The most harassed God
The much harassed God
Vathsala Madam*
Very rarely Gods and Goddesses get humans like you to present their views. You have done full justice to the task you volunteered to take up on your own, without any threat of a bill that may follow.
"Bill" came to my thoughts in the context of a bill received recently by Lord Ayyappa, resident of Sabarimala from an Advocate who argued Lord's case in Supreme Court during the recent Women's Entry controversy. The Advocate is a senior Congress leader and the bill was for a measly sum of ₹62,00,000/-(Sixtytwo lakhs ONLY). The Travancore Devaswam Board has decided to pray for some discount.
As you know, I have stayed for 7 long years with Lord Shiva of Udayapuram temple when Lord was in BPL conditions. Now he too has come up in life and owns start-up businesses including "event management"
You have rightly captured the living conditions around the "Prathishta" and the sufferings of Gods and Goddesses subjected to several unhealthy practices, day-in and day-out. I am aware of several Gods and Goddesses who are, against their wishes, made to take bath in coconut water/oil/milk/ghee, made to consume food of devotees' choice and allowed to sleep when devotees go to bed. They are not able to listen to the prayers of real bhakthas due to noises around 24×7. Some of them are planning to get information under RTI as to who is deciding their fate on earth. And, don't tell anyone, some of them have approached some ExRbite advocates for help.
M G Warrier
*In response to the following message:
The experience and sufferings of devotees visiting Aththi varadar in Kancheepuram appearing in news papers daily made me do some ramblings .
When someone of the calibre of Robert Browning says in his Pippa Passes,
“God's in his Heaven -
All's right with the world!”
we tend to accept the statement without a word of protest. If there is any disagreement with this view, it is just shown by raising the eyebrow a fraction of a millimeter. I had the pleasure of reading Pippa Passes at a very young age and I accepted the above statement with pursed lips and never gave it a thought afterwards. I do remember engaging my teacher in a bitter argument with questions like whether God was in His Heaven because all was right with the world or whether all was right with the world because God confined Himself to Heaven. The exasperated teacher told me that if I confined myself to my house, all would be right with my school!
I used to imagine what God would say if I met him in person or at least in my dream.
The harassed looking person just about managed a smile and answered that He was aware of my desire to have a chat with Him ..He concluded that I would be the best person to unburden! As I continued looking at Him with open mouth, He said that people had a feeling that God was having a whale of a time in the Heaven singing and watching dances but unfortunately it was not the case. He further said that He received on an average a billion requests everyday. Dealing with such numbers was no problem but for the fact that those requests were contradictory. If half a billion wanted something or other, the other half a billion pleaded that those requests should not be granted!
He started reeling out statistics about some 20000 plus two students offering Him a bribe for coming out successful in the examinations without touching their books even once. One deputy Chairman of an institution came before Him and just as He was expecting him to offer his prayers for the recovery of his ailing chairman, he told Him that he should become chairman if the ailing man died! He stunned me by saying that many people came to Him praying for successful implementation of some sinister plan or other.
He said that people like Robert Browning painted a rosy picture of Heaven but He confided that Heaven was getting hotter than Hell!
He said “Look at the place where I stand in this temple. It is full of cockroaches and has a permanent stink but you guys have made your portion very comfortable with air-conditioning and whatnot!”
The tête-à -tête with God left me shattered and when I prostrated before Him, it was with a heavy heart!
Gods & Goddesses are harassed not only by requests, but by litres and litres of milk, sandal paste, kgs of butter….the list is long. They are forced to wear all kinds of synthetic vasthrams, costume jewellery, fancy bindis etc. We pray to them to grant us bountiful wealth to buy Belgium diamonds, but as a thanksgiving we offer them only American diamonds.
Hanumans must have got bored with varieties of special vadais, most of them are too hard to bite, of course made by us mortals.
Kesaris, venpongals are overflowing with ghee because we are eternally on a diet, but thankfully do not put Him on a diet.
We break numerous coconuts to make Him oblige us , by granting our wishes.
On Tuesdays, all Durga temples are full of lime juice and lemon lamps. It is as though we have entered lemon gardens.
He is not a politician to navigate the system and try to stay in the highest office with the facilities associated with it without worrying about the role He needs to play. He is not a CEO of a large multinational corporation to seek appointment before listening to the prayers of His devotees. He is not a physician to decide whether to give a tablet or a shot depending on the behavior of the patient. He is not a lawyer to learn the truth from His client and tell something else in the court in return of the size of his fees.
His professionalism to stay simple, be Gracious and listen to the problems of His devotees is the reason why He ended up where He is today. If He knew how to bargain, He would have negotiated for every favor He does for His devotees, something substantive in His favor. He needs to get familiarized with present day vocabularies such as greasing, kickbacks, bribes, etc. It looks like it is His good Karma that He still has devotees , who genuinely feel for His concerns and walk away with a heavy heart.
His willingness to be Gracious without expecting anything in return is much against the principles of the new world. In simple terms, He does not know how to earn His livelihood (Pizaika Theriyadavan).
No wonder He is isolated,as no one wants to be closer to Him. I am glad that at least He has the company of cockroaches which have the knack of surviving without becoming extinct despite unfavorable friendship from men/women and Red hits.Recently there was a news item.The drain outlet of the abhisheka water didn't work properly and the water,milk, coconut water etc being stagnant at the garbagruham started stinking and the devotees taking the abhisheka theertham suffered fever due to infection.The sevaarthees could not withstand the stink even for seconds.But the omnipotent God had to put up with all through day and night.
