Sunday, September 20, 2009

Bhagwan apne gadhe ko halwa khilata hai !

Its that time of year when Gods and Godesses are intensively worshipped...whether navratras ramzan or deewali. All of us make all kinds of arrangements –to pray elaborately, eat mercilessly and buy lavishly.
Wonder on what basis they (Gods) allot their blessings. The magnitude of the puja celebrations or the intensity of prayers!!!
Wonder how ‘He’ or ‘She’ can discern between genuine prayers and flamboyant prayers
Do the Gods recognize rituals and traditions or do they see the sincerity in one’s prayers?
Or do they measure their blessings according to the number of ‘delicacy prasadams’ that we make. My rationalistic mind does not encourage me to follow rituals. Because I have seen different rituals followed for the same festival in different regions. Prasadams are also different in these regions.
Since I have almost lived in most of the regions of our country, I am a little confused as to which ritual was actually asked by God to follow or to who He said that he likes ‘Modak” or ‘Bobbatlu n Boorelu” .
Small things like the direction of the coconut or a banana while offering to God or the tail of the coconut should be retained or not, whether oil lamps can be lit by agarbattis-I have so many doubts as to what God actually prefers.
I also wonder if ‘He’ or ‘She’ like the dances we present in the name of celebrations. Some dance for bollywood tunes, some in regional languages, and what not in the name of God!
If God is very particular about how much I fast, how many delicacies I can cook, or how elaborate are my arrangements for the puja and how expensive are my new clothes –in giving ‘His’ blessings-then I am sure I am not on His list of blessings.
I can neither cook well nor follow the rituals. I can only pray sincerely and I can preserve the mother nature that ‘He’ has given so lovingly to all of us. All I can offer are the pure fruits that ‘He’ has gifted to us.
We were once having a discussion on why many undeserving people are blessed by God with riches and many deserving people are given harsh time
.


A friend came out with a witty but most right reply. ‘Bhagwan apne gadhe ko halwa khilata hai’! This means that God gives halwa to His donkeys and love to His genuine followers.

I don’t miss the halwa because I can feel God’s blessings in so many ways. The kind of opportunities and life He has given me I am sure He doesn’t mind my policies on –no rituals, no caloried prasadams and no lavish expenditure!

I have a feeling that God wants ‘sincerity’ more than rituals. Good deeds more than elaborate arrangements. Feed the starved rather than feed the well fed!
We should give Him time to unwind and take a reality check instead of cluttering Him with different demands. Just like we take rash decisions when we are driven crazy, we should not harass Gods so much with our prayers that the famous English movie title ’Gods Must be crazy’ should not come true.
I guess the Gods also need rest after these intense invocations they have to succumb to - from every devout devotee.

If all of us do what we are suppose to do and help ourselves before seeking help, do what is right and at all times be human-I am sure God’s blessings are always on us. We don’t need to prove to Him through puja’s and bhajans. Our deeds talk more than our words. He has that all pervading eyes and His own judgement and I fully bow to that.

Episode punch

In the last 5 years I have seen 4 people who actually seem bigger than their human existence. God must have given them extra human genes compared to all of us.

When I drive back from work and if the time is after 6PM, near parade grounds, I see this almost 50 year old father, walking his 20+ handicapped son with immense patience and care. This is a sight I am seeing for the last 5 years. I keep saluting him whenever I pass by-not that he sees it but it is for my satisfaction.

I had this student called Sakshi Sareen-a 11 year old sweet docile girl, sadly, now late sakshi sareen. It is only when the girl came down with health problems did I know that she is an adopted child. The trauma of the parents when they realized that she does not have one kidney and their unconditional love when the mother donated her kidney to her adopted daughter- is something I can never forget.To have donated her kidney to an adopted daughter that too with no guarantee that it would be successful-I think is a great humane gesture. Sadly the girl did not survive the operation and my heart is still with that lady who was mourning when I went for the prayer for the young girl-gone! What humanity and what sacrifice!

