Storms and Silence

There would be too few people who do not know how a storm-stricken village or city appears; the uprooted trees, displaced roof-tops, utensils and beddings of the pavement dwellers strewn all over, the over turned umbrellas, and the pale yellow leaves of trees. But the silence that prevails after a storm could be frightening; except for occasional thunder and lightning, it is not something which people are too happy to welcome. However the hour of storm is no good tidings either. After every stormy situation in life, to get back to normal life is not so easy, and that is all the more painful to return to the pre-storm situation with the wounds and trauma of the stormy nights.

Having gone through several scores of stormy nights, I have realized that each stormy night leaves behind certain scars in me, some of which are indelible, and etched into my memory. I would be wrong to conclude that all the stormy nights had drowned me with melancholy and sadness; I had drawn meaningful and significant lessons out of them, which had helped me to see the path during dark nights of my soul. Thanks to these stormy nights, I have been shaken out of the mediocre, status quo, self-complacency, and am able to wrap up my belt around and get ready to face life as it comes to me in bits and pieces.

Every storm is a reminder to me that there is silence not too far away, and every silence is a reminder to me that the next storm is not too far off! That is how life goes on, and these are the indications for me to be prepared to face the situation in whatever form they may come to me. I long for a storm, in the same way I long for silence after it, because it is impossible for silence to dawn on the land without a storm. Besides it is impossible for me to realize the beauty and splendor of the silence, if I do not know the ruthlessness and ransacking quality of the storm. That is why the English poet William Blake had dared to say, “without contraries is no progression”. We can appreciate light only in the backdrop of darkness.

I need to thank God for all the stormy nights, which had shaken me out of my roots, and had made me shiver to the core, had made me take shelter under the inner resources he had endowed me with; if not for the inner strength which flows from him, it is impossible for me to survive these nights. There had been moments when I had felt it was time for me to be swept away by the currents of the waters, and be lost forever; but soon I had also realized I had no right to run away from life in such a cowardly manner; that would be disgrace not only to this beautiful earth, but also to the entire human race. Storms are part of life, and anyone who fears storms cannot taste the sweetness of silence.

It is because I had gone through several stormy nights, that I am able to give shelter to others who are looking for certain amount of security at the time of their trouble and challenge. I am able to teach them the wisdom of facing the storms boldly and courageously, so that they might taste the sweetness of the silence thereafter. Every storm is a gift of God; we had been longing for the Nor’wester during the past few weeks, as the mercury level keeps soaring beyond all imagination, and we know only storm is enough to cool the earth, and permit the people to sleep in peace, even when the electricity fails. The storms may come when we least expect them, and what is strange, even the weathermen are not able to predict them, and that is the beauty of these angels of destruction, who also usher in the angels of peace and tranquility.

Reign of Religions

Religions have caused more harm and destruction to humanity than all the natural calamities down the centuries put together. In fact, it would be quite wrong to attribute a lion's share of violence and bloodshed to "religion" as it is meant to be. But what is originally meant to be religion - a way of life - has become the battleground for political parties and vested interests to parley and display quite unashamedly their show of strength! It is no wonder that ever since fierce battles came to be fought in the name of religion (killing a member of opposite religion assured a seat in heaven!) during the Middle Ages, many sincere men and women of good will have bidden adieu to the cultic, formal religions.

Religion is meant to be the cementing factor between people and the ultimate, and union of hearts and minds among people of all walks of life. No god will ever tolerate if blood is shed in his name - however bloodthirsty he be! What is happening in different parts of the world today is - religion is used as a means by a handful of powerful people in order to wield hegemony over the weak, and the downtrodden. Every religious fight or conflict is in fact an attempt to over power the awakening group - using the time-tested techniques of arousing fear and panic. Most of the major religions had done this, and it is not the time for us to dwell on who's donneit! But to look beyond what history has taught us - to go beyond the narrow confines of religions.

But it is time for us to return to our sources! From the events and incidents that shake and shape our world, it is obvious that most of us believers in organized religions do not read our Holy Scriptures. If at all we do, then we do it mechanically, or do it selectively, harkening only the passages that suit our purpose. Because no religion, worth its salt, can ever teach its followers to shed the blood of the neighbour. Just because the weaker party is not able to retaliate, the mighty and the powerful might continue their reign of terror. They may win over the battle according to worldly standards, but it may not take too long for events to take a 180 degree around.

In many religions we have the custom of branding the people who had died in order to protect the religious faith as martyrs. A crown of glory is given to them, and they are considered revered persons. Today I would like to pause for a while and ask myself - which is more important : to give one's life for the facile, divisive faith or to lay one's life for the welfare of the neighbour. Unfortunately most of the religions have taken the liberty to twist the basic tenets of religions for their own benefit and advantage. Adn therefore I would like to go back to the sources, to the Sacred Scriptures to re-discover God as he/she truly is. Once I begin to recognise His/Her true nature and identity, then my attitude to other faiths too will change.

It is time for me to look at every person I come in contact with as my brother and sister. Unless I drop the labels of religion, caste, creed and nationality, I would be enslaving myself to structures that would distance me far away from my union with the Ultimate, and through him/her to the humanity, each of them reflection of the Maker! Once I encounter the God of my heart in my brother and sister, then the religious layers collapse, and I maybe able to see God as he/she is in every creature around me! Such is the family of gods, living in harmony with one another, and that truly is vasudeiva kutumbakam!