It may sound blasphemous but I believe that God is like a naughty child who cannot sit still and always keeps on moving things from one place to another deriving prankish pleasure in the process. God moves huge quantity of water from the oceans to the land, sometimes moodily converting it to snow along the way, and then brings it back to the ocean joyfully. He is eternally busy pulverizing the mountains and depositing their fragments on to sea floors. He often heaves mountain peaks from ocean floors. Pollens are extravagantly showered in the air so that plant genes dance around producing myriad combinations and diverse life forms. In His magnanimity He obliges by splashing lights in the sky in different hues for us to relish. Each sunrise, sunset, eclipse, aurora borealis and implosion of a star is a miracle.
Among Hindus it is believed that the Trimurti- Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh- carry on the individually assigned processes of creation, maintenance and destruction in the universe. In my opinion- I know I am having the audacity to judge the gods- Brahma and Mahesh are working on an overdrive because one can actually see at every moment a lot of creation and destruction happening around. On the contrary Lord Vishnu seems to be slack, that too with a swag, in performing the maintenance of life. It is very much evident by his reclining posture on Sheshnag.
My grouse against Lord Vishnu is based on a personal experience of a senior citizen; with rheumatism in bones, cataract in eyes, cavities in teeth, cholesterol in blood, uric acid in joints, unnecessary deposits in arteries and so on. Buildings created by human beings are maintained much better and longer than what Lord Vishnu does with our bodies. The only consolation for us- if it can be so called- is that He is much less considerate to other beings; many creatures do not last even one season while innumerable flowers, buds,bugs and moths are hardly sustained for a few hours! If we are brash enough to question Him about His shoddy job, it is very likely that like a typical bureaucrat He will throw the rule book at our faces, " Dudes, it is the law of karma. You get what you deserve and not what you desire."
The only hope in our predicament is if Brahma and Mahesh could put peer pressure on their own colleague for a better performance of his role. However, I am not sure whether the two of them have reconciled to 80:20 rule prevalent in Indian bureaucracy; 80 % of the work in any office is done by only 20 % of the employees.
I have a bizarre hypothesis: women are less God fearing than men. The logical argument in favor of my contention is that all housewives are constantly engaged, much to the chagrin of all God loving husbands, in a bee - like massive organizing efforts at home. The wives will not rest till the last crease on a bedsheet has been smoothened, the last speck of dirt has been dusted or the last stain has been washed. This female trait is obviously against the will of God who intends creating chaos and disorder everywhere, as elucidated before.
With their slovenly habits of dumping dirty laundry wherever they feel like, throwing wet towels on beds and not cleaning cooking vessels till the kitchen sink is overflowing, men truly justify the fact that they have been created in the image of God. Men have taken to heart the eternal truth that is uttered at every burial: 'Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. We are nothing, but dust and to dust we shall return. Amen.' Obviously, men prefer the dust to settle down on its own; cleaning it is not their cup of tea.
John Wesley, the English cleric, was credited in 1778 with the quote, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". There is a need for the historians and theologians to set the record straight. Probably the word 'distant' should replace the word 'next' in the quotation considering that whatever you do, you cannot escape the dust for long. Dust is omnipresent like God.
I rest my case humbly at His feet. After all, despite my self - confessed audacity, it is not long before I meet the Creator myself and I do not wish to be judged harshly- not only for my other karma but for my writing too, However, I lovingly invite the harsh evaluation by the readers here on earth.
What an impressive write up Anirudh. The way you have put up the things is commendable. These are the points which hover in our mind always. Only a genius like you can write in such a way which has spirituality, humour, questions to the almighty, and the attitude of ladies. Keeo writing. We love reading your articles
Great write up!! Always enjoy your brand of humour and the inimitable style!