Musings 44

I really do not know whether begging with God is the ideal attitude ..

But Krishna said in Gita..
Man Manaa bhava mad bhaktho mad yaachee maam namaskuru maam eva eshyati satyam te pratijaane priyosi me...
मन्मना भव मद् भक्तो मद् याची मां नमस्क्रुरु मम एवैष्यति सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे
Meaning
Carry me in your thoughts for ever,
become my devotee,
beg or humbly ask me,
offer pranams to me..
and you will finally reach me..
I am giving you a solemn promise.. because you are my dear friend..
(The blessed Lord says to Partha the Arjuna..)

But the same Gita and other texts talk about
YajnashistaