- Vidwan Undaru Srinivasa Acharya
- Translation: Hariprasad Nellitheertha
- Image courtesy : insideedition.com
We are in the age of ‘science’. The age in which only that which can be seen, is accepted as truth. The age which declares anything that cannot be seen as not existing. In such times, if one were to ask “Do pishAchas exist?” the common response would be “No”. Because pishAchas cannot be seen. Even our governments have trained many psychologists, given them jobs in various hospitals and asked to impress upon people that no pishAchas exist. They tell their patients that there is no concept of bhUta or daiva and that all those perceptions are due to psychological issues of the mind. Those who suffer from such ‘diseases’ are given medicine, offered consoling words and some good food. With this, they are expected to be rid of their ‘disease’. Therefore the argument of the modernists is “There is nothing called bhUta or pishAcha. Do not believe them”. The Karnataka government used to conduct a program called manochintana on their 102.9 FM station every Friday to propagate such messages. The program even completed 300 episodes.
Under such circumstances there arises a natural confusion about what to believe. Thankfully, our elders have already visited such issues and clarified them for us. Who? Where? In the shrIimannyAyasudhA, specifically in the abhimAnyadhikarana, shrI jayatIrtha says
na cha pishAchAdayaH api na santi mantraushadhAdinA asmadAdibhirapyupalabhyamAnatvAt, arthakriyayA samvAdEna cha prAmANyOpapattEH
“Do not say that pishAcha and other beings do not exist. With the aid of mantras and medicines, the existence of pishAchas and other beings has been experienced. These instruments have helped us establish proofs for their existence”
shrI tIkAchArya has given us the solution for this problem 700 years ago itself! Our ancestors always told us that which they personally experienced and accepted. It is therefore only appropriate that we place confidence in their words and follow their path. This is the right approach. It would be wholly inappropriate to only go to psychologists just because they possess a degree and consume some medicine given by them.
shrI vEdavyAsa, who is none other than paramAtma himself, created all of us. He too has brought forth the topic of pishAchas in the brahmasUtras in the sUtra called “dEvAdivat api lOke”. shrI rAghavEndra tIrtha – the creator of parimaLa, shrI vyAsaraja, shrI vAdiraja – all of them, in various of their works, have talked about this topic.
pishAchas have the ability to remain antardhAna (invisible). Therefore, they cannot be seen. paramAtma is the one who has created several such creatures. He himself is not visible because he too has the ability to remain invisible. Our ancestors have always accepted the existence of beings that cannot be seen. Therefore, do not get confused by the words of the psychologist. Always remain sceptic about the programs conducted by the government. Let us always place our faith and trust on the all-controlling bhagavanta. Let us always discern between truth and falsehood.
