While I was walking down my daily jaunt, I saw a three copies of The Bhagwad Gita lying on the footpath- the 'shop' of a street-side book seller. One of them was in English, one in Hindi, one in Bengali...
Now I had been looking for an English version for a long time, since I'm most comfortable with this language, and because I have (embarrassingly enough) no knowledge of the chief of the works that constitute the religious texts of my own religion. Seeing a Gita on the footpath, therefore, I wasted no time in going across and asking for the price. I was determined not to haggle over the price, it being a religious book and all, and my moral scruples deciding to act up at the precise moment, but the man was selling it for a mere five rupees, so haggling would have been criminal.
I made the purchase, and then was wondering on the possible demerits of placing the book beside my purse in my bag (religion , philosophy and cash make ill bedfellows). But then I had no choice, because there was no other place. And then, of course, it had also been kept on the footpath.
One question...What is the place of religion in the life of an ordinary, urban Hindu today?
Though the place of religion in the life of an ordinary urban Hindu today will differ from individual to individual, I feel that your story here is an apt parable in answer to your question with regard to the majority. The little voice inside you makes you feel guilty about placing a religious text next to your purse, but you do it all the same because you feel you have no choice.
ReplyDeleteA compromise. Adjust kar lenge.