There is this family who shifted from rural Andhra for better education for their only son. They struggled to make both ends meet. When the boy was in 4th the father was diagnosed with incurable cancer. The entire family-his family and her family were against her selling the only property they have to cope up with his treatment. But the lady is strong for which I admire her courage. Despite adversities and apprehensions she kept up her faith till the last moment. Sadly the person did not have longer life. Whenever I meet her I can only see the emotional strength she has.

And this smart young IT employee who donated her kidney to her husband and wears brighter smile than before. Her sensitive son who is in our Grade 4 now, and her ever obliged husband are her sources of strength I guess.

God bless them all.

12 comments:

Shailender Singh said...

Madam
Many times these questions come to my mind also.But I get more influenced by what elders say.I feel sad when I see people blindly following rituals and giving importance to them more than the puja.After reading your article I feel that I should also grow out of these blind rituals. I dont want to be Bhangwan's gadha. I want to be God's child.

you know who said...

you never cease to surprise me.One day you say quik gun murugan and the next you say bhagwan apne gadhe ko halwa khilata hai! Yeh kahan kahan se kahani banate ho? I would like to check that brain of urs.Please give me the privilege.

Ramakrishna S said...

Humanity is surviving because of people like those you mentioned in your episode punch.Hats off to them.

Himabindu D. said...

Ma'am we have all these lessons in our books especially Hindi where we learn morals like:
- God is in us and we don't need to search for him in temples,
- God is always where good is there
and all sorts of very deep moralising facts. I call these 'facts' even though they are not scientific because I feel that they are true. But I don't understand which one is right and which not. Maybe all are true and most probably they are but I feel very confused.

What I actually want to convey is that people should believe in GOD and his image or form should be in their hearts.

For those who do good and are also good, there will always be obstacles in your way. Those obstacles are just tests from GOD. After passing them, the divine one will give you a suitable and most wonderful reward, not because you only did something good but also because you have been sincere towards whatever work throughout.

Pratibha said...

Each one of us have to find our own way of connecting to God.He will get connected to us depending on the deeds we do.
It is important to be sincere to oneself.

Mamata Rao said...

Gandhiji said-one word of sincere prayer is better than thousand words of insincere prayer.Ofcourse we people will take some more time to reach that level of philosophy.until then we have to put up with Ganesh pandals with blaring bollywood music and durga puja pandals with bengalia and bollywood music. Actually its Gods who have to put up with them.

kavya said...

GOD ...the word itself gives us some strength that someone is always there with us to see and help what we are doing. I ask myself so many times whether to believe in god or not? Is that 'He' helps us only if we pray and do 'pujas' regularly?..recently when i was deeply thinking about it,i found an answer that we humans will be very happy when someone take the responsibility to make an event happen or something to go on properly.And most of the times we do the right things only when we know that someone is watching us or may be he or she 'punishes' us for doing something wrong[sins].Thus came the existence of GOD.The belief that 'he' is always there for the welfare of us ,makes us feel confident even at time of adversities and prepares us to face the problems or follow the right path with responsibility and dignity.So 'He' is just someone to give you moral support at times of need.Whether 'He' exists or not , the believe is just to make us feel confident.if you have enough of 'it' [self-confidence but not over-confidence] and feel that you can guide yourself, then you can trust yourself completely. But i feel that nothing can outnumber the amount of human greed...so most of the times instead of believing in oneself, people throw all the responsibility on GOD feeling that 'He' takes care even if one does wrong or make him or her overcome problems without taking risk or effort to their level best.there is also a famous saying that ''god helps those who helps themselves''.i feel that people become so busy with their daily routine with so much technology that they remember the word GOD only when they are in need or may be greed.Do the all the mistakes whatever you can and 'He' takes them away when you dip yourselves in holy river...most of the times, the present days are like that...not everyone one but most of them i believe..the school students are the best example, the temples are filled up at the time of exams - wishing that they pass in first class without minimum effort from them.So finally i came to a conclusion that whether GOD exists or not one should believe in oneself.May power and strength lead and bless us all.

JR said...

Seetha garu,
It feels consoling when I learn that there are people who think like me. I believe in God..a super natural power...but cannot follow the rituals...may be as you said somewhere deep in my mind I feel the same ke our good behaviour should be our tribute to the Lord for all oppotunities that he has showered on us...and not the length at which we chant the mantras that we don't even understand.

