Life is a fight, a continuous fight, and each one of us has to face some crisis many times. Gita starts with a crisis, an emotional crisis, faced by Arjuna, the representative of modern man, when he was challenged in front of the battle of life to kill his highly respected teachers, relatives and friends. About five thousand years ago there was a battle between Pandavas and Kauravas, two branches of family of the same dynasty, for an empire of our country. Pandavas, the five brothers were on one side with the support of their friend Sri Krishna, the divine incarnation; and the Kauravas under the powerful commandant of Duryodhana were on the other side. And the battlefield was Kurukshetra. In the opening scene of the battle, seeing his friends and relatives whom he had to fight with, Arjuna became nervous and he confessed Sri Krishna that he would not fight. At this crucial moment of Arjuna’s depression, began the famous Bhagavad Gita. And, millions of people all over the world have churned this ocean of knowledge and savoured the nectar of philosophy.

About Gita

Gita is a part of the famous epic Mahabharata and hence it is assumed that Veda Vyasa was its author. There are 700 shlokas spread in 18 chapters, which are considered as the most beautiful philosophical poems the world has ever produced. Gita is a sacred book of noble thoughts that teaches us the philosophy of life. Gita deals with the practical aspects of life and teaches us how to perform our duties as a part of the community as well as the importance of practice of ethical values. The teachings of Gita grasp the roots of the problem and help us to transform from within. Change in thoughts result in change in actions. Gita reminds us that we should be enthusiastic in our activities and do our duties with a tranquil mind amidst the trouble and torrents of life. Gita is a great source of inspiration to all classes of people irrespective of caste, colour, religion or language.

Yoga, Jnana, Bhakti and Karma are the different paths of righteousness that lead to the same goal. In Gita we can see the harmony of all these four paths; the gems of all these four paths were collected and beautifully arranged in a single place, and the author of Gita declared like soliloquy that there were no more quarrel among them. Only the paths are different, but the goal is the same.

Does Gita Support War?

Arjuna was not willing to fight and kill his friends and relatives, whereas Sri Krishna was encouraging him to fight. So there is no surprise if we suspect that Gita is supporting war and violence.  War certainly implicates violence.  In Mahabharata, even though the Pandavas had the right, the Kauravas were not willing to give them a piece of land even sufficient to fix the point of a needle. When unrighteousness prevails, the only remedy is to prevent it and put the righteous people on the throne. Here, war was a necessity for establishing righteousness. The end justifies the means!

Another concept is that life is a battle field, a dharma-kshetra (field of righteousness) and kuru-kshetra (field of action). In this field of life, whatever we do produces its own results. There are no external enemies to be killed. They are the expressions of our inner state. We have to conquer our internal conflicts and delusions raised out of a notorious enemy known as ignorance. It is a battle against the enemies within, a battle continuously taking place between the good and evil tendencies of human nature.

Arise and Be Courageous

In this world of fast life, restlessness is one of the serious problems we encounter, leading to emotional conflicts and depression. With valuable guidelines, Gita tells us how to overcome stress and depression. Seeing his relatives, teachers and friends on the other side of the arena, Arjuna became nervous and depressed. He lost the steadiness of mind and was not even able to lift his bow and arrow. The chapter is aptly named as Arjuna Vishada (depression) yoga. Arjunas are everywhere in our society. At the most important moments of undertaking responsibilities, the situations make them weak and helpless and compel them to run away from life. There was a Sri Krishna there to advise Arjuna to face life with courage instead of running away from the realities of life, and we became fortunate to get this treasure of knowledge.  

Sri Krishna says, “O Arjuna, Yield not to unmanliness. It is not worthy of you. Abandon this petty faint-heartedness, arise, O scorcher of foes!”(Gita - 2.3).

Fearlessness is the message that Gita delivers to us and it is the foundation on which Gita is built. We should control our emotions and face life with courage, rather than letting our emotions to control us. As Vivekananda said: “Be strong!....The sign of life is strength and growth. The sign of death is weakness. Whatever is weak, avoid! It is death. If it is strength, go down into hell and get hold of it! There is salvation only for the brave”.

Knowledge is Strength

Due to ignorance, Arjuna had a conflict regarding duty and emotion. At first, Arjuna tried to justify himself, but Sri Krishna guided him properly and Arjuna became eager to learn and requested Sri Krishna to teach him; and then started the real teachings of Gita. Sri Krishna taught him the yoga of Knowledge, about the deathless, birth less, and pure Self within, the eternal nature of human being. We should be aware about the eternal Self within every one and should not lose our motivation on account of temporary issues. Knowledge purifies everything and can be acquired by faith, practice and control of senses. Faith here is the motivational power, but not any conventional belief.

