Dandavata to all our modern day Achaaryas on Facebook, who selflessly work at sharing their wisdom with upstarts like me. Their wisdom alone motivates us to study and share things for the common good of all Bharatiyas.
There are two instances which triggerred this post.
Referring to our brave soldiers, who lost their lives in the cowardly Pulwaama attack by the Jehaadis, as Shaheeds/Martyrs.
Referring to Head Constable Late Shri. Ratanlal, who was killed by the coward Jehadi stone pelters in Delhi, as a Shaheed/Martyr.
Let us take a look at the exact meanings of these words, before we get into discussion mode
Martyr - Note the religious connotation in the word
Shaheed - A martyr for Islam
Some insights into Shaheed, from Devdutt Pattanaik
Having seen that these two oft used terms have religious connotations, one can only wonder how certain terms gain such widespread acceptance in our daily usage.
Anyone with sanity will now realise that we need better alternatives for these terms. Considering that English speakers never felt a need to create a new word for a person who lays down his life for a just cause, let us see if we have any valid alternatives we can use.
An alternative for us is from a not so remote episode. Note the last line which makes it clear what mindset Mr. Pattanaik and the modern discourse setting 'intellectuals' think of this as.
Those who died demanding Mumbai be made part of the Maharashtra State in 1960 were also declared martyrs, but they were not called shaheed. They were called ‘hutatma’, an uncommon Sanskrit word which means ‘sacrificing (huta) soul (atma)’. The creation of this new word for martyrdom reveals a shift from the Hindu discourse of letting go to the increasingly popular Hindutva discourse of clinging on.
Now look at how such terms too have been corrupted, due to the prevalence of Shaheed/Martyr.
Language used in civilization should be used to accurately describe ideas. Everyone communicating in a language should make an effort to check if the words being used are right or not. New terms can be readily formulated using existing ones, if there are no words to describe something accurately.
Keeping this in mind, i suggest Hutaatma or Veer Balidaani should be used by Bharatiyas, to refer to anyone who lays down his life for a just cause.
UttishTha Bharata!!
