What do you want? What do I want? What does anyone want? Fundamentally, only to be happy.
And, in essence, what do our Hindu scriptures say? You have the ability to be happy regardless of what you have or you don't. Just be with yourself. Connect with yourself. Know yourself.
We find it difficult? Fine, yes, the mind wanders all over the place, seeking all kinds of pleasures. It rakes up the past and fears for the future. Never mind. Here it is - take what you want, perform these rituals. Go to these temples. Worship these deities...
What are the deities, really? Discovering the depths in iconography is one of the most beautiful parts of self-discovery. For they are not just someone somewhere doing something. Understanding the significance of these deities helps us understand our own life, feelings, and how to travel through this life.
Lord Siva, for instance, is often depicted in meditation or dancing. Two diametrically different aspects, both helping us connect with ourselves and letting go of the world around us.
Mahavishnu is also often seen as Ranganatha or Padmanabha, reclining in a half-sleep state, dreaming and watching, unruffled or undisturbed, enjoying the projection of dreams, creating worlds, problems, drama and what not. He Himself remains unaffected. And we are the characters in that drama.
When we visit temples, learning the significance of the temple is one simple way to connect with the deity. We can carry our prayers and silently commune with the divine. We can go within ourselves and find our own strengths in the divine presence to find ways to deal with whatever life pushes our way. We can know that whatever may go wrong on the outside, we are still protected and safe if we can but anchor ourselves in the divine, surrender at its feet.
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| Kanchipuram Varadaraja Perumal Gopuram |
And so, when temples become noisy and conversations flow unhindered, I am reminded of a statement by Swami Guruparanandaji in one of his talks - meditation and contemplation need solitude and temples are not for that. Yes, I can see that and I wonder why.
Temples were a social hub in the past. The many praharams gave people space to 'hang out' back in days when the temple and the streets around it bustled with life and were the only go to places to spend time and enjoy.
But today, we have cafes, malls and what not for that. The overall temple spaces have shrunk. Though outer praharams continue to allow us to let our hair down, as we get closer to the sanctum sanctorum, can't we put the brakes to the wagging tongues and racing hearts? Can't we slowly drop the concerns of the world outside and go into our selves? Can't we leave the stress and the tension behind and find peace and calm?
Why are we averse to being silent? Does silence scare us? Does it oppress us? Are we afraid to be by ourselves, alone? Are we insecure in our relationships where words are absent? Do we need the constant exchange of words to know it thrives? Can't we just learn to listen to the silence and know everything is right with the world, our world?
Can we learn to experience the Sat-Chit-Ananda in the safety of the temple walls, at least, if not anywhere else?
I wonder what it will take.