Sri Krishna says, “On earth there exists no purifier as great as Knowledge. In course of time, having reached perfection in Yoga, one realises that light of truth in one’s own Self” (Gita - 4.38).

Work is Worship

Gita declares the dogmas of non-attachment. Attachment to our actions is the reason why the actions are following us forever with their fruits. Non-attachment to our actions is the only way by which we can be free from the linkage of karma.

Sri Krishna says, “He who having totally given up attachment to actions and their fruits, is always satisfied and independent, does nothing at all, even though he is full engaged in all kinds of actions.” (Gita - 4.20)

Gita teaches us that we should work with a steady and tranquil mind and do our duties more efficiently, without selfishness. It is the nature of our mind to distract, whenever it is engaged on some actions. But, we should we aware of what we are doing and do it without attachment; without thinking about the results of the actions. Work performed efficiently and lovingly, with detachment is equivalent to worship of God, and will lead to enlightenment.

Concentration and Meditation

Concentration is essential for better performance of all our daily activities. By regular practice of concentration and meditation we will enjoy supreme peace and pure joy. All greater accomplishments in life are achieved by meditative mind. Sri Krishna has compared the meditative mind of a yogi to that of a flame of a lamp that does not flicker, being protected from wind. Mind is always turbulent but by steady practice (abhyasa) and by showing no interest on unimportant things(vairagya) the mind can be brought under control. A person with uncontrolled mind cannot reach higher levels of concentration and character.

Peace and joy come from within. As per Gita, a person who has searched within and found this infinite source of bliss will be like this: “One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and who is illumined by the inner light, that yogi alone is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately attains absolute freedom.”(Gita - 5.24).

Self Control

To achieve a joyful life one should control unnecessary desires and negative thoughts. Some people put their blame on fate for any mishappening in their life. Gita warns us that fate has nothing to do in our life, but we are responsible for what we are and we have the power to lift us to the top and drag down to the bottom.

Says Gita, “One should lift oneself by one’s own efforts; and having lifted oneself, should not degrade oneself; for this, self alone is your friend, and indeed, this self alone is your enemy” (Gita - 6.5).

Conclusion

Bhagavad Gita, literally meaning the Song of God, has come from the depth of the heart of God with a purpose - to enlighten the humanity! Gita contains an infinite source of inspiration for people of all fields of life and is relevant for all times. Gita teaches us great truths that will convert our life into a meaningful one filled with success and bliss. It proclaims to the world that Divinity is within every one and we can attain it if we are strong, courageous and determined.

Sri Krishna says, “Therefore, at all times constantly remember Me and fight. With mind and intellect dedicated to Me, you shall, without a doubt, attain to Me alone!” (Gita - 8.7).

Who is that ‘Me’ here? It is your own Self, the Omnipotent power within you; “the one that weapons cannot cut, fire cannot burn, water cannot wet or wind cannot dry!” Call it by any name…God, Bhagavan, or Absolute,…??... Attain it by any path.…Yoga, Knowledge, Bhakti or Karma…??...Be confident that you can attain that Supreme state in this very life itself!!…Yes, …It is possible, if you believe you can!!

Image Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhagvad_Gita.jpg

As 2014 draws to a close, astrologers have already launched their forecasts for 2015. These are available inform of small booklets, columns in newspapers or on TV channels. In my mailbox some of them are inviting me to pay up and know about how to ward off the evil influence of many planet combinations. This is the "season" for astrologers to maximise their earnings.

When I was younger, I too, many a times purchased some booklet by famous or well advertised astrologer to know the year ahead. Frankly I could not make out anything. Yet I too would read weekly forecasts and wait for good things to happen. Rarely did the predictions come true.Over the years I lost all interest in it and today I feel it should be discouraged. 

Here I would like to narrate the story of Rajesh Khanna the first super star of Hindi films and once a great believer in astrology. A famous actress of yesteryears had turned producer and had seen him act in plays. She offered him a role in her film. Rajesh could not believe his luck and rushed to a jyotishi for advice. He studied Rajesh's kundali and advised him to decline the offer, as he was going to be a failure in films. Instead he advised him to go into business of steel trading. Luckily Rajesh did not follow his astrological advice and industry got its first super star of great acting talent. After he met with success Rajesh lost all interest in astrology.

