Prologue
TRADITION appears unglamorous and obsolete not because it is inapplicable to today?s context, but because it is soaked in symbolism that either we have forgotten or refuse to learn. Why are most of us enamored by the west so much? The true reason is not that the west is full of ideas relevant to today or that the western way of life is far more open to change. It is because their way of life is shallow and full of materialism, revolving purely around the self and this world?something you and I can understand, practice and enjoy, blindly, without exercising one?s true and Ordained rational thought in the slightest.
Do not tell me that life, as Hindu religion truly preached it, is full of ritual and blind obedience. Do not tell me that our tradition is conservative and orthodox, incapable, by definition, of accepting change. Have you read what those Books really have to say, for yourself? Well, in my limited capacity, I have. And I assure you?this rational thought and this openness to change and this relevance to today?s context, this scientific and analytical approach to the behavior of this world?everything is, slowly, coming down to the very things said by our religion long ago.
You do not believe me? Then let me ask you a simple question: How is it that, in moments of distress, you still look for the ones you love and their reassurance than for a note of paper that professes that the supernatural is in fact imaginary and unreal? How is it that when you, for a moment, find yourself hopeless and turn, spontaneously, to God with prayer, your sapped and weakened rational thought suddenly surges and relieves you off your distress?
That is because there is something, apart from thought and reasoning, logic and analysis, science and rational thought that exists?Your thinking and reasoning, your analysis and logic, your science and observations exist on the foundation of this one thing the existence of which you cast away as a matter of blind faith and superstition? It is only when you surrender to this so-called figment of fiction that those reasoning powers of your can be summoned? There is something called God. And there is something called His Intervention.
And if you still scoff, may I ask one thing? Does science understand?understanding?
Think.
What is Devotion?
It is time that you and I, once and for all, shake away our impressions of devotion and piety and try to understand, with our reasoning at present, what it really means. Does being pious necessarily require you to wear garbs of the Middle Ages and sit before an idol and chant verses of archaic poetry for hours? Does being devoted the Him necessarily require you to denounce every single connection with this world, with family and with your profession, and live in a deserted forest or mountain, in penance?
Devotion is not that, pray! What is faith? What is devotion? Devotion is something you and I can practice, without disturbing what we call our?natural life?, our family life, our lives as professionals, as husbands, as fathers, as wives, as mothers, as sons, as friends, as sisters and brothers! Oh, no, your devotion must never disturb any of that! Devotion does not change the process! It changes the mechanism!
Devotion and piety is nothing beyond this one single, firm, unceasing and omnipresent belief:
Whatever I do, I do for Him and so I must do it well, sincerely, perfectly, honestly and keep doing it till it is perfect!
And it must apply to every action?your love for your spouse, your love for your children, your profession, your love for your parents, relatives, the responsibilities associated with them and everything that comes to you in your?natural life?.
That is devotion. That is true piety.
And now I ask you: Where is the ritual? Where is the blind obedience? Where is the conservativeness? Where is the orthodoxy? Where is the complete denial to change? Where is the lack of relevance to today?
Aren?t those arguments non-existent?
The Ten Best Devotional Songs
In no particular order:
Aum Namo Bhagavate Vasudevay.
Pt. Jasraj
Sanskrit verses that rhyme perfectly, chanting the several names given to the Single one, in, amazingly, alphabetic order, gamboling in wonderful rhyme and rhythm? As every single word caresses your ears through the divine voice of Pt. Jasraj, you find yourself transported to an indescribable bliss: something you don?t want to come down from?
Ram ka Gun Gaan Kariye?
Lata Mangeshkar & Pt. Bhimsen Joshi
There is no spectacular music, no complicated raag vistar, nothing? but a soulful, soul-stirring, entrancing, involving and beautiful, mellow call to the One, and a plea to us all to once and for all Believe. A song that will, if nothing else, bring a tear to the Atheist eye.
Bhaj Govindam Moodhamate?
Late Mrs. MS Subbalakshmi
Rendered in what is an other-worldly divine voice?the only voice that can make Carnatic music sound a drop of heaven?this song, even if you do not understand the language(Sanskrit), convinces you of Existence. As every line is repeated, you learn the Meaning of things? God bless you? Of course, it was the Aadi Sankaracharya who wrote this stotra
Sun Sun Sadho Ji
Pt. Bhimsen Joshi
Written by the poetic incarnation of Him, Sant Kabir, this song has been designed to entrance? I find no more words?
Viasnava Jana to?
Pt Balamuralikrishnan
This is a song I do not need to speak anything of at all?listen to this song and I assure you? you have found your solace?
Payo ji maine, Raam rattan dhan payo?
A song sung in the brilliance of Enlightenment?when I heard this song, I truly felt a sense of urgency to want to acquire that state that the poetess, Mirabai(correct me if I?m wrong), lived all through her life.
Chala Vahi Des?
Lata Mangeshkar
A little known song, probably, composed by Sant Mirabai, that received the extraordinary music of Hridayanath Mangeshkar;?Chala vahi des? keeps me riveted to the headphones for a long, long time, as it repeats itself several times over?
Ae Maalik tereh bande hum?
I don?t know who sang it, nor which movie it was rendered in, but this one song has always silenced almost every cry of arrogance in my heart? It is, believe me, empowering to know that you are powerless before God?
Itni Shakti hame dena data
I?m sorry I don?t know who sang it?but it is so popular that I?m sure you do know who sang it and when, originally. This song teaches you what one must ask for from God? you can?t go on and ask everything, after all!
Tum aasha, vishwaas hamaare?
Once more, I don?t quite remember who sang this one?for me, it is my sister, Janhavi who sang this song to me for the first time? In her sweet, infant, ten-year-old voice when I first heard it, this song stirred my own 13-year-old soul? Oh this has to be good!
Amen!
A little more in the first comment, of course.
