<p>One afternoon, I was standing in front of an old Victorian ceramic sink, rinsing my lunch box. While my fingers were busy scrubbing off the food that was stuck inside the box, my mind was lost in thoughts about God. The only one who can afford to have so many names without a proper address, contact number and a photo ID, I thought. </p>.<p>If we want to communicate with God, the first number in his contact list is that of ‘Purity’. Well then, my mind wanted to understand this word. In the context of spirituality, it is often interpreted as 'Bramhacharya' or celibacy. Thinking of this word, the first thought that pops up is that, it is probably distancing oneself from physical intimacy with another person. However, if that’s all that was required for one to realise God or achieve salvation, then all the sadhus, spiritual masters and even the commoners who remain celibate by will or otherwise should have realised God effortlessly. However, we know that this is not the case. </p>.<p>If the physical proximity of others can be bothersome, what about thoughts on others, which are unseen? How can one allow thoughts of others or thought on others to enter the mind and not only touch but walk, sleep and dirty the whole place called the mind?</p>.<p>In God’s words (words spoken by Shiva as I learnt at the Brahma Kumaris) and as I understand it, purity includes having benevolent thoughts for others. In order to clean the mind, one must know what dirt or impurity lies there. Simply put, anything that doesn’t enrich/enhance the soul, such as gossip, being judgemental, harbouring negative thoughts for others (the list is endless) would be considered impure. All these are equal to allowing others to ‘touch’ your soul. If you allow it to repeat then the dirt gets so strongly stuck to your soul that it becomes part of you. </p>.<p>One should try to achieve purity akin to God— that’s true godliness. Swachh Bharath Abhiyaan needn't stop at clearing dirt and debris but must permeate to clean our mind too. It rests on all of us to take this responsibility. Then Bharath again will be the land of Ram or Firdaus or Paradise— the land of righteous, divine beings.</p>
<p>One afternoon, I was standing in front of an old Victorian ceramic sink, rinsing my lunch box. While my fingers were busy scrubbing off the food that was stuck inside the box, my mind was lost in thoughts about God. The only one who can afford to have so many names without a proper address, contact number and a photo ID, I thought. </p>.<p>If we want to communicate with God, the first number in his contact list is that of ‘Purity’. Well then, my mind wanted to understand this word. In the context of spirituality, it is often interpreted as 'Bramhacharya' or celibacy. Thinking of this word, the first thought that pops up is that, it is probably distancing oneself from physical intimacy with another person. However, if that’s all that was required for one to realise God or achieve salvation, then all the sadhus, spiritual masters and even the commoners who remain celibate by will or otherwise should have realised God effortlessly. However, we know that this is not the case. </p>.<p>If the physical proximity of others can be bothersome, what about thoughts on others, which are unseen? How can one allow thoughts of others or thought on others to enter the mind and not only touch but walk, sleep and dirty the whole place called the mind?</p>.<p>In God’s words (words spoken by Shiva as I learnt at the Brahma Kumaris) and as I understand it, purity includes having benevolent thoughts for others. In order to clean the mind, one must know what dirt or impurity lies there. Simply put, anything that doesn’t enrich/enhance the soul, such as gossip, being judgemental, harbouring negative thoughts for others (the list is endless) would be considered impure. All these are equal to allowing others to ‘touch’ your soul. If you allow it to repeat then the dirt gets so strongly stuck to your soul that it becomes part of you. </p>.<p>One should try to achieve purity akin to God— that’s true godliness. Swachh Bharath Abhiyaan needn't stop at clearing dirt and debris but must permeate to clean our mind too. It rests on all of us to take this responsibility. Then Bharath again will be the land of Ram or Firdaus or Paradise— the land of righteous, divine beings.</p>