Another famous incident involved Dr. Kalam the famous rocket scientist. He had been elected to be the President of India. Before his swearing in ceremony was to be held he was approached by the late Pramod Mahajan inquiring about the auspicious time for taking oath of office. This is a custom followed by all politicians. however the reply of Dr. Kalam was as scientific as it could be. He asked Mahajan, has any planet shifted out of its orbit. Mahajan was stunned and replied in the negative. The would-be President said if no planet has changed its position from its orbit then every second and minute is auspicious, because even if one planet were to change its orbit by even a fraction of a degree there would be chaos. So he took oath at an administratively appropriate time. He became the most popular President and is fondly loved and respected even today years after he left office.

Whenever an eclipse is to occur there are some TV channels who call astrologers who then give bizarre advices to ward of the evil affects of a perfectly harmless astronomical event. One of the humourous advices I liked once, was at 11.30 pm in night. An eclipse was to occur at around 12.00 am onwards. So this great astrologer in a raised voice advised everyone to immediately leave their houses and take dips in the nearest river as otherwise the evil affect of the eclipse would cause them great harm!

If you want to watch entertainment programs the you can surf channels at midnight. many TV channels carry astrology based programs where questions of believers are addressed. Even if you are a die hard believer, after watching many of these programs your faith will get shaken because of the solutions provided by the astrologers. Technology has enabled these programs to be very slick and initially they sound very convincing.

Some of the solutions they offer to overcome the problems faced by troubled persons are both interesting and ridiculous. They range from feeding a black dog every Friday to immersing in a flowing river waters the image of a particular goddess made from gold yes gold. Yesterday I saw a new entry in form of a young Guruji who offers instant and simple solutions. One solution he offered to a ;lady whose marriage is on the rocks was to keep a particular potted plant in a particular direction corner in her bedroom. Before every one does so and robs him of his livelihood he said this was only for the lady in question as it was based on her planetery positions at the time of her birth.To another person who was not getting promotion he advised him to put on shirts of a particular colour.

Every midnight, dot at 12 am, on a particular TV channel comes a guruji to solve the problems of viewers. His assistant asks the viewer the date, time and place of birth of the phone-in viewer and these are fed into  a laptop to generate the person's kundali. The guruji then informs of the various shortcomings in the kundali and advises the viewer to put necklaces of either sawa paanch or sawa chhe or sawa saat rati (weight) made from gems like ruby or sapphire or diamonds or silver or gold, to neutralize the evil effects of the adverse planets. For all persons his solution is same and only the weight or gem changes. And from where should one obtain these necklaces, obviously from the guruji's sanstha as they are the only suppliers of the purest gems in the world specially  made live by guruji himself. Excellent marketing.

The astrologers are making tons of money by converting fears of weak willed persons into cash generating opportunities. They play on the miseries of the sufferers and offer them false hopes by blaming their stars. It is a tragedy of our times that highly educated persons who one expects to be rational minded are also blind followers of astrology and thereby it gains a form of respectability. It is rare that an astrologer is blamed if his advises do not perform. One continues to blame one's bad stars. The business of astrologers keeps flourishing. They have solutions for every problem. They are now using modern information tools very skillfully to package their services for the gullible. They successfully play on human desire to know the future and never face miseries. 

What can be more telling then the recent case of the jyotishi who advised the President of Sri Lanka to hold elections two years before they were due as this was astronomically the best time for his sure shot victory. The poor President lost the elections. If he had not listened to the jyotishi he could have continued for two more years. Whether the jyotishi will go out of business is however doubtful.

It is time that print and electronic media should not give their platform to these fake persons. It will mean loss of revenue but will help in tremendously furthuring the cause of building scientific temperament in the country. Let persons be responsible for their actions rather than blaming stars and planets who have nothing to do. The super success of the film Pk is a hope in this direction. 

Does God exist? Most probably this question has been asked a number of times in human history, from time immemorial. The question has been answered in every occasion, but no conclusion has been reached. The concept of God exists in human mind through millions of years and will continue to remain through eternity. Whenever the thought of God comes into my mind, several questions arise simultaneously. Shall I believe in God? Is he a supernatural being sitting above the clouds in a place called heaven with blessings and rewards in one hand and cruelty and punishments in the other? How was the concept of God developed? Let me try to explore the divine route.

Ancestor Worship

One concept regarding the beginning of religious ideas is the theory of ancestor worship. Primitive men believed that their relatives will live even after their death and hence they placed food and utensils with the dead body anticipating that they will be useful for their next life. This tendency was seen in the ancient religions of Egypt, Babylonians and China. Egyptians believed that the after-life of their relatives would remain safe and comfortable as long as the dead body remained undamaged. That was why they built huge pyramids to preserve the dead bodies with great care. As per the Babylonians, after death the soul of their relatives scared them and demanded food and help in different ways. Ancestor worship can also be seen in ancient Hindus and Chinese as the basis of religion. The traces of the same can be found even now in these countries by which people of different traditions perform annual rites to satisfy the souls of their ancestors.

