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Defenseless deities


Everybody has a favorite color. Mine is red. Everybody has a favorite TV show. Mine is FRIENDS. Everybody has a favorite writer. Mine is Rowling. Likewise, everybody has a favorite God! This, I don’t have.
It’s probably the lack of thorough reading of our mythology, that keeps me from picking my favorite. Whatever the reason may be, I beckon to him as somebody flawless, supreme, unseen.  Yet, there.  And that’s enough for me. I right, to please him. I avoid wrong to not displease him. And that disciplines my life.

Flea-bitten my knowledge of mythology might be, but I always knew that Lord Krishna was a very practical man. Aren’t we all taught that means are as important as the ends?? (Wink wink at all Sewagramees!)… They were never so to him were they? Ram on the other hand was a Godlier figure. I liked him better. And so, predictably, I preferred Ramayana over Mahabharata. Yes, the fact that it is less complicated (though less interesting) was a contributory factor too!

I saw Rajneeti the other day. And it did nothing to heighten my respect for Krishna. A few days later, I saw Raavan. And I came back unhappy. It wasn’t the movie. Mani Ratnam did a fab job according to me.  But now, the god in Ram was fast being replaced by a man… Flawed, regular and imperfect.

Every time I thought about these two heroes, my temper soared. I need my God to be 100% God! Twenty four carat! No copper! (Wink at pa!)
I cursed them right-left-centre in front of my parents… hoping they defend the deities…  But they didn’t. Or couldn’t?

Agreed, they are human avatars of god, so they are allowed to be slightly blemished. Agreed, they were being portrayed like the rest of us. But also, they are supposed to be ideal men. These two avatars are supposed to be the most righteous of humans… 


And yet somehow I feel that sapiens godlier than these gods have walked this planet...
If they haven’t, I would want to stop striving to be a better person…
And if they have, gods simply aren’t good enough and I…. will remain favorite bereft in this regard!
The latter, I prefer! 

Comments

  1. Dr.GoralJuly 14, 2010 at 12:35 AM

    seriously when i saw Raavan, i could just guess him to be not that a bad human and a man of principles...may be it's we who make God, a God...

    Nicely written gal...keep penning :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnshuJuly 14, 2010 at 7:48 AM

    I haven't seen Raavan yet so cannot comment on the contents. But I find Ram oh-so-boring and too full of himself. The preachy kinds never did appeal to me. Krishna on the other hand, is real- worldly wise, practical, willing to twist rules to have his way. Machiavellian! He's my kind of God. And BTW, I don't know what God means to you--- but for me God is someone I can fight with, argue with, pout about his deafness and show gratitude too. Not untouchable and without blemishes. And what I love about Hindu mythology (source: the awesome Amar Chitra Kathas- recommended for all ages!) is that you can identify with the weaknesses and strengths of Gods, and they are not holier than thou. You are lucky you can say what you like about our Gods unlike elsewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  3. pranit bhusalJuly 14, 2010 at 2:19 PM

    ohhh....Comparing the gods(not a bad idea),but truely speaking i cant do that,may b bcoz of my poor knowledge in hindu mythology.
    But,speaking of a Mr.Perfect God,i'll go wid "KARNA"(Oh sorry,he is frm opp. Gang,ur's is krishna naa)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dr Amrita KalantriJuly 14, 2010 at 2:36 PM

    @goral: :)
    @ anshu mam: there are plenty of real people to identify one's weaknesses with... i haven't found a reason in life to have to fight with him yet! i hope i don't either! When it comes to Krishna, a clever, manipulative n partial one like him can never be in my good books!
    @pranit: we all need to read out of medical books it seems! :) n krishna? no!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AkankshaJuly 19, 2010 at 7:51 PM

    nicely written!!

    i think these gods r human made.... they were jst 2 great men of dere time. The writers of d 2 great epics projected them as gods..... n if u've gone thru the greek mythology u'l c dat the gods r full of human weaknesses.. As 4 me,i agree with u.. i dont need 2 knw my favourite as i perceive him in goodness anywhere n by any1. Bt stil dese epics hold dere place as examples of mistakes, good deeds n many other things dat holds true, upto some point, even in 2days time. I jst respect vision of the writers.


    bt ya very well written.. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Atul AnandSeptember 8, 2022 at 7:54 AM

      God is not something to be known, it is something to be believed. Have you seen your great-grandfather, you must have heard about him from your father and your grandfather. Yes, they are two very great personalities of the old times, whom we worship or follow in the epic, just because of their deeds and the life lessons received from them.

      Delete
  6. Rishi AdhikaryJuly 26, 2010 at 12:42 AM

    Well written... The best thing is the precision in your writings. Never can I complete my writings such precisely.

    About God... PuLa Deshpande's "100 percent Peston kaka" (Marathi) gives a unique description. GOD IS SUFFERING!!! It is like a pinch (chimta) that you get from someone you love. It hurts but makes you feel special.

    Remember the last time you remembered God...

    I will tell you mine. Yesterday, just before my Term exams. That is when you need to feel the pinch, to feel someone special, to have someone with you saying, "Bhiu nakos mi tuzya pathishi ahe."
    That faith is God. We make him like we want Him to be.
    Some things look better when they are with flaws. God, in whichever form you see Him, fits there.

    Look again, I exceeded words...
    Great Piece To Read!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousDecember 9, 2010 at 1:01 AM

    Wow all I can say is that you are a great writer! Where can I contact you if I want to hire you?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dr Amrita KalantriDecember 13, 2010 at 3:28 PM

    aku: yep... in the same boat! :)
    rishi sir: i think it comes from me always wanting dad to come to the point! i can feel the urge to do it myself as i write.. n thanx...! :D
    anonymous: honoured!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJanuary 2, 2012 at 11:46 PM

    hey this is THINKING MEDICO here,
    well thats a great peice u have penned down..
    it has acheived its whole purpose of makin us mortals think in deep.
    but just to present a different view to appreciate the concept of god n demons movve outside d amar chitrakatha panorama-- d gods cannot b always shown to b gud in white color and demons be black. it is inherient vices and virtues that need to be accepted, for at the end of mahabharat d dejected dhruthrashtra alleges to krishna " you all knew what the end was going to be, even before the start of the war and if u wished u cud have averted this all" to which a shrewd krishna answered d line which we all call as destiny.

    ReplyDelete

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