The Worshiper, the Worship & the Worshiped

By H H Maa Purnananda

“Gnyeyam Geeta Naamsahastram, Dhyeyam Sreepati Roopamajastram; Neyam Sajjansange Chittam, Deyam Deenjanaaya Cha Vittam” – (Bhaja Govindam – 27)

Human birth is the “crowning glory” of living beings. Most developed and profoundly intelligent race on earth; that is what you the reader and I are! So do we have self-esteem of being so? Are we humble and grateful for whatever we have? Do we realise how blessed we are, to have earned such magnificent mind-intellect equipment and such advanced ten sense-organs?

Without such information gathered from our Scriptures of Sanaatan Dharm, we would have been oblivious of all these privileges and many more unmentioned here, that we already have attained in this human birth. Even after having known about it all, very few of us understand its proper value; and hence misuse all these matchless abilities fruitlessly and in fact harmfully.

So how do we occupy our abilities? To begin with, the intellect should have unbiased power of discrimination, humility and should have self-esteem. Instead, the intellect is completely deluded due to ego, attachment and pride, and therefore remains confused while taking decisions.

The mind should be bubbling with a long list of virtues such as compassion, friendliness, honesty, calmness, forgiveness, love, satisfaction cheerfulness and so on. Instead, the mind is completely contaminated with selfishness, greed, jealousy, anger, lust, arrogance and so on.

The five sense-organs of perception should be nurtured with the ability to perceive the multi-faceted world as it is, and to notice the differences in the world of plurality without being judgmental. Instead, each of these five senses are passionately pushed and thrown in the “ocean of objectivity”; bringing back the objective ‘knowledge’ which is already misunderstood due to preconceived notions developed as the effect of our inherent tendencies (Guna-s).

The five sense-organs of action should be nourished with healthy intakes and sufficient cleanliness to put-forth the maximum possible potential, most usefully and efficiently. Instead, each of these five are maintained very poorly, used unnecessarily and are therefore found to be weak and inefficient.

The human race needs urgent awakening towards these pitfalls to live a fulfilling life and to build-up a harmonious and healthy environment within and around.

Sree Adi Shankaraacharya, in “Bhaja Govindam” suggests the remedy. Firstly, I have to be a “worshiper”. Am I ready to be one? If not, then the noble journey does not begin. If yes, then I have to have a focal point for my worship. In other words, I have to decide as to who would be the One who would be the “Worshiped” for me! In the given verse there are three of those who are worthy of worship; Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta, the thousand names of the Lord and Bhagwaan Vishnu. How would I have to worship? I will have to learn to do so by being in the company of the Holy people and for that, I will have to sublimate my ego. How would I be able to sublimate my ego? In fact, every small achievement makes me more egoistic, because I am an egocentric being! Unless and until I stop bloating my ego, I shall never get to associate and come close to the Holy people. Therefore, being benevolent and charitable is the only way to help myself for sublimating my ego.

Now, right from serving a deserving being, to submitting to a Holy person, to learning the various methods of Upasna so that I can study the Sacred Texts, to focus upon the Sagun Brahm and meditate peacefully, up-to repeating the Japa of the Lord’s names; are all need to be practised to cultivate and nurture devotion (Bhakti) towards my chosen Ideal/Idol. This whole systematic and stepwise process is termed as “worship”.

To sum up I would say that the “Worshiped” has been attributed and described beautifully by our Sacred Scriptures, and, the various kinds of “worship” have also been defined and explained in details by our Sacred Scriptures.

Now what about me the “worshiper”? We always claim that “I know myself fully. I am humble and egoless. I am always right. I am honest and genuine” and so on; as though, I do not at all have to learn about me the “worshiper” from the Sacred Scriptures! Hence I neither need the Sacred Scripture nor any Guru! But the fact is that I am in dire need of both! Without them, I would not understand these three most valuable terms of my life – “The worshiper, the worship & the Worshiped”.

Join us the “worshipers” to “worship” Sree Ishwar, Who is the “Worshipped” at His Abode here at SISS; on the auspicious day of Sree Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepaawali), this year falling on 15th November, and be blessed.