THE Atheist
Who doesn’t know
HIMSELF
“But…, I am an Atheist. so, I don’t bother..”
I heard remarks like these
from a prominent Politician in a televised debate recently.
I hear a similar refrain
from some actors, some politicians and some public personalities periodically.
They are entitled to their
views.
But, in regard to theism
and atheism, these views are mostly casual remarks rather than carefully formed
views.
It is like someone saying – there is no stove
in my house. I haven’t seen one at all in my house.
But, do you eat?
Yes, I do.
Where from does the food come?
Why, from the kitchen of course. My wife brings it out
from the kitchen.
Did you ever go to the kitchen and check up – if there is
a stove there?
Nope. If there is a stove in my house, I must be able to
see it.
Yes. You must be able to see it. But, only if you look
for it in the kitchen.
Does
this conversation look odd? It is, of course.
It is just as odd and much more, in respect of the views of these public
personalities on atheism, theism, god etc. These self proclaimed atheists don’t
look where they should, but conclude that because, they don’t see, there isn’t
one.
Forget
God for now. Are YOU a fact? Are you a reality? Who, exactly are YOU?
Put
your hand on the table before you. Look at it deeply. Ask it; Are you me? Ask
it a number of times. It doesn’t answer. It doesn’t respond in any way. It lies
on the table like dead-wood. Because, it is not you! Yes. Your hand is not you.
You will know it instantly.
Now,
look at your legs. Ask them – Are you me? They also refuse to answer. They are
also dead-wood. They are not you.
Without
doubt, YOU – are using those hands and legs. But, YOU are NOT those hands and
legs. Ask any part of the body – and you will find that they do not answer with
an YES – for your query – are you me? They are all given to YOU – for use. But,
they are not YOU.
So
who are YOU?
It is much like
the question of finding the stove. Search in the kitchen - not in the bed room.
You must look for your Self - where YOU are more likely to be found; not where you are unlikely to be found. Find yourself first. Then, you can examine – who you are, how you are and so on.
You must look for your Self - where YOU are more likely to be found; not where you are unlikely to be found. Find yourself first. Then, you can examine – who you are, how you are and so on.
All the atheist gentlemen and ladies will agree that, whether God is
there or not - YOU are there. YOU exist. YOU are a reality. YOU know it. But, if
there is a doubt even on that, then god bless you!
The
question is not about your existence per-Se. That is known and confirmed. It is about where you are; who you
are; and how you are.
Your,
and everybody’s, strong perception is – you can be somewhere within your body
limits only. You can’t possibly be
outside those limits. The outermost layer of your skin is the limit within
which YOU possibly can be.
Now,
if none of your body organs respond with “Yes, I am YOU”, then, something in
you other than your physical organs is YOU; or can be. It is therefore more
likely to be your consciousness - the one, who is asking the question, Am I
YOU?
Now,
get inside your questioner; find out from where the question is arising. What
is the source point of this question? Who on earth is asking this question? Am
I you? Or, who am I? I want to see the questioner within me. Come before me and
stand up. Yes. I know, I exist; I am a reality. But, who am I and where and how
do I exist? I want to know.
The
tragedy is – unless the question is deep in me and you – I and you will never
receive an answer for it. It is like any other scientific query. A casual query
does not beget an answer. It must be serious, sincere and deep enough.
Only
an Einstein gets an answer for his question. Only a Newton gets an answer for
his question. Only a Patanjali gets an answer for his question.
Einstein
wanted to know the relativity phenomenon. He got the answer. Newton wanted to
know about the gravitational forces. He got the answer.
Patanjali
wanted the answer to the question – who am I, and how do I find myself? He got
the answer.
Like
any other scientist, Patanjali too told us the way, the whole path, to see
our self, to know our self,
and to enjoy the full glory of our self.
THIS
– is the path – which goes to the self. These are the steps, these are the deviations, these are the
distractions which lead you astray, these are the enablers which take you to yourself
faster – Patanjali has said it all.
Not
leaving a single point, Patanjali has given us the science of the SELF.
Now,
if you want to know your self – you can’t say, I want to see it with my eyes or
I want to hear it with my ears. You can’t say that – after Patanjali has said “Everything you always wanted to know about yourself but were
afraid to ask.”
You
can’t see a small fly before your eyes. How can you see yourself, which is much
more invisible and deep inside your body layers (or somewhere there inside!)?
You can’t hear sounds of the bees or the ants. How can you hear the SELF, whose
communication happens beyond the reach of the electromagnetic waves?
Patanjali
doesn’t give importance to GOD. Although, a bit of faith in a particular type
of Eeswara helps,
it is not a necessity. Eeswara of Patanjali is not a Hindu God, and, not even a
God of the conventional religious variety. He is a special Individual, who is
not subject to any weaknesses of the human being. That is what Patanjali says
explicitly. You can access him everywhere and take his help, if you want. If
you don’t want, there is no problem. There are many other alternatives. Don’t
bother about this special person called Eeswara.
But,
Patanjali has given you a very clear PATH, a very clear method – to reach your
SELF. That is the only path there is.
Knowing
your self – is the Indian THEISM. Indian THE-I-ISM is as simple as knowing yourself.
It is the THE-I-ISM – and it is from the Great Scientist
called Patanjali.
On the way to your self – you may meet
a God too. Or, you may not. If you do – and, if you feel like that, tell him (or them!) a Hello.
The
difference between them and you is – they are already there and you are getting
there now.
Atheist’s
question, if there is one, is simple – and I think, Patanjali has answered it
conclusively. It is now the atheist’s headache to remain an atheist who doesn’t
want to know himself or become THE-I-IST who wants to know himself. Stay Ignorant,
or, stay, inquisitive.
But,
theists will have more questions. What about Shiva? What about Vishnu? Will I
go to Kailas or Vaikunth? What about the Lord of Hell, the Yama? Will I be
punished or not? Well. There is no problem if you continue praying your Shiva
or any other God. They will answer your prayers. It is easier to pray an
external God, visible or invisible, whether by looking at the sky or towards a
wall or towards a beautiful Idol. Your God is there too. Where ever you see, he
is. You may not see him. But he is seeing you. He is listening to you. Is it
wrong to pray before an Idol? This question was raised countless times in
India.
It was answered by Prahlad to his father Hiranya kasipa – several millennia
ago. It was answered by Lord Krishna himself in his Govardhana Giri puja. It
was answered by Lord Rama, when he made Shiva out of Sand and made his puja.
Isn’t the answer clear? If he is everywhere, where is he not? An Idol or a
shrine is a place where you achieve internal focus on him. As simple as that.
Once Lord Shiva was asked, you are the highest God, whom do you meditate on?
Lord Shiva smiled and replied, why, I meditate on Lord Vishnu. Same question
was asked to Lord Vishnu. He laughed and said, I meditate on Lord Shiva.
Their
meditation is – obviously, on the self; on what the Upanishads call, the
Brahman. You can give it any name.
Ultimately,
you will find him within YOU. Even the external journey takes you within. Your
Shiva goes within you when you pray. He resides in you now. And, when you turn
inwards, very easily, you will find yourself there first – and then the Shiva.
Shiva
– by the way, is not a name he has given himself. It is a name you have given
him. You can give him any name. You can give yourself any name too.
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