Me Myself
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"We're getting ready to perform worship of Lord Indra," Nanda said.
"Lord Indra?"
"Yes, son. Indra is the king of the demigods and he brings the rain. We have to make sure that we thank him every year for helping us."
"But why do we have to thank him? Isn't it his duty to make the rain? After all, he is a servant of the Almighty and that is the job the Almighty gave him."
Nanda looked at Krishna with wide eyes. "Shhhh! You mustn't say things like that, Krishna. Lord Indra's wrath can be terrible."
"Are you frightened of him, Father?"
"Of course! Everyone is frightened of him. With one move he could destroy all Vraj."
Several of the village people murmured agreements as they worked near Krishna and Nanda.
Krishna looked around at them. "But surely someone with such a terrible temper is not worthy of worship. It's not good to be angry."
Nanda reached out and covered Krishna's mouth. "We have to be very careful when talking about Indra. He will punish us all."
Krishna moved his father's hand away. "But that's not right. No god should be worshipped out of fear. If Indra was truly praise-worthy then he wouldn't punish people for not worshipping him. It is the divine right of all to pray but it is not the duty of the gods to compel worship."
"Krishna, what do you propose we do?" one of the other village men asked. He was leaning on his staff. "Do we stop worshipping Indra just because you say so? This is our ancestral custom."
"But why? If Indra brings the rain then that is his duty, not his mercy. And if he is a tyrant and expects worship from us then that is not admirable.Only those who are kind and worthy deserve worship."
A crowd was growing around them as people came to hear what Krishna was saying.
"And who is worthy then, my darling?" Yashoda asked. She was walking towards them from the barn, carrying a pot of fresh milk.
"We are cowherds, Mother. Our lives are tied to the cows. They give us milk and butter that nourishes us. They plough the land that grows our grain and give rich fertiliser that keeps the land lush. So worship the cows, Mother."
Krishna continued. "And the cows cannot live without the forests, where they graze. So worship the forests of Vraj. And worship the river Yamuna who waters the trees with her nectar, keeping the forests green and bountiful. And worship Mount Govardhan, who brings rain by catching the clouds, filling all our ponds and wells and lakes. So many fruits and herbs grow from his gracious soil that are vital to our good health."
Krishna looked around at the people who were listening in silence. "Mount Govardhan does all this for us but have you ever heard him demand worship in return? Does he punish anyone for not worshipping him? Or are the cows vengeful or angry? Or Yamuna? Do the forests threaten us with violence if we don't repay them for their service? No. They are not selfish or petty. They are generous and pure hearted and they love us. That is why they take care of us."
The crowd was larger still, all of the villagers gazing at Krishna in wonderment that he was so passionate about this subject.
"Don't be afraid of Indra's anger," Krishna told them. "One who is worthy of worship never gets angry."
"But how do we worship the cows and Mount Govardhan?" Another lady asked. She was holding a pot of water on her head and had paused in her way across the courtyard to hear Krishna's speech.
"We already worship the cows, sister," Krishna said. "We return the love they give us by caring for them and ensuring they're always protected. The forests and Yamuna are worshipped by keeping them clean and clear of pollutants. Mount Govardhan can be worshipped through offering. If we give a little of our bounty back to him then that is a form of thanks. It will re-nourish the land that gives us so much."
"Lord Indra?"
"Yes, son. Indra is the king of the demigods and he brings the rain. We have to make sure that we thank him every year for helping us."
"But why do we have to thank him? Isn't it his duty to make the rain? After all, he is a servant of the Almighty and that is the job the Almighty gave him."
Nanda looked at Krishna with wide eyes. "Shhhh! You mustn't say things like that, Krishna. Lord Indra's wrath can be terrible."
"Are you frightened of him, Father?"
"Of course! Everyone is frightened of him. With one move he could destroy all Vraj."
Several of the village people murmured agreements as they worked near Krishna and Nanda.
Krishna looked around at them. "But surely someone with such a terrible temper is not worthy of worship. It's not good to be angry."
Nanda reached out and covered Krishna's mouth. "We have to be very careful when talking about Indra. He will punish us all."
Krishna moved his father's hand away. "But that's not right. No god should be worshipped out of fear. If Indra was truly praise-worthy then he wouldn't punish people for not worshipping him. It is the divine right of all to pray but it is not the duty of the gods to compel worship."
"Krishna, what do you propose we do?" one of the other village men asked. He was leaning on his staff. "Do we stop worshipping Indra just because you say so? This is our ancestral custom."
"But why? If Indra brings the rain then that is his duty, not his mercy. And if he is a tyrant and expects worship from us then that is not admirable.Only those who are kind and worthy deserve worship."
A crowd was growing around them as people came to hear what Krishna was saying.
"And who is worthy then, my darling?" Yashoda asked. She was walking towards them from the barn, carrying a pot of fresh milk.
"We are cowherds, Mother. Our lives are tied to the cows. They give us milk and butter that nourishes us. They plough the land that grows our grain and give rich fertiliser that keeps the land lush. So worship the cows, Mother."
Krishna continued. "And the cows cannot live without the forests, where they graze. So worship the forests of Vraj. And worship the river Yamuna who waters the trees with her nectar, keeping the forests green and bountiful. And worship Mount Govardhan, who brings rain by catching the clouds, filling all our ponds and wells and lakes. So many fruits and herbs grow from his gracious soil that are vital to our good health."
