A Free Man's Worship (Hindi/हिंदी में)

In his profound philosophical essay, Bertrand Russell explores the human condition within a purposeless universe. He begins by recounting a myth told by Mephistopheles to Dr. Faustus, wherein the Creation is depicted as a cruel play staged by a deity for his own amusement. In this tale, God grows weary of the predictable praises of angels and decides to create a world of "monstrous" struggle where beings are tortured yet still feel compelled to worship him. After billions of years of cosmic evolution—from swirling nebulae to boiling seas—Man is born with the "knowledge of good and evil" and a desperate need for purpose. Ultimately, this divine play ends with the total destruction of the solar system, only for the deity to decide to perform the cruel drama again.Russell argues that the world presented by modern Science is even more void of inherent meaning than this myth. Humanity is merely the product of causes with no "prevision of the end they were achieving," and our hopes, fears, and beliefs are simply the "outcome of accidental collocations of atoms". No amount of human heroism or genius can preserve a life beyond the grave or save the "temple of Man’s achievement" from inevitable burial beneath the debris of a ruined universe. Russell maintains that any viable philosophy must be built upon the "scaffolding of these truths" and a "firm foundation of unyielding despair".Despite being a powerless creature in an alien world, Man possesses a unique superiority over the "blind" and "omnipotent" forces of Nature. While Nature is unconscious, Man is gifted with sight and the capacity to judge the works of his "unthinking Mother". This freedom allows us to examine, criticize, and create through imagination during our brief years of existence.Russell tracks the evolution of worship from the "savage," who prostrates himself before raw power and "jealous gods" out of fear, to a more moral religion. The "Religion of Moloch" represents the cringing submission of a slave to a master who inflicts pain. However, as morality matures, humans begin to realize that "Power is largely bad" and must choose between worshipping mere Force or worshipping "Goodness"—a God that is essentially the "creation of our own conscience". True freedom lies in the determination to worship only the ideals created by our own love of the good.While we must physically submit to the "tyranny of outside forces," our thoughts and aspirations remain free from the "petty planet" on which we crawl. Wisdom, according to Russell, is found in the "submission of our desires" rather than our thoughts. By practicing "renunciation," we accept that the world was not made solely for our happiness and that Fate may forbid the things we crave. This resignation opens the "gate of wisdom," allowing the mind to contemplate beauty and create art. Russell highlights "Tragedy" as the most triumphant of arts because it builds a "shining citadel" in the very heart of the enemy’s country—the realm of Death and Pain—and turns suffering into a spectacle of beauty.The Past also holds a "magical power" in this philosophical framework. Because it is motionless and silent, the past is "eternal" and pure, where petty failures fade away and only the "beautiful and eternal shine out like stars". For a soul that has conquered Fate, the beauty of the past becomes a "key of religion".Finally, Russell emphasizes the solidarity that arises from our "common doom". Recognizing that human life is a "long march through the night" surrounded by "invisible foes," we should feel a profound tie to our fellow marchers. Our time to help one another is brief, as comrades are snatched away one by one by the "silent orders of omnipotent Death". Instead of judging the merits of others, we should focus on their needs and "lighten their sorrows by the balm of sympathy".