It's the second week of August. Aadi maasam (as we say in Tamil) is coming to an end. This heralds the whole procession of Hindu festivals -- starting from Varalakshmi Nombu to Gokulashtami to Ganesha Chathurthi to Navarathri and then Deepavali and Pongal. Attractive traditions and colourful rituals will be on display -- beautifully drawn kolams, mango leaves adorning doorways, the smell of incense and fresh flowers ... It is wonderful to soak in the festive air. I have always loved some of these traditions for their own sake -- not necessarily in a religious context. Drawing a kolam or decorating lamps with flowers is beautiful in itself -- apart from evoking a lot of childhood memories ... and hopefully, making a few memories for my daughter ...
In my opinion, rituals and religion are often mistaken, each for the other. One should do what one wants to -- irrespective of anyone else's approval or otherwise ! I think prayer, and in general, one's relationship with God, is something that is intensely personal. Whether you believe in God, to what extent you believe in Him, how often you go to a temple, how you pray at home, whether you pray daily -- are your own business and nobody else's. I, for one, pray when I feel like it -- and don't stick to any fixed schedule -- either at home, or in a temple. Basically, what you believe in and what you do when you think noone's watching -- that's who you are -- and yes, that is your own business ...
Talking about this brings to mind a mythological story I have loved as a child -- one about Rishi Narada, who is Lord Vishnu's most renowned devotee:
Once Narada asks Lord Vishnu to name his greatest devotee, fully expecting to hear the Lord say his own name. He is taken aback when Vishnu says that it is a farmer. Narada wants to meet him and so, he and Vishnu, go to the farmer's house in disguise. He welcomes them and invites them to stay at his house. Narada notices that the farmer takes the Lord's name only twice or thrice in the course of a whole day. He asks Vishnu to explain how the farmer could be His greatest devotee -- in view of the fact that Narada ceaselessly recites "Narayana, Narayana" -- again, a well-documented fact in all ancient religious texts. Vishnu says he will clarify after Narada completes a simple task -- that of carrying a pot filled to the brim with oil on his head while going around the Lord's temple prahaaram thrice -- without spilling even a drop of oil. So, Narada sets out on this task -- and considers it a job well-done when he completes it -- without a single drop of oil spilt. Jubilant, he asks Vishnu to now rationalize his choice of greatest devotee. At which point, Lord Vishnu asks Narada how many times he took the Lord's name while he went around the temple with the oil pot -- Narada answers that he had to focus on not spilling any oil and so did not recite His name even once. Vishnu points out that the farmer takes his name a few times inspite of all that he needs to do in the course of his daily routine. It is this aspect of his devotion -- the fact that he still takes His name inspite of a rather punishing daily schedule as well as the fact that when he does take His name, he does so whole-heartedly -- that makes the farmer the greater devotee in the eyes of the Lord.
Well, that's it for now. I intend to write more about rituals and religion later -- I have an abiding interest in the theme. Happy festive season !
