The craving for 'recognition' is deep rooted in our psyche!

Why we perform various duties? The primary purpose may be to earn money and run the family, but apart from that there is a hidden agenda. It is for recognition! Why we write and post articles? It is mainly for recognition. Is there anybody in the world, who doesn’t crave for recognition? Even the poorest of the poor wants recognition apart from food and clothing. Why there are agitations and strikes? The leader craves for recognition. That is how, all the leaders won their elections and occupied powerful posts. Hence, whether in politics or even religion, people crave for recognition and respect. Hence there is clamor for powerful posts amongst the contestants.

Now we witness the ‘primaries’ for standing in US elections. Each one vies with every other to steal the show. Even known faces compete for election as well as recognition as great orator or leader. Even a baby wants recognition. If there is an elder sibling, he will crave for mother’s attention very often when the younger sibling is caressed by the mother. Even the pet dogs need recognition from their owners. Otherwise, they too will get depressed. We have many posts in the churches too. It may be a ‘pastor’ or Bishop or Cardinal. Everyone needs recognition.

Even among the terrorist groups, there is always a bitter fight to ascend to supremacy. In the battle for power, some of the leaders get killed by the opposing group leaders. This is always the case. We cannot group all the terrorists under one category. Thus we have multiple groups operating in each country which differ in ideology etc. But we commonly term them as ‘terrorists’ Hence everyone wants to gain supremacy over others. Why the Presidents and Prime Ministers hold on to their positions assiduously, the world over. This is to gain recognition from people, from the media and from the other groups.

The main cause for seeking recognition is the “Ego” in each such leader. Though Ego is the biggest obstruction is spirituality, we are well aware of the various spiritual leaders who construct Ashrams, gather disciples, publish books and deliver lectures. They tour to different regions within a country to gain recognition as an ‘indisputable Guru”. Their number is legend in India and everywhere. Real preceptor will be thoroughly humble and selfless. Similarly, the real leader will be concerned with the welfare of the citizens. Since they are egoless, they will never stoop to the level of ‘self-seeking’.

We have many saints and holy persons living among the people, who are not recognized, since they maintain a low profile. They won’t crave recognition like others and they won’t show themselves up on any occasion or at any time. Here I remember the life of Shirdi Saibaba who came to Shirdi around the age of sixteen, sat beneath a neem tree, absorbed in him. The people of the village were astonished at the presence of a new face in the village. But he was maintaining absolute silence and none could fathom his origin or place or the reason for his visit to Shirdi. A god possessed soul once spoke about the young boy to the villages as “he was practicing here for twelve years”. The possessed man has shown a spot and asked the villagers to search the place. The villagers brought crowbar and shovel and started digging. They found a stone slab, removing which, it led to an underground celler, where some lamps were burning. There were number of rosaries for chanting with many different shapes of cows were exhibited inside. When the boy came to know about it, he requested them to replace the stone slab as before and guard the place! He said, it is his guru’s place!

But none knew his name or parent’s name or place of residence and Saibaba never divulged the secrets. It is during the year 1991, Sathya Saibaba revealed the secrets of Sai baba’s birth place. People came to know that he was born on 28 September 1835 at a village called “Padri” in erstwhile Nizam region which was ascended to Indian Union later. People will wonder that a full-fledged incarnation, choose to remain in obscure place in a dilapidated mosque, begged his food from four or five houses. None understood that he was God in human garb. Later when he performed many miracles including rescuing people from certain death, granting worldly boons like progeny and promotion, many people understood his greatness! Hence saints never crave for recognition but worldly people always demand it.