The Concepts of Deity and Divinity: Should I Cling to My Past Glories or Should I Change?

A sense of pride envelopes me whenever  I get a chance to observe the vast cultural and religious heritage of my country, India.

India is Hindustan (हिन्दुस्थान), the place of the oldest and the most cosmopolitan religion on earth, the Hinduism.

It is perhaps older than the Hebrew religion (Judaism), the other religion which the earth historians consider as existent from the days of the presently existing recorded history on earth.

I have also reason to consider that India had been the cradle where mankind originated almost a million years ago. I had written about it in some earlier blog articles.

The ancient texts of Hinduism, such as the Vedic literature and the many epics and the variety of architectural delights of Hindu temples in the north and south India detail the adventures of the numerous deities of the Hindu pantheon. These are the rich cultural heritage of the mixed peoples of India providing  much insights in to the details of human evolution with regard human civilization and religious practices. 

Some time ago, I had an opportunity to see some very famous Hindu temples located in South India, precisely, the Rajarajeswara Temple of Tanjavur and the Madurai Meenakshi Temple of Madurai, both in Tamil Nadu State. (I am not writing much about the history and the details of these temples. You may read those in Wikipedia. by clicking the linked names)

     Tanjavur Big Temple-View from road                               Tanjavur Brihadeswara Temple-Entrance

I keep wondering about the complex  manner in which the deity and divinity concepts have instigated the human mind to such extreme artistic,  sculptural and architectural creativity that could be seen in these Hindu cultural legacy. It is not that it has not taken shape in other regions or civilizations. It could be seen elsewhere as well. But yet, what we see in India is really astonishing when one try to figure out the circumstances through which the individuals of the past worked to result these marvels of human creativity.

   Brihadeswara Temple inside view                            Big Idol of Nandi inside Brihadeswara temple

They cause me to think. And I keep doing so and the thoughts compel me to seek answers to the varied aspects of human progress not only those physical, but also those concerned with the progress of human mind and spirit. I am quite relieved that my favorite book of life guidance has much to teach me in this context. 

      Brihadeswara Temple inside view            Big Idol of Nandi inside Brihadeswara temple              

Now a prominent question that come to my mind. Should the pride that I feel about my culture and its ancient legacy be allowed to hamper my own personality progress and onward evolution in mind and spirit? 

   Brihadeswara Temple inside view-Layout Map                     Brihadeswara Temple-Carved stone Inscriptions 

Should I consider the pinnacle of ancient glory as my bench mark and be contented with that or strive to go back to it? Shouldn't I try to learn from the past and move forward?

      Madurai Meenakshi Temple-Inside view       Madurai Meenakshi Temple-Inside view

Should I return back to the old? Should I consider all good old things as gold? 

Should I change my deity and divinity concepts in mind as I progress in the physical realms? Should I create conflicts in body, mind and spirit by restraining some parts of me from progressive evolution?

I have been just thinking.

Does such a thought come to your mind?

The Phenomenon of Psychic Imprint and the Human Difficulty to Accept Better Things !

Imprint is a word came from the printing and publishing industry, which means making a permanent stamp about some thing (on the printed material or book).

Psychic imprint means making a permanent concept recorded deep inside the mind of a living being, animals, birds or human beings.

Zoologists have demonstrated that chicks of some birds imprint any moving thing that they see first after hatching out of the eggs as their mother. If they see a man, they are bound to be after him as if he is their parent !

Human beings do make certain imprints in their minds during the course of their life from birth to death.

Concepts of father, mother, siblings, relations, manners, cultures, language, religion, rituals and various other ideas and perceptions in the minds of human beings are based on imprinted information that resides deep in their subconscous memory region of the mind some where in their brains.

Unlike animals and birds, human beings have the capacity to change the imprinted concept using their intelligent logic systems that are also somewhere in the brains.

However, for many people having a lower brain capacity with regard to intelligent logic and reasoning, it is extremely difficult to erase an imprint that was recorded earlier in the memory bank.

That is why change is a painful experience for most of the human beings even when such changes are better for them.

More than ninety percent of the human populace come under this category.

So they may find it extremely difficult to change to a new house, new area of work, new method of work ,  a new food habit or a new religious concept.

Out of these the last one is the most difficult.

