THE TRUTH ABOUT PRAYER

There was an early phase when I prayed in order to pass exams with good marks. Luck was God to me then. When I did not become lucky even after praying fervently, I switched to hard work. 99% perspiration became a cool idea to believe in – a paradigm shift that I have never regretted despite big chunks of failures and setbacks in my career and personal life. More importantly, I realised I should not seek undue favours through prayers when I have not worked hard or invested wisely where I should have and still have the audacity to stake claim to profits.

I will get what I deserve in life – nothing less, nothing more. This smooth, easy acceptance was no less than a divine gift because many people keep cribbing and think they deserve a better fate even if they have not struggled hard for it. Well, I should stick to my chosen path – my own life full of ups and downs that oscillates between hope and despair every day and tries to uphold the merits of virtuous living.

I consider myself not only a follower of Guru Nanak but also a believer of what he preached. Yet I do not think it is my duty to go out and spread the message of oneness to save mankind. The Lord is omnipotent to do so. I do not need to self-proclaim myself as the chosen one to undertake this humongous task. As this thought invades my system, I ask myself whether I am a genuine believer or just pretending to sound so. Because I believe in Guru Nanak and his teachings it does not mean that I should go to the town and circulate his words? Am I not a true disciple if I do not contribute to the spread of my religion?

Am I questioning the strength of my religion in terms of deliverance if I say there are other gods, goddesses, and faiths to take care of their followers? Why should I sound authoritarian by saying only my Sikh religion is superior and the best route to find whatever you have not found till now?

I am not born in this faith to promote it. I am not born to ensure the faith survives. Faith will never run short of followers so long as man equates disease, death, and suffering as acts of punishment meted out by God. Faith will never face a crisis of followers so long as man believes God alone can eradicate poverty, not governments.

I am a believer in Sikhism not because I want to find or reach God some day. I am a believer because human qualities have been enshrined in the faith. These guiding principles for leading a clean, pure life are strong and instill in me the power to continue trekking along this tough terrain. I am a believer because I really believe doing justice, standing up for rights, speaking the truth, helping others, doing humanitarian service are the best ways to lead a good life with minimum regrets.

Can I call myself a believer if I am all this and not looking at salvation? I am a believer because it makes me a better human being and keeps me lighter within. I can sleep peacefully, meditate with ease and remain happy. Isn’t this good maintenance of the mind, body, and soul?

As a believer, I can pray at home or wherever I feel like. I am happy to pray at home – with Japji Sahib and Nitnem. Even if nobody sees me praying I have no regrets. I am a practitioner though I have not been to a Sikh temple for several years now. I am a believer who has done his duty as a true believer and that sums it up. No need to seek approvals or have witnesses who confirm I am a believer. It is a personal relationship with the Lord and I do not let other people observe or comment on such matters just as I do not transgress my limit to do the same in case of people from my own faith or other faiths co-existing in the world.

There are so many new interpretations and avatars these days. Gurus are mushrooming all around. After the tenth Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the holy book, Shri Guru Granth Sahib is the Guru and I am satisfied with this proclamation. I do not want to see the face of God or experiment with demi-gods. Noor is enough. Light is God.

I am asked to define myself as a Sikh, I find I do not have the key identification symbols. Am I a half-Sikh in that case? Am I disqualified? Perhaps the Sikhs who carry these symbols will say so. Not having a proper dress code will become a valid reason to isolate me from the mainstream. But my moral code is proper and fully in sync with Guru Nanak’s philosophy. Unfortunately, that is tough to prove. It remains a claim.

I am an ordinary believer. People richer and powerful consider themselves blessed by Guru Nanak and that is why they are prosperous. I object to this line of thought. When I see the rich and powerful people given preference or VIP treatment inside Sikh temples, I object to this discrimination in my mind. When the faith of a common man is belittled, he aspires to become rich and powerful so that he is also given a similar preference. A reaction that creates more suffering that does not go away easily. You desire to be valued and highlighted in this life – the trappings of fame and fortune become a vicious cycle. Believe in Guru Nanak and his philosophy and that is what matters at the end of the day. Live an ordinary but upright life – with no burden on your soul. It is a life well-lived. The meher or blessings of the Lord have been misinterpreted and misunderstood ever since the uninstalled Mammon Maharaj – a fantastic, unidentified devil – has weaned away hordes of believers from all religions across the world.

I live in a small town where there is no gurudwara because there are just a few resident Sikh families. Sometimes, to be honest, when I wish to visit a gurudwara on important occasions, it becomes my desire to install the Lord as close to my place for my convenience. I am not willing to go far to pray but bring the Lord closer to me. When I think of the costs involved, I have no option but to pray so that I become rich and set up a gurudwara soon and make sure Guru Nanak has a fixed address in this part of the world as well. Within minutes of entertaining this thought, I realise I am an arrogant fool who wants to bring Guru Nanak here. I am not a believer who thinks the Lord is already present everywhere.

When I pray, I should forget to ask for anything. But there are many things not different from what others want and these occupy the mind space for some time. I know people will acquire what they want by hook or by crook and then say Guru Nanak has answered their prayers. Instead of asking for material riches from the Lord, it is better to seek material sufficiency from the Lord. Not only for yourself but also for all. Instead of seeking it from people who will make you compromise your ideals and principles, it is better to seek it from God. This is another reason why I pray.

I am more into thinking that faith will make it easier for me to lead my life based on principles and values. This will remain a driving force for the rest of my life. Because those who want to lead a clean life will always need faith in life to survive – for emotional and mental support.

Should I embrace aggression and give up the soft notions of faith? I have done my bit by treading on the righteous path. There is no need to feel threatened about the survival of religion. Like truth always prevails, religion will always resonate with the masses and continue to unite mankind. My job is to follow, believe and stay on course. If I am able to take care of my spiritual growth and manage the challenges, then I have done a pretty good job.

I have no regrets I have not gone ahead and propagated my religion or religious views in my whole life. I do not feel happy to make people quit their own faith and embrace mine. If they have their personal reasons to do so without any kind of coercion, they are most welcome in the fold. But I do not celebrate it as a big victory for my faith. I am not happy when people say they found peace in a Sikh temple because there are other holy shrines that give peace to believers. It is always nice to hear praise about your religion but it should not foster notions of superiority. My religious pursuit has a different kind of personal agenda – to lead a good life and keep the society clean, without spreading any kind of corruption or vitiating the atmosphere.

I am not affected when people say you are not a Sikh without the turban. I do not contest that. I live in an open space where there is a room for interpretation, but no need for classification. I make it tougher for the world to identify a believer of Guru Nanak though there is a strong inclination to make it easy by all means. Why do I say tougher? Because finding followers is easy but finding believers is always tough. Becoming a follower is easy but becoming a believer is always tough.