Unknown said...

"GOD"...'vry powerful!people say'...i donno hw do they say dat...bt i came to a conclusion dat "if i believe in god,then der's god for me...if i don't, then der's nothing called GOD."THIS IS MY OPINION...but if at all people think there's sumone called god , plz don't try to impress god for ur own benefits...try to help people[mankind] which is the most powerful than all other forces...i salute to all of them who hav done their bit to help mankind...i promise dat i ll do a bit of mine too...
BELIEVE IN GOD...BUT PLZZ DONT DEPEND ON GOD!!

"BELIEVE IN URSELF, THAN BLINDLY BELIEVING IN GOD!"


ur ever helpful student,
B.KAVYA[student co-ordinator]

S.Ramya said...

hi mam!!!!
"SEVICE TO MANKIND IS SERVICE TO GOD".i believe in this saying.
many times a question came to my mind that will god help people those who do puja's and bhajans or visit temples daily & so on ..........but later i found out that if we keep our devotion to god in ourselves its enough.i pity people who follow the riyuals and all the superstitions.i can never understan why they play bollywood rocking song with loud volumes during ganesh chathutrthi.i really got goosebumps while reading abot the people whom you mentioned in episode punch.I SALUTE TO THEM.
S.Ramya
X-C

Unknown said...

I believe God is impressed only by our unwavering trust, devotion and gratitude to Him and our unconditional love and compassion for all living beings. That doesn’t mean that God is craving for our trust & devotion. God doesn’t have any needs and He loves us even if we ignore Him. The problem is we do not have proper understanding of God nor are we aware of certain laws that govern our universe. All of this knowledge is readily available in the Holy Scriptures of all religions but where do we have time for God?

If we contemplate a little on what is at the very center of our life, we will realize that “I” is at the center of our life. It’s all about Me and My family, My career, My money, My possessions, My desires, wants & needs, My dreams, goals & ambition, My religion, My country, My language, My near & dear, My status & position, My appearance & reputation, My views, ideas & opinions, it’s all about My beliefs, My feelings and My pleasure. Every waking hour we’re conscious about it, thinking about it and we are deeply concerned about it. Each & every activity of ours is for the survival, satisfaction or for the preservation of self. So where’s the time for God? If at all we pray God it is for our survival, satisfaction & preservation.

Blessed are people who are ever grateful & thanking God every day of their life. Blessed are people who have made God the center of their lives. Blessed are people who are truly concerned about the survival, satisfaction and preservation of all and doing their bit to make this world a better place to live in! And Blessed are every human, animal, bird, every living being and every living organism because all are manifestations of Supreme God. God loves & treats every living being equally.

If only we could stop hating & looking down upon terrorists & criminals. If we could love & respect the good & the evil equally only then the evil would aspire to be good. If we could love & respect the beautiful & the ugly equally only then the ugly would learn see beauty within him. Without evil, good cannot be experienced. Without ugliness, beauty cannot be experienced and without suffering, bliss cannot be experienced. This is the great secret of life. So we need not despise or hate anyone or anything. Just love everyone equally and unconditionally. I believe this is the message of God.

Madam, I thank you sincerely & salute you for doing your bit to make this world a better place to live in. If I may suggest you please read ‘Conversation with God’ book 1, 2 and 3. I am sure you will find answers to all your questions regarding life and God. These books give us true understanding of God and it is a must read for someone like you.

May God Bless All. May God fulfill all your dreams. Get well soon.

Unknown said...

your article made me reflect and notice one very striking reality that the hands that led the humanity forward rarely folded to pray to god. ..perhaps because they were busy serving the mankind..people like mother theresa and gandhiji believed in god but they saw the god in every human being and realised the purpose of being born as His children. however in my opinion, any person who lives his life well and considers others life as well, gets both the halwa and the love of god ! However, Bhagwan never treats us as gadhas, because if he had treated us according to our acts, thoughts and actions, we would have already learnt our lessons ! we would have been more conscious and alert in whatever we do, think and speak.
akhila sagar