During my visit to the store today, I realized that I had nearly forgotten my phone number. Before I could record it at the billing counter, it took me almost two minutes to recall. While packing the things, I felt questioned about my unexpected memory loss. Must I attribute it to stress? Or should I ascribe it to an illness? I realized that the problem was with my Android phone.
No… I was the culprit.
I was puzzled by my abrupt memory loss, even though I remember that I was able to recall every phone number with STD and ISD codes. I realized that I now rely too heavily on my Android device for everything I do.
How can my brain be controlled by my phone?
Vyasa prayed to Brahma when he had the idea for the Mahabharata. He requested that Brahma serve as his scribe. Brahma advised him to give Ganesha, the Destroyer of all barriers, his best prayers. Ganesha instantly agreed, feeling happy.
"Vyasa, you have given me a tremendous task," Ganesha remarked. I now have the responsibility of carrying it on my shoulder and ensuring that the narrative meets your standards. However, I have one requirement. You should never stop reciting your work; even if you take a second to halt, I will instantly vanish.”
Quick to respond, the learned Vyasa said, "Dear Ganesha, I bow my head in acceptance. However, I would want to insist that you comprehend every word before writing.”
In this manner, anytime Ganesha considered the academic lines, the great master would have time to compose his composition. As a result, the great master dictated the Mahabharata to Ganesha, transforming it into a literary form. Print media did not exist at the time. However, that didn't allow them to obstruct what ought to be passed on to future generations. It was necessary to transmit knowledge. Vyasa taught his son Shuka the epic. The Gandarvas, Kinnaras, Devas, and Yakshas were among the celestial entities who learned it from Shuka. There were numerous other disciples on the list in addition to them. Many higher-level Devas are said to have received it from the sage Narada.
In King Janamejaya's (Parikshit's son) royal hall, Vaishampayana, the most eminent disciple of Vyasa, recited the magnificent epic. Scholars like Vyasa, Shuka, and Suta propagated the epic, which is still considered India's finest literary foundation. It was not a digital age when the learned intellectuals lived. Their knowledge was stored in their brain. Our great ancestors are the reason we are still reading these episodic stories today. They are not only historical narratives meant to earn the best ratings on the "Good reads" platform. Our forefathers presented these ideas with careful consideration to support the preservation of this country's culture and integrity. Their thoughtful understanding, greater experience, and sense of something bigger than life are all reflected in the writing.
I returned to the present. Suddenly it struck me hard; ‘How long will it take me to forget myself at this rate?’
We are fortunate to be able to communicate with people all across the world in this era of digitalization. Technology is the new utility, but do we have the definition of utility wrong? I think we will soon give birth to a generation devoid of intelligence if we don't wake up and recognize that we are becoming slaves to the robots in our hands. In the future, we might be controlled by robots instead of Vyasas and Shukas.
In the absence of a generation of Vyasas and Shukas, let the future be filled with intelligent individuals rather than one that is characterized by memory loss and nothing else!
Think smart…. Utility or Slavery?