Children, people criticise devotion and spirituality as blind faith, as mental weakness and as a means of exploitation. Devotion is not blind faith. On the contrary, it is faith that removes blindness. Devotion is a practical science. It fosters righteousness in society and offers relief from the sorrows of life. Faith in God gives one the strength to remain standing amidst the hard knocks of life. When we worship God, we assimilate His divine qualities. So many people have been uplifted by faith in God!
We obey the words of one we love dearly. Suppose the girl we love says, “If you love me, you will stop smoking.” If the boyfriend loves hers sincerely, he will quit smoking at once. This is true love. Love has driven many to give up their bad habits. “I quit because she doesn’t like drinking.” One might ask if this is not a weakness. Considering the benefits, it is certainly not a weakness but a strength.
Faith and devotion stop one from doing wrong and inspire one to do good. The presence of traffic rules minimises road accidents. The presence of police and courts checks the incidence of crime. Similarly, devotion and spirituality are practical means of maintaining harmony in society. Through them, moral and ethical values become ingrained in people.
The path of devotion stresses an individual’s responsibilities to society. Devotion to God and compassion towards fellow beings and the poor are like the two sides of a coin; if there is one, there will be the other. The compassion we show the poor is true worship of God. True devotion inspires us to give up the desire for inordinate wealth and to serve the poor with the wealth that is in excess of our needs. Pilgrims to Sabarimala undergo a ceremony during which they keep the irumudi kettu (two bundles) on their heads. During this ceremony, it is customary to give coins to children. After performing the homa (fire ritual) and other pujas (forms of ritual worship), it is also customary to feed the poor and give them clothes and money. Thus, devotion nurtures civic consciousness and compassion. Similarly, snake worship and other pujas for the protection of sacred groves protect and preserve the environment.
What we need is practical logic, not intellectual sophistication. We tell children that if they lie, they will become blind. Though it is not true, doesn’t this harmless lie guide them to the right path? We might not be able to see the logic behind certain customs that nevertheless confer many benefits on people. Such customs reach out to and uplift people.
There may be some who use devotion and spirituality to exploit others. Don’t counterfeit coins come into existence because genuine coins have value? Just because there are two vulgar books in a library does not mean that the entire library is stocked with such books?
Love and faith are the greatest gifts man has received. A life without them is like a painted corpse i.e. lifeless. This does not mean that logic and intelligence are not needed; they are, but they have their place. Don’t both the scissors, which cuts cloth into pieces, and the needle, which sews them together, have their own uses? The question is not whether or not God exists but whether man suffers. We must think of practical ways in which we can mitigate the suffering. Devotion is the means of finding the solution to one’s sorrow within oneself. Its relevance and usefulness will always prevail.
The writer is a world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian.