On Kashmir

At a physical level Kashmir has been the most vulnerable part of India. At the same time, it has been unique in bearing the confluence of many different streams of spiritual thought. The different schools of Vedanta, the Shakta and Shaiva schools of tantra, different schools of Buddhism, Sikhism, have all flourished in its soil. Even religions that have roots outside India found here a soul invigorating touch. It is said, and with convincing evidence, that during years of exile as well as after the Resurrection Jesus lived and died here. Islam found its contact helpful to the growth of its spiritual side in the Sufi way of approaching God. The problem was that when you have such a rich inheritance it is incumbent upon the people who live there to safeguard it. It is like a rare treasure, a crown of rare jewels given to you which will be eyed by thieves. If you cannot guard it you will lose it and along with it your life.

Something like this happened there in Kashmir as well as in Somnath. Kshatratej, the strength of the warrior class is as much important for man’s integral development as mere panditya of the Brahmana. The invasions came to show us our weak spots, the vulnerable areas and to awaken the force of the Kshatriya in us.

Over a period of time, the king and the subjects became too self-satisfied with the Paradise and forgot that a price is to be paid for the gifts of heaven. The price was extracted as Nature always does but through the gory dance of Kali. The dance is still going on and will go on until the entire Kashmir valley is cleansed of weakness and the crude and the brute are destroyed completely. This process of cleansing began in the early nineties with the massacre, was followed up during the Kargil war by the heroes whose stories you have mentioned. It reached a new height with the abrogation of Article 370 and the operation All Out. It will go on till Kashmir is crowned with the glory that Mother India is.

Yes, the Divine always helps but sometimes His help is painful for the limited human consciousness to bear and yet His ways though inexplicable to reason are always infallible in the end when we see beyond the immediate pain and suffering and with the eyes of the immortal soul.