It has been stated over and over again by some members of this research group over the media that these research results have been based on assumptions and advice received from divine godly forces. At times the present dean of the Faculty of Science, the leader of this research group, had also openly stated to the media that they do not accept the principles and methodology of the globally recognized scientific methods taught within the Faculty of Science. It is evident that these statements and actions have led to a very bad impression about the University of Kelaniya in general and the Faculty of Science in particular, among the public and the scientific community. Not only does this situation degrade the reputation of the Faculty which was achieved with great effort in the last 45 years, but also jeopardizes the recognition of the graduates passing out from the Faculty in future.’
by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam
1. Professor Nalin De Silva to Reconcile Science & Belief
2. President Mahinda Rajapakse to Reconcile UN Values & Confidential use of Sovereignty
(July 25, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) I write in response to the article ‘A New Messiah in Nalin De Silva ’ by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, published in Sri Lanka Guardian.
I did read some of Professor Nalin De Silva’s work published in the Sri Lanka Guardian but did not think much about it until I read the above caption. ‘Messiah????’ I went back and read again and registered yet again the haste with which status seems to be allocated within the ruling classes under threat. Is it a sign of lack of self confidence?
I recall reading the article ‘A threat to the credibility of the University of Kelaniya’, in which the author says ‘the studies conducted by some researchers of the Faculty of Science of the University of Kelaniya on Kidney disease in Rajarata area and their findings have received immense media attention and has led to a controversy in the country.
It has been stated over and over again by some members of this research group over the media that these research results have been based on assumptions and advice received from divine godly forces. At times the present dean of the Faculty of Science, the leader of this research group, had also openly stated to the media that they do not accept the principles and methodology of the globally recognized scientific methods taught within the Faculty of Science. It is evident that these statements and actions have led to a very bad impression about the University of Kelaniya in general and the Faculty of Science in particular, among the public and the scientific community. Not only does this situation degrade the reputation of the Faculty which was achieved with great effort in the last 45 years, but also jeopardizes the recognition of the graduates passing out from the Faculty in future.’
Today I learnt that the head of the above mentioned team is the Dean of Science of the University of Kelaniya - Professor Nalin De Silva.
Dr. Karunaratne says in regards to the above ‘I find it amusing that a giant philosopher of the Sinhala patriotism has become a great villain in the eyes of those who considered him to be some sort of messiah that has emerged to save the country from Tamil nationalism.'
Professor Nalin De Silva wrote about the LTTE ‘It is well known that the LTTE made use of three hundred thousand innocent people as a human shield during the last stages of the operations and the Sri Lankan government took a long time to defeat the LTTE as it did not want to cause any harm to the innocent Tamils.’
Having worked with the IDPs in the camps and their families, I am not able to identify with the above statement by Professor Nalin De Silva. In terms of Scientific / Objective evidence I have not seen any that would confirm the above claim. My knowledge about ‘outsiders’ and belief about ‘insiders’ help me adjust the validity of statements by others. Through belief if I am able to identify with what they say and do, without needing any calculations – to me we are of one belief in that part of the issue. To me therefore – the above statement by Professor Nalin De Silva meant that we were not of the one belief. This further confirmed to me that in Professor Nalin De Silva’s position, I would not have expressed as he has.
As part of a University – Professor Nalin De Silva had the responsibility to publish his work – showing the connection between cause and effect and confirming this connection where required through objectively measurable input and output.
Divine Godly forces may have influenced him to do the work – but to show that as the influence – the field of study ought to have been Theology and not Science. In Science also there is faith/belief component. This needs to be shown through subjects who are already accepted as pioneers in that field of Science. Our belief in them are those divine forces.
The above expressions about the LTTE need to be proven through Objectively Measurable evidence – given that Professor Nalin De Silva is an ‘outsider’ to the Tamil Community. The Government may not have wanted to cause harm to innocent civilians. But given what happened, we have concluded that the Government was not committed to protecting civilians above defeating LTTE. Commitment would have confirmed need.
When one identifies with what happens as if s/he had had the experience – and does not need to see or know the connection to do this – this identity is based on belief. We may see, hear etc. through our senses and/or know through our intellect and then believe when we have traveled past the middle point of our search and become conscious of a connection. The level at which we receive what happened depends on where we are at in this path – of Body, Mind and Soul. That which is received at Body level is hearsay/gossip; at mind level is knowledge and identified with at soul level is wisdom.
Those who already believe – are able to bring it out as knowledge and / or produce the outcomes that others can see, hear, touch etc. In a University environment – we do Research until we find the Truth/Believe through our own work. Then we are ready to Teach and Show others.
To me it is no coincidence that today when I was referring to articles in this regard, I came across an article in Sri Lanka Guardian by K.S. Sivakumaran of Colombo – entitled ‘The Mystery Behind the Siva Lingam’ . Sivakumaran writes ‘A friend of mine asked me why the Hindus worship the Sivalingam enshrined in Hindu Siva Temples. I couldn’t give her a satisfying answer although the phallic symbol represents Lord Siva. I merely told her this as a response to her poser. Reading on the subject I gathered from the Internet some information which I shall share with you.’
