7 Houses

The other day I read in the news papers that some one - some one in power in the country - has been arrested for bribery. He had 7 houses.

Is this news? - I was wondering. Here we have a highly successful man - a man who has  'managed' to  secure materials for his family. His family members might consider him a great man; he must have been a hard working man; he must have toiled while others must have joked around; he must have lobbied while others were careless and so on and so on. 

There are probably millions of similar successful people in our country - the ones who keep our country progress through their tireless efforts in law, politics, engineering, teaching - name any educated section of society.

They travel in fine cars, live in great bunglows, decide policies and are the middle class elites in a knowledge society. They are able to speak the right things at the right time or keep quiet. They master circumstances and get gifts. They break rules just here and there - who doesn't any way, they think.

Our myths, traditions mock at honesty. Remember Harischandra?  Indian moral elite brought the concept of 'detachment' instead of tackling the amoral element in our thinking. May be they couldn't. The climate is for amorality. No Indian prophet or philosopher could break it. 'Lies' are accepted as 'grace.' 'Eight' is 'nine.'  'Let us see' is 'no.' Any one who expresses with honesty will be hounded by amoral forces till the spirit breaks. 

Indian social hierarchies are based on this amorality. It is amazing that this amorality has continued for thousands of years without being checked by any religious doctrines. 

Rather, circumstances decide morality for Indians. What is right one day may not be right another day. We have to theorize this great fluctuation of human stand when we write books on organizational behaviour in Indian work places. 

By the way, I wondered at the purpose of the seven houses. We still haven't become sure of our existence on this earth, that we need to build houses to tell every one we are secure on this earth. The Indian Saadhu or Raja Rishi like Janaga Maharaja who managed the court as well as renunciation did not address this issue of human greed or insecurity whatever you name it.