Matter of Faith
(Narrating an incident of
November 13)
Preamble
Faith is the phenomenon that keeps the world moving.
It is quite often laced with Trust, Hope, Optimism and usually pragmatic
thought to an extent. The efficacy of faith improves, with higher quotient of
sincerity (on both ends) and pragmatics. In the case of divinity, it is
pertinent to add an important dimension of devotion. Where worldly faith
needs the quotient of Trust, which
thinly borders on recent past experience interspersed with luck.
Tendency
Faith
runs billions of people in this Universe. Without any assured guarantee of
success, people tend to undertake many ventures. A farmer irrigates the land
without the assurance of adequate rain and fair price for the prospective
produce among other factors. A business venture is launched with the faith that
it could succeed with the faith of prospective clients. Similarly, any client would
entertain a new entrepreneur that this relation could stabilise and help their
own business to flourish. For a family to thrive and sustain, faith based
adjustments and sacrifices are vital.
Divinity
or the factor of G
In this foreground of faith, how
should one relate the essay on divinity is the topic broached in this
narration. Normally, devotion is related to a person's own well-being or
occasionally extended to the family. Very rarely, we witness an event of prayer
or ritual being conducted for the overall benefit of the society at large.
However, a new trend develops in a
section of society, if it is repeatedly battered by events beyond its
reasonable control. Fortunately or otherwise, a coastal town in Andhra Pradesh
of Southern Indian Sub-Continent; called Machilipatnam has a notoriety of
facing natural calamities. The location of the town itself is conspicuous, as
observed from the important contour as depicted in the satellite imagery.
Generally, Post-Monsoon tropical
storms, cyclones are hurricanes/ typhoons are the bane of Coastal India,
especially in the Eastern Region, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu bear the
brunt usually. The impact is harsh to critically severe for everyone. Fishermen
and Farmers are hit the hardest by these calamities. Other than fore-warning,
precaution, evacuation and emergency relief supplies, no government or
scientific organisation can help the society to avoid the calamity. This is the
hard fact of life.
Pondering
Man turns outward in his exploration,
if his best efforts are not yielding the desired result in reasonable time
frame. Sometimes, it extends to cosmos and even beyond. In this realm, the
factor of G (standing for Greater Force called GOD) emerges. Even self made
men, fond of relying on hard work (quite often overlooking the influence of
external factors) look for answers or guidance from external factors. Thus the
phenomena of astrology, astronomy and divinity are strengthened in the society.
Role
of the Ruler
Historically, traditionally, morally
and ethically; the role of the rulers is to ensure the welfare of the subjects.
If the population lives peacefully with ample resources, the taxes are paid for
the regime to strengthen. Accordingly, few rituals are prescribed for
collective conduct in order to avert disasters and calamities at large. In
the advent of famine, drought, wild fires or typhoons; rulers in ancient India
organised mass prayers and rituals to tide over the crises and met with success
reasonably.
However, in the secular India
inheriting western thoughts, such practices were abandoned at large. Isolated
incidents of prayers are organised by religious affairs ministries of local
governments, which are often look down by the so-called progressive thinkers/
establishment with disdain. Media, our unaccountable monster plays a second
fiddle to this trend. Thus, most of our population is oblivious to power of
collective prayers in mitigating and averting a calamity.
Prevention
or Cure
As mentioned above, repeated
calamities cause our people to become depressed or philosophical. At times, the
churning of the minds could lead to innovative thoughts to find out methods to
avert a disaster or to lessen the brunt. Such Prevention of calamity is not
only a benefit to the society, but also a great stabilisation factor for the
economy.
Similar to the vaccination to
prevent outbreak of diseases, preventive prayers could avert or lessen the
fiery spells of the Factor G. Hence, many rituals and Mantras (Hymns) in the
Vedic Tradition are conducted.
Shata
Rudreeya
Rudra Adhyaaya of Yajurveda Samhita
(Text) is a powerful prayer. This is called as Shata Rudreeya, where hundreds
of omni-potent and omni present forms of the God are extolled. Homa (Ablation
in the sacrificial fire) with these Mantras, is a method to appease the
ferocious nature, Yajurveda prescribed.
Collective
Prayers
The power of Individual conduct of a
ritual is dwarfed by the collective might of the mass prayers. Therefore,
people congregate at the places of worship. If the common motive is to
dedicated to the benefit of the society and region, the effect would be greater
than ever. (Rather than desiring personal benefit, every prayer should
concentrate to achieve common benefit to avert an impending danger to the
society.) If this principle is observed in letter and spirit, the society can
reap rich dividends in short term too.
Unfolding
of the events in 2013
Coastal region was battered by a
very powerful cyclone called Phailin in
October 2013. During the ensuing period, an organiser from Vijayawada (Smt. Nirmala
Chowdary) was casually discussing plans for conducting a mass ritual at
Vijayawada. The discussion crystallised in short period and the blessings were
obtained from Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, a great seer, for its
successful conduct. The motive for such an event, was nothing more than the
well being at large. Dates for the event were thought to be 30 November, 1st
December and 2nd December to coincide with the last days of Kartika Maasa, a
month special for the worship of Shiva, whose fiery in the times of delusion
(Pralaya) is legendary.
Meanwhile, certain unforeseen
circumstances caused the event to be pre-poned by a week. All of us, including
our organisers about the prospects of successful conduct within two weeks.
(From an organiser's point of view, necessary skilled manpower, resources and
logistics are quite hectic, if not nightmarish.)
