The Ancestral Deity.
Most Hindu families inherit a family specific deity, - the 'Kula Daivat' as part of family legacy. 'Kula' roughly translates as lineage. This family specific deity is often paid homage annually at least and perhaps, more often depending on circumstances. These deities are like guardian angels, that have been worshipped by the forefathers for many generations. My father was not particularly religious or orthodox and I was never indoctrinated into observing any ritualis, or visiting our Kula-daivat, which was Vyaaghreshwar. A temple of Lord Shiva, located near Dapoli, a small town in Konkan. Konkan region is naturally endowed with beaches, mango plantations, paddy fields, quaint little villages with homes built from locally mined red laterite. It has a rustic charm. The dwellers have a modest, simple lifestyle that has the fragrance of frugality. Their nature and the terrain have an uncanny resemblance. Arid in most parts, large tracts of igneous hard rock making it extremely undulating and uneven.The local residents are extremely inquisitive, a shade trite almost bordering on being arrogant, extremely ritualistic and religious, yet quite lovable.
I set out on the weekend, with my destination not fixed. The objective being to soak the monsoon weather and lech at the luscious green mountains. The Sahyadris are a blessing for us Puneites. So we set off and soon find ourselves in the scrumptious hills of the Varandh Ghat that connects the plains of the Deccan Plateau with Mahad, which is in Konkan. We are soon in the clouds and the atmosphere is absolutely surreal.
We make an impromptu decision to go to Dapoli, which is blessed with many small coastal villages and beaches. As we are driving, I come across the village of Asud. It strikes a bell. It's in the vicinity of Vyaghreshwar, which happens to be our family deity- Kula daivat.
I get a feeling that this trip was pre-ordained. It was a beckoning by the family deity to pay a visit.
And so, after a nights rest, we set off to visit the Lord.
Enroute, we are informed, there is a Keshav Raj temple that is very beautiful. I park the car and we set off down a small winding path that led to a village. After getting the directions from locals, we start the walk towards this temple. We soon come across a beautiful stone bridge, that spans a small river. We cross the bridge and then climb a flight of 200 steps. We eventually reach the temple. It's a divine sight. A small stone temple, cosily tucked in the womb of the hills. The sanctity is palpable. There's a stillness, a silence, that calms the mind. I fold my hands in obeisance and soak up the sacred energy.
As I'm savouring the moment, I spot this person, who was climbing down from steps that were going up into the higher reaches of the hill. He quietly walks into the temple and starts cleaning the area. I watch him as he goes about his task solemnly. After a few moments, I walk up to him and engage into a conversation.
He has been doing the job of cleaning this place for the past 20 years. Not a single holiday. I ask him if he is employed by the temple authorities. He tells me that he does it voluntarily. I'm quite intrigued. He is an uneducated person in his early 50s. He works as a farm hand for a living.
My curiosity can't be controlled. I ask him "You must have received some divine help from this Deity" That was the only plausible explanation of his self imposed servitude. His reply really left me speechless.
He said, " I am blessed with all that I need to live a life of dignity. There has been no illness, no strife, no major catastrophe. My son is self employed, my 2 daughters are happily married and settled. The blessing of the Lord is that he never put me in any predicament, that mandated solicitation of his intervention. I am content with my lot, and never ask the Lord for anything."
My mind stopped ticking for a while. His answer was a revelation. Devotion to any God is largely based on fulfilling desires, asking for divine intervention in highly stressful mitigating circumstances, or at best, a very sincere appeal to not spoil the party of Life. Devotion, that's founded on gratitude and contentment is almost unheard of.
As I get ready to return, I realise the Deity manifested himself in the form of this simpleton who taught me the most profound principle of happiness.
Contentment and Gratitude. A simple being who professed and taught, the art of 'Being'. A being who exorcised the Being from the Satan of becoming.
God does not reside only in the form. He extends far beyond, formless as a virtue. As formless as the Now. The Now with no regrets of the past, nor apprehensions of the future. The Now, that's total contentment. The Now that's remains equanimous. The Now that doesn't split the Self in a schizophrenic dichotomy of 'what it was' and what 'it wants to be'. The pristine Now, that is not fragmented into shards by impact of Time. The Now that is eternity.