Krishna looked around at the people who were listening in silence. "Mount Govardhan does all this for us but have you ever heard him demand worship in return? Does he punish anyone for not worshipping him? Or are the cows vengeful or angry? Or Yamuna? Do the forests threaten us with violence if we don't repay them for their service? No. They are not selfish or petty. They are generous and pure hearted and they love us. That is why they take care of us."
The crowd was larger still, all of the villagers gazing at Krishna in wonderment that he was so passionate about this subject.
"Don't be afraid of Indra's anger," Krishna told them. "One who is worthy of worship never gets angry."
"But how do we worship the cows and Mount Govardhan?" Another lady asked. She was holding a pot of water on her head and had paused in her way across the courtyard to hear Krishna's speech.
"We already worship the cows, sister," Krishna said. "We return the love they give us by caring for them and ensuring they're always protected. The forests and Yamuna are worshipped by keeping them clean and clear of pollutants. Mount Govardhan can be worshipped through offering. If we give a little of our bounty back to him then that is a form of thanks. It will re-nourish the land that gives us so much."
We all know that the OT God said many times that he was a jelous God. Abarahamic values favour to worship this deity out of love BUT if that doesn´t work, there is also another alternative which is invariably presented to us: to worship him out of fear.
To "Fear God", a phrase still used today as if it was a virtue.
so many abrahamically oriented worshippers (WARNING: I didn´t say all) say you cannot be an atheist, or a not-my-religion-ist and be in God´s grace at the same time. As if Love itself wasn´t worship. Isn´t God supposed to BE love? then how can a person that is loving not be accepting God? Worshipping him by the mere use of their divinely given faculties?
Why is it so important that those who don´t believe or that believed a deity different than yours (and lets say), the one that actually is real , be tortured inhell for ever? How can there be wisdom in it? Why would God want to eternally torture those who got the wrong name for him? the wrong form/lack-of-form ? The wrong rituals for worship? Body gestures for worship? The wrong divine fact of wheter 2000 years ago a woman was a virgin or not? wheter a specific man was telling the truth or not about a divine revelation?
So many religions say the same things to be divine, we know the golden rule has sprung from so many places and cultures that is not in some silly texts, but hardwired in our souls.
Balaram, Krishna's elder brother, raised his massive fist. "Then we will fight him! We have you on our side. We have your divine discus weapon. We will win every time!"
"Not all opponents are worthy of my discus, Elder Brother," Krishna said. "And even then it is not easy to kill Jarasanth. He is too powerful and has too many allies. It will be a long time before we can apply enough pressure to break through his defenses."
"We'll still win," Balaram insisted.
"And how many of our men's lives are we willing to lose in the meantime?" Krishna asked. "How many of our women are we willing to make widows? All because Jarasanth wants to kill me?"
One of the generals shook his grey head. "It's not that simple-"
"Yes, it is," Krishna said. "Hasn't our motherland suffered enough? Mathura's people have been oppressed for far too many years. It is not right that they must fend off Jarasanth as well."
"The people are proud to fight for you, Krishna," a courtier in blue robes said. "You are their saviour. For you, they are willing to die."
"But I want them to live," Krishna said. "I want them to prosper, in peace. Which isn't possible here in Mathura."
"So you propose to run away?" Balaram snapped. "Like a coward?"
Krishna's father Vasudev was grave. "The world will call you 'Ranchod', son. 'He who runs from battle'. Are you willing to allow your name to be slurred?"
Krishna shook his head. "For my motherland I killed my uncle Kansa. If by my moving to a new land I can bring our people peace and prosperity then I am willing to do it. I am willing to do whatever is necessary for Mathura. I am even willing to take the name 'Ranchod'."
The court appeared dumbfounded by this announcement.
"After all," Krishna said, looking upon them all, "I am known by many names. Through time people will call me by many other names. And always, no matter what name they call me by, if I feel I am being called with love then I will answer."
"Not all opponents are worthy of my discus, Elder Brother," Krishna said. "And even then it is not easy to kill Jarasanth. He is too powerful and has too many allies. It will be a long time before we can apply enough pressure to break through his defenses."
"We'll still win," Balaram insisted.
"And how many of our men's lives are we willing to lose in the meantime?" Krishna asked. "How many of our women are we willing to make widows? All because Jarasanth wants to kill me?"
One of the generals shook his grey head. "It's not that simple-"
"Yes, it is," Krishna said. "Hasn't our motherland suffered enough? Mathura's people have been oppressed for far too many years. It is not right that they must fend off Jarasanth as well."
"The people are proud to fight for you, Krishna," a courtier in blue robes said. "You are their saviour. For you, they are willing to die."
"But I want them to live," Krishna said. "I want them to prosper, in peace. Which isn't possible here in Mathura."
"So you propose to run away?" Balaram snapped. "Like a coward?"
Krishna's father Vasudev was grave. "The world will call you 'Ranchod', son. 'He who runs from battle'. Are you willing to allow your name to be slurred?"
Krishna shook his head. "For my motherland I killed my uncle Kansa. If by my moving to a new land I can bring our people peace and prosperity then I am willing to do it. I am willing to do whatever is necessary for Mathura. I am even willing to take the name 'Ranchod'."
The court appeared dumbfounded by this announcement.
"After all," Krishna said, looking upon them all, "I am known by many names. Through time people will call me by many other names. And always, no matter what name they call me by, if I feel I am being called with love then I will answer."
Who cares the name?
God should be deeper than that. God should be love. And if he is not, the he is not worthy of worship. To be by his side eternally while millions of people with good actions and wrong names suffer, can never be called salvation.
