Ice Bucket Challenge is meant to spread awareness of ALS(Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) in the world and to aid the research to combat this disease.In this challenge,you pour a bucketful of ice water on yourself and nominate a few others to do the same.Everyone has to donate a certain amount of money to the foundation that does research to eradicate ALS.
Many Americans are doing this,followed by Indians living in USA thereby spreading awareness of this disease in society.So far so good.
Seeing this frenzy,a new trend called 'Rice Bucket Challenge' has started in India.Someone who believes that India is still a poor country with poor people who needs rice to be donated for their survival,started to donate a bucketful of rice to the needy.They call it Rice Bucket Challenge'.
Great idea indeed !!
Now,in India,there is no dearth of either donors or receivers.Both givers and takers abound here.We have any number of rich people here who have the 'white card' which makes them eligible for receiving Government aid meant for poor people.They usually move in Benzs and BMWs but have no qualms in stopping happily near the 'Rice Bucket Challenge' tent to collect a bucket of rice.
I have an ancient doubt which,of late,has gained enough strength. Do poor people really exist in India now?- is the doubt.Let us have a look around the country.
Every poor house has color TV now,if possible the 42 inches HD one with cable network.If any citizen is devoid of such a one,some state Governments are making him self-sufficient by supplying one freely.Every house has more than four mobile phones each having four sim cards.Every new launch of a new mobile has instant takers in India.The Chinese brand MI.3 is the latest example.It is not an exaggeration to say that every Indian home now has enough old mobile sets to open a mobile shop without buying stocks.Every house has four two wheelers and two or more four wheelers.
Where are poor people in India?
Nonetheless,there are villages,even now,which have no facility of clean drinking water.But,there exists a wine shop in each of those villages,invariably.If not,the earlier Governments encouraged them. By evening, you can see all these wine shops vibrant with all kinds of men,sometimes with women,often with college girls who abscond from classes to have a sip of beer over there.
There is one challenge that has been alive in our country as far back I could see conveniently.It is Wine Bucket Challenge.You need none to invite you for this.In fact,we voluntarily rush forward to participate in this grand challenge.This has been so since the time we got independence.
Is Ice Bucket Challenge relevant to India which suffers from acute water shortage in hundrends of villages and towns? No. Is 'Rice Bucket Challenge' really necessary for today's Indians? The answer again, is a big loud 'NO'.
Just because someone is ready to donate out of his idle enthusiasm which is more often than not a vague and unrealistic estimation of the ground reality,someone is ready to accept.Just because there are givers,there are takers.In my view, there is no poor man now in India.
One of my friends from USA landed last year in India on a visit.He said-"Since my last visit a few years back,I find a great change in our country.Now I daresay that we in USA are poorer than most of you people here."
I am not certain,if the world really needs Ice Bucket Challenge or Rice Bucket Challenge or Wine Bucket Challenge.But there is one challenge which every human being badly needs.
It is called 'Wise Bucket Challenge'.
This challenge means-living wisely and encouraging your fellow citizens to live wisely.To live according to the age old precepts of Sanatana Dharma is all about Wise Bucket Challenge.Every citizen of the world,without any exception,needs to accept this challenge.
There is an English Idiom called 'Kicking the bucket'.We know what it means.Everyone who took birth has to die one day.'Wise Bucket Challenge' urges you to empty your bucket by the time you leave this world.
You can empty your bucket only when you live wisely.This is possible only when you live your life in Jnana and do your Karma with Jnana.Only then your Karmic Balance starts reducing.If you live a life that is full of Ajnana then by the time you die,your Karmic balance will increase a thousandfold and you leave this world with a heavy load of accumulated karma.
We came into this world with a big bucket full of past Karma.If we live unwisely,then we tend to accumulate more and more bad Karma everyday.By the time we leave from the world,we are sure to leave with a tank full of bad karma on our heads.In such a condition no one knows what our next birth is going to be.
Conversely,if we want to get out with no luggage on our back,then we have to live everyday of our life wisely,making it a life of Yoga.Only then,we will be able to win this challenge.
You need not nominate anybody for this challenge,for nomination cannot be done in this game.This challenge is something that should come out from within on its own with no provocation from outside.
Ice Bucket Challenge may spread awareness to eradicate ALS disease.Wise Bucket Challenge also does the same.In my books,ALS means Ajnana Lampata Syndrome i.e Ignorance and Craving Syndrome.One who can accept this challenge will be free from ignorance and craving.
He becomes Atmarama or one who is self contented and blissful with no reason at all.
I am not sure about the possible results of Ice Bucket Challenge or Rice Bucket Challenge,but sure about Wise Bucket Challenge.It surely and quickly removes our fundamental disease i.e ignorance.
Let us look into the Bhagavad Gita at 10th chapter :Sloka 11 where the Lord says:
"Teshaam anukampaardhamaham ajnaanajam tamaha
naashayaamyaatma bhaavastho jnaana deepena bhaasvataa"
(Taking pity on them,I reside in their hearts and remove the darkness of ignorance from there,with the effulgence of wisdom)
The Lord Himself encourages us to take up this challenge and assures that he would be our strength in times of distress.
In another verse,He Himself explained the hurdles that torment us without allowing us to accept and win this challenge.Let me look into Gita again at 14th chapter 8th verse.
Tamastu ajnanajam viddhi mohanam sarva dehinaam
pramaada aalasya nidrabhi: tannibadhnaathi bharatha
(O son of India.Know what prevents you from leading a spiritual life.It is these three.Carelessness,delay and sloth-these three spring out from Ignorance and act as hurdles in spiritual path)
Pramada is the careless attitude which abhors spiritual quest.
Alasya is the laziness in sadhana.
Nidra is the sloth that makes us dull and disinterested in sadhana.
These three,the Lord says,spring out from Ignorance and stop you at every step from advancing in spiritual life.
So when you take up Wise Bucket Challenge,your inner WBC count will increase in a healthy manner that armors you with new strength to withstand the vagaries of life.It protects you from falling prey to spiritual ignorance.
The Lord is calling us since times immemorial to accept this challenge.But none seems to listen to Him.
Tasmaath Ajnana sambhootham hritstham jnaanaasinaatmanaha
chitvainam samshayam yogamaatthisto tishta bharatha
The Lord exhorts.
O son of India.Get up.Cut with the sword of spiritual knowledge the doubts that spring up from primordial ignorance and linger in your heart.Take the help of Yoga and fight the war of life with it.
This I call-"Wise Bucket Challenge"
Our age old Dharma is beckoning us.Our ancient seers are calling us to accept this challenge.
But who cares to listen?
Every one is ready to accept either Ice Bucket Challenge or Rice Bucket Challenge.No one is ready for 'Wise Bucket Challenge'.
Is there anybody out there who can take up this challenge?