Sunday, September 28, 2008

I AM: Chetan Bhagat

Chetan Bhagat
I am: Chetan Bhagat (TOI Photo)
I am more of a spiritual person than religious. God, for me, is the inner voice within us, the higher power that we must all surrender to.

The traditional interpretation of God as Ram or Sita or in temples is also important but being spiritual is more important to me. I think if you are not spiritual, you tend to reduce everything about God and religion to rituals and superstitions.

I pray to God every day but I am not ritualistic in any sense, i don’t chant any specific mantra or pray in a specific manner. I just talk to God like I would to a friend. I tell Him about my day and thank Him for everything he has given me.

I don't consider things to be lucky or unlucky and don’t wear any amulets. The reason i stay away from such things is because once you start believing in these things you kind of become dependent on them, it becomes an obsessive compulsive disorder, so to say.

I believe whatever has happened to me in life is because of God's grace. I never expected my first book to do so well and I know deep down it wouldn't have become an all-time best seller without God's will.

My second book starts with a phone call from God. It's my way of telling my readers to listen to their inner voice, which for me is God. I believe nothing can go wrong in life if you follow your instincts and have faith in the ultimate Super Power.

However, one should not lose faith in God if things do go wrong. I often self-talk myself out of a crisis, visiting temples also helps but just forgetting about the future and living in the present works best for me.

I believe one should not take life too seriously. I am not a serious guy but I think I am quite sincere in everything that I do. Sincerity always pays. I tell my sons to believe in themselves and in God.

Believing in God makes you humble and keeps you grounded even in the face of adversity. If you want to make it big in life, you have got to have faith in God and trust His will. Believing in God only helps, it never hurts.

‘God is a convenient term’

Dr Devi Shetty works in His name to ensure a job well done Devi Shetty



I strongly believe in the presence of God, which you could call as a cosmic force, or anything else you can see. Nothing in this world can happen by accident. Someone has to be there to co-ordinate everything happening around us, good or bad, since every action has a reason irrespective of its consequence on our life and our happiness.

The human body is a marvellous creation and everything works with clock-like precision. One day, something happens and the body becomes limp and comes to a standstill. We pronounce the man dead. If you dissect the body and figure what was there before and what has gone away, makes all the difference between life and death.

We have no explanation, since everything that is supposed to be inside the body is inside it even after death. We have no explanation for this phenomenon, we have no explanation for a power, which controls the events of this world, and God is a convenient term to address this cosmic force.

In no other profession you have the unique opportunity to take someone to the brink of death and bring him or her back to life. Many times we come across patients who have absolutely no chance to live, because of the condition they suffer from, and walking out of the hospital in less than seven days hale and hearty! Sometimes patients, who had a strong possibility of survival following the operation, do not make it. What is the reason for this outcome? Are we in command? No, certainly not. As a surgeon, before I start the operation, I pray to God and do the operation in His name. Success and failure are not because of me. It may be through me. As one becomes more successful, one is surrounded by more uncertainties. When we take more responsibilities on our shoulders, we get more stressed. Instead, if we hand over all the responsibilities to Him and work in His name, we can do a wonderful job.

(Dr Devi Shetty is a well-known

cardiac surgeon)


Unto Him : Dr Devi Shetty

Paryushan Parva And The Festival Of Forgiveness

Paryushan is the most important Jain religious observance of the year. For both Shvetambars, who observe the festival over a period of eight days, and Digambars, for whom Paryushan Parva lasts 10 days, this is a time of intensive study, reflection and purification. It takes place in the middle of the rainy season, a time when Jain monks and nuns cease traveling and stay with a community and are available to them for instruction and guidance.

Paryushan means, literally, "abiding" or "coming together". It is also a time when the laity take on vows of study and fasting with a spiritual intensity similar to temporary monasticism. Paryushan concludes with a time of confession and forgiveness for the transgressions of the previous year.

The most important part of Paryushan is daily meditation and prayer, which provides an opportunity for looking within and towards the teachings of the Tirthankaras for guidance. Beginning on the fourth day of Paryushan, it is customary for Murtipujak Shvetambars to read from the Kalpa Sutra, a scripture which recounts the life of Mahavira — the 14 dreams of his mother before his birth, followed by the story of his birth, life and liberation. It also recounts the lives of other Tirthankaras and the rules of Paryushan.

The book of scripture would be carried ceremonially through the streets, water sprinkled in its path along the way, purifying the entire town. Jains often take time off from work during this period and eat a much simpler diet in addition to their normal vegetarian diet. They avoid potatoes, onions and garlic — the eating of which entails killing the entire plant.

For Shvetambars, the final day of Paryushan is Samvastsari Pratikraman, the annual confession. The ritual of asking forgiveness from the teacher is widened in scope to include family and friends and, finally, all living beings. The culmination of confession is receiving forgiveness from all living beings and also granting forgiveness to all. This ritual of forgiveness is sometimes called the rite of "universal friendship". The spirit of the day is contained in this verse: "I grant forgiveness to all living beings, May all living beings grant me forgiveness; My friendship is with all living beings, My enmity is totally non-existent. Let there be peace, harmony and prosperity for all".

One cannot consume any fruits or even a grain in our upvaas, informs Nun Mallipragya. But how does one live without food? Elaborates Poonam Choraria, who has fasted for 31 days at a stretch: "We live in a sea of energy. Our bodies gain energy indirectly from the food we eat, while we gain direct energy from the cosmic energy that flows into us through the medulla oblongata at the bottom of the brain. But this kind of acceptance of energy depends upon our mental set-up. The greater the will, the greater would be the flow of energy."

Penance is given high importance to purify one's soul. In the time cycle, Lord Rishabh started the penance for one year at a stretch. The same tradition is followed even today. During the process of penance, all the accumulated toxins in the cells of the body over a period of time start to melt away. Since the body's energies are concentrated in cleaning and detoxification during the fasting process, rest becomes a necessary adjunct. The body parts are recharged and relaxed. This minimises physical ailments, increases strength and keeps body, mind and the hormonal balance in check.