Today there is an urgent need for a spiritual upliftment of the world. As Swami Sivananda has explained in his book: Moral and Spiritual Regeneration of the World, the masses today have to be weaned from hedonistic ways of thinking and acting like beasts. Since the soul of each person is Divine, therefore the way to bring out right tendencies in humanity is through an intense spiritual and moral education.
Today the fabric of society is being ripped apart by many social evils, including the twin evils of prostitution and pornography. India especially holds the sorry distinction of being the world’s largest consumer of pornography. A consequence of which has been that India in the last 2 decades has seen a tremendous jump in gang rapes and subsequent murders of women. Nothing has helped dehumanize women in the eyes of men as much as pornography. It has trained men to perceive women as objects to be used for sexual gratification and discarded. The woman is no longer a “Devi”, as our Rishis imagined her to be. She is no longer a human being with emotions and feelings, worthy of respect. Pornography has reduced her to a use and throw object.
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Now in the enclosed essay Swami Sivananda has commented on the problem of prostitution. Pornography in his time was not as widespread as it is today, chiefly due to the modern spread of mobile phones and the internet. Still after reading his essay on the problem of prostitution and we can easily extrapolate to the even bigger threat that pornography poses to human society.
Man, who is essentially divine, forgot all about his divine nature on account of ignorance and is whirling in the whirlpool of little vulgar pleasures. Prostitution is a great social evil. It must be entirely stopped through proper understanding and education.
It spoils the whole fabric of the society and undermines the integrity of the nation at large. It is the cause for the widespread havoc of the two important venereal diseases, gonorrhoea and syphilis, which destroy the health of men and women and make them wrecks with dilapidated frame, and ill health throughout their lives.
People who contract venereal diseases suffer in silence. They feel ashamed to consult the doctor in time and they allow the disease to strike deep root in their system. Various complications arise and the blood is surcharged with venereal poison or germs. Bones and internal organs are affected. They spend lots of money in testing their blood. They take recourse to injections but they prove futile.
Even men who have got their wives lead a life of dissipation. What a great shame! They have taken a pledge before the scared fire that they would be true to their wives and yet they lead a life of immorality. As they have no self-restraint they communicate the disease to their innocent wives. They also suffer in silence. They get abortions and still-births. Their children also get congenital syphilis.
Once a man gets caught in the grip of prostitution, he becomes a beast. He is turned into an Asuric being. He completely loses his moral sense and becomes shameless. He stops at nothing. He takes to drinking, gambling, stealing, and even commits murder. A life of Adharma thus destroys the strength and heroism of man. Dharma alone can give man the courage and the power to fight and triumph over such deep-rooted evils.
Prostitution today is encouraged by making it a recognized, licensed profession. Instead of striving to eradicate the evil they have gone to accept it as something inevitable. Such is the moral bankruptcy of mankind.
O young man! Have you understood now the disastrous effects of an immoral life? Will you take a vow now that you will lead a pure life and be true to your wife (Ekapatni Vrata)? O College boys! Beware, do not become victims of gonorrhoea and syphilis. Your life will be spoiled. Learn the ways of self-control. Be regular in Japa, Kirtan, meditation and study of holy scriptures.
O fallen sisters! Do not sell your body. Rise high. Walk on the footsteps of Sita, Damayanti, Anasuya, Mira. You are all daughters of mother Durga. You are worshipful divine Mothers. Know your real essential nature and lead a virtuous life and become divine Mothers.
May this world be free from prostitution of any kind! May you all lead a life of purity and righteousness and thus attain freedom, perfection and sweet harmony. You are the future citizens of the world. You are the hope and glory of India. Be pure. Be chaste. Be Virtuous. Be righteous. You will reach the peak of perfection and divine glory. Do not spoil this precious life in gratification of the flesh. Soar high in the realms of spirituality.
From the book: Moral and Spiritual Regeneration of the World by Swami Sivananda
