THE LIBERATION
My auto stopped right at the spot. A particular opposition party had organised, on the roadside, the candle-light vigil for the victims of the latest terror attack in Mumbai. A lady leader was breathing fire and brim stones. For fifteen minutes, I got stuck there. But then, I got this 'opportunity' to listen to one of our 'netas'.
Hundreds of candles were lit ... half-a-dozen leaders spoke fervently ... and the crowd was directed to shout loudly -"Bharat Maata Ki Jai." ... "Shaheed log amar rahe."
It was supposed to be a dignified prayer meet. The prayer for the unfortunate victims, for the liberation of their souls. The 'netas' turned it into their election campaign; and, they did it so shamelessly, on the roadside. They promised the crowd, the 'gullible', the liberation of a different kind: the liberation from the 'corrupt' and 'incompetent' government. They promised them safety and security.
The candles were lit for this!
Last few days, so many people, at so many places, have been lighting the candles. There are school children and their teachers, there are office goers and their bosses, there are merchants and corporates and there are these politicians. Never before in our country, have so many people come out in so many numbers for a cause like this. It is really remarkable. I am truly moved to tears, by the mere thought of it.
But, I sincerely feel, for the liberation of the helpless souls, we should do something much beyond it. Maybe, much simpler, and much private. I truly, wonder: How can the candles liberate the souls of our slain fellowmen?
I know, I am thinking against the current. But, with all my honesty, and with all my sorrow, I do feel we should do something more private.
And, what is that? Perhaps, sharing one of my recent experiences might help answering this question.
About ten days back, along with one of my close friends, I visited a grieving family. The head of the family had passed away after a prolonged period of suffering. We spent about an hour with the family members. I am not very good in expressing my feelings at places like that. But, my friend, a spiritual counselor, is. He so beautifully expressed his feelings, offering them insights and strength. And, he shared with them his own story.
"I was the only child to my parents. My father was working and healthy. I was a teenager and life was all a bed of roses for all of us, none of us expecting any thing bad to happen. And, bad did strike, unannounced. My dad died of a massive heart attack, one night, leaving my mom and myself in the lurch. And, for years, I couldn't reconcile with this reality. 'How could he leave us like this?' In spite of all our religious ceremonies, which we performed unfailingly over all those years, I remained furious about my dad. I was unable to free myself from the state of victim hood. Then, one day, during my quiet moments, I simply received this message: 'Son, I am still suffering with the guilt that I left you and mom to fend for yourselves. Please forgive me.'. That was it. That evening, I, a 45-year-old man, placed my head on my frail mother's lap, and we both cried like two small babies. In the end, we profusely thanked dad for all that he did for us ... and there were such a lot of things that he did and we had not thanked him for. We kept thanking him and we kept crying. We assured him that we were extremely fine here, and, that he ought to be free of any worry or guilt about us. A huge rock fell off our hearts, and we felt an unusual lightness ... after a long, long time."
Then, my friend counselled to the grieving family: "Just express your gratitude, and do it with all the feelings of your hearts. That's the greatest prayer you can ever send for the liberation of his soul."
To me, it was, in deed, a liberating experience ... Just being a witness to this!
And, I sincerely believe, there is no other way more honest, and more private, than this - for praying for the liberation of our fellow citizens' souls.
Thank you. Forgive us. We promise to be good.
GERALD D'CUNHA
Hundreds of candles were lit ... half-a-dozen leaders spoke fervently ... and the crowd was directed to shout loudly -"Bharat Maata Ki Jai." ... "Shaheed log amar rahe."
It was supposed to be a dignified prayer meet. The prayer for the unfortunate victims, for the liberation of their souls. The 'netas' turned it into their election campaign; and, they did it so shamelessly, on the roadside. They promised the crowd, the 'gullible', the liberation of a different kind: the liberation from the 'corrupt' and 'incompetent' government. They promised them safety and security.
The candles were lit for this!
Last few days, so many people, at so many places, have been lighting the candles. There are school children and their teachers, there are office goers and their bosses, there are merchants and corporates and there are these politicians. Never before in our country, have so many people come out in so many numbers for a cause like this. It is really remarkable. I am truly moved to tears, by the mere thought of it.
But, I sincerely feel, for the liberation of the helpless souls, we should do something much beyond it. Maybe, much simpler, and much private. I truly, wonder: How can the candles liberate the souls of our slain fellowmen?
I know, I am thinking against the current. But, with all my honesty, and with all my sorrow, I do feel we should do something more private.
And, what is that? Perhaps, sharing one of my recent experiences might help answering this question.
About ten days back, along with one of my close friends, I visited a grieving family. The head of the family had passed away after a prolonged period of suffering. We spent about an hour with the family members. I am not very good in expressing my feelings at places like that. But, my friend, a spiritual counselor, is. He so beautifully expressed his feelings, offering them insights and strength. And, he shared with them his own story.
"I was the only child to my parents. My father was working and healthy. I was a teenager and life was all a bed of roses for all of us, none of us expecting any thing bad to happen. And, bad did strike, unannounced. My dad died of a massive heart attack, one night, leaving my mom and myself in the lurch. And, for years, I couldn't reconcile with this reality. 'How could he leave us like this?' In spite of all our religious ceremonies, which we performed unfailingly over all those years, I remained furious about my dad. I was unable to free myself from the state of victim hood. Then, one day, during my quiet moments, I simply received this message: 'Son, I am still suffering with the guilt that I left you and mom to fend for yourselves. Please forgive me.'. That was it. That evening, I, a 45-year-old man, placed my head on my frail mother's lap, and we both cried like two small babies. In the end, we profusely thanked dad for all that he did for us ... and there were such a lot of things that he did and we had not thanked him for. We kept thanking him and we kept crying. We assured him that we were extremely fine here, and, that he ought to be free of any worry or guilt about us. A huge rock fell off our hearts, and we felt an unusual lightness ... after a long, long time."
Then, my friend counselled to the grieving family: "Just express your gratitude, and do it with all the feelings of your hearts. That's the greatest prayer you can ever send for the liberation of his soul."
To me, it was, in deed, a liberating experience ... Just being a witness to this!
And, I sincerely believe, there is no other way more honest, and more private, than this - for praying for the liberation of our fellow citizens' souls.
Thank you. Forgive us. We promise to be good.
GERALD D'CUNHA
Comments
Gratitude , as a quality is absent in the collective psyche of today and a reflection of our ethos.
the greatest thing we can do at any moment is to reconnect to spiritual cores experientially beyond concepts of the mind, our responses would be an emergence then; conflcits are a quality of the mind, never of the heart...
and teh challenge is in being able to watch and understand the tyranny of the mind over us...
GERRY