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Faith and belief

Last Updated 04 February 2014, 17:32 IST

Faith and belief is certainly a lofty and an open-ended abstract subject that dwells in the realms of philosophy and religion.

It is subscribed variously by different schools of thought. That apart, the lay man comprehends and theorises the idea in his own way.

How many times have we not seen random persons having their fingers crossed, scream two for joy when they see a pair of crows, skip with elation when they see a mail van or plucking petals off a rose while chanting, yes/no? Some are terrified of Friday the thirteenth, lose confidence the moment they find a cat crossing their path, alter their agenda if Rahu Kalam sets in or simply back out of an enterprise because they heard an untimely sneeze.

Then there are others who will not use black ink to sign documents, perform inaugural Poojas to sanctify their latest gadget, not change their clothes till their favourite cricket team wins and so on and so forth.

 These are people who have their own sets of beliefs based on their values, upbringing and experiences, oscillating between science and superstitions. We certainly live in a crazy world! Yet, it has been scientifically proven that these beliefs, no matter how bizarre they may be, can prove to be a psychological crutch and occasionally a self formulated panacea for the concerned individuals albeit temporarily!

At another level, the concept of faith and belief often reveals the strength of character in interpersonal relationships amongst individuals or a community.

An incident from the Mahabharata testifies this point. When Dronacharya proved to be invincible as the commander in chief of the Kaurava army, Krishna used the infallible character of Yudhishtira to foil the massive destruction.  Accordingly, Ashwaththama the elephant was killed by Bhima and the same was communicated to his father Dronacharya amidst resounding drumbeats by the ever truthful Yudhishtira. The great guru was thus led to believe that his beloved son Ashwaththama was dead and he gave up his arms and thereby putting an end to the annihilation of the army. The belief and faith of Dronacharya in the flawless character of an individual was used to change the course of events by Sri Krishna.

A person’s integrity, consistency, discipline and values which formulate his intrinsic character not only define his personality but also his equations with his fellowmen. People learn to respect and take his word at face value against all odds. Hence it becomes the social responsibility of every Good Samaritan not only to uphold his personal values but also see to that it helps the society to live in peace and harmony!

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(Published 04 February 2014, 17:32 IST)

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