The imprinted concept of God and the religious rituals are the most difficult for people to change.

Organized religions maintain their hold in the society on account of this difficulty that the majority of people have.

Thinking differently is a difficult proposition for most people because their logical reasoning capacity is below a certain threshold. 

Yet they may be brought up to a different thought level by use of external stimulants such as lure, force or fear.

In that case their imprints get imprinted with a new imprint to remain in that state unless not changed again by similar techniques.

This technique is used by various cadre organizations such as the armed forces and the anti social organizations to maintain their cadres. Religious organizations may also employ this technique !

So long as the people have the biological deficiency in their brains to change their imprinted concepts by self analysis and reasoning this kind of a situation is bound to continue.

For making the society progressive, you need more and more people of the self actualizing types !

They are the ones capable of logical thinking and reasoning who can change their own mind imprints at will.

But brain capacities are birth determined.

Biological upgradation cannot happen overnight !

It took me months to culture out a special bacteria capable of consuming chemical pollutants from waste water from a sample of ordinary E-coli bacteria. Hundreds of bacterial generations passed away before the required ones with the ability of eating phenols developed.

I could see it happening before my eyes because bacteria has a life span of a few days only.

But in human beings that is not the case. Years or ages might be required for a major cultural change !

Though a few individuals might over come their difficulties for adapting and accepting good changes by their own determination and free will, it is not going to happen for the majority of people in any generation.

So those of the advanced types might feel frustrated.

But frustration is not the answer.

Anxiety must be abandoned.

The advanced types must also need to learn patience !

Because, impatience is a mind poison !


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How Does Culture Develop Among Human Beings ?

First of all what do we mean by culture ? It is some thing that is a summation of the peculiar tastes of arts and manners of a human society or settlement.

In my childhood my father had told me a small humorous story about how the soldiers developed the mannerism of saluting the superiors.

Long ago, a group of youths from a village decided to meet their king. But they were all a little apprehensive. What are they supposed to do when they meed the king ?

Then the elder in the group confidently told them to imitate just what he would do when they reach the king's court.

At the king's court the elder went ahead and the others followed. Just when the king appeared, a mosquito bit the elder on his left thigh. Almost simultaneously a mischievous fly sat on his right forehead, both irritating the elder. Instinctively, he slapped his left thigh with his left hand and raised his right hand to his forehead to drove off the fly.

Instantly, all his followers imitated him the same way.

The king liked this new way of salutation by this village folks. He ordered his soldiers to adopt this salutation hence forth when his visit them.

This way the culture of saluting became part of the culture of the armed forces.

Let us forget the truthfulness of this story.

Though we all have a mind which is intelligent and analytical we are also having other fears and inhibitions, all in varying degrees. We are free to analyse and take decisions without influences from others, but we are reluctant to exercise that power.

So among us a few have leadership qualities while the majority are followers of leaders or the so-called 'hero worshippers'.

We want to imitate leaders. That quality is in built in our minds.

So imitation by the followers, who are in majority in any society, brings about the culture of that society.

Now let us consider some statements from a book written by some authors of superior intelligence than the human beings:

1. Some characteristics of primitive human beings : They were exceedingly imitative, but the play instinct was only slightly developed, and the sense of humor was almost entirely absent. Primitive man smiled occasionally, but he never indulged in hearty laughter. Humor was the legacy of the later races. These early human beings were not so sensitive to pain nor so reactive to unpleasant situations as were many of the later evolving mortals. Childbirth was not a painful or distressing ordeal to the early woman and her immediate progeny.

2. Development of language through imitation : Language evolved out of group associations, each local group developing its own system of word exchange. Language grew up through gestures, signs, cries, imitative sounds, intonation, and accent to the vocalization of subsequent alphabets. Language is man’s greatest and most serviceable thinking tool, but it never flourished until social groups acquired some leisure. The tendency to play with language develops new words — slang. If the majority adopt the slang, then usage constitutes it language. The origin of dialects is illustrated by the indulgence in “baby talk” in a family group.


3. Imitation causing development of religion: A philosophy of religion evolves out of a basic growth of ideas plus experimental living as both are modified by the tendency to imitate associates. The soundness of philosophic conclusions depends on keen, honest, and discriminating thinking in connection with sensitivity to meanings and accuracy of evaluation. Moral cowards never achieve high planes of philosophic thinking; it requires courage to invade new levels of experience and to attempt the exploration of unknown realms of intellectual living.

