Religious vs. Spiritual

Religious vs. Spiritual

Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life. Spirituality truly seeks to know the divine without clinging to rituals.

Man has lived in groups through thousands of years. Everyone has a hidden need that makes him to attach himself to some ritualistic gatherings. For example the ongoing world cup telecast the stars and fans in the audience are seen with body paint, certain costumes, and seen chanting, even priests lead the crowd in chanting. How do you explain this behavior?

Spirituality is something personal and sincere. Religion is an institution that constrains one's thinking in a box. Recognizing the soul is a spiritual experience - a personal relationship with God.

We can discuss in another angle also. We all have a conscience which can be compared to an embedded campus within. The compass gives the directions which is right or wrong. Why can't we take that as the voice of God? It will be an experience of enlightenment or voice of reasoning. Joy comes from listening to this inner voice. That in a nutshell is spirituality.

Conclusion:-

I believe it is entirely possible to be both spiritual and religious. I don't believe that religion and spirituality are mutually exclusive.

The discussion continues in understanding the religious nature or beliefs

1. Christianity

The word Church ' can mean a building or a mere congregation in a place for worship. In this context, it can mean also a community. Roman Catholic Church, with 980 million followers all over the world, is the largest church in the world.

2. Hinduism

A religion with 648 million followers in India, Hinduism developed in combination with Aryan Religions as early as 1500 B.C. The four major groups are : 1. Brahmins or Priests, 2. Rulers or Warriors, 3. Farmers or Merchants, 4. Peasants or laborers

The goals of Hinduism are the release from repeated reincarnations thru practice of yoga, adherence to Vedic scriptures, devotion to a personal Acharya or guru. Bhaja govindam, bhaja govindam, goviindam bhaja .... mudamathe.

Other than the namasankeerthanam, nothing comes to one's rescue when he is sinking or drowned in samskara or in samsara. Hinduism advocates the doctrine of saranagathi or surrender to god for emancipation.

3. Islam

840 millions follow Islam. Islam in Arabic means "Submission to God". Ramadan Fast, Reading Koran and pilgrimage at least once to Mecca are the strong conviction followed by a devout Muslim.

4. Sikhism

About 500 years before, (1469), Gurunanak found the sikhism - teachings of 10 Gurus is enshrined in the Sikh Holy Book. Sikhism preaches devotion to God at all times or simple remembrance to God. Truthful Living, equality of mankind is Sikh's philosophy which denounces superstitions or falsehood.

Taoism

Founder Lao-Tzu in China in 640 B.C. Live simply and spontaneously in close touch with nature is what the message Taoism delivers.

The reader may feel exhausted already, let me say God Be With You at this moment.


Regards.

Yours Religiously,

Ignited Minds

Ignited Minds:-

APJ Abdul Kalam, expresses his dream - desire how he wants to see India as a well developed Nation in his book "", brought out by Penguin. The Document on Technology Vision 2020 is a blue print in this direction. He is the chairman of TIFAC - Technology Information Forecasting And Assessment Control.

Kalam was asked to post a few questions in the website created by Infosys Chairman, NRNM in Oct. 2000. He asked the youth under 20 to answer 3 questions. 1. What would young boys and girls under 20 like to do to make India a well developed country? 2. "When Can I sing a song?. 3. Why do we love anything foreign where as other countries celebrate their own successes?

Among the answers, Kalam rates three as pertinent or as more precise. A young man wrote the best way he can serve India is by imparting lessons as a teacher or join the Army and work as a soldier. The second answer in merit was from a 20 year old lad from Goa " Like an electron ceaselessly move in the orbit, I will work ceaselessly for India's cause. For the second question, Kalam likes the answer from a Atlanta boy who wrote when India becomes capable of imposing sanctions against any country, I shall sing a song". Economic strength brings prosperity along with national strength which will set the tone for singing a song from the heart. Many wrote the need for transparency as a corner stone to see India as a developed Nation and for singing a song.

Kalam remarks in his book that Gandhi set the tone for transparency in every walk of life. In prayer meetings held daily by Babuji, there would be collections for the welfare of harijans and others. The amount collected would be informed to Gandhi. Once information reached Gandhi that there was some paise short in the collections handed over to the official concerned. Gandhi was so upset and went on fast saying that ' this is poor man's donation and we have no business to lose any of it. This example, Kalam writes, as unique example for transparency in public life.

The answer to the third question is linked to the country's competitiveness, the nation's ability to achieve sustained high rates of economic growth. Singapore comes first, next only is USA and India is 59th in this regard. The question is not who would allow us for achieving competitiveness but rather, who can stop us?

When the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where knowledge is free and where the worlds has not been broken up into fragments, ..........., my father, let my country wake up is what Rabindra Tagore's poem says. Nation is bigger than the Individual. Kalam's message to 1,00,000 young students is Ignite your minds and think big. A teacher once said, Give me a five year old child after seven years, no god or devil will be able to change the child

Kalam is closely associated with Rural development program called PURA. They have introduced dynamic connectivity of four types called PEEK - physics, electronics, economics, and knowledge connections. One more important need for development is tele-medicine for which the driving force is IT. In the CARE hospital in Hyderabad, Kalam witnessed the trials of tele medicine. The novelty in this advancement is that the patient will be at a distant place. Satellite acts as the interacting media and doctors intercept the ECG data transferred as a high resolution image in real time from different hospitals and offer their opinion. Kalam says it is a promising way to offer health care where diagnostic facilities are not available.