Most Hindu families inherit a family specific deity, - the 'Kula Daivat' as part of family legacy. 'Kula' roughly translates as lineage. This family specific deity is often paid homage annually at least and perhaps, more often depending on circumstances. These deities are like guardian angels, that have been worshipped by the forefathers for many generations. My father was not particularly religious or orthodox and I was never indoctrinated into observing any ritualis, or visiting our Kula-daivat, which was Vyaaghreshwar. A temple of Lord Shiva, located near Dapoli, a small town in Konkan. Konkan region is naturally endowed with beaches, mango plantations, paddy fields, quaint little villages with homes built from locally mined red laterite. It has a rustic charm. The dwellers have a modest, simple lifestyle that has the fragrance of frugality. Their nature and the terrain have an uncanny resemblance. Arid in most parts, large tracts of igneous hard rock making it extremely undulating and uneven.The local residents are extremely inquisitive, a shade trite almost bordering on being arrogant, extremely ritualistic and religious, yet quite lovable.
I set out on the weekend, with my destination not fixed. The objective being to soak the monsoon weather and lech at the luscious green mountains. The Sahyadris are a blessing for us Puneites. So we set off and soon find ourselves in the scrumptious hills of the Varandh Ghat that connects the plains of the Deccan Plateau with Mahad, which is in Konkan. We are soon in the clouds and the atmosphere is absolutely surreal.
We make an impromptu decision to go to Dapoli, which is blessed with many small coastal villages and beaches. As we are driving, I come across the village of Asud. It strikes a bell. It's in the vicinity of Vyaghreshwar, which happens to be our family deity- Kula daivat.
I get a feeling that this trip was pre-ordained. It was a beckoning by the family deity to pay a visit.
And so, after a nights rest, we set off to visit the Lord.
Enroute, we are informed, there is a Keshav Raj temple that is very beautiful. I park the car and we set off down a small winding path that led to a village. After getting the directions from locals, we start the walk towards this temple. We soon come across a beautiful stone bridge, that spans a small river. We cross the bridge and then climb a flight of 200 steps. We eventually reach the temple. It's a divine sight. A small stone temple, cosily tucked in the womb of the hills. The sanctity is palpable. There's a stillness, a silence, that calms the mind. I fold my hands in obeisance and soak up the sacred energy.
As I'm savouring the moment, I spot this person, who was climbing down from steps that were going up into the higher reaches of the hill. He quietly walks into the temple and starts cleaning the area. I watch him as he goes about his task solemnly. After a few moments, I walk up to him and engage into a conversation.
He has been doing the job of cleaning this place for the past 20 years. Not a single holiday. I ask him if he is employed by the temple authorities. He tells me that he does it voluntarily. I'm quite intrigued. He is an uneducated person in his early 50s. He works as a farm hand for a living.
My curiosity can't be controlled. I ask him "You must have received some divine help from this Deity" That was the only plausible explanation of his self imposed servitude. His reply really left me speechless.
He said, " I am blessed with all that I need to live a life of dignity. There has been no illness, no strife, no major catastrophe. My son is self employed, my 2 daughters are happily married and settled. The blessing of the Lord is that he never put me in any predicament, that mandated solicitation of his intervention. I am content with my lot, and never ask the Lord for anything."
My mind stopped ticking for a while. His answer was a revelation. Devotion to any God is largely based on fulfilling desires, asking for divine intervention in highly stressful mitigating circumstances, or at best, a very sincere appeal to not spoil the party of Life. Devotion, that's founded on gratitude and contentment is almost unheard of.
As I get ready to return, I realise the Deity manifested himself in the form of this simpleton who taught me the most profound principle of happiness.
Contentment and Gratitude. A simple being who professed and taught, the art of 'Being'. A being who exorcised the Being from the Satan of becoming.
God does not reside only in the form. He extends far beyond, formless as a virtue. As formless as the Now. The Now with no regrets of the past, nor apprehensions of the future. The Now, that's total contentment. The Now that's remains equanimous. The Now that doesn't split the Self in a schizophrenic dichotomy of 'what it was' and what 'it wants to be'. The pristine Now, that is not fragmented into shards by impact of Time. The Now that is eternity.
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