But He is very clever.He would better put up with the harassment ,rather yielding to your prayers so easily.He is very good in non-intervention and escape mechanism quoting some strange logic unquestionable by mankind.I can't but be reminded of the following verse.
"I asked God to take away my pain - God said NO.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
I asked God to grant me patience - God said NO.
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it is not granted, it is earned.
I asked God to give me happiness. God said NO.
I give you blessings, happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me suffering - God said NO.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.
"I asked God to make my spirit grow - God said NO.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life - God said NO.
I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me LOVE others as much as He loves me.
God said - Ahhh, finally, you have the idea."
For all His adamant reply, he deserves to be imprisoned in an uncleancage for ever amidst the stinks and bad odours -this seems to be the curse of His devotees.
Think over, who is in harassment-God or devotees?Vathsala Jayaraman
When someone of the calibre of Robert Browning says in his Pippa Passes,
“God's in his Heaven -
All's right with the world!”
we tend to accept the statement without a word of protest. If there is any disagreement with this view, it is just shown by raising the eyebrow a fraction of a millimeter. I had the pleasure of reading Pippa Passes at a very young age and I accepted the above statement with pursed lips and never gave it a thought afterwards. I do remember engaging my teacher in a bitter argument with questions like whether God was in His Heaven because all was right with the world or whether all was right with the world because God confined Himself to Heaven. The exasperated teacher told me that if I confined myself to my house, all would be right with my school!
I used to imagine what God would say if I met him in person or at least in my dream.
The harassed looking person just about managed a smile and answered that He was aware of my desire to have a chat with Him ..He concluded that I would be the best person to unburden! As I continued looking at Him with open mouth, He said that people had a feeling that God was having a whale of a time in the Heaven singing and watching dances but unfortunately it was not the case. He further said that He received on an average a billion requests everyday. Dealing with such numbers was no problem but for the fact that those requests were contradictory. If half a billion wanted something or other, the other half a billion pleaded that those requests should not be granted!
He started reeling out statistics about some 20000 plus two students offering Him a bribe for coming out successful in the examinations without touching their books even once. One deputy Chairman of an institution came before Him and just as He was expecting him to offer his prayers for the recovery of his ailing chairman, he told Him that he should become chairman if the ailing man died! He stunned me by saying that many people came to Him praying for successful implementation of some sinister plan or other.
He said that people like Robert Browning painted a rosy picture of Heaven but He confided that Heaven was getting hotter than Hell!
He said “Look at the place where I stand in this temple. It is full of cockroaches and has a permanent stink but you guys have made your portion very comfortable with air-conditioning and whatnot!”
The tête-à -tête with God left me shattered and when I prostrated before Him, it was with a heavy heart!
Gods & Goddesses are harassed not only by requests, but by litres and litres of milk, sandal paste, kgs of butter….the list is long. They are forced to wear all kinds of synthetic vasthrams, costume jewellery, fancy bindis etc. We pray to them to grant us bountiful wealth to buy Belgium diamonds, but as a thanksgiving we offer them only American diamonds.
Hanumans must have got bored with varieties of special vadais, most of them are too hard to bite, of course made by us mortals.
Kesaris, venpongals are overflowing with ghee because we are eternally on a diet, but thankfully do not put Him on a diet.
We break numerous coconuts to make Him oblige us , by granting our wishes.
On Tuesdays, all Durga temples are full of lime juice and lemon lamps. It is as though we have entered lemon gardens.
He is not a politician to navigate the system and try to stay in the highest office with the facilities associated with it without worrying about the role He needs to play. He is not a CEO of a large multinational corporation to seek appointment before listening to the prayers of His devotees. He is not a physician to decide whether to give a tablet or a shot depending on the behavior of the patient. He is not a lawyer to learn the truth from His client and tell something else in the court in return of the size of his fees.
His professionalism to stay simple, be Gracious and listen to the problems of His devotees is the reason why He ended up where He is today. If He knew how to bargain, He would have negotiated for every favor He does for His devotees, something substantive in His favor. He needs to get familiarized with present day vocabularies such as greasing, kickbacks, bribes, etc. It looks like it is His good Karma that He still has devotees , who genuinely feel for His concerns and walk away with a heavy heart.
His willingness to be Gracious without expecting anything in return is much against the principles of the new world. In simple terms, He does not know how to earn His livelihood (Pizaika Theriyadavan).
No wonder He is isolated,as no one wants to be closer to Him. I am glad that at least He has the company of cockroaches which have the knack of surviving without becoming extinct despite unfavorable friendship from men/women and Red hits.Recently there was a news item.The drain outlet of the abhisheka water didn't work properly and the water,milk, coconut water etc being stagnant at the garbagruham started stinking and the devotees taking the abhisheka theertham suffered fever due to infection.The sevaarthees could not withstand the stink even for seconds.But the omnipotent God had to put up with all through day and night.
But He is very clever.He would better put up with the harassment ,rather yielding to your prayers so easily.He is very good in non-intervention and escape mechanism quoting some strange logic unquestionable by mankind.I can't but be reminded of the following verse.
"I asked God to take away my pain - God said NO.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
I asked God to grant me patience - God said NO.
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it is not granted, it is earned.
I asked God to give me happiness. God said NO.
I give you blessings, happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me suffering - God said NO.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.
"I asked God to make my spirit grow - God said NO.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life - God said NO.
I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me LOVE others as much as He loves me.
God said - Ahhh, finally, you have the idea."
For all His adamant reply, he deserves to be imprisoned in an uncleancage for ever amidst the stinks and bad odours -this seems to be the curse of His devotees.
Think over, who is in harassment-God or devotees?Vathsala Jayaraman
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