What does GOD really want from us?
I am looking for an answer, as I have seen people spending tons of money to get expensive gifts for GOD or doing prayer by offering delicious food. Is this just the ego of rich people that gets satisfied or does God really favour those who gift him luxurious and expensive gifts? Don’t take me otherwise, I just need to understand, why does a common man, who does have money wants to spend it this way? Do gifting luxurious items or expensive gifts help him get more privileges from the God? If not, then why do people do this? In a country like India, where people are dying of hunger, water and medicines, there are people who love spending lakhs and crores to buy expensive ornaments to present to the God as gifts. Those ornaments worth lakhs and crores stay in the worshipping places as a showpiece. That money which could have saved lives of many, is being wasted like this. Do you think God would be really happy with such expensive gifts that costs some precious lives?
So many questions, and I am sure some Over the top religious people would be hating me for this… but these questions are bugging my mind since childhood. Whenever, I saw those big lines for bhandara (Bhandara is an open kitchen where food is served in the name of God for free) in the nearby temple, I used to ask myself- “We can afford food, why are we here? Shouldn’t we be giving this food to poor people who cannot afford three times food?”. Rich people were given food, but when those poor kids came in front to get some food, they were ill treated. Questions ranged in my heart and mind, I used to ask my parents, but was always asked to keep my mouth shut.
I read a story in the newspaper, and I knew the questions in my head were taking me to the right path. My conscious was getting better and I could understand what’s wrong and what’s right. I am going to share a story with a hope that it gets imprinted on your hearts and minds, so you could think and act wisely.
A Story that might help you find the answer- What does God Really want from us?
Divine act of Shri Krishna
“There was a small town and in the middle of that town stood a tall, white temple of Shri Krishna. The beautiful white marble idol of Shri Krishna was magnificent. A bunch of women of the town used to take care of the temple and the idol of Shri Krishna. Lightening the aarti lamp with pure Ghee and making scrumptious sweets made in pure ghee for prasadam every day has become a daily chore for these women. After completing their home chores, these women used to come to decorate the temple, and change the ornaments of Shri Krishna’s marble idol, which used to look beautiful in new clothes and ornaments.
One evening, an old man sitting on the stairs of the temple asked one of the women, “Dear, I have not eaten anything from last 2 days, please give me something to eat. I am dying of hunger”. The woman replied, “We are preparing for the Aarti, we will light the lamp, sing the prayers and then serve the Prasad to Lord Krishna. Only after that, can we give Prasad to you. Go and sit on the stairs outside. We will call you later”. The old beggar felt bad, and goes back with his trembling feet.
A new family of a Doctor, shifts in the town. Their house is the biggest and looks the best in the whole town. The town was really happy to get a doctor in their own town. A few days later, the old beggar goes and knocks the clinic of the doctor. “Sir, my wife is dying. Here is the slip, the big hospital people gave me last month. Please give me the medicines, my wife will die.” The doctor replied, “Do you have money to pay for these medicines?” The old beggar replied with tear filled eyes, “I have none”. The doctor replied, “These medicines are very costly, I cannot give them in free. Please take your wife to the Big Government Hospital, they will treat her.” The old beggar, begged but the doctor didn’t do anything.
Weeks passed and there came Krishna Janmashtmi. The whole town gathered in the temple to celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday. The whole temple was decorated with flowers. A big, swing of flowers was made for Lord Krishna. The whole town, was standing in the queue waiting for their turn to swing Lord Krishna’s idol sitting on the swing. The doctor’s family who has just shifted in the town, came with a Gold crown for the idol of Shri Krishna. The shining gold crown, with emeralds and rubies made the idol of Shri Krishna looked mesmerizingly beautiful. The whole town praised the new family for such a beautiful gift to Lord Krishna on his Birthday. Pure Ghee sweets and different kind of delicious food were served to Lord Krishna. Prayers were sung and the whole town was happily celebrating Janamashtmi. But there was an old man, who was really upset. He was sitting on the stairs of the temple, holding an old steel bowl, wearing torn clothes, with wet swollen eyes on the verge of crying.
After serving the Prasad to everyone, One of the women goes to the old man sitting on the stairs to give Prasadam. The old man denies to take the Prasadam. He was the same beggar whom she asked to leave the temple few weeks back, when he asked for some food. There was a day, when he was begging for food, and she was busy feeding a marble idol, which was not going to consume food. And today, when the woman had food to offer him, his hunger had died, died forever. The woman’s eyes filled with guilt, she couldn’t utter a word. She turned back with her head bowed in shame and guilt. An old man, standing nearby saw all this. He came and asked the old beggar, “Baba, it’s the Prasadam of Lord Krishna’s birthday, you must not say no to it.” The old beggar’s red swollen eyes got filled with tears. The old man politely said, ‘Baba, what happened? Why are you upset? Today, is Lord Krishna’s birthday, you must be happy!’
Old beggar replied, I lost my wife last week, because I didn’t have the money for the medicine. The man who presented that Gold crown to Lord Krishna, is a Doctor. I begged him to help me save my wife, but he said he cannot give the medicines for free.” Tears rolled his eyes, and he whispered, “She died, my wife died, she died.” The beggar got up, still sobbing and whispering. He turned and left the temple……..
I was dumbstruck! A question ranged my mind. We give food to the idols made of marble, which cannot eat, but we don’t have time for people who are dying of hunger. We gift expensive gifts to God, who would not even need it, but we don’t have money to help poor people live.
“We respect and love the sculptures made by human, but we don’t have respect and love for sculptures made by God himself.
We have food for the sculptures made by humans, that cannot consume it, but we have no food for sculptures made by God himself, that are dying with hunger.
We have lots of money to make lavish worship places, to offer expensive ornaments and gifts for sculptures made by human, but we don’t have money for sculptures made by God himself to save them from diseases, to give them clothes to hide their nakedness”
Do you still think, God needs lavish worshipping places, expensive gifts or different sweets made of pure ghee everyday? Have you got the answer, What does God really want from us?
P.S- This article doesn’t pin point any particular religion. It’s for all the people of all the religion.