In the course of time, another
cyclone Helen was also identified in the latter half of November '13 by the
meteorologists. It was scheduled to cross the coast near Machilipatnam on 22nd
November '13. Traditionally, the devotees at Machilipatnam pray to Sri Swamiji,
whenever an impending cyclone is predicted to cross the coast at this point; since the establishment of an Ashrama at
Manginapudi (sea coastal hamlet). And they had experienced the benefit of this
prayer. Many a time, huge hurricanes had their intensity tapered down or the
course of its direction drastically altered.
Mahaa
Rudra Yaagam
Upon the direction of Sri Swamiji, the event - Mahaa Rudra Yaagam
was announced. Luckily, all the logistics were arranged within a short time. Mahaa
Rudram is a system of recitation and Homa, prescribed in Rudra Yaamala. It
comprises of Abhishekam to Shiva, coupled with the recitation of 1331 chants of
Rudra Mantras, with a Homa of 121 Chants.
Prior to that commencement of the
ritual, we happened to visit a small village Kurumaddali, to advise a friend to
manage the temple, he founded. That particular time was said to be the crossing
of the coast at Machilipatnam, by cyclonic storm Helen. It
was categorised as a low intensity cyclone, with gale speeds not exceeding 60 -
70 km per hour. At that odd hour,
streets/ highways were empty, as people were advised to stay indoors.
During our visit to the temple, a
couple of farmers named Sitaram and Sambasiva Rao narrated their share of woes
due to frequent cyclones. This year, half their produce is wasted, which is not
even sufficient to cover half the production costs. They were very pessimistic
about the prospects. We empathised their plight and bid farewell.
Surprisingly IMD (Indian Meteorology
Department) has found the formation of another intensive cyclone in South Andaman sea, more than 1500 km from
that region. It was construed as more dangerous and intense cyclone, with
speeds predicted to exceed 240 km per hour, dwarfing the previous cyclones of
recent years. It was named Lehar.
Formative Stage of Lehar
The
ritual Mahaa Rudram, commenced on Saturday 23 November 2013, with the
invocation of deities and establishment of 11 pedestals of worship. Ritwiks
(scholars) from Pithapuram (SGS Veda Pathashala), Vijayawada (Kanaka Durga
Temple) had joined the team from Mysore (consisting of myself, Chinmaya Datta,
Santosh Kumar and Surya Narayana). As the 3 day event was progressing, media
persons sought the purpose of the ritual and its significance.
It
was explained that praying to God was the best method to avert a potential
disaster or to minimise the impact at least. As our Sadguru explains, never
ask for an event/ incident to get annulled or postponed. Whatever has to
happen, will happen. Pray for the wherewithal to withstand the impact. This
will make you stronger and ready for any exigency.
Rational of this prayer
This
exhort, is actually thought provoking. For a unit of energy consumed by a
section of population, people close to power generation stations have face the
consequences of pollution or heavy traffic. For us to enjoy the excellent and
safe homes, people in the iron ore/ lime stone (for cement) mining areas have
to undergo the terrific dust and pollution. For our safe sleep at our beloved home,
a police man has to guard the street/ locality and a military man has to
forsake his sleep at the border. To make someone happy, some people have to
sacrifice some benefits of life. That is the barter system in the society.
Vitality of Rain Water
Similarly,
if hinterland has to recharged with ground water, storm/ monsoon related rains
are compulsory. Regions without the benefit of irrigation system (Rivers/
Rivulets/ Canals) have to sustain. Rain is the only source of livelihood.
Humans are not the only creatures important for nature. Plants, Animals, Birds
and insects also thrive on the same rain water. Hence, it is the duty of the
nature to protect the species of its creation.
Therefore,
front line (Coastline) regions will have to lose crops and related benefits,
due to the storms and related rains. However, lesser the intensity, lesser the
pain of the front line. For the survival of many creatures, some sacrifices are
to be made by people, who are otherwise the beneficiaries of nature's bounty, with
sufficient water resources due to rains compared to their lesser advantaged
peers at hinterland.
Desired Result (Weakening
of the Storm)
With
this logic in mind, our prayers were to minimise the damage to ensure the
safety of people. The Mahaa Rudra Yaagam smoothly concluded on 25th November
2013, 4th Monday of Kartika. People around, were still tense about the impact
of the impending ferocity of Lehar. But, we were confident that our prayers
will be answered sufficiently.
From
that Monday, reports about weakening of the cyclone poured in to the relief of
people. In the fag end, the storm crossed Machilipatnam, bringing rains normal
to the region. At the time of crossing, it was categorised as a low intensity
normal depression, with an intensity of 40 - 50 km per hour.
Here,
we can observe the lessening of the ferocity of 240 km is limited to one fifth
of its anticipated intensity. Before, estimating the colossal loss caused by
storms at short intervals, we have to analyse the trauma of hapless poor farmers,
whose lives are made or broken by the frequent storms.
But
for the power of collective prayer devoid of personal elements, the nation can
sustain its welfare and prosperity. One or two natural disasters or manmade
disasters, can unwind decades of efforts to achieve prosperity. Hence, this
practical experience made me wiser about the efficacy of prayer.
·
Do not ask for
guarantee of result without the guarantee of sincerity.
·
Make your sincere
effort without an element of self.
·
Whatever is due
to you, will be bestowed by the Almighty with compassion.
Picture at the time of LandFall
(Weakened Storms)
Om Namasshivaaya
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