Alexa play “bum bum bole”. This is a Hindi film song. The song teaches opening you mind, thinking, experiencing, and dreaming specially beyond your belief or knowledge. The song made me think in different dimension, questioning few things and conclude – experience beyond your belief.
Alexa started playing bum bum bole song, Adviti was happy. Slowly she learned the lyrics of the song, for her the lyrics are not that very meaningful, yet she learnt singing few lines. She keeps on mumbling them while listening to the song.
She started saying “bhala machhaliya bhi kyu udati nahi? Socho, socho na.”
The above line is in Hindi, it means “think why the fish cannot fly, just think”. Somehow it came to my mind that fish can fly if we start calling a bird a fish 😊
I asked Adviti, how about it? She didn’t understand. I reiterated Adviti let me explain
- a bird can fly
- if I start calling a bird. a fish
- so the fish will start flying isn’t it?
A creative answer to a question that asks you to think.
I’m answering your question Adviti, you are calling a fish a fish so you are asking the question why can not a fish fly? If you start calling a bird a fish it will start flying 😀
I think she will need some time to figure out this logic.
Well this is on a lighter side however in reality our perceptions actually create our realities and whatever we think is based on our beliefs.
The formless
Recently a big public, judicial and political debate started in India. The row is of a Shivling in a mosque. Before we proceed further – Shivling is a representation of formless. It is a symbol of energy.
One group – Hindus – is saying that it is Shivling and the other group – Muslims – is saying it is a fountain. Let the competent authorities respond or prove to what exactly it is. The point I want to make is – this is how our belief systems are, we see what we want to see there may be some different reality out there.
If you dig deeper, Muslims theology states that the God is formless. Hindu’s Worship the formless in the form of Shivling. If you try to connect these dots conceptually the idea is same – formless. Method of praying or bowing to the same concepts of “formless” are different. This underling concept is still not clear to masses. Why create a fight for one upmanship? There are many more dimensions to the debate. I do not want to digress.
Belief system
Our beliefs blind us. In Ashtavakra Geeta, Ashtavakra says – you are seeing the rope as the snake because your mind is saying that it is a snake. this belief is making you feel the rope as a snake. Until you open your eyes and mind, you will feel the rope is the snake.
Our religions are also the same, some people believe in something, other people believe in something else. What is correct or what is true can only be proved when we become more objective, think, open-up and willing to experiment.
This is the reason I like Indic religions – specially Buddhism and Hinduism to a great extent. After reading few philosophical texts of Hinduism I see Buddhism as a subset of Hinduism.
Experience beyond your belief
Hinduism has given philosophy of Yoga, Meditation, Bhakti (devotion), Karma, Gyan etc. There are many ways to experiment and experience. The best part is no one asks you to follow a certain path or approach. You follow or practice what you feel comfortable with. In one family you may find members of the family following different paths Bhakti (Devotion), Yoga, and Meditation in some cases questioning everything and not following any. This chaos is perfectly fine in the family.
Out of all these methods, the key is – “experience”. Some paths gave recipe of experiments too.
Patanjali discusses Yoga Sutra, Shiv Sutra discusses 100+ meditation methods, Narad Bhakti Sutra discusses Bhakti (Devotion), Ashtavakra Geeta tells open your eyes see it, Krishna summarizes everything in Bhagvad Geeta. There are Upnishads, the list is very long to complete, contemplate, try everything and experience. Pick your options.
If I were to say something, here is my approach pick one in the beginning. I will recommend read Bhagvad Geeta. It gives you a wonderful summary of different paths. Try one or the other path for experience. Whatever suits you from within, go deeper in that path with additional text!
Interestingly, what the end results is? It is experience. All these paths proposed by the Indian theology are science. They do not want you to believe what is written. In fact, all the titles written above most have question between a speaker and listener. Do not just blindly believe what is written, ask what you have in mind.
Open your mind
What every human-being needs to do is – keep aside the belief system and move towards the experience system.
The takeaway is – open you mind, put aside your battle of belief, and fasten your seatbelts for the journey of experience.
3 Comments
Om prakash · June 5, 2022 at 7:14 am
That is the fact most sanatani can question the things and discuss it’s pros and cons and may except or reject it. But Abrahamic religions teach only to believe in what is written in their scriptures that there is nothing else. That the conflict now we are facing.
This will in fact will be main point of conflicts for at least next ten years.
Everybody must open their mind and think, all conflicts will be over that I think.
Santosh Kumar Patidar · June 5, 2022 at 10:51 am
Nice blog Pravin… Everyone must open their eyes and mind to see the facts around us. Analyze the situation and act accordingly to maintain the Bhaichara.
KRD Pravin · June 6, 2022 at 11:21 am
Thank you for your thoughts Santosh