ON OUR BELIEFS
Every individual and nation has its own beliefs and cultural differences. We cannot question them! Some have belief in God and others have no faith in God! Scientific advancement and technology has contributed greatly to rationalism and disbelief in God! There are people who do not believe in others. They doubt everyone they see! There are others who have no belief in themselves! Different regions of the world have different ways of living and their practices are different. Is this diversity a boon or a bane? Nature has its own diversity. This inherent diversity of Nature is ornamental and makes it more beautiful and what are the beliefs of our nation? On what main principles does Bharatiya tradition stand? What are the basic beliefs of our tradition? The diversity is absent among birds and beasts as they have no capacity to think. It is man alone who can think!
Indian or Bharathiya tradition is based on four basic principles. 1 Every action has its own inescapable consequence. 2 people in India have belief in the role of avatar or incarnation of God in human form. 3 None can escape the results of his own actions, good or bad. 4 There is a strong belief among people that there is something sacred in everything in the world. Hindu Sanatana Dharma lays stress on three cardinal principles. First and foremost is the belief in a series of births. The second is that incarnations happen for the establishment of Dharma or righteousness and transformation of those that have strayed from it. Third and the most important belief is in the theory of Karma and human destiny resulting from the accumulation of the effect of previous actions, good or bad! The concept of avatar includes faith or belief in God as well as the inherent Divinity in man.” Realize the greatness of Bharat. Remember that all Avatars have incarnated in this sacred land. We ought to be proud of our sacred Motherland and lead a life in tune with its greatness. Alas, it is not so. Indeed, foreigners are coming to Bharat to gather all that is glorious in our land while we are going after soiled garments of the foreigners.” remarks Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba in one of his Divine discourses
While Divinity is latent in man like fragrance in a flower, fire in wood and oil in sesamum, ignorant men are carried away by external appearances and mistake them for reality! Some of the beliefs are strange but the reaction is totally different and opposite! Snakes are considered sacred and milk is offered to anthills to feed cobras in them! But there is terror at the sight of the snake and it is killed invariably! The bull is called Nandiswara, the vehicle of Lord Siva and is worshipped in temples. But they are tortured and used in cultivation. These beliefs have existed from time immemorial. It is an irony that inanimate objects are worshipped while the living are harmed! The starving man is denied even a morsel of food while rare delicacies are offered to the image of God as naivedya or sacred offering! The belief in the grace of God is so great that bundles of currency notes and coins are dropped in the 'Hundi' of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati in Andhra pradesh! But the deserving beggar does not get a pie! “ All this is regarded as part of our ancient tradition. But how
much more sanctified will one be if one offers food to a starving man?....Is one doing his duty if he inflicts pain on the 'Jiva (a human being) and offer worship to 'Deva' (the Divine)?” questions Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba in one of his Divine discourses! (SSS Vol 4)
In spite of rationalism and scientific temperament of modern days quite a number of old beliefs continue to influence the mind of the common man in society! This is because of the strong sentiment that is embedded from time immemorial It is believed that three brahmins are not expected to go together! It is in auspicious to accost a widow when you move out! Cat crossing your way is an indication of something bad to happen! Numbers 3,13, 8 and 18 are bad and have to be avoided! Some people believe that seeing a corpse while you go for a walk is a good omen! On an important mission or work, if you stumble, you have to sit down and drink a cup of water! There are too many beliefs which are beyond any scientific reason or scrutiny! These are generally called superstitions.
Man's life is this an admixture of beliefs, superstitions and rationalism! This dichotomy, he cannot escape. He is too rational some times and too superstitious at other times according to his convenience! Too much of reasoning has made man question the very existence of God! He wants to believe what he sees alone! He does not understand the logical fallacy in his argument. How about many things that he cannot see but feel? Though man is called a rational animal, he is not totally rational! His beliefs and superstitions continue along with the rational attitude that he generally exhibits! It is rather impossible for man to live without his beliefs and continue as a full fledged rational being!
Every individual and nation has its own beliefs and cultural differences. We cannot question them! Some have belief in God and others have no faith in God! Scientific advancement and technology has contributed greatly to rationalism and disbelief in God! There are people who do not believe in others. They doubt everyone they see! There are others who have no belief in themselves! Different regions of the world have different ways of living and their practices are different. Is this diversity a boon or a bane? Nature has its own diversity. This inherent diversity of Nature is ornamental and makes it more beautiful and what are the beliefs of our nation? On what main principles does Bharatiya tradition stand? What are the basic beliefs of our tradition? The diversity is absent among birds and beasts as they have no capacity to think. It is man alone who can think!
Indian or Bharathiya tradition is based on four basic principles. 1 Every action has its own inescapable consequence. 2 people in India have belief in the role of avatar or incarnation of God in human form. 3 None can escape the results of his own actions, good or bad. 4 There is a strong belief among people that there is something sacred in everything in the world. Hindu Sanatana Dharma lays stress on three cardinal principles. First and foremost is the belief in a series of births. The second is that incarnations happen for the establishment of Dharma or righteousness and transformation of those that have strayed from it. Third and the most important belief is in the theory of Karma and human destiny resulting from the accumulation of the effect of previous actions, good or bad! The concept of avatar includes faith or belief in God as well as the inherent Divinity in man.” Realize the greatness of Bharat. Remember that all Avatars have incarnated in this sacred land. We ought to be proud of our sacred Motherland and lead a life in tune with its greatness. Alas, it is not so. Indeed, foreigners are coming to Bharat to gather all that is glorious in our land while we are going after soiled garments of the foreigners.” remarks Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba in one of his Divine discourses
While Divinity is latent in man like fragrance in a flower, fire in wood and oil in sesamum, ignorant men are carried away by external appearances and mistake them for reality! Some of the beliefs are strange but the reaction is totally different and opposite! Snakes are considered sacred and milk is offered to anthills to feed cobras in them! But there is terror at the sight of the snake and it is killed invariably! The bull is called Nandiswara, the vehicle of Lord Siva and is worshipped in temples. But they are tortured and used in cultivation. These beliefs have existed from time immemorial. It is an irony that inanimate objects are worshipped while the living are harmed! The starving man is denied even a morsel of food while rare delicacies are offered to the image of God as naivedya or sacred offering! The belief in the grace of God is so great that bundles of currency notes and coins are dropped in the 'Hundi' of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati in Andhra pradesh! But the deserving beggar does not get a pie! “ All this is regarded as part of our ancient tradition. But how
In spite of rationalism and scientific temperament of modern days quite a number of old beliefs continue to influence the mind of the common man in society! This is because of the strong sentiment that is embedded from time immemorial It is believed that three brahmins are not expected to go together! It is in auspicious to accost a widow when you move out! Cat crossing your way is an indication of something bad to happen! Numbers 3,13, 8 and 18 are bad and have to be avoided! Some people believe that seeing a corpse while you go for a walk is a good omen! On an important mission or work, if you stumble, you have to sit down and drink a cup of water! There are too many beliefs which are beyond any scientific reason or scrutiny! These are generally called superstitions.
Man's life is this an admixture of beliefs, superstitions and rationalism! This dichotomy, he cannot escape. He is too rational some times and too superstitious at other times according to his convenience! Too much of reasoning has made man question the very existence of God! He wants to believe what he sees alone! He does not understand the logical fallacy in his argument. How about many things that he cannot see but feel? Though man is called a rational animal, he is not totally rational! His beliefs and superstitions continue along with the rational attitude that he generally exhibits! It is rather impossible for man to live without his beliefs and continue as a full fledged rational being!
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