For the Namesake......

For the Namesake….

At the beginning of the article I was very confused as to what title shall I give it but then I realized that titles are just for the namesake. The irony is that this title even justifies the context of my write up.

I was sitting outside this huge temple situated in the hills somewhere around Mumbai. I will not disclose the exact location as I do not want to hurt the sentimental and religious values of any human being. So coming back to the point, I was sitting in this huge temple veranda made by some very famous business man of our religion as he was directed by some very famous monk of our religion. The place was too huge. I was sitting outside and enjoying the natural view of the place around. I was happy listening to chirping of birds. It was refreshing. When the soul is refreshed it automatically has a pleasant smile on the face and the mind has pleasant thoughts.

As I was enjoying this refreshing experience and feeling energized I saw a monk coming towards me. He was all dressed in white. (People who have seen Jain monks know how these Jain monks dress up, for those who do not know please check out on Google.) He had a pleasant smile on his face and was approaching me with sheer serenity. He came and asked me, “Why are you sitting outside the temple and why not inside? Don’t you want to offer your prayers? Don’t you have to finish your rituals?” I looked at him bowed down in respect to his monk-hood and told him with a smile, “Reverend one I am offering my prayers and doing my rituals right over here sitting on this wooden bench.” He smiled. He then asked me, “I am new to the methods of your rituals can you please help me understand your rituals and learn them. I would love to learn your rituals and please God and pray to him.” I smiled. I was happy that unlike my parents and other monks, this monk did not get angry at me nor did he insult me, in fact he wanted to talk to me and know my practices. But just to make sure that there is no catch in it I inquired, “And in return you would want me to enter the temple and perform the normal boring practices, right?” He giggled. “No, in fact I am thinking of following your practices forever instead of these boring practices. I hope you do not mind that. So shall we start? Tell me more about your practices.”

I was content to hear this and proceeded, “My practices are simple. My religion is simple and my God he is even simpler. I have been to many temples and many pilgrim places since childhood. I belong to a very religious family. Our lineage has 15 monks including both men and women. Coming from such a background of a religious family it is obvious that some of my childhood vacations were nothing but a pilgrim to a religious place. Every religious place I found an idol and a name written under it. Every temple had a name carved on it. The name under the idol told me the name of the God and the name on the temple told me who built it. But can we build a house of God. We humans cannot construct our own buildings without flaws and faults how you think us humans can construct something for the creator. These people build temples and places of worship just for their names to be recognized in the society. The idols are nothing but a mere stone. God isn’t what they have carved. He is far more beyond that image and far more beyond that idea. God does not need such huge temples. He is sitting right next to you in a metro train. He is may be eating a sandwich with you, he is even drinking beer with you and he is even crying with you. Every morning he drives to work with you and every evening he is massaging your head. He is may be smoking a cigar with you and having a jolly good time and singing songs with you in the shower. But humans build huge temples thinking they will bind the idea of God and get recognized in society as men of God.” “Then, you think that humans construct temples just to get name and fame.” The monk asked. “No, that is not the only reason. The main reason is humans want to run away from their guilt. Every human commits a sin. They think building these temples would make them feel lighter of the burden of sins they carry on their hearts. This actually is not true. You cannot bind sin just like you cannot bind God. Both sin and God are an idea and not a figure or a body that you can bind. The bigger the structure the bigger the realization and the burden of sin the human carries with him or her. Temples are not actually places of worship but places where people leave their stench of sins and think that once they are here the guilt of this sin will not be following them. Actually we do not need temples at all. My religion doesn’t need huge temples or chanting of mantras or wasting of flowers on an idol. My religion and my God do not reside in the huge temples built by men. My God resides in my breath, he resides in my blood, and he resides in my complete existence. My religion does not belong to the people who want to be famous, it belongs to the people who want to anonymously make others smile and reside in hearts of people for their good deeds.” “So you think temples are not necessary at all. How do you think then, that we humans can lighten the burden of our guilt?” He asked. “We just need to accept. We humans do not accept that we are nothing but Humans. We are a species who were created imperfect. That imperfection was actually God’s perfection in creating us. Had he created all of us perfect we would all be God’s isn’t it? We are not Gods neither will we ever be. So we have to accept we are humans. We need to accept we will commit sins and mistakes, but above all we need to accept that we can ask for forgiveness and we can give forgiveness and this can make us change into better humans. We have to accept this change too. No human is wicked. Every human is born a child and every child is the face of God and not devil. We just need to embrace that child and cry it out, all of it and hold the hand of that child to become innocent and pure again. Temples are just made for the namesake, religions and practices just divide, the heart unites and the brain decides. It’s all in that small tiny brain of ours. Religion has only led to divisions and more sins. People killing each other, countries separated that once lived as one country. Of course I am pointing out here the two countries I would love to see as one again India and Pakistan. Men should not build temples. They should build schools. Our country has so many children, who cannot get education because they do not have money or proper facilities. Has anyone thought of building a school for these children and educate them. The biggest charity is to impart education to your fellow human which not only enlightens them but helps them to earn their living for their whole life. This education will fetch them their daily bread and indirectly the person who has imparted them education has fed them too. These people will always remember that good human who did this throughout their lives, they will not require to carve the names of this human on a piece of stone, this name will be carved on hearts, which I think is a far more better thing than a piece of stone. Stones wither structures break what does not go unnoticed is a small gesture of help, love, care and brotherhood. Why waste such huge spaces in a country like ours where there is no place for poor to stay. Instead why not build houses for them at cheaper rates and give them clean and healthy facilities to live. I know no one will think about this because this is not profitable. Everyone is worried about their profits. And all these people do those rituals in your temples since years till date none has changed. My religion says practice sharing your bread, may be you do not have much with you but give away at least something. My religion says educate someone teach them to write their own names and your name will be carved on their hearts. My religion says help others, and help will be sent to you the day you need it. My religion says love everyone with their flaws and give them a chance to improve and you will be loved in the same manner, My religion tells me to welcome my enemy with a smile, chances are the enemy will be befriended. I sit and cry with someone who cries if I cannot make them smile at least they feel a little lighter in their times of despair. My practices tell me to make everyone laugh. My religion tells me to unite and love all. Children are a beautiful piece of God’s creation my religion tells me to teach them proper values and therefore allows me to create masterpieces of God’s work.”

The monk took a deep breath. He looked at me smiled and said, “You speak like a monk I think you will be one in future.” I started laughing. “It does not matter I am a monk or no, what matters is that I am a human. I have accepted that I am a human and I will do mistakes and commit sins, but I am ready to ask for forgiveness and forgive others for everything. I am ready to change to become something better. Religion is a free flowing thought it is far beyond the uniforms of monk-hood or no monk-hood. In the end everyone is going to be either buried or burnt both monk and men alike. But yes the only difference I would make is leaving a mark on as many hearts as I can and then gracefully embrace my death. God has given me a role here to play, and I promise to be the best one here. I will be everyone’s joker and make everyone smile and laugh.”

The monk kept his hand on my head and blessed me, “God never wanted these temples he wanted humans. Be a human and always make everyone happy. It is a difficult job but if you say God is with you right now then I guess no one has to worry.” We both giggled.

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