Sign From Above
Sometime during the late 90s or early 2000s, I was at the Bridgewater mall in New Jersey. A vendor, let us call him Joe, had set up a booth. His product was God. His God. I had some time, so I responded to his plea. I am a little more knowledgeable about other religions than most people presume when they first meet me. And I love to learn. He told me what I have heard many times before, that his God was the only way to heaven and salvation. “You are Hindi, right?” he asked. Hindi is a language, and it is not my native tongue. So the answer would be a resounding “No!”, but I knew what he meant. So I said “You mean Hindu, as in the religion?”. He went on to tell me that nothing of what I knew from Hinduism mattered if I accepted his religion. I told him what I always tell people that are eager about my seat in heaven – “Oh, I accept all religions, and I believe all paths lead to the same higher power”. Then I went on to quote verses from his book that would support my statement, but he didn’t want to hear any of that. It was obvious that not only had he ever attempted to understand other religions, but he didn’t even know as much as I did about what was in his book! Anyway, as I walked away, he said “God will give you a sign, if you stay in prayer. If you open your heart to God, he will give you a sign”.
My heart is always open, and I talk to the higher power often, keeping multiple religions in mind. So his suggestion was redundant.
A couple of weeks later I purchased a 5′ x 3′ Tanjore painting of Radha and Krishna, who are a divine symbol of spiritual love to many Hindus. I bought it more for the sheer beauty and magnificence of the art work in it, rather than for religious reasons. Elaborate packing and shipping charges to New Jersey from Chennai cost me more than the painting itself, I remember. When it got here, I realized it was too bulky for me to try and hang it on the wall all by myself. After a couple of phone calls, my neighbor helped me connect with someone. For $30, he would do the job. And he did a fine job. I paid Joe the $30. Yes, the same Joe! I asked him if he remembered our conversation in the mall. Sign from above?
BLOG BITES
Eminent personalities like Abdul Kalam, former President of India, Mahatma Gandhi and many western scholars have spent extensive time and energy studying Hindu scriptures such as Vedas and Upanishads, the Muslim Quran and the Christian Bible. They spoke from a position of strength, knowledge and understanding. Of course, we have the freedom and the right to be what we want to be, but to discard religious scriptures that are tens of thousands of years old as bogus is dangerous and careless.