however, is there is a huge backlog in processing that it will take years to clear and get a card. Most of the foreign nationals in the US are succumbed to this green card processing.
The Indians of all people are the most affected by this backlog. Because there is a huge line, it takes years for an Indian to obtain his or her green card. For Indians living here, obtaining a green card is equivalent to Prema Bhakti for Krishna devotees. In other words, it is the salvation and goal of life. They (Indians in the US) think that the green card will solve all their problems and that they can settle in life without further anxieties. For them, this is the pinnacle of all achievements. It is sad and pathetic to see how these so called Indian people drool over this plastic card (which is not even green) that they lose all sleep and rationality over it. They simply forget that the US is not end of all problems of life. Coming from India, where poverty and other socio-economic problems are overt, perhaps living in a society where everything negative is concealed gives a false sense of happiness. Seriously, if we think about it, in the US everything is so nicely packaged that people barely ask the question behind the package. Everything from food to clothing to final death is concealed and polished. So I guess people like this illusion and like to be covered with more illusion. They do not like to be reminded of reality.
Above this concealment, if we add the sense gratifying activities such as casinos, movie theaters, theme parks, sex clubs, posh restaurants (with not so posh food) etc etc…this indeed is Vaikunta away from Vaikunta. While people are ready to sell their souls (especially Indians) for these cheap pleasures, they barely stop to think the consequences of their words and actions. It is easy, of course, to deny the concept of morality and God so that it is easy to sleep at night. The culture shock which is there initially is actually a good thing. But as we live our “Desi American dream” we lose the shock eventually and dovetail everything from our dressing to our English accent to our food to... you name it. Therefore to be “Indian” in the US simply boils down to the Indian restaurant at the street corner. Oh and by the way, speaking a broken American English accent with American slangs…I guess can be considered Indian. Being “Indian” simply has become a matter of external formality (eating, dressing, sports, language, religion etc etc). Srila Prabhupada I think is the only true Indian who came to the West to give Vedic culture versus taking Western culture. I cannot think of anybody. While everyone in India practically thinks US as Vaikunta, Srila Prabhupada is the only one who when landed in the US quoted US as “terrible place”. So why then do we lament permanent residency in a terrible place? This is the power of Maya.
How then should we see the statement given by Mahaprabhu.
bharata-bhumite haila manushya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara
One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” (Sri Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 9.41)
If the above statement is the standard for an Indian, then, I guess Srila Prabhupada (and other bonafide acharayas) is the only true Indian.
When will the day come, when we hanker and lament to obtain a green card to the real Vaikunta - Krishnaloka?
Hare Krishna
The Indians of all people are the most affected by this backlog. Because there is a huge line, it takes years for an Indian to obtain his or her green card. For Indians living here, obtaining a green card is equivalent to Prema Bhakti for Krishna devotees. In other words, it is the salvation and goal of life. They (Indians in the US) think that the green card will solve all their problems and that they can settle in life without further anxieties. For them, this is the pinnacle of all achievements. It is sad and pathetic to see how these so called Indian people drool over this plastic card (which is not even green) that they lose all sleep and rationality over it. They simply forget that the US is not end of all problems of life. Coming from India, where poverty and other socio-economic problems are overt, perhaps living in a society where everything negative is concealed gives a false sense of happiness. Seriously, if we think about it, in the US everything is so nicely packaged that people barely ask the question behind the package. Everything from food to clothing to final death is concealed and polished. So I guess people like this illusion and like to be covered with more illusion. They do not like to be reminded of reality.
Above this concealment, if we add the sense gratifying activities such as casinos, movie theaters, theme parks, sex clubs, posh restaurants (with not so posh food) etc etc…this indeed is Vaikunta away from Vaikunta. While people are ready to sell their souls (especially Indians) for these cheap pleasures, they barely stop to think the consequences of their words and actions. It is easy, of course, to deny the concept of morality and God so that it is easy to sleep at night. The culture shock which is there initially is actually a good thing. But as we live our “Desi American dream” we lose the shock eventually and dovetail everything from our dressing to our English accent to our food to... you name it. Therefore to be “Indian” in the US simply boils down to the Indian restaurant at the street corner. Oh and by the way, speaking a broken American English accent with American slangs…I guess can be considered Indian. Being “Indian” simply has become a matter of external formality (eating, dressing, sports, language, religion etc etc). Srila Prabhupada I think is the only true Indian who came to the West to give Vedic culture versus taking Western culture. I cannot think of anybody. While everyone in India practically thinks US as Vaikunta, Srila Prabhupada is the only one who when landed in the US quoted US as “terrible place”. So why then do we lament permanent residency in a terrible place? This is the power of Maya.
How then should we see the statement given by Mahaprabhu.
bharata-bhumite haila manushya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara
One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.” (Sri Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 9.41)
If the above statement is the standard for an Indian, then, I guess Srila Prabhupada (and other bonafide acharayas) is the only true Indian.
When will the day come, when we hanker and lament to obtain a green card to the real Vaikunta - Krishnaloka?
Hare Krishna
No comments:
Post a Comment