The Sri Venkateshwara Temple at Pittsburgh... the only temple within driving distance of me in this nook of the US. I visited it twice in the last two weeks, and like old times, I found myself alone and unhurried.
I'm essentially an agnost, yet I love the serene atmosphere of temples. I find it soothing and cleansing, sitting amidst the smell of thirtham, incense, vibhoodhi, and kumkum... and the sounds of chanting. People say agnosts are just ignorant or cowardly atheists, but nothing can be farther from the truth. My beliefs are too complex to fit within the categories of atheist and theist. The closest word that fits is agnostic.
In spite of not being a believer, it has always seemed to me that somebody up there has been watching over me, protecting me from the impact of my numerous follies. To that my Mom would say God does not care if you believe in him or not, as long as you are good. I would say (in a half-hearted parry), maybe it's just luck. To that, fellow blogger Kirthi would say that inherent abilities like systematicity help in getting favourable results in life, and since the innumerable little factors are not tangible, they get ascribed to luck. And that's even harder for me to believe. Easier to think that I'm on good terms with the Gods, if there are any; and if not, well, then it's luck!
So I pondered, thinking about my fortunes in the last few years. And came to the conclusion that I fully deserved my rewards and my punishments. Life does have a sense of justice... well, mine does, at least!
I told the priest my Gothram and Nakshathram, with a little hesitation because it's been so long since I enunciated those words myself. I took comfort in the rituals and prayer, as they are meant to; yet I do not share my Mom's fatalism. Prayer eases the mind, but it cannot get things done for you, even there is a God. Theists say it can guide, even if it cannot do. But even for that to happen, we come back to the question...
Are you on good terms with the Gods?
Cheers,
Prashanth.
8 comments:
I guess as long as we have something or someone to believe in, it is all good.. :) I'd like to think there is a God.. who eventually does the right thing.. :)
~ I'm on good terms with incense, camphor, oil lamps and bell ringing...cold temple stone (not concrete) under the feet is very nice too...that much I know, they bring peace to the senses :)
~alraqs
u re-posted ur old posts?
i wonder why wud u do that....
DiTtY,
Well, and here I was worried about us mortals doing the right thing :)
Alraqs,
Exactly!
Div,
I guess I did repeat stuff I said in some of my earlier posts, but the subject is different.
Lord have mercy on SPee... Ohm...
Really?
I read the post headline and I thought I had read it before somwhere..hmmm...
let me ponder on this for a while..ohmmmm...
Uff.. Vc..move...ur..nose!
Crap...I saw your Bday on Orkut and was meaning to wish you..
But I forgot!..
Hmm..
So back in PSU I see..
anyway..
just got my internet connection..
getting settled down.. work is still busy..but getting used to it like to most things..
Ramani, whats with the identity concealment all of a sudden? :)
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