MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES AND SUPER SAINT

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RITES AND RITUALS

For the self-styled redeemers, recitation and adoration of the holy books,

worship of idols, signs and symbols and performance of rites and rituals in

the prescribed manner, is an end in them. To strengthen their hold over the

innocent devotees and also to suit their designs, they even give a distorted

inter- pretation of the scriptures. Their directions are designed to be

accepted as a divine commandment and adhered to rigidly as a matter of faith

by the devotees in their own interest. Any query by devotee in this regard

is not explained but explained away. Yet they would ask the devotees to

close and gently press their eyes to see the divine light (Rabi Jot) or plug

their eyes to hear the cosmic Sound (Anhad Shabad) though the above verse is

a clear warning that any object of touch, tests, smell, form, or light seen

or sound heard, internally or externally, is not God.

Preying upon the innocence and faith of the namin God-seekers, the

so-called redeemers succeed in keeping them confused and yoked to rites and

rituals, which cast their own spell. They, therefore, lay the whole

emphasis on the observance of rites and rituals of religious practices as

the very and without explaining their real significance.

Rites and rituals may inspire one to imbibe moral and ethical values or to

be pious, upright and compassionate, or inculcate an attitude of detachment,

though these virtues are not the exclusive privilege and possession of the

religious and the ritualiste Rarely, rites and rituals may arouse an urge in

the devotee to know and realize God, the prime purpose of human life. At

the most, rites and rituals may be treated as aids, helpful only upto a

certain stage.

When once a devout has understood the fundamental truth that God-

realisation is the prime purpose of human life, he realizes that he no

longer needs the aid of rites and rituals. Now the question surging

uppermost in his mind should be: How can I know and realize God to be truly

a Man of God and not of gods

It is not a fact that God - knowledge transformed Vivekananda, an ordinary

monk into a spiritual stalwart In case the devout is still not seized of the

most vital question (of God-realisation), we may rightly conclude that

either he is yet to be convinced of the prime purpose of human life or that

he is a simpleton and has been misguided to stay content with the mechanical

performance of rites and rituals - Let the ritualist pause and founder over

the scriptural injunction: without the Lord, all pious deeds (enjoyed

by religion) are illusion. Recitation, austerities, discipline, action

all are robbed away here (and are not carried beyond). Fasting, rules of

conduct, and observance of religious discipline are not worth half a penny.

Here after the valuation of things is different and therefore these things

are different and therefore these things do not count there. Bathing at

holy places and wondering about on earth can ensure no place hereafter.

This way avails not there and at best may satisfy man on this earth.

Reciting from memory the four Vedas will not secure Gods presence in the

next world. If a man did not know the one Nectar-word, all the rest he

knows is nonsensical prattle. Nanak expresses the view that the Guru should

be served. The Name dwelt upon and ego of the mind shed off. Whoever

practices this view will cross the sea of life.

 

(This book can be read from www.saileelas.org/books).