Another experience and another prayer

Another experience and another prayer

P K Routray

 

Prelude

 

Begin I with a humble submission

that for me the same is the end of every religion

that eulogizes the Lord as the supreme authority

though pray Him we as a different entity

with varying philosophies with varied interpretation

but to this naïve all lead to the same destination.

When I worship idols as deities in funny forms

I see in them the Lord’s incarnation from the heart’s bottom.

At Puri in India, the Hindus worship the Lord in mystical formation

where every religion gets adored through symbolic manifestation.

 

Theme

 

With unflinching faith and devotion

carried by Hindus over generation after generation

worship they three deities and a weapon

carved on the Nneem wood with divinized conception

as Lord Jagnath, Balavadra His elder brother,

His weapon Sudaesan and Suvadera His sister

enthroned in a temple at Puri’s seashore

where millions of devotees come to adore.

Similar idols carved or painted are worshipped world over

at temple and at home with devotion and prayer.

At my prayer room I have their images in a frame

daily my family worships them putting a wick to flame.

Being a long adiabatic my feet need constant care

it was too difficult for me to walk on foot bare

to reach the Lord at His temple at Puri walking a long way

on the heated path, steep steps, in the mad rush during the day.

Evening crowd is too heavy to think of the proposition.

Long since I could not dare to see the Lord on His throne.

Daily while praying with focused attention on the image

and His blessings all-around with gratitude I acknowledge

within me winkle desires to have a glimpse of the Lord at Puri temple

before these images in me on the plea, my theism made me to babble.

“Hey Lord Jagnath! Cannot I view you on your throne?

Can I walk in the mad rush on the heated rocky stone?

Is it because the atheism still peeps in me doubting you

Please pardon me the Lord as that way I grew.

Cannot you listen my prayer to kill it and increase my devotion,

to get peace and bliss, on you with constant meditation.

Please give courage and opportunity to visit you at your throne

pull out the outa of disbelief in me for you, I do moan.”

Lo, behold! As a bolt from blue came, my youngest brother

and forced me for an evening visit to pray the Lord on His altar.

Thus was my visit with all care was completed as prayed for

Umpteen times He has listened to my prayer from heart’s core.

 

Epilogue

 

Pray I the Lord to kill the iota of atheism in me

so that with unflinching faith Him everywhere I see.

Question I myself as to my belief as of now

built over the experiences of seventy years or so.

Why do I doubt still His existence

with so many and so much being to His credence?

All must have experienced in their life on His mystical power

as just experienced yesterday by this ignorant stupid author.

as an addition to many happened earlier

the incident yesterday forced me to ponder

promised I must narrate before my readers

with foods for atheists to get rid of their blurs.