Entreat

I'll be taking about God(s). And my thoughts mostly emerged in the last 2 days which were consumed in reading The Immortals of Meluha.

First about the book - a blend of fiction , Indian mythology as well as archeology.
Telling a story about Lord Shiva with a different approach. A snazzy story altogether keeping same characters as we've heard about - while also maintaining the structure of Indian mythology.
 Of the Good vs Evil.
Shiva has been depicted as any other human with few extra qualities which the author didn't find necessary to explain &  it does not sketch the character as being prominently good unlike otherwise how one might expect.

I'm kind of happy to read it. Because I don't remember reading anything close to Indian mythology and specially about Lord Shiva - in English , in a fictional novel.
An Indian shall easily connect with the places mentioned, the significance of characters , the use of sanskrit words and symbols.

The language used & frame of plots is decipherable. Not too many flowery words and yet having a good flow and keeping up your interest till the end. However the end forms the turning point to pick up the next one of the trilogy - The Secret of Nagas.

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I'm in awe of Lord Shiva - not particularly because of what the novels tells about him but mostly due to what our mythology speaks of him.
And it actually dawned upon me to pray to him.
I kept wondering why I never prayed to one of the Gods who they say is most easy to impress.

But even before that - I pondered why I never really pray properly. I would usually recite the sanskrit verses we learnt in childhood and though I know their meaning very well - I don't think I meant anything in that prayer. I would be simply  reciting.

Sitting in front of the idol with my eyes closed thinking about my problems as if I were giving him an audio video record of my life while also expecting him to solve it all. And to give a background effect to the prayers , reciting the sanskirt shoklas which hover around the meaning that lord you are father , mother, friend and a teacher.

Thats it.

I questioned myself - How do I expect to be answered for the prayers that aren't really prayers ?

Yes I do beg or entreat or appeal to Him at times - yes , to be specific - when I'm in trouble. But PRAY ? Do we really pray ??

A lot of people complaint that their prayers are never answered.
Maybe they should check whether they have ever TRULY prayed.
I don't complaint in this regard because I know I've rarely truly devoted myself.
I would just act like a stupid kid and even skip my not so useful monologue of so-called-prayers to tell him that I'm pretty mad with him.

And I think I will get along with whatever the universe throws at me.

But thats not how it works. In my sinking weakning moments - I finally have no choice but to resort to him. Shamelessly expecting him to escort me through troubled waters.

I surrender to him.

Dad always says you need not go to temples - you should just truly call upon him with ALL your heart. When prayers come from heart - he takes care of you , more than that of what you can imagine.

So maybe thats the whole point. Its not about chanting some mantras - the meaning of which you do not know or about visiting temples. Its about 'praying' true to the word - with all your heart. Maybe thats when your prayers will reach and only then is there is a possibility of your requests being fulfilled.

I do not question my belief and faith in God. I also do not question not having belief in him. This is probabaly the only thing on earth and in my life about which  I've never been in a dilemma. I have no issues what others say , who others pray to. I don't pray or remember him for getting my demands pampered. I do pray to get my problems fixed. But whenever I do ( ofcourse during crisis ) - I instill so much faith that I don't need to expect anything. I'm not on a waiting line to check when my appeals are responded to.
It just happens when it has to.

So all this brainstorming I did in past 2 days concludes that : we were taught that we SHOULD pray. However nobody teaches HOW to pray. Thats the trick. Secret to all the questionable beliefs.

I now pray with all my heart..with all my energy ...without ANY other damned thing on my mind.
And I'm proud of that.

Because I know I will be taken care of.

Har har Mahadev!