God of Gold

“Devotion” towards God is showed ostentatiously these days. We have large Puja organised havans broadcast live on television, elaborate preparations , publicity advertising. Allegiance towards God is worn on the sleeve, often coming off as jarring tilaks , braclets,pendants. Now a day’s people subscribe to Mantras on sms, patronise “yoga joints” (especially since it has caught up in the US). A yardstick of your love for God is the amount of money you put on this show. Recently a 15lakh cell phone was offered to SiddhiVinayak, the Sai Baba of Shirdi is ordained with numerous Gold offerings, Jain temples springing up in Italian marble. Diamond studded crowns, Gold Kalases. E-bookings, online darshans.
This is what it has come to, instead of we becoming God-like, we have begun portraying God as a market traded commodity. For a great soul who stood naked under a tree for 12 straight years to seek the Absolute we cast him in silk and jewellery. For the Buddha who renounced everything thing we now try trapping him in 24 karat metals. For the Sai baba who lived his whole life in a single garb and slept on barren stone today glitters fancy silk ware and expensive ornaments. Don’t you think somewhere we have missed the point. In our zeal to show our love for him we have made him a mannequin of our own imagination!
Gautama Buddha, was a prince , who did not know what sickness or death meant till he was a young man. He was that ignorant initially , still gained the final knowledge only because he seeked in the right way. Can you realize that his whole life is like a message for us to do the same and true devotion to him would be following his life and introspect so as to improve our own. Do you think he would even care how much money you put in his donation box at the temple?
They came to show us the way, and not for us to pride in our showcases !

Saying Hi to God....

“Jai Sri Krishna” , “Jai Mahavir” ,”Jai Mata di” , “Jai SiaRam” are popular salutary greeting used widely across India. Often used in place of “Hi” or “Hello” , they have been around for years.
Most of us do it as part of a tradition handed down to us by our parents. We consider it as a way of showing respect to elder. Yet the initial idea for the same remains unknown to most of us.
Religions acknowledge the divinity present in each human being. God is present in you , in me and every other manifestation of his creation. When you say “Ram Ram” you are actually saying that “ I am Ram , You are Ram.” Greeting someone with “Jai Sri Krishna “ is actually praising the Lord present within her/him. A fact often overlooked. For the same reasons some cultures require you to apologise if you touch another person with you feet. However unless you are aware of its true essence most of these practises are nothing but empty rituals, void of any meaning. You might as well greet someone as “Shahrukh Khan” and win over some brownie points. But if you do accept each person as a image of God, may your devotion to her/him go beyond your first three words!