Faith and Devotion

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PURE v/s BLIND

This topic seems to be a loaded question. Since these things are not tangible or visible and yes indeed mean different to different people. 

Are you a devotee or a person filled with faith? It's very obvious to keep faith, truth, belief on someone or something. Now let us understand actually what it is and how it is strained.

In simple words faith is strong trust or belief or confidence in someone or something it also implies devotion and mostly used to refer to religion and its aspects. Faith is in religion, supernatural, job, God, a good friend, parents, a recipe etc. Sometimes things do not go according to plan will lose hope or faith basically it's deep-rooted in expectation of good things to happen. Faith is only as strong as the thing to which it is anchored.

Let us consider an example, once upon a time a doctor prescribed medicines to his patient who was suffering from piles. So he goes back to his residence, smiling that his doctor can cure his illness. Then the same day he goes out and gets a doctor picture, decorate it with some flowers and keep some agarbatti (Joss stick) and starts chanting doctor's name with prescription written like a Mantra. Chanting everyday morning and evening. After one week he visits the doctor again and ask him in irksome tone “Doctor, nothing happened. Why?, I offered you many things” then the doctor giggles and explains him again to buy those tablets and have it. He comes back and starts boosting about his doctor to his neighbors. Keep telling everyone that “Your doctors are waste, my doctor have the ability to cure my illness” and forgot to take tablets. This is blind faith he carried. 

Listening to the doctor and doing what he said, what he prescribed, what he is asking him to do, it can cure his illness or disease. Keeping trust in the doctor and his medicines is Faith.

Now let us come to the topic of Devotion. 

Faith and devotion go hand in hand, but they are parallel.

Devotion is ardent effect, love, reverence, faithfulness, respect, loyalty towards someone or something it may be your job, person, God etc. Devotion encourages person to work hard, goodwill for others etc. Now let us understand what is pure and blind devotion.

It is always said and written in many rituals that God made human beings, nature, animals, universe etc, in his own wonderful image. But, we see humans took it otherwise, created God according to their own liking and image. We give benefits to him and in return we expect something like some magical powers, as it is human beings imagination and creation. 

Just imagine your name is chanted every day, millions of people chant your name day and night, build huge wonderful buildings for you, on radio your name, on TV your name, people dancing chanting your name e.g. “JAI Shreya, JAI Shreya....”, Then certainly you will be puffed up. When devotion becomes blind devotion you forget to take inspiration from qualities, do not try to develop those qualities. The quality is like peace, harmony, love, compassion, Goodwill for others. For example if a person says he or she is a devotee of Jesus Christ, it's wonderful to be a devotee of such an astonishing soul but when he was tortured to death rather than being angry, sad, sobbing, with a smile, he was spreading only love and compassion. He was the product of love, truth, Goodwill, compassion and purity. The Same example can go with any god and goddess. 

Taking refuge in yourself and developing those qualities can make you a person filled with faith and a devotee. Because no one else will give you protection or refuge. Understand the concept, keeping genuine and pure devotion towards someone or something will always give you positivity and remember, you will never expect anything in return, you just give. 

Keep your faith and devotion in oneself, surrounding, goodwill, contentment, peace, love, positivity.... around you. So try to come out of negativity, the happiness that one experience, the peace that one experience cannot be labelled. Experience love, peace and harmony.

— Shreya K