Kalam believes that when something is at stake, the human mind gets ignited and the working capacity gets enhanced manifold. Pace of development should be taken up in an integrated manner in a 'misson mode'. Kalam advocates in his books that the mind sets should change. The success will follow.

I have conveyed what appealed to me most after reading " Ignited Minds " which I am afraid can be regarded as subjective opinion by those who had already completed reading the book.

Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Di Ni Sa

sa....ri....ga....ma....pa....di....ni.....sa", - the sound of music more precisely the musical notes may bring some nostalgia in everyone's mind. Saint Composer Sri Thyagaraja Swami comes in my mind. Incidentally we also hail from Thiruvaiyaru. Sri Thyagaraja was born in Thiruvarur in the year 1767, month May, date 04.to the couple Seethamma and Rama Brahmam.

He had his education in Raja Sanskrit College in Thiruvaiyaru.He received the 'Upadesa Mantra" namely "RAMA THARAKA MANTRA" from his father Rama Brahmam. Sri Thyagaraja used to get dreams about Sri Rama in his childhood itself. He also took upadesam from Saint Krishnanandar for reciting "Shadakshari" mantra. He composed first "NAMO NAMO RAGHAVAYA ANISAM", a kirthana in the raga Desia Thodi.

He started learning more about musicology from the hand written script called 'Naradheeyam'. But he could not really understand many dictions written in the book. He started reciting ' Narada Mantra ' as a means to overcome the difficulties. He obtained the dharsan of ' Narada Muni " who gave him the script " Swararnavam ". Sri Thyagaraja composed 'Sri Narada...', ' Vara Narada...' Kirthanas to convey his gratitude to Narada.

Thyagaraja married Parvathy when he was 18. He lost her when he was 23 and married again her sister Kamalambal. This is where the biography written about Thyagaraja in handwritten script suddenly ends. Thyagarajar got his only daughter Seetha Mahalakshmamma married to Subbaramaiah.

He took to Sainthood in 1847 on Pushya Bahula Panchami day. He breathed his last at about 11 A.M. the next day when his disciples were singing in chorus 'Rama nama bhajana' .

"The spirit of sacrifice stands as the noblest among all DHARMAs and Saint Thyagaraja lived a life of sacrifice. he has sung in praise of this dharma in one of his krithis. No wonder that he was named Thyagaraja as he breathed always this spirit during his life. He had also composed musical dramas out of which ' Nouka Charithram and Prahalada Bhakthi Vijayam " rank very high.

Saint Composer Sri Thyagaraja's " Pancha Rathna Keerthnas " , I know not how to describe them, but all of you will agree when I refer to them as ' majestic in composition, poetic in diction, lifting in rhythm, moving in appeal and fills one's mind with a sense of devotion.'

Let us go back to basics again viz. " ...sa.. ri.. ga.. a.. pa.. da.. ni ... sa.." where

Sa - stands for Mayoora , Agni (deity), Sampada ( one of the Ashta Iswaryams)

Ri - stands for Cow, Brahma, and Gyanam (one among the eight..)

Ga - stands for Aja, Saraswathi, Vidhya (..do ..)

Ma - Krowncha -Parameswara-Subham

Pa - Kokila -Vishnu - Raksha

Da - Dhaivatham-Ashvam-Ganapathy

Ni - Gajah-Surya-Jyothi

Sa - Sachidanandam

Shadjam.., Rishabham.., Ghandharam.., Madhyamam.., Panchamam.., Dhaivatham.., Nishadam - these sanskrit words are the origins for the above.

The mega Movie " The Sound Of Music " also comes to my mind where Juli Andrews sing the equivalents 'Do.. Ri ...Me..' and also if I am right Hemamalini singing 'sa ri ga ma pa.. ' in Abhinethri (?) cinema.

GITANJALI :-- ( my thoughts about sa ri ga ma pa da ni sa continues ..... now, with Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel prize winning Poem Gitanjali )

"My heart would break with pride, when thou commandest me to sing..
I look to thy face, tears come in my eyes..
Away from the sight of thy face, my heart knows no rest nor respite..
and my work becomes an endless toil in a shoreless sea of toil"

In this atmosphere I write my poems 'Gitanjali', I sang them to myself in midnight under the glorious stars of Indian sky in the afternoon glow of sun set I used to write these songs till a day came that impelled me to come out once again and meet the heart of the large world.

Extracts from Tagore's Nobel prize acceptance speech......

Hamsa

'Hamsah' pakshi is referred as swan in English. The swan ,as we see, swims always in water smoothly and in a steady pace. We can draw some philosophy from its motion. Some motif or a theme can be figured when we activate the thought process. hamsah will become hamso when the first letter in the next word is H. When the word is repeated , it becomes 'soham'. The meaning of the sanskrit word so-aham is "I am that".

. The mind is drawing a comparison of oneself to the swan or precisely the motion of the swan in water. The wings of the hamsa pakshi never get wet even though they are always in water. Aren't we swimming in 'samsara-sagara', till we reach the other shore. Like the feathers of the swan don't get soiled despite being in water always an 'Advaithi ' needs to get liberated from the turmoil of 'samsara' or "maya". The center theme of the passage is that menfolk can come out of the illusion unscathed just like hamsa pakshi in water - (so-aham). In simple words, it means a true advaitin lives in this world full of Maya but is untouched by its illusion.

"Self realization" is the key which is the gospel of Advaitha.