God wants our Love and not the costly offerings!

Knowing well the illusory nature of things, man is still grappled with pleasures and comforts from trash and tinsel. Ask any body, ‘what he wants, he will ponder a little and tell a wish list. Most probably, his first need will be money. I think there is rarely a worldly man who doesn’t want money. The list never stops with money. People desire to possess assets like lands and buildings, conveniences like two or four wheelers, a nice home of one’s own with a beautiful garden, a beautiful damsel as wife and cute children. This is the first list.

The second list would be a decent job with a fat salary, fame and status. If possible, he will stand for elections to become a member of parliament or at least a MLA in the state. Then his aim will be to become minister. After some years, he would try to become a powerful cabinet minister and then he will aim for Prime Minister Post. Fortunately, there is no vacancy for the post of God. I have read a beautiful and profound poem about the greed of man.

A saint poet in Tamilnadu in India wrote a beautiful poem. I will give the gist here. “There is no limit for desire, even if one is able to rule the entire world! He would like to command over the Oceans. Even those who are multi billionaires who are akin to the Lord Kubera, the Lord of wealth, they would like to learn the secret of ‘alchemist’ who would change the base metals into gold. Even those who live long would like to prolong their life by some means. Even after all this achievements, man simply eats at his pleasure and sleeps at odd times. This will be the only achievement. The man who is content with what he possesses is happy. Hence do not prattle, “I ““I”. Instead of falling into the deep pits of attachments, Oh Lord, grant me a thoughtless state! Wherever I see, I perceive your Presence who is Eternal Bliss.

Many people of wisdom have guided humanity towards immortality. But man is happy drowning in the mire of material existence and comforts. Look at the pig! It enjoys bliss supreme by rolling on the sewage water. It eats offal and delivers many piglets which cling to the nipples of the mother pig. For the pig, this is the supreme enjoyment. For the onlooker, it will be the most awful scene. Likewise, the sages feel pain when man is drowning in carnal pleasures of the world, forgetting the aim of human life.

The integer One alone has value in mathematics. The zeroes that follow the number one gains value according to the place. Remove the number one which is preceding the zeroes and the zeroes will remain as zeroes only. Likewise, it is God who is like number One. We are all zeroes but we gain value when we have God as the guide and leader. The iron safe is valued because it contains most valuable wealth secured inside. Likewise, our bodies are like iron-safe and the most valuable treasure “God” is secured inside everyone.

The ancient sages and seers have written that the body is like a temple and the idol consecrated inside is the Divine! Today, man has forgotten his inner divinity and he care for the outer case which is the body. A horse rider takes care of his horse till he reaches his destination. In the same manner, we have to take care of the body till it serves the purpose of realization of God. A saint has sang, “The body is like the boat in the turbulent ocean of existence. The individual is the boatman who should constantly row over the turbulent waves skillfully. Keeping the name of God in the tongue, one has to march on the dark forest of life. The name is like the lamp which will illumine the path. As we proceed, the name will illumine the path little further. These are all the cardinal truths of life for all the people, whichever religion they belong or whichever faith they follow.

In each religion, importance is given to prayers and chants. There are no hard rules for prayer. Pray from your mind. Pour your heart to god. Converse with him, like a friend. God listens to our innermost prayer since he is the indweller. In whichever language, we implore him, he responds in the same language. In whichever form, we worships, he shows the same form. We need not adopt ostentaneous ways to worship god. He looks at our heart and not at our wealth! In fact, God needs nothing from us except our love and devotion. Wealth has no value in God’s place!