‎the Hindu Spirit ‎(A Song Of Unity In Diversity) ‎ Poem by Prabir Gayen

‎The Hindu Spirit
‎(A song of unity in diversity)
‎
‎Hindus are different people,
‎Uniquely different,
‎Extraordinarily different.
‎You cannot measure their depth;
‎You cannot confine them within your arguments.
‎
‎So simple, so religious,
‎So social, so spiritual.
‎Put a stone beneath a tree
‎And place a few flowers upon it;
‎They will pay homage;
‎They will worship that stone.
‎It may look foolish to you.
‎
‎It may go beyond your argument.
‎You may scold them with different names,
‎But it is beyond your mind;
‎It is beyond your reasoning.
‎Hindus are deeply devoted to the Almighty;
‎It is there in their ancient blood.
‎
‎You cannot judge a Hindu
‎By seeing the many forms of devotion.
‎They worship God, the Almighty,
‎In countless ways and countless forms.
‎They know the essential truth.
‎
‎They know by heart:
‎Ekam Brahma Dvitiyam Nasti.'
‎'Madatma Sarva Bhutatma.'
‎'Tat Tvam Asi.'
‎'Soham.'
‎'Shivoham.'
‎'Aham Brahmasmi.'
‎
‎Still they worship God
‎In countless ways,
‎Celebrating the vastness of life.
‎You think Hindus worship
‎Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, and Devis
‎As different gods with different names.
‎
‎Hindus worship Gurus
‎and Mahatmas.
‎They revere every atom
‎Of existence,
‎Every great soul,
‎Not only from Hindu culture
‎And heritage,
‎But also Jesus, Muhammad,
‎Lao Tzu, Socrates, and Plato,
‎And all ancient and modern
‎Saints and messengers
‎As divine manifestations.
‎
‎A Hindu knows no boundaries.
‎You may call a Hindu a fool.
‎You may call a Hindu a kafir.
‎A Hindu loves believers
‎And non-believers alike.
‎
‎A theist can become
‎a Shankaracharya;
‎An atheist can become
‎A Buddha or a Mahavira.
‎
‎A Hindu worships the Infinite,
‎The Formless Absolute through form;
‎Even the tiniest form.
‎The Formless through meditation,
‎And through form by prayer
‎And surrender in devotion.
‎
‎It is reverence, deep reverence,
‎From the micro to the macro;
‎A profound understanding
‎Of the mystery of life and death.
‎
‎A Hindu celebrates life;
‎A Hindu celebrates death.
‎The diversity of existence
‎Is honoured with deep understanding.
‎You cannot call a Hindu a kafir.
‎To do so reveals only
‎The poverty of your understanding.
‎
‎It shows that you are unable
‎to perceive the many-sided nature
‎of the Divine,
‎The omnipresent God.
‎
‎All forms arise from
‎that Great Vastness,
‎That Infinite Bliss,
‎Infinite forms, infinite names,
‎Infinite qualities;
‎Yet beyond all forms and names,
‎Beyond all thought,
‎Beyond the grasp of the mind.
‎
‎God is within you, as you;
‎God is everything and everywhere.
‎
‎Find another word,
‎If you wish to insult Hindus;
‎Calling them kafir only reveals
‎Your own ignorance and narrowness.
‎
‎Hinduism sees the Divine
‎In every path that leads to Truth.
‎It honours wisdom wherever it appears,
‎And bows before every genuine
‎Seeker of God.
‎
‎Without Hindus,
‎The world would lose
‎One of its greatest celebrations
‎Of the Infinite.
‎
‎The Divine would still remain,
‎For the Eternal can never perish;
‎Yet humanity would lose
‎A priceless vision,
‎A vision that sees
‎The One in the many,
‎And the many in the One.
‎
‎Infinite forms,
‎Infinite names,
‎Infinite paths,
‎Yet One Eternal Reality,
‎The Formless,
‎The Infinite,
‎The Absolute,
‎Beyond all names,
‎Beyond all forms,
‎Beyond all divisions,
‎Beyond all.
‎
‎Examine your mind.
‎Examine your knowledge
‎Before you call a Hindu a kafir.
‎
‎A Hindu is a believer
‎Beyond your limited understanding,
‎A worshipper in countless ways,
‎A true lover of nature,
‎A true lover of the Creator
‎And the creation.
‎
‎Hindus are unique
‎Beyond your reasoning,
‎Beyond your understanding.
‎A Hindu heart is like the sky,
‎An infinite sky
‎Where everyone finds a place,
‎Beyond caste, creed, and religion,
‎Beyond division.
‎
‎The Hindu ideal does not seek
‎To deny another's path.
‎It seeks the Divine everywhere.
‎
‎A Hindu sees God in you too,
‎Even if you are hostile,
‎Even if you are harsh,
‎Even if you have forgotten
‎The Divine within yourself.
‎
‎That is the spirit of Hinduism,
‎To behold the One
‎In all beings,
‎And all beings
‎In the One.
‎
‎@Prabir Gayen
‎18/07/26/11: 45 PM.
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