Development during Human Evolution

It is believed that the evolution from the Homo Sapiens ancestors to the fully developed human beings witnessed attainment of several abilities and knowledge during different stages. They accomplished gradual development of self-consciousness, thinking power, power of communication, morality and community consciousness. Another important achievement during the evolution was the awareness about their finite life span and the imminent death. The most surprising fact was that every person was conscious about his own death only when he witnessed the death of some other persons and the rest of the times he almost forgot about this great phenomenon.

Nature Worship

The development of self-consciousness and thinking power made man a unique being, entirely different from any other beings in the world. Once he became self-conscious and realized that he can think, he became anxious to know about everything happening around him. The sunrise, sunset, thunder shower, cyclone, marvelous climate change and the beauties and magic of nature made the anxious human mind to go deep beyond them to understand the secrets. Sometimes he felt helpless and insecure amidst the natural forces and some other times he worried about his finite life and the forthcoming death. He wanted to escape from the anxiety of insecure future and fear of death. That was the beginning of religion. Being self-conscious, he assumed vitality to everything in nature. He gave personal attributes to the sun, moon, rivers, sky, thunder, lightning, rain, forest, animals, birds and everything around him. He assigned them bodies and spirits and worshipped them assuming supernatural powers so that they could protect him from all his anxiety and dilemma. This generalised nature worship was seen everywhere, including Indians, Greeks, Germans and the Scandinavians. 

This religion, otherwise called animism, which began with the embodiment of natural forces, gave him peace of mind, comfort and confidence. He offered sacrifices, prayers and several rituals to these spirits expecting protection and their blessings. When hunting gave way to agriculture and rising of domestic animals, fertility became an important aspect. Giving importance to fertility, which is feminine, the idea of female fertility Goddess arose and the worship of both male God and female goddess continued. Male-female classifications were given to Gods depending on their energy and functional aspects. For example, rain and sun were treated as male Gods, whereas earth and moon were considered as feminine. These fertility Gods and Goddesses were created by humans to meet the specific needs of their society. This religious culture persisted for several thousands of years till they are surpassed by the other developing religions including Monotheism, Henotheism, Polytheism and several other belief systems.

Religious Systems

The major classifications of belief systems existing in the world are:

• Monotheism
• Polytheism
• Henotheism.

In Monotheism, a single God is worshipped. In Polytheism, multiple Gods are assigned for different activities of life. And in Henotheism there are multiple Gods with one superior head.

Among these, the Monotheism is widely popular. Initially confined to some limited tribal areas, Monotheism expanded into a universal concept. The theistic God in Monotheism was usually a personal God with supernatural powers, similar to a mighty emperor ruling this world from his throne in heaven, who needed to be praised and pleased to avail his blessings.

The major religions that exist in the present day belong to one or more of the above belief systems.

Hinduism

Hinduism consists of different religious belief systems. They extend from monotheism to henotheism and polytheism. The term Ishvara is used to address the supreme God. He is the creator of the universe and is filled in every beings and everywhere. The term Bhagavan is used to designate the Supreme Being in the form of a personal God, which is the equivalent term used in Christian and Islamic concept of God. Bhagavan is a general term used to represent a personal God and it can be Vishnu, Siva or Maheswara, Krishna, Rama or any other deity, and there are several Goddesses depending on the tradition and choice of the devotee.  Brahman is used to represent the omnipotent, omnipresent, infinite Absolute which is the impersonal principle, consciousness and self of everything.

Christianity

In Christianity, God is recognized as the concept of Trinity, composing Father (Jehovah), Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit, within a single deity. These are the three different states of the same being. As per Christianity, Jesus Christ was crucified after undertaking the sins of human beings, and those who believed in Jesus Christ will get salvation. Even though Christians consider their religion as monotheistic, others especially Muslims consider Trinity as polytheistic.

Islam

A strict monotheism called Tawhid prevails in Islam. Muslims believe that Allah is the one and only God, the Eternal, Absolute. Their God is Most Compassionate and Most Merciful. He is regarded as a personal God who will always help his devotees whenever they are in trouble. The purpose of life is to please Allah by worship and good endeavors. According to them Mohammad was the final Prophet of God among the 124,000 messengers sent by God.

Buddhism

There is no supreme God in Buddhism. The Buddha does not accept or deny a supreme God or a creator. According to Buddhism, the highest goal of life is the accomplishment of Nirvana and the belief in a supreme God will interrupt its attainment. Buddhism insists us not to believe anything blindly, but to depend on one’s own reasoning and analysis before accepting the fact.

Jainism

There is no God or creator in Jainism. They believe that the universe and everything in it always existed from time immemorial and everything in the universe is governed by natural laws. Every individual gets the results of their karmas due to a unique moral order prevailing in this universe. They believe that a moral life is possible even if you do not believe in a creator or God. Since it denies God, Jainism is considered as atheist philosophy.

Judaism

As per Judaism, Jehovah the God, is the creator of the universe, eternal and is beyond time and space. In their concept of monotheism, God is the creator of matter and spirit, but he himself is neither of them. He knows the complete activities and thoughts of human beings, personally interacts with them and rewards those who follow his commandments and punishes those who disobey him.

Bahais

Bahais believe in monotheism and believe in a single almighty God who was the creator of the universe and all creatures. He is beyond time and space, inaccessible, eternal, omniscient and omnipresent. He sends divine messengers to the world to spread religion in the world. Bahais feel that it is difficult for human beings to realize their God completely. He cannot be represented by a definite image and is normally referred by certain names like “All powerful”.

Sikhism

God in Sikhism, as described by Guru Nanak, is singular, formless, omnipresent, eternal and invisible. Their God has infinite qualities and can be realized by spiritually awakened devotees through meditation. With intimate faith, the devotees shall attain salvation. Sikhs believe that God exists for ever and is beyond time.

Symbols, Name and Personal God

In every religion, there are three basic things as far as the worship of God is concerned. They are Symbols, Names, and Personal God.  All these three things are their weapons for fighting, claiming each other that only their names or their symbols or their personal Gods are the real ones and all the others are just legends. 

Forms and symbols always appear simultaneously and nobody can restrict the use of symbols. Can you think about an omnipresent God without a form? Whenever you try, all sorts of images will pass through your mind because you cannot conceive the abstract as abstract.  An ordinary man cannot think about an omnipresent God without a form or a symbol. Idolatry is the inherent nature of man. To go beyond it is a hard task; only perfect and God-realized man can do that.

Worship of a name or word is noticeable in all religions. Name of God is considered as sacred and holy beyond everything in the universe. We cannot think without words. We cannot separate thought from word forms. Everything in the universe can be represented by a name and form. Name brings form and form brings name. This truth is a fundamental psychological aspect that human beings cannot discard.

The idea of Personal God is everywhere except in Buddhism and Jainism. However, as a contradiction, the Buddhists and Jains worship their founders like a personal God. Jesus, Krishna and several deities have been worshipped all around the world. Why? Even though God is omnipresent and is revealing himself in every being, for human being he is only visible in the form of a human being. Even if he fights against it, the image of human God will always shine in his mind.

All religions claim that they are the real authorities of religion and their own Gods created this universe and everything in it. Surprisingly none of them seemed to have realized their God, but the dispute continues. None of them have seen their Gods, but the fight continues. The largest number of bloodsheds happened in this world were in the name of religion. It is better to become an atheist instead of boasting about unknown Gods. At least atheists will be sincere in their words than these religious people who talk a lot about God, but do not want to comprehend God.

General Principle behind the Concept of God 

Good and evil are the two essential laws of life. From time immemorial man had been trying to find some solutions to reduce evils from his life. The more he advanced, the evils increased indefinitely. To escape from these evils he proposed a God, the redeemer who will protect him from all miseries. Religions advise people that beyond this physical world and these physical senses there exists something great, that cannot get hold of by any evils. That is God, which is known in different names in different religions. Man created God; that is true, but not the other way; it was not God who created man!

Primitive & Modern Man – No difference

Desire is a fundamental human nature that never ends. On achieving more and more accomplishments the desire is never fulfilled but continues to multiply. Desire is the basic cause of all miseries in the world. The situations of the primitive man and the modern man in this advanced age of science and technology remain the same. The primitive man desired something and could not fulfill them completely. Same is the case with modern man. Their desire will never be fulfilled even if the world comes to an end. They create God, fall down on his feet and beg for help. Most of them want material gain. Only a few of them seek divine vision.

Concept of Heaven

Some people are not satisfied with their present life situations filled with a mix of happiness and misery and they believe that those who do good things will go to a better place after death, where there is only happiness but no miseries. They called this infinite place as Heaven or Swarga, which was created by God. In heaven, they can live a perfect life. But, this idea is also not correct.  First of all, an infinite place is an absurd concept. A place must have a beginning and should exist through time. Anything that has a beginning should have an end, and hence cannot be infinite. Heaven is an illusionary idea to attract devotees and motivate them to do good things in this world.

