STRESS AND KULADEVATA: DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

In India; thousands of family groups worship different kuladaivatas or kuladevatas. Kula means pedigree and daivata or devata means deity. The temples of these deities are present in different villages and people assemble periodically in these temples and worship the deities with different customs and traditions. The yearly congregations are called jatras and constitute a great event of cultural rejuvenation, unification and harmonization.

In my view these kuladaivatas or kuladevatas are the divine doors to the home of ultimate truth. They are divine branches of the root embodying eternal truth. These are divine channels or divine routes; to the abode of absolute truth.

As I have discussed in my books such as Hitguj and Shambhavi, the temples in general; constitute; the unending springs of vitality and rejuvenation. These are the places where individuals can consume the sacred sap of enlightenment and transcend above their petty ego, petty aspirations and petty pursuits.

NAMASKAR is prostrating in front of the idols. We may feel that this is meekness or lowliness. But that is not so. In fact; just as a person with bamboo spine; cannot bend due to inability; similarly a person with mental rigidity and inflexible ego; is unable to prostrate or do NAMSKAR. It is egoistic arrogance and lack of humility. It is not a sign of strength but a sign of weakness and fragility. It is a sign of apprehension and phobia of breaking; if one bends!

NAMASKAR or prostration; is an achievement in terms of being able to surrender one�s ego, subjectivity or pettiness; at least to some extent!

Recently I visited and stayed in the temple of Shri Dev Narayan (our kuladaivata); situated in a scenic place called Walaval. Apart from the superlative rejuvenating experience, I also realized that we visit these places; only periodically and as a matter of custom and tradition. But otherwise we neglect them. We get engrossed in trivialities of life; and lose the vital core of our life residing in these temples! These sources of eternal empowerment and enlightenment are therefore; grossly �emaciated�, �weakened�, �paralyzed� and �helpless�!

The holistic solution; which treats and heals the root of the problem is NAMASMARAN. It heals the heart and soul of universe. It inspires us; to worship these deities; not as a matter of mere tradition; but as a source of universal rejuvenation, unity and harmony! It gives several creative and holistically benevolent ideas, plans and projects; in and around all the temples and places of worship, which in turn can rejuvenate the mankind!