Religious duties must be discharged

God is never partial nor does he entertain likes and dislikes. He is the repository of compassion, ever ready to extend guidance to humanity. But how then can one explain the conflicting scenes in the world -some enjoying comfort while others are kept immersed in distress. Even as a judge awards punishment to a criminal, strictly in consonance with the statutory legal provisions, God administers justice based on the good or evil nature of the deeds of a person. If the latter has been adhering to the rules of righteousness, he will be richly rewarded. Misdeeds cannot be pardoned. A man who plants a banyan seed cannot expect the yield of mango fruits, though the tree may grow to a mammoth size. There are certain duties assigned to everyone, like conducting worship, offering prayers and observing austerities.

Another cause for man's misery is the tendency to harbour too much attachment towards kith and kin, not realising that the same men who flocked to a rich person will desert him when he is deprived of his wealth. Many lavish their affection on their sons hoping that towards their declining days, there will be reciprocity and they will be taken care of. When this return-display of love is denied the hopes of the parents get shattered. There was an instance of a son blossoming into a brilliant advocate but to a client who sought to know who the old man sitting in the corner was, the lawyer, not desirous of disclosing that he was his own father told him that he was 'a priest.'

God alone is man's constant companion, Sri Bharathi Thirtha, Sringeri Sankaracharya (Jr.) said in a discourse and cited the Lord's words that the "Self' is one's friend or foe and by "Self' does one sink or swim. One's sins taint one. What is required of people who are keen to escape from the wordly turmoil is the proper discharge of their religious obligations with deep faith in the scriptural authority.
                                                                          December 12, 1986

God can be seen in any form

Idolatry has a great significance in Hinduism. Since the belief is firm that God resides within images, worshipping them fetches peace. The mind is purified and this makes a person respect scriptural injunctions and follow the directives prescribed. The method of obeisance as contained in texts should be followed. The tradition of idol worship has been explained by saints. Adi Sankara has adored God through hymns extending from Vinayaka to Anjaneya. If these are taught to children, they will be morally stronger. Temples should serve as the repositories of spiritual knowledge and youngsters should be asked to memorise these hymns.

Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, Kanchi Sankaracharya in a discourse explained how the Vedas made one realise the glory of God, one's parents, the Acharya and the honoured guest. Adi Sankara had explained how God could be envisioned in any form a devotee liked. In each one of these variations God lives and the saint's Doctrine of Unity in Diversity has found an appeal among devotees.

Even as electrical energy originates in one place but its power is experienced in a fan or a light or in a microphone, God is one, having many names. God can be seen anywhere and in anything. Even if a person thinks of the sanctity of the river Ganges, he can experience purity in the heart. Likewise God can be conceived by anyone in any form. So too, a person should worship his spiritual mentor and his mother and father, treating them as Divine beings.

By our prayers, we will be able to get over the problems of life and swim across the troubled tides of daily existence.

The Acharya explained how in olden days, children were trained in temples in rendering devotional songs. The recitation of stotras moulded their character. Similar steps should be adopted now and young boys and girls properly shaped. Usually, people visited temples only when the were beset with problems. These were places where peace of mind could be obtained.
                                                                          July 11, 1988

Justice should be upheld at all costs

God is the primordial cause for all that happens in the world. He is the motivating force for any human activity. To get educated, to secure wisdom and to obtain the where- withal for life's sustenance, man depends at every stage on Him. This is plainly stated by the Tamil Saint, Thiruvalluvar is the very first couplet in his monumental treatise on ethics. Thirukkural, which explains how we should conduct ourselves. In the other couplets, he lays extraordinary stress on good conduct and a blemishless character. The Law of Virtue advises men to totally eschew anger, pointing out how a chain of reactions will take place when a man is seized with this bad trait.

The moral-preacher Avvaiyar has also pointed out the various methods to uphold righteousness, to develop character and maintain discipline. When desire turns into avarice, and when a person is denied possession of what he needs, dejection sets in and tension mounts within him. When calm is restored, the person who lost his temper regrets for his bad behaviour. when a mistake is committed, to escape from the consequences he seeks legal protection. Most of the disputes that go to law courts today are due to greed or personal animosity. In days of yore, there were books containing tales which high- lighted moral values.