4. Clue to achieve perfection: The imitation of God is the key to perfection; the doing of his will is the secret of survival (after mortal death) and of perfection in survival (after mortal death).


5. How to imitate Jesus :  It should not be the aim of  believers of Jesus to literally  imitate the outward life of Jesus in the flesh but rather to share his faith; to trust God as he trusted God and to believe in men as he believed in men. Jesus never argued about either the fatherhood of God or the brotherhood of men; he was a living illustration of the one and a profound demonstration of the other.

So, imitation is the key to develop culture.

But if you want perfection, your role model for imitation should be God.

And God has given a living replica of him living within your mind for you to imitate. That is the God within you, within me and within them !

But to imitate the God that is within us, we need to use our God given guidance which is overshadowed by our evolutionary intellect of animal origin.

The more we imitate the animal intellect, the more we degrade our culture to that of the primitive men.

The more we are able to imitate the God within us, we advance to that of a spiritualistic culture.

Some thing of a replica of the culture that exists in the so called heavens out there !


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Is it Necessary to Overcome Temptations ?

While we lead the life of the human beings on this earth we are posed with umpteen numbers of allurements which tempt us to take a choice in their favour. Back in our minds somehow we recognize that these may not be good for us or to the society that we live.

Yet, deciding to fall to the temptation is very common to most people. Often we keep doubting whether it is worth to overcome such temptations. Are we in any way becoming foolish by not accepting some of those 'golden' chances?

We are indeed free-willed. We are capable of taking any decisions, both good or bad. That is the way we have been made or designed.

We are capable of thinking and directing our thoughts in any direction, both creative or destructive, positive or negative. In the same manner we are capable of acting freely as per our own choice.

But in some situations we, of our own way might not think or act in a particular manner unless induced to do so by some external elements. These external inducements are the agents of temptations.

Though we are free to act in any manner we like, it is also the responsibility that is vested on us to safeguard our lives and the lives of others around us while we carry out our actions.

We are individual beings entrusted with social responsibilites.

So it is required that we use our free-will power cautiously and wisely so that we proceed safely while living the mortal life.

Temptations are normally those situations where we are incapable of fixing an immediate problem to either ourselves or others as a direct consequence to our acts in favor of the temptation and we apparently see something immediately very desirable to fulfil certain of our tastes, pleasures or instincts.

Let me illustrate these life situations with some simple examples.

As  free willed persons we are capable of jumping out of a speeding train or from a high rise building, but normally we do not do it because we know its immediate consequence. Even when such an act might give a type of pleasure fulfilling that part of our mind which finds pleasure in adventure we resist doing such a thing.

While driving a car we can hit any one or any thing or drive not following the traffic rules. But normally we do not attempt that as we know what will happen then.

Under normal circumstances we may not look indecently or ogle a good looking lady or advance towards her with that intention. Because we know the immediate likely consequences!

We may not steal some thing from the departmental store, even when it was very desirable but non affordable  because of the fear of getting caught.

But suppose a good looking lady, not your wife, takes the lead and entice you and there is no immediate likelihood that any one near to you knowing about it.

Suppose that some company representative offer you a handsome reward for doing him a favour from your organization which you are in a position to do by circumventing some rules which others are not likely to find out.

Yes, the latter two cases are examples of temptations!

Now the big question is whether we should overcome these temptations or not.

There are people who keep justifying the latter situations are sheer opportunities and those not taking advantage as foolish people.

They believe that a thief is a thief only when caught !

Many of us have heard of the Bible story of the temptations of Jesus Christ and how he had overcome those temptations even while he could have easily agreed to those, making his humanly life much easier or pleasurable. Even while he possessed the power he decided not to use such powers for his own personal benefit.

Only people of a high civilization and culture can use their free will in that manner! That is using the God given free will intelligently, wisely and judiciously.

So what do you think of overcoming temptations ?

After all it much depends on how we decide to live. We are free to decide.

We can live like a savage, totally care-free. We can also live like a civilized and wise person capable of resisting temptations. The latter choice, ofcourse, is not easy !