Future of the Concept of God

What is the future of the concept of God?  More and more people are becoming atheists who do not believe in the existence of a supernatural God. The concept of personal God is under decline because there is no evidence to prove its existence. We hug science and science needs proof for everything; throw away your baseless faith with irrational foundation.

The time has come to think and redefine God in a better way. God is Love!  What a beautiful concept; all dogmas and doctrines will melt away in this beautiful metaphor.  Also, God is immortal, without beginning and end. It is omnipresent and invisible. It is your own self and is the same being and underlying principle present in everything in the universe. Then what to worry? No more confusion. No more affiliation with any religion. You need not believe in a personal theistic God. You are that Infinite Being. Instead of searching outwards through mountains and forests, temples and churches, clouds and oceans, you can go inwards deep within yourself, and find your real nature. But beware; the concept of such a non-theistic God will eventually remove the taproots of some major religions in the world.

Conclusion

Science has grown magnificently which makes most of the impossible things possible. From the creator’s hands the universe exploded with a big bang. Darwin, Newton, Einstein and many talented brains revealed major scientific theories that made God’s role almost irrelevant. More specific and scientific explanations are given to natural phenomena. Planetary explorations are progressing with big leaps. Standing on the boundary walls of horizon, man is going to control the movement of spheres in the solar system with his fingertips. Time has changed with the growth of science and many of the worldly problems have been resolved. At the same time, there is a spontaneous change in the life style of human beings. Anxiety of the primitive man returned back, but no more spirit worship or animism as remedy. Anti-anxiety medication serves the purpose.

We have a long way to go and vast domains to conquer. We are on the move, a continuous move, and a long journey is ahead.  We are conscious about the strength and weaknesses of both science and religion. Both are imperfect, as such any conflict between them is impossible.  Still we have time to think about the Perfect one, the God, the one without a second.

A few us friends were having a heated discussion on topics about Secret sects like Illuminati, Freemasons and ancient wisdom and most of the people present there felt that there had to be something about them  for such phenomenon or whatever we call them, to become popular and demand such a lot of public attention and fascination. There is fear mingled with respect when the societies are discussed and spoken about.

I felt I had to do some more research on the subject ( by reading online and get details from some books that I had with me ) and write an article on this fascinating subject. The fact that such societies and sects tend to be secretive only makes them that much more attractive to outsiders.

Introduction

The origin of secret societies and what lies behind the beliefs and rituals of many of the world’s religions itself is a very interesting subject. It also becomes apparent as we discover that this natural world relates entirely to our belief systems. These beliefs are found and to a certain extent similar the world over and are the basis of secret societies. Many scholars and researchers are of the opinion that the institution of Religion is the basis for most of these societies although some of them tend to be independent of any such beliefs.

However, to understand the language of secret societies and exactly what a secret society is in itself a hotly debated subject and is open to various interpretations depending on regions and also cultural influences. We discover that there have been tales of secret societies throughout history. One can also see that religion is somehow or the other linked to these secret sects and societies.

In India we had Sadhus and Sants and people well versed in magic, black magic and other supernatural phenomena and formed their own groups although it had a few followers probably only those involved in those practices.

But the question here is why these societies had to remain secret ?

According to popular belief, it is because all those meeting in secret and forming secret societies, were Important and influential people, who had a higher goal and were plotting to bring in some major changes to civilization - whether this was through destroying religious institution, mainly the Church or the royalty or in some rare cases through defending the same. Either way these people made a difference and there was a need for secrecy if their plans had to succeed.

This is what happened in Germany and Europe where Illuminati was formed by the most intelligent and learned people as a revolt against the Church which tried to keep people in ignorance and strictly under its control. This was because they did not want anyone to question the role of church and its keepers. Church wielded a lot of power and this power which they got because of faith made them very powerful and they did not want to lose any of that simply because a few people wanted to change the way people thought about Church, God and Religion.

There is a belief that almost all top world leaders are part of one or the other secret society or sect, and this fact gives them immense power because the members always stick together and are able to manipulate every situation to their best advantage. To wield this kind of power and influence also compels these secret societies to remain secret and elitist.

Some of the top Secret Societies

1. The Illuminati

In recent times, the Illuminati have received a lot of attention with many books and movies being written about the organization, the most popular and recent one being Angels and Demons written by Dan Brown and made into a popular film. Unfortunately many of the things that the group has become known for, are mostly based on exaggerated myths. The group is thought to be based on a real organization that existed in Europe in the mid to late 1700s.

However, the group disbanded several years after its organization and is not thought to have continued in any of its past form. However, it is believed that a few intelligent criminal minds tried to reinvent the same organisation and use it to their advantage in the early years of 20th century.

