Why Should We PRAY???

Even after devastating floods in the Country resulting in loss of life and property, should we Hindus still pray?

Recently, a friend of mine posed me a question as to why we should pray much less visit temples because we are facing varieties of problems notwithstanding the Country has lakhs and lakhs of Temples and several thousand of purohits.

I thought for a while and then answered him as under:

1. Have you heard of the story frog and the pond. In this, a frog which has not seen the world feels that it is living in the biggest ocean. Likewise we Hindus feel that we are the sole authority over prayers to the Almighty.

2. India is the only Country where custom is followed  especially by Brahmins more in breach than in practice.

3. World religion can be divided into four groups – Hindus, Muslims, Christians and non-believers.

4. Hindus: 

(a). You just think to yourself as to how many Hindus really follow the age old customs. Majority do not ! Not because they don’t want to but because it is not for them to follow STRICTLY.

(b).    A Bramhin is required to perform Sandhyavandhana thrice a day followed by pooja. It may not be surprising if some  of our friends were to say that they are not even aware of it.

(c).    A Bramhin is not supposed to eat certain vegetables too. Many may laugh at us if we were to say that we are not supposed to eat onion, garlick and Mushroom since according to majority only eating of non-veg items are prohibited for us. Some may even argue that what is wrong if we eat egg as egg does not contain chick in it. In fact almost all of us have tasted cake made using egg at least during our school days. Further, a Bramhin is required to eat only those which are offered to the God and it is needless to say that what is offered to the God is the one prepared strictly according to custom. However, in practice, every alternate day we rush to a hotel and eat all items in the menu. Some of us even visit multicuisine hotels and eat food served there justifying such eating by saying that we ate only veg items. Now think to yourself and answer whether we can call ourselves true brahmin when we violate the custom not once but several times everyday. I am not saying as to whether what we do is right or wrong in the changed system prevailing  but my question is can we blame the Almighty for our miseries when we have failed to follow century old custom. It is for that reason, Brahmins are still backward in the society though they are not recognised as such.

(d).    As regards non-brahmins in general and Kshatriyas and Vyshyas in particular, they are not required to follow the madivanthike a brahmin is required to follow. Majority of them do follow the custom not only on festival days but even on non-festival days. It is for that reason that they are better placed in the society than a brahmin.

(e).    Coming to the last category, they are exempted or to say they are kept away from following majority of our religious dictum. In fact in the classic song Shivappa kayo thande from the movie Bedara Kannappa, hero  rightly says “naadavanthe vedanthe ondu ariyano…”. Thus whatever they follow or don’t follow is not an offence. Probably it is for that reasons they are the only group amongst Hindus who are happy whichever party comes to power since every party wants to keep them in good books extending all sorts of reservations and concessions. In fact, recently all parties have united to reverse a judgment of the Supreme Court even though the said judgment only imposed a ban on blind arrest of all those who are accused of hurting the feelings of persons belonging to SC/ST community.

(f).     Whenever, a calamity takes place in the Country all and sundry demand cancellation of Hindu Festivals such as Deepawali , Navarathri etc. Per contra not a single demand was there for cancellation of Bakrid. Is it because we are afraid of them or is it because we have more faith in their customs.

(g).    Thus, in India, we cannot blame the God for not protecting us in our hour of need of necessity as majority of us in general and Brahmins in particular do not follow the custom we are supposed to follow. I don’t say whether we are right or wrong but my plea is that let us not blame the Almighty for our present sorry state of affair. Sankata bandaaga Venkataramana is an age old saying but we cannot always bank upon it without we in any way showing our faith in him.

5. Christians: 

(a). Unlike Hindus, majority of Christians visit the Church every Sunday and almost all of them visit the Church at least twice in a year. There they join other members of the community and pray for their well being.

(b). Even official functions in the most advanced Country of the world start with a prayer to Jesus. Per contra, any pooja done here by Hindus attract criticism saying that India is a secular Country and as such public functions should not be converted to show one’s religious faith.

6. Muslims: 

(a). I have not come across even a single Muslim who has the courage to criticize any of their custom whereas in the name of freedom of speech and secularism, our friends even amongst Brahmin are ready to brand in public the so called loop holes in our practices.

(b).   Every Muslim across the world feels proud to follow their religion and per contra, our own people make fun of our practices that too in open. Lakhs and lakhs visit Mecca wearing just a dhoti and a shawl whereas we refuse to remove shirts even at the time of maha mangalarathi or taking food even when boards are put up requesting the cooperation of the devotees.

(c).   Coming to the food habit, to my knowledge no Muslim whether  he is an educated or an illiterate, across the world will consume a non veg item

which has not been prepared after following halaal custom. Further, have you come across a Muslim, be he a rich or poor, ever consuming pork even though they eat all other types of non-veg items. Per contra, even though Constitution of India mandates the protection of cows in India, it is completely banned only in six States that too with a pending litigation in the Supreme Court to overturn the ban, while there is no restriction in many states. This has created communal disharmony in India and frequently leads to unwanted incidents. Sad part of it is that Pseudo Seculars protest ban on cow slaughter and arrange serving of beef to the general public in open in places like University, in front of

Town Hall etc. and it is consumed by many including vegetarians and non-vegetarians who are supposed not to eat beef. Defence given in favour of consuming beef is that it is a food for several poor people forgetting the fact that for centuries Cow is worshiped as a God in our Country and as such its slaughtering will hurt the religious feelings of lakhs of people. It is pain to see many persons including Brahmins consume beef and I am a witness to a brahmin advocate regularly eating, in our Advocates dining hall, beef brought from a Muslim advocate. Incidentally both became Judges of the High Court  and both had an early death. If such an open violation of religious dictum takes place in a Muslim Country, such violators are not just punished but are stoned to death in public. Per contra, such violations amongst Hindus are ignored by majority, criticised by few right wingers and supported by the rest !

(d).     Even in the flights controlled by  Muslim countries, their religious prayers are recited every time a flight takes off. Per contra, citing the Preamble of our Constitution any step taken to follow the custom invites sharp criticism from our own community members.

7. Non-believers: 

(a).  This is a group of people who do not believe in religion or its practices.

(b).  Sad part is that almost all well known “Non-believers” like Dr.U.R.Anantha Murthy, Bhagawan, Prakash Rai etc. come from Hindu Community. Interesting thing is that during the life time of Dr.Murthy he headed this group and was condemning every practice followed by Hindus (note: he was criticising the practice followed only by Hindus and not by others) but AS PER HIS WISH, his body was cremated following all the requirement enshrined in Hindu Scriptures !!!

It is said VISHWAVU VASUDEVA KUTUMBAM meaning that this universe is the family of Vasudeva and it is said DEVA NOBBA NAAMA HALAVU  meaning Lord is one but with different names. If this is applied to the present scenario, we can conclude that whole Universe is one with the deity called under different names. Wherever he is and whatever be his form, he is  respected and worshiped by calling him by different names his devotees feel like calling him and he will bless them and where he is ignored he too neglects them. I therefore feel that Hindus in general and Bramhins in particular across the Country violate our aged old customs and religious dictum with impunity and when this being the state of affair what right we have to blame the God for all the troubles we face in life.