From Politics To Spirituality: Control, Unhappiness And Dharmic Path Forward

Whether in Bengal last year or Nepal now, we are witnessing violent, undemocratic regime changes orchestrated by fringe elements and international control freaks seeking to topple democratically elected governments. While these regimes may have flaws requiring correction, such methods are deeply concerning.

What connects this political analysis to spirituality? Human beings are basically limited and unhappy creatures. Many believe one’s happiness depends on controlling one’s immediate environment and those around us. Some arrangement of the environment is understandable, but when this becomes excessive, we become control freaks.

This manifests everywhere: partners trying to control and change each other, parents trying to control their children, children rebelling against parents, the deep state engineering regime changes, or one old, rich man attempting to control international currency and trade. All these are unhappy human beings who believe they will find happiness only by reshaping the world to their requirements.

Even those working for positive change suffer from this tendency, though to a lesser extent. The crucial difference is that positive change-makers work for the greater good, not mere individual control.

What is the solution? First, whatever change we seek in our environment and relationships should be grounded in dharma—universal ethics and principles that generate positive transformation.

Second, we must study the spiritual truths revealed in the Upanishads and Sanatana Dharma to discover oneself as free from insecurity and finitude, recognising our nature as pure Ananda. This represents an individual solution, because, ultimately, the problem is individual.

At the social level, challenges can be managed through increasingly dharmic principles operating not only in individual lives but also at social, national, and international levels. True transformation begins within, radiating outward through righteous action rather than forceful control.

Guiding Light: Pitru Paksham

The path forward lies not in dominating others or circumstances, but in understanding our essential nature and acting from dharmic principles that serve the collective good while honouring and discovering individual freedom and dignity.

The writer is the founder of Aarsha Vidya Foundation. You can write to him at aarshavidyaf@gmail.com