It started as a movement of freethinkers who were the most radical offshoot of the Enlightened people, whose followers were given the name Illuminati. It started basically as a think tank that aimed at enlightening the minds of the people against the church .

 According to records the society was founded on May 1, 1776 in Ingolstadt a part of Upper Bavaria in Germany, by Adam Weishaupt who was a law professor and a philosopher. This group is now known as the Bavarian Illuminati. Although it was not legally allowed to operate, many influential intellectuals and progressive politicians were drawn to the society and became its secret members. Although, totally frowned upon by the church, they did manage to function and bring in some changes.

There were some well known Freemasons too among the members, although it was not endorsed by Masons. Illuminati was much ahead of its time and did not require a belief in a supreme being and this made them particularly popular amongst atheists and also the fact that most members were against cruelty inflicted by religion gave rise to a widespread belief that the Illuminati wanted to overthrow organized religion, mainly The Church.

However, Power struggle within and panic over the succession of a new leader, and governmental and attempts by the religious institutions to overthrow the group saw it slowly collapsing in the late 1700s. It  was also a fact that Church and its hold was complete over people during those dark ages and societies such as Illuminati could not survive for long .

Despite this, there is firm belief that the Bavarian Illuminati did survive the onslaughter  and remains active possibly to this day. However, other than in fiction and writings by some modern day authors, there is very little reliable evidence found to support the idea that Weishaupt’s group survived into the 19th century or beyond that.

However, many people believe that the Illuminati is still operating and managing the main actions of the governments of the world. It is believed that they wish to create a One World Government based on humanist and atheist principles. Alive, functional or not the sect is revered the most among all secret sects and societies to this day and rates number one among all the groups, which I personally think is because there is very little known about its existence and other details.

2, The Freemasons

 The case is wholly different when it comes to Freemasons. The Freemasons is one of the most well organized and recognized of the secret societies and it continues to remain active and thriving to this day. There are supposed to be 5 million members worldwide and the organization has lodges all over the world. Officially the society was started in the year 1717. It is organized into a hierarchy of lodges that preside over lodges in its jurisdiction.

I remember how I used be scared of a neighbor supposedly a member of the Freemasons, simply because there were all sorts of mysterious tales floating around, about him and the society he belonged to. Since then, I have been totally fascinated by these secret societies and sects that seem to have grown in stature and mystery over the years. The Freemasons are known for their secrecy in regards to their traditions and rituals. They use secret handshakes and signs to identify other members. This is a secret that they never give out to anyone, not even to their close family members and friends unless the other person too is a Freemason.

There are many famous members of the Freemasons and they include Prince Philip, George Washington, Ben Franklin, Winston Churchill and many other heads of states from all over the world. It is very active in India with many of the top politicians, Industrialists and other celebrities and the rich, famous and the powerful as its active members.

The Grand Masonic Lodge was created in 1717 when four small groups of lodges joined together. There is a clear strata of levels within the Mason society. Membership levels were initially first and second degree, but was later expanded to create the third degree which caused a split in the group.

When a person reaches the third degree, they are called a Master Mason. Masons conduct their regular meetings in a ritualized style. This includes many references to architectural symbols such as the compass and square. Religion and belief in God is very essential and important to Freemasons. They refer to God as “The Great Architect of the Universe”.

The three degrees of Freemason society are as follows

1. Entered Apprentice - This makes you a basic member of the group. You are still at the basic level and need to learn all about the society before you make any further progress.

2. Fellow Craft - This is an intermediate degree in which you are meant to develop further knowledge of Masonry and get to know the intricacies of the society .

3. Master Mason- This degree is necessary for participating in most masonic activities and is reached after having successfully proved oneself.

Masons use signs and handshakes to gain admission to their meetings, as well as to identify themselves to other people who may be Masons. It is also a known fact that these signs and handshakes can differ from one jurisdiction to another and are often changed or updated depending on the need. This is to protect the group from others finding out how to gain admission under false pretenses.

Most of the members of FreeMasons also wear stylized clothing and are well dressed.They normally wear a three-piece suit which practice is apparently based on the clothing worn by masons from the middle ages. They want to make an elegant impression and stand out in a crowd, this is something I have been told by one of the members himself. 

In order to become a Mason, you must generally be recommended by a current mason who is at the third degree level. There are cases where members have gained entry only after being recommended three times or more. You have to be at least 18 years old and in good health and mentally fit and alert, also be a believer of god and religion and last but not least you should be a male - no entry for women in the Freemasons society!

Many religions frown upon membership of the Masons, and the Roman Catholic Church forbids Catholics to join, but there are quite a few Catholics who are part of the group such is its pull, attraction or fascination, which is irresistible to many.

