SERIOUSNESS IN RELIGION

Its diwali time! One of the major festivals in our country. With holidays and festive mood all around, you just can't avoid it.

This article is to make ourselves think on a few very important issues related to concept of God in Hindu scriptures and what we worship and how we worship.


Firstly, it is an absurd thought that some people don't find it important to know what their religious scriptures say. Think this way, to drive a car, one need to have a driving license i.e. a person first needs to learn how to drive. And what are religious texts or scriptures? The texts are those that are of central importance to various religious traditions. These texts are considered as sacred and as divinely inspired in the respective religions. Let us say for the beginning that these scriptures are inspired or revealed by God. But for whom? Of course for human beings to read, learn and implement. How can a Muslim claim to be a Muslim unless he knows what his scripture says? Similarly, how can a Hindu claim to be a Hindu if he does not know what his religious scripture says, what his God says, what to do and what not to do? Can I say that I love the movie '3 Idiots' without having watched it? It’s as simple as that.

We all want peace and harmony in this world. It is strange how some people say that religions should not be discussed as this can create problems. Such thinking is nothing but like closing your eyes to reality. You must have heard the saying that there is Ram in Ramzan and Ali in Diwali, so we should celebrate all. You want to play with letters and numbers? Or rather learn and explore your knowledge about your religion? And then see where we all stand? Why don't people discuss about God? It’s because they think its outdated in this modern times? Because there is no career in comparative religions study? Why when it comes to religions, we are more of just blind followers? We don't take these things seriously because no one told us to? Because you never saw an advertisement on T.V. promoting the importance of knowing God? Well at least I think it’s very important to know Who God is and What He wants us to do. The thousands and thousands of years old scriptures should be given due importance. The run behind money and entertainment is keeping us so much occupied that we don't have a pure heart to think about these things.

Here are a few outstanding quotations from Hindu scriptures which are remarkable. . .

The Upanishads are considered sacred scriptures by the Hindus."Ekkam eva advitiyam""(He is) One only without a second" says Chandogya Upanishad 6:2:1, "Na tasyapratimaasti" "There is no likeness of Him" describes Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:19, further it says in 6:9 "of Him there are neither parents nor lord"

Did you notice that these verses talk about One God without a second, who is unique, who has no partners nor does He needs to have children. Then from where the 33 crore gods and goddesses came from, which are believed to have been residing in India? And who have given the gender to God?

These verses are so logically true. I mean, the greatest thing about God is that He is unique...there is no one even like Him. He does not have a gender like male or female. He is high above the weakness to have a partner or to have children. No one gave Him birth because He is eternal and there is no beginning nor end to Him..

How can anyone who was born from someone else be God? Then who was God before God was born? And the one who gave birth to the God would be a bigger God and then there will be families and generations of god! That's a joke! No one can create God, He is the Creator. That is why He is absolutely One and everything else depends on Him.

Let us go further with the scriptures. Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:20 proclaims "His form is not to be seen; no one sees Him with the eye."

I hope that you have heard that God is unseen which means that no one has seen God! But then from where did we get all the pictures and forms of god when His form is not to be seen??? How come people make His images when there is no image of Him? It is amazing how we can find all the major religious scriptures saying that God is unseen.

Do you know that there was idol worshiping in Arab before Prophet Mohammad (The final Prophet of Islam, Peace Be Upon him)? People there used to make idols of their personal gods and goddesses. This tradition was ended by the extraordinary character of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) as he taught the world to hold tightly to the belief in One God, as it was always taught. The God is high above all of His creations, we cannot create Him with our hands.

Some people also say that all gods are equal. That does not make sense because God is Only One, there are no godssss... The attributes of God is important. Like if you call God as "Bhagvan" then that is acceptable. But if you give a picture to "Bhagvan" that goes against His attributes then that is very wrong. Like giving God a human form or making a human as God, goes against the attributes of God. Remember? There is no one like Him? So He is not a human or animal. But still we have people in the Hindu religion not only worshiping different forms of god but also worshiping natural things like sun, moon, plants, animals and what not.

"They enter darkness, those who worship the natural elements" (Air, Water, Fire, etc.). "They sinkdeeper in darkness, those who worship material things." Says Yajur Veda 40:9 about material worship.

Why should one not worship anything besides One God? Because all power belongs to Him. It is He who can really benefit you or harm you. It is He who gave you life and everything you have. It is He to whom is your return. If I did a favor to you, can you go and thank someone else for it?

What are natural things? What are materialistic things? Everything is a blessing of God. Thank God for it...not the materials. If I have food in my plate then I thank God for it...I don't start worshiping food! How can we make partners in His worship? That is a great injustice and wrong.

And what's happening in diwali? Idol worship(decorating idols and presenting it with food and clothes), money worship (Laxmi, as in goddess of wealth)? Does God need to be fed and clothed? Are there different gods for money, food, clothes, rain, sun, moon, mountain, ocean etc etc??? Or is there only One God Who created everything? Would there be harmony in world if there were different gods for different tasks? That is why we find gods fighting in Greek mythology. What is better, different gods or One God Who needs no partner in His dominion, Who is enough for everyone?

But on a good note, it is good to find some educated people who do not do fire crackers as it causes air and noise pollution and troubles the children and old people. If that's the way God wanted us to celebrate something then do you think it would have caused harm to the environment? Or God wasn't aware about its harmful effects back then?

You have a special place for each and every thing in your life, be it your family, friends, neighbors or even your sparkle pen! But ponder over the fact that where do you come from? Doesn't God deserve to be known to you? Doesn't He deserve to have a special place in your life?

"Lest a soul should say in the Hereafter"Oh! My regret over what I neglected in (my duty) towards God and that I was among the mockers".
QURAN 39:56

The problem is that we think money, work and all these materialistic life is what will keep us alive. We put our trust and faith in these things rather than God. And this is the reason why there is so much depression in the world. People with all the money and luxuries need to have drugs to sleep. Where is the world taking us really?

There was a man who lost his mental ability as his thesis on which he had worked for years got destroyed. And at the same time there is this man who was bankrupt due to loss in business but still he could sleep at night after thanking God. That's the difference between putting your faith in other things and putting your faith in God.

Ponder and reflect over these things. It may make you feel insecure and you may think that I better not think about these things...that would seem to be a perfect solution to you. But remind yourself of your death. Life is a test, no one's permanent here. In the end, neither the luxuries you achieved will matter, nor the fun you had will... the only thing that will matter is your relationship with God and the good deeds you did for your Hereafter. No doubt He has given us enough of what we need and we should be thankful to Him for that, but we also need to work for the Paradise which He offers for His believing slaves.

Worship God alone, be good and put your trust in God, He is Most Just. He doesn't ask you to leave your car and ride a cycle or to not enjoy your life, He asks you to do what is right. He asks you to remember Him often and not letting the wordly pleasures deceive you and make you forget the Hereafter. The purpose of life is not to settle here, it is to build your home for the Hereafter by doing what's right.


"And fear the Day when you will be brought back to God. Then every soul will be repaid in full what it earned, and they will not be wronged."
- QURAN 2:281