Faith & Patience श्रद्धा और सबूरी

Morning drive generally happens when I take Ginger- my dog for ride and walk. Thats the time when BBC AM airs Hindi, Urdu and then the English reports and news on 1413 Hz. Mostly it is about war, terrorism and all-is-wrong-in the-world-news and in my half-asleep state it does not take great effort to block out these negative news and instead my full open eyes and half sleeping mind are savouring the early morning sights of my beautiful Wadi Kabir Street lined with Neem Trees and Petunias in all possible colors. In the back seat my dog enjoys the short drive with his head resting on the window sil, his long cocker spaniel ears flowing in the draft like a hollywood model.

But today I was jolted by an unusual news for which I stopped my car on the kerb and focussed all my attention on the BBC correspondent till he moved on to the Copenhagen Summit.

A guy was acquitted by a US court after 35 years on the basis of DNA evidence which proved he was innocent. Great Guns! 35 years in prison for a crime he didn't do..... 35 long years! 35 years is one working life of an average man. And what amazed me was the reaction of the guy when the judge delivered the freedom verdict. Reporter said.... James Bain just smiled. Later on he comes on air and I hear him say that he does not harbour any anger and all this was possible due to the faith he had in God and these 35 long years he bore one day at a time. Amazing! Full story can be read at yahoo news or at BBC websites and I am sure in a day or two it will appear in press as well.

Not that I read about spirituality in the forwards but yet am unable to fathom the depth of his faith. We all have times when we think that fate has dealt us a bad hand of cards and sometimes the issues are relatively smaller. Bodily attributes we are born with, Job we are stuck with, Spouse who gets on the nerves or the shortage of money..... these and many trivial issues make many of us think "Why me?" More serious issues on health are more depressing.

The Indian philosophy of Karma is not easily palatable if its you yourself on the receiving side. Karma Siddhant says that whatever state you are in are the results of your Karma of present and the past. Past can also mean the previous births as well.

Whilst it is much easier to accept the consequence of the immediate action it is difficult to accept the consequence of an action which you are unaware you did it in the first place. I guess thats where the Faith helps. And immense faith helps immensly! Otherwise how do you come out of a 35 year stint in the prison without any pent-up anger or for that matter how do you survive the 35 years and do not get consumed atom by atom, cell by cell in the hatred and anger towards the system which has given the unjust deal.

Shirdi's Sai Baba gave two magic words- Shraddha & Saburi. Faith and Patience. Faith in God means that whatever condition we are in He is taking care of us. During the weaker moments the doubt does creep in and we feel that He has forgotten us. But the Faith is knowing that even in those moments also He is with us. And Saburi or Patience is coming to terms that what we have to bear has to be borne patiently and He will take us through the situation. We are aware of the oft repeated phrase Inshallah..... By the will of Allah! Islam and Christian philosophies say that whatever happens is as per the wish of God. The Karmic philosophy of Hinduism says that the Man has free will to chose between the good and the evil and accordingly face the consequences (Karma Phal). The implementation of these Consequences are then as per the will of the God. Will of God being the common thread!

Implementation of the consequences by the will of God makes the same act giving two different consequences to two different people. And how does it happen? Bhakti or devotion makes it possible. We know that the dacoit Ratnakar killed so many people yet once gets a realisation of the crime he has committed turns towards God and repents and turns out to be one of the freatest Saints and pens down the Ramayana. Asoka gets horrified by the war crimes he has unleashed and goes on to become the greatest peace carrying ruler after getting into Budha's fold.

As a parent its much easier to understand the compassion of God and the resulting dilution in the consequences of Karma. When our child comes to us with an innocent mistake she has done we forgive the child easily and maybe give some extra hugs and kisses. But as the child grows if she habitually does a mistake, we bring in the punishment. God as the supreme Father or Mother (depending upon anywhich ways you look at Him) is much more compassionate and forgiving than a parent! Repentance and not repeating the same mistake being the key words.

Hari Om! God bless James Baines to catch up with all that he missed in the last 35 years and make up the most in his life out of US prison.

Hari Om!