Sacredness Beyond Rituals
Pinak
Delhi, NCR
Hari Aum!
Humble Pranaam at the Holy Feet of Guru Maa,
On the sacred day of Navraatri, Pujya Mata gave us a profound reminder. She emphasized that true devotion lies in aligning our lives with sacredness, not merely in performing religious rituals without proper focus on their essence. Rituals have meaning only when they are filled with awareness and reverence; otherwise, they remain empty forms. Her discourse was a true eye-opener for all devotees, gently guiding us to look beyond our practices and connect with the Inner Truth. She reminded us that sacredness must be lived in our thoughts, words, and actions, so that every moment becomes an offering at the Divine Mother’s feet.
We often think of the sacred as something optional, something to practice during festivals, rituals, or certain moments of life. But the truth is deeper. Sacredness is not optional, it is Essential! Just as the juice extracted from a fruit is nothing but the essence of the fruit, in the same way, the Sacred is the very Essence of Life. Without it, life loses its meaning and fragrance and direction.
The essence of this creation is Devi Yogmaya. From the womb to birth and death, we pass through many environments such as family, school, social, cultural, religious, and spiritual. The womb we get depends on the prarabdh we had in our previous lives. Life after life we move in millions of such different environments which provides us opportunity of religious and spiritual progress, but unless we connect with the essence, all these stages remain meaningless.
Our real question must always be, what is the sacred path that leads me to the essence, and what can give me focus on the Essence and the Ultimate. Our Hindu religion and spiritual teachings show us various ways to maintain focus on sacredness and the Essential. This is why we celebrate Navraatri, nine sacred days dedicated to the Mother Divine. During these days, we chant Sree Durga Saptashati, which is but a guide to sacred living.
From the Sacred Text we can take the example of King Suratha and the merchant Samadhi. Both lost everything - kingdom, family, possessions and approached Rishi Medha ji for guidance. They discovered that every being is naturally drawn to non-essentials, due to the power of Devi Yogmaya. Delusion keeps us entangled in what does not matter, making us forget the Essence. The teaching is clear, prayer to Devi Yogmaya will helps us remove the distractions so that we can focus on the Essence and the Sacred.
Rituals and Real Sacredness: Merely performing rituals during Navaratri, like a little puja, a little chanting, enjoying dandia does not make things sacred. Sacredness is not about the Form; it is about the essence and intention behind it. It is impossible to remove the sacred because it is the Essence. The sacred is always available, like air, it is always and ever-present. But we must feel it. Prioritise sacredness in the sacred Navraatri days through each thought, word and deed.
I bow in humble prostration at the lotus feet of Pujya Mata, seeking her blessings to always remain focused on the Sacred Essence.
Hari Aum!