Read for the funny conversation between Jigyasu and a Hindu Pandit.
Jigyasu : Namaskaar Pandit Ji. How are you ?
Pandit : Namaskaar Namaskaar Son, come have a seat.
Jigyasu : Pandit Ji, you already know that at heart I am very religious and a God fearing person. I have few questions for you, if you could clarify.
Pandit : No worries Son ! You have come to the right place to get all your questions answered.
Jigyasu : Pls. tell me that when we die, who actually dies ?
Pandit : One day everybody dies. You will die, I will die and so do everyone else. But it is the body which remains behind and soul moves on to the next world.
Jigyasu : So you are establishing the fact that body is like dust which dies and soul does not die, right ?
Pandit : Exactly my Son that is the point.
Jigyasu : Then where does the Soul go, Pandit Ji ?
Pandit : It depends on one's Karma. People who do good Karma go to heaven and people who do bad Karma go to hell.
Jigyasu : I see your point. Pls. give me one example of good Karma.
Pandit : Well, you see in all our temples we all Pandits keeping doing various Havans to please Devis and Devtas.
Jigyasu : So you are saying that doing Havan is one of the good Karmas.
Pandit : Of course, my Son.
Jigyasu : That is Cool Pandit Ji. Few days back only I did one Havan myself with all family members.
Pandit : That is a surprise. Where ?
Jigyasu : Hey you forgot we had a Lohri few days back. That is the Havan I did. I think we should have it daily so that I will earn lot of good Karmas.
Pandit : No no no. You got it worng. Havan is done by adding "samagri" to fire with chanting Mantras.
Jigyasu : Chill Pandit Ji. Let me explain you. You keep adding things in Havan to keep fire alive. We too add so many things to keep fire alive in Lohri. You chant and instead we sing. And when we are singing we are not saying evil of anyone. See it is good Karma only. They both are one and the same thing.
Pandit : You will go to Hell, if you dare say those things. How come you compare our pious rituals and traditions to such events? I will give you "Sharaap" now itself.
Jigyasu : Calm down Pandit Ji. Don't you think getting Angry is one of the 5 Vices? Just now you deposited one bad Karma in your account and now you cannot escape hell.
Pandit : Shut up your mouth Moorakh. You will burn in hell for insulting a Pandit like me.
Jigyasu : There you go, you deposited another bad Karma to your account again. Whatsoever, now your seat is confirmed in hell; with or without me.
Pandit : Dare you say one more word again ! Fools like you of this century know nothing about our centuries old religion, rituals and traditions.
Jigyasu : Pls. accept my apologies at your feet Pandit Ji. Until you show me the correct path I will remain ignorant. Isn't it ?
Pandit : Ya ya that is fine.
Jigyasu : Pandit Ji my friend was saying that by doing bad karma we not only go to hell but we become animals. Is that right ?
Pandit : Yes, your friend is correct. The person doing bad karma takes life form of animals.
Jigyasu : Now I feel sorry for you. Really !
Pandit : Why is that ?
Jigyasu : In your Gowshala so many cows, buffalos and goats are there. I mean you are already living in hell with them. Don't you ?
Pandit : Again, you fool !
Jigyasu : Ok ok sorry. Pandit Ji my parents are forcing me to get married. What do you think, shall I marry ?
Pandit : I don't know. It is your family matter.
Jigyasu : But are you married, by any chance ?
Pandit : No.
Jigyasu : Why you didn't marry Pandit Ji ?
Pandit : Because I did not want to get entangled in Maya of this world. I want Mukti. That is the aim of my life.
Jigyasu : So you are saying that to get Mukti, I should also not marry. Shall I run away from my house ? Otherwise my parent will get me married one day.
Pandit : Do what you feel. I don't care.
Jigyasu : To escape maya and get mukti, you Pandits don't marry. But you Pandits are the ones who supervise the whole marriage and get poor people like me get married in the mandaps. Eventually you are ones who tie our knot with Maya. This is very unfair.
Pandit : What did you say !
Jigyasu : Now I see the truth. Not only you tie our knot with Maya. You ask us to take 7 rounds around the fire. You make sure that our knot is tight enough in 7 rounds. Now I understand this revolving around fire business also. You want to make sure our life becomes hell like fire and you Pandits alone go to heaven. This sounds very fishy to me now.
Pandit : You idiot, what are you saying !
Jigyasu : I remember, last month my friend got married and Pandit Ji was saying to the couple that they are tied for 7 Janams (lifes).
Pandit : Yes, marriage is sacred vow of 7 Janams (lifes).
Jigyasu : Then who will tell me when is my 7th Janam so that in next Janam I should not marry and get Mukti. As you were saying.
Pandit : I don't know. Maybe don't get married in this Janam.
Jigyasu : If I don't get married, will I not be breaking the Vow made for 7 Janams(lifes) to my partner in previous life. That is Bad Karma, right ?
Pandit : Yes breaking promise is Bad Karma.
Jigyasu : Wait a moment Pandit Ji !
Pandit : Now what ?
Jigyasu : Say, in every life I get married. You Pandit make couple take Vow for next 7 Janams (lifes). This means in first 7 Janams you have already locked couple for next 49 Janams ( 7 X 7 = 49). This process is recursive and becomes infinite. This is insane. When will I get Mukti ?
Pandit : Well, what you are saying make sense. I never thought that way. I don't know and I am not married. So I don't have to worry.
Jigyasu : What ?? You have to worry Pandit Ji, you broke your Vow made to your life partner in previous Janam. You deposited one more bad karma to your account. For sure, you are going to hell according to your philosophy. What if you become Cow or Buffalo?
Pandit : What rubbish you are talking.
Jigyasu : Just think. If you become Cow and similarly like you nobody marries, then how you will be born to take Mukti ?
Pandit : Stop talking childish. Somebody will marry, that is how Maya works.
Jigyasu : Just assume for a moment if it happens, then ?
Pandit : Science has become advance. Then maybe I will born as Test Tube Baby. After all God does Miracles, right ?
Jigyasu : Thank God ! That is correct Pandit Ji. You saved my day.
Pandit : There you go.
Jigyasu : Before I take leave Pandit Ji. I forgot to tell you that my Parents have invited you and your fellow Pandits for the 'Sharaad' of my grandfather who passed away few years back.
Pandit : Yes yes do not worry. We all will come and we will do Pooja to make your grandfather's soul rest in peace.
Jigyasu : But how come you will know where his soul is and how will you send your peace to his soul ?
Pandit : You don't worry about that. We have our methods.
Jigyasu : If my grandfather's soul is already in Heaven then why he will need your peace ?
Pandit : You go, we will see.
Jigyasu : And if my grandfather's soul is already in Hell and if you send him peace then is it not interfering with the God's law and against His will ?
Pandit : No no it is fine. You dont worry.
Jigyasu : As far as I know my grandfather was man of words. He will never break the vow of spending 7 Janams with my grandmother. I know he is not in hell or heaven. He is already born somewhere.
Pandit : Whatever be the case. You do not need to worry about all these. Leave all this to us Pandits. Just tell your parents to keep the money, clothes and food ready. We are coming for the feast on your grandfather's Sharaad.
Conclusion : When the fundamental belief system is built upon an entangled logic, how far can a true seeker reach.
Bhul Chuk Maaf.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