I myself have shared my realizations about Siva-Lingam with many – including Academics of the University of NSW as well as with fellow Sri Lankans through the electronic media. I shared not only the Siva-Lingam form of Lord Shiva but also the Natraj (Dancing Shiva) form. Professor David Miller of the University of NSW who came home to empathize with me during my early days of the painful experience at the University, showed awareness and knowledge of Lord Natraj. Lord Natraj is the presiding Form of Divinity included in the logo of our organization Australian Tamil Management Service.
I started realizing reasons for Divine representations during the early hours of the morning during the period of deep pain relating to the University of NSW. I was born into a Hindu family but I did not gain formal knowledge of Hindu religion through the education system nor through personal reading on my part. Like majority members of Hindu religion I believed through fulfillment of needs in which fulfillment I did not consciously know the connection between cause and effect – as to the reason why - on the basis of my intellect and/or through the influence of particular subject/s. In terms of Hinduism itself I did have much formal knowledge. I believed on the basis of my personal experience.
Hence when I had these realizations that was a new experience for me. One such realization was about the Siva-Lingam. I had heard and registered that the Siva-Lingam represented Creativity – through the male reproductive organ. But it was only after the realizations I identified with the base the female form of creativity. It’s only today that I read about this in Sivakumaran’s article in which he quotes ‘The lingam arises out of the base (Yoni) which represents Parvati according to some or Vishnu, Brahma in female and neuter form according to others.’
Until today, I did not know that others also had this knowledge. To me that realization was due to Divine forces. They helped me give form as academics do to their own discoveries. To me it is inner research. Some call it telepathy.
About Natraj – my realization is that the five forms of Energy are personified in Dancing Shiva. I realized also that the path connecting Hindu Holy Trinity – Brahma-Vishu-Shiva – is an Ellipse - as in the Solar system as well as in the Lingam form of Shiva. If we start at the navel / belly button (seat of Brahma) and trace the child coming out into the world and taking in information / knowledge from the outside and purifying it through the Intellect/Third Eye (Shiva) which then resides as wisdom in the Chest – as Lakshmi – Female Vishnu – the path is an ellipse.
I realized also that the forms of animals outside the Altar of Hindu Deity – were the forms personifying the opposite Guna/attribute personified by the Deity. They are called ‘vehicles’. Lord Muruga with six faces for example – represented egoless attribute/Guna. The six faces denote 360 degree view – required for Objective Judgment and hence there is no room for ego. The peacock outside Muruga’s shrine is known to be ‘proud’. The message is that we must travel (hence the animal being called the vehicle) on our pride to Observe and Register the Truth. Lord Ganesh with elephant face personifies deepest memory (the elephant being the one with deepest memory in the animal kingdom) and therefore respects Parents and Ancestors as His world. His mouse outside – has only surface memory – as in a computer mouse. Today’s secular representation of ancient Ganesh and mouse – is the Computer and mouse
Sivakumaran quotes in regards to the animal form in front of Shiva shrine – “Nandi, the bull is depicted facing the sanctum in all Saivite temples, symbolizing the human soul Jeevatma yearning for realizing its oneness with Paramatma, the ultimate reality."
Another name for Siva is Love (hence the Phallic form). In marriage the parallel of Body Mind and Soul - is Sex, Attraction and Love. Bull/Nandi represents physical level reproduction and Lord Shiva who conquers (through meditation) all five senses towards One mind which merges with the Soul – personifies Eternal/Exponential Reproduction. I have observed some Hindus (especially Indians) looking at Siva-Lingam through the space between Nandi’s two horns. This as per my thinking denotes that we need to use our mind purified by the intellect the Third Eye to realize Truth/Love. This to me is the reason why the University of Jaffna has Nandi in its logo. We, the Australian Tamil Management Service who are channel partners of University of Technology Sydney-Insearch also carry Nandi in our logo. Others may give other reasons as per their beliefs and they would all be right so long as they are based on belief. They are different forms of One belief.
Belief is the feeling of confirmation for which we are not able to see a logical reason (connection between cause and effect) after genuinely seeking to know a reason and / or see a specific objectively measurable connection. Superstition on the other hand is thinking and expressing without exhausting one’s own avenues to know and/or ‘see’ a reason that shows the connection.
To me, Dr. Karunaratne’s statement that Professor Nalin De Silva is a Messiah is an expression of superstition. Likewise, Professor Nalin De Silva’s statement about the LTTE who to me were purified by Lord Shiva because they were buried in Nandi Kadal. My expression is an expression of belief because I sought and exhausted all avenues available to me to find the reason/the connection for the fate of my people, that I needed to show others.
The Sri Lankan Government claimed Sovereignty towards Confidential Action. To the extent it was based on belief that the LTTE were Terrorists – they would have been entitled to that action to protect the whole country – as head of a family might discipline/punish within. But once the Government started expressing victory – it started confirming that it lacked that belief and hence needed to show through objective global measures – the connection between cause and effect in terms of every civilian – taking that last battle as a project and not an ongoing program. Likewise, Professor Nalin De Silva in terms of his declarations re Rajarata Kidney Disease. If Professor Nalin De Silva is Messiah to some, then President Mahinda Rajapakse would be Head of UN to his voters.
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