Sri Jayendra Saraswathi narrated an episode in which a housewife, taking pity on a hungry man, offered him a glass of milk. Instead of drinking it straightway, he went to a nearby tank to wash his hands and face, keeping the tumbler underneath a tree. Right above was a falcon clawing a snake. A drop of poison from the reptile accidentally fell into the receptacle containing the milk, though no one noticed it. The hungry man drank it and collapsed and the housewife thought that she was responsible for his death and started crying. Ultimately, when sages visualised what had happened, the air of mystery was cleared and no one was declared a sinner. Destiny played its role. Bhartruhari has rendered a verse in which, to emphasise how the scale of justice should be held even and how lawyers should argue their clients' cases based on sacred facts. He has declared that under no circumstance should equity and honesty become a casualty. After God, the courts should uphold truth, at all costs.
                                                                          July 19, 1988

Reservior of power in every human being

Technological advancement has taught man about several s marvels -how to fly and how to delve deep in the sea. What he has not been told is "How to live on earth with peace, amity and goodwill" with his fellowmen. For this, a person should entertain the idea that he is really greater than what he thinks.

Everyone has a reservoir of power which remains untapped. he is like a beggar who has been spending his life inside a shanty, all the time not being aware of the rich treasure that lies underneath the very place where he has been sitting. There is greatness inbuilt in a person waiting to be unfolded.

in the  Gita, the Lord declares that He is seated in every heart. There are several ways to release this dynamic energy within each one. One of them is to entrust himself to God, treating Him as both father and mother and admitting before Him "I am full of faults, accept me as I am",. "I am nothing, you are everything" should be his attitude.

Dada J .P .Vaswani in a lecture spoke about the prevalence of two contrasting aspects in each man -the nobler or the t higher "Self" as against the baser or lower Self. Unfortunately, people magnify the latter comprising ego, anger, envy, illwill and such traits instead of projecting the finer ones. To develop the former and to reach the pinnacle of success, there are different rungs like determination, hope, dedication, discipline and attitude. Man should rememberLord Krishna's comparison of the bodies to garments which can be changed whereas the soul remains imperishable.

Anjaneya symbolises the soul because in the Ramayana, he is described as one having enormous powers but has to be reminded about the same, in order to display their potency. Similarly, man is not aware of the extraordinary powers lying dormant in him requiring to be kindled.

In the morning prayers, everyone should, request God to help him. The latent powers, when released, will help him to acquire greater moral strength and contribute to his work better. He will feel the inward change.
                                                                          April 6, 1989

Five duties a Hindu should perform daily

For people to live in the proper manner, without indulging in anti-social activities, they should welcome the Lord in their hearts and retain Him there permanently. But this is not so easy. God will not be attracted by external show, pomp and pride which may accompany the offerings the devotees make. He does not value the material offerings as He does, the piety in people's conduct and rectitude in life. There should be ceremonial purity which God welcomes as the best.

An incident in Bhagavatham narrates how God in human form (as Sri Krishna) was once approached by His cowherd companions for getting their hunger satisfied. The Divine Child asked them to seek the help of scholars who were conducting a sacrifice but the latter disregarded the young men's request and even treated them with contempt.

Young Sri Krishna then made them submit their request to the womenfolk (the Sages' wives) who readily responded, despite the prohibitory orders of the men and gave them the food.

Sri Vishvesha Thirtha Swami of Pejawar Math said: "We are all in the same situation. Lord Krishna is hungry even now. We cannot satisfy Him by outward forms of worship. We should behave good and help men in distress".

Outlining what God-minded men should do, the Swami mentioned the five kinds of sacrifices which are to be carried out by a Hindu daily, termed the "Pancha Maha lagna".

The first refers to worship of the Lord (Deva) and the second to the reading of scriptures and epics contributed by sages (Rishis). The third is the duty to parents, by giving libations to them who had sustained us. This obligation does not end merely with the performance of ceremonies in their honour. The idea is that the tradition should be continued to make children realise the noble inheritance.

The fourth calls for the respect to be shown to God who resides in every creation of His and to relieve the sufferings experienced by humanity, by extending assistance in times of need or feeding them. This is "Humanism" -worship of the Lord in human beings.

The last is the kindness that is to be extended to animals which should not be killed unnecessarily for men's sport or for use as their food.
                                                                          January 1, 1991