The other day there was a little talk about religion among a small group of my classmates. One was explaining about Christianity to another two Hindus. Well, one of them is some kind of non believer, so yeah. So the preacher started of with Lucifer's introduction and moved on about who god really is and what's Christianity is all about. Well, he invited me into the discussion but I passed off the offer. It wasn't because I've got anything against the religion, it's just because.. I've already known everything I need to know about Christianity. =)
Frankly speaking, I'm not personally bound to any specific religion. I'm called a Hindu because I was born a Hindu and most certainly raised as one. Well, back in the good old days, I was a very pious and god-fearing child. My basic understanding of the religion was mostly gained through my parents guidance and sometimes, Tamil movies which involves god triumphing over the evil is the most gruesome way possible ( I guess the idea was to show that if you do bad, you die bad and ugly). As I grew older and a lil more mature, I begin to look/understand Hinduism in a more different perspective. I noticed it has multiple versions of the same religion. I guess it has been around for a very long time, long enough for it to have different version of it. One corner you have people worshipping Lord Krshna as the supreme Godhead while in another corner you have people worshipping Lord Shiva as the super soul or supreme god. Honestly, I really don't know who is who or what is what. There was one time, I really liked Lord Shiva. He seem to be very calm and at peace all the time and all of the mythology/history that accompanies Him sounds very interesting.
Then, during a visit to India, there was this Krshna temple in Bangalore called the ISKCON Temple. International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Frankly speaking, I've never seen a Hindu temple so clean, so beautiful and so peaceful anywhere before in my life! Lord Krshna looked so... beautiful and amazing at the same time.
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
They had this book where they sold in the temple which talked about Krshna and his philosophies. Most, in not all of the philosophies seems to be relateable to life. Well, my life. So, Lord Krshna became another god of choice. Each time I can relate myself to a certain god through His/Her myths or stories, I find that god appealing. In a way, I suppose that's how religion works. You stick to one religion where you can relate to or at least find peace in to help you move on with life. You just place your life's burden onto god and move one hoping for the best while you find extra courage to fix you problem. I guess that's what god is all about. But some people just don't get it and gets carried away and become fanatics. Well, I guess they just believe too much and you always can't blame them. We don't know what they have been through.
Then, what about spiritual enlightenment you may ask. That is beyond my understanding. One thing I've been coming across in Hindu myths is that each and everyone of us are somehow related to god. You know like how in the Bible its said that god made man in his own image? I guess if that's true, our ultimate goal is to find the god within and achieve spiritual enlightenment which is to be one with God. Then again, like I said. My understanding of spiritual enlightenment is beyond me. There are things and events in life you just can't explain. One of those things are god. It will always be a debated, sensitive and universal subject for all to try understand. It may look complicated but look beyond the complex and multiple version of religions out there, and you'll only see one thing. God is one and everywhere.
