My religion is my civilization

My  religion  is my  civilization

By

P.R.Ramachander

(completly based on a wonderful write up    by Dr(Sri)  N.Gopalakrishnan of  Indian Institute  of Scientific heritage ,  in  Malayalam . My   Humble request .It is lengthy  but please read it)

My religion is beginning less  perennial  civilization

When I was born, my grandma  lit a lamp,

And  heralded  to the world  that a light was born,

On the eleventh day  , with joy  and  celebration ,

I was given a   ceremonial   Bath .

On the   twenty    eighth   day  in front of a lamp   they all,

Joyously named  me and  called me by that name

And when I further  grew  up , they decided,

To give me  food  , that  too  with  God as  witness.

After  I became  mischievous    boy or girl,

They  took me   before  our God  , who knew all,

And taught  me  how  to write   my first letters ,

By  holding my hand  and making  me write God’s name

When  I learnt  how   to read, by the help of the person,

Whom my parents told me    was   as great as God,

They also told me that  I am going to learn  everything ,

From books and that   the book was  my  God forever.

Then they took me to the schools   and  also told me,

That  the school   was and will be   my temple forever,

And    the greatest   wealth   that  I am ever going to earn,

Would be   what  I am going  to learn    from those temples.

They  told me   that  my parents   are  greater  than gods for me,

And   never   and never  I should forget  to fall at their feet ,

And they also  they  me   , to touch those people , elder or younger

On whom my  feet touches  by mistake  and touch my head .

When  i   grew up   , they told me   that  my actions   are my Gods,

And when I took a partner in life, we had to mutually  promise,

That we   would respect   and love and look after   each other,

In front  of the lighted   fire  , our  elders  as well as our friends.

When we   entered   any temple  of any of our Gods  .

I was told that  I should , not  think  other    thing,

Except  the  God  , when I was   there and they told me  ,

That He  will  fulfil  all my needs   and   also look after me.

Our elders   showed  us a mirror kept  inside  the temple,

And asked us to see  our God  inside  that mirror,

And when with curiosity    we peeped  and saw ourselves,

Our   elders  told us    that we  ourselves   are our God.

My elders   took  us to the   very learned   Guru,

Who told us how  there  is para  Brahmam was our God,

And the  reflections   of the great  concept   in each and everything ,

Was   the Gods  who see  in our temples in various forms.

He also made  me understand   that  i am not a prisoner,

Within my religion  and my religion    has  not  told me,

Any acts   or rules    which are   compulsory to my religion,

And it has  never  scared  me  by any of its   teachings.

It has told me and taught me   that  I should select ,

The path   through which  I have to travel to my God,

And all these paths   would lead me   to God Narayana,

Just like   water  raining   any where   would reach the sea.

It told me  to  uproot   all the blind beliefs  in my way,

And told me  no where  , anything  has been  told  ,

In my religion   that by not  doing   that act  ,

I would  be   considered  as not belonging  to my religion.

My religion  is my culture and not at all  my religion,

If   I consider   anything  it it as   communal  , I have,

Every right   to change it   And   every day  in my life,

I would   be thanking  God  , that I am from that  religion.

This culture   is   the tree  of heaven   which was nurtured,

By  Valmiki, Vyasa  , Vasishta  , Narada   , BHeeshma  ,

Kalidasa  , Bharthruhari  , Thiruvalluvar  , THunjan,

BHatathiri  , Vivekananda  , Ramana  and Maha  Periyava.

THis  culture   has been  nurtured by music of Narada,

The medicinal skill of Dhanvanthari , the yoga suthra ,

Given to us by Pathanjali  , science of flying by BHaradwaja,

And the  concept of zero   given to by our forefathers,

I am extremely   proud  of my great ancestors,

When Parsis , jews     and also Budhists  of Tibet,

Were   driven out  of their  motherland,

They  welcomed them and gave them  home and  food.

They recognised  and respected  all religious thoughts ,

That were   found by our  own philosophers,

And also very many  people   who came from other countries,

Because   we knew all rain water   reaches the sea.

My culture   never told  me to please   any body   else,

For by  pleasing and scaring , I do not have   anything to get,

My religion   never tells me  to convert  any one  to it,

It never tells me  only I will go to heaven and   they all to hell.

My culture  has   always   taught  me to pray    with faith ,

“May   all the worlds     with its people   have a  pleasant life,”

It has told me that if I follow   the rules  of  proper  and just dharma ,

That  Dharma    would protect me    from everything  and anything.

I will  always  follow  my culture and will always  pray for this world.