3, The order of the skull and Bones

 This Skull and Bones organization does not deny its existence, in fact they are happy at being known.The only secret about them is their practices and rituals. Of all the secret societies and organizations that exist at prestigious colleges, Yale’s Skull and Bones is the most well known.

It was started in 1832 and to this day they still meet every Thursday and Sunday. The very name suggests that many of its members are a part of America’s political elite and they include Senators, Presidents, judges, and other highly influential people.

The Order of Skull and Bones which began as a Yale University society, was originally known as the Brotherhood of Death. It is now considered to be one of the oldest student secret societies in the United States. It was founded in 1832 and membership is open to only a elite few. They keep to themselves and conduct their meetings in extreme secrecy.

The society has its own rituals and many of them are apparently inspired from Freemasons. Members of the society meet every Thursday and Sunday of each week in a building that is referred to be ‘The Tomb’ – can there be anything more mysterious?

According to Judy Schiff, the Chief Archivist at the Yale University, the names of the members of the society were not kept secret until the 1970’s. Both of the Bush presidents were members of the society while studying at Yale, and a number of other members who have all been very prominent members of the society.

The society as I mentioned earlier, has always been surrounded by many mysterious theories - the most popular among them was probably the idea that the CIA was built on members belonging to this group. When  this rumor began to spread, the CIA released a statement in 2007 ( after a few controversial films were also released that substantiated this theory), in which it denied that the group had anything to do with them.

4, The Bilderberg Group

 The Bilderberg group which was formed in 1954 is not so much a secret society as it is a secret meeting of a group of highly influential world leaders. Those attending the Bilderberg meeting do so in complete secrecy. No press is allowed inside and no one knows what goes on inside these meetings.

This has lead to speculations and added on to the mystery. Because of this the group is found at the center of many modern day conspiracy theories due to its members and the secrecy surrounding the meetings .

Although the group has no famous members, the attendees have included the royal families of Spain and the Netherlands, World Bank officials, and representatives from major corporations. They are all influential in their own way. The Bilderberg Group , which claims it is not a secret society, does operate under a similar veil of mystery, which has made it the subject of countless conspiracy theories and criticisms.

The group which was started in 1954 in the Netherlands, since then has convened every year as an exclusive, invitation-only conference of various world leaders, industrial heads, and media moguls – all extremely powerful people from all over the world.

Although initially it began as an anti-American group that spread through Europe , over the years it appears to have transformed itself into a party that has been helping the powerful on reaching mutual understanding between cultures.

By and by over the years, the Bilderberg Group has become controversial and often criticised for one major reason- because no press is allowed in the conference and no significant details or for that no important issue concerning the topics discussed are ever officially released to the public. This kind of utter secrecy, which naturally attracts intense security of the meeting sites and who’s who? Who attend these meetings, has produced a number of conspiracy theories .

The most popular theory that is often put forward by the media is that the group tries to steer the direction of public policy, financial markets, and media in certain prescribed directions of their choosing. There is also another theory which suggests that they have the goal of forming a so called “One World Government “ that is controlled by the members. Naturally, all these claims have been brushed aside by the group, which claims global understanding and the end of nuclear proliferation as its main goals. However, the speculation and mystery continues even as the powerful group meets periodically the discuss and probably deliver what is decided upon in these meetings .

5, The Knights Templar

Probably the least known of all is this group - The original Knights Templar group apparently was a ritualistic religious group which was formed in the 12th century in France and spread to Europe. The group as it is today has its base in Masons group. The Masonic Knights Templar as it called today has no real ties to the original medieval Knights Templar group .

However, it is believed that many of its rituals and traditions are based on the historic Knights Templar. The organization has ties with Masonry, which is what it can be considered an offshoot of. One of the requirements for membership is Master Masonry which goes to show how inter connected the two groups are. Members of the Masonic Knights Templar do not claim a direct connection to the medieval group although they have a borrowed ideas and symbols from the original group. In order to become a member of this group, you must already be a Christian Master Mason.

So basically the two major requirements are that you have to be a follower of Christianity and also be a mason of the highest order. This organization is quite a distinct one, and is not just a higher degree of Masonry. There are many criticisms by the masons themselves against this organisation since they feel it is more a mix of their rituals and customs mixed with the medieval Templar society .

Conclusions

Whether a common man directly gets influenced by these secret societies’ is quite another matter. Many people may not even be aware of their very existence .

However, those of us who remain fascinated and interested, do so because almost all these groups have powerful members who have the clout and influence to bring about changes. Their existence and the manner in which they function does raise many questions in our minds. Importantly are these sects and societies legal? If so why do they function in such mysterious manner? 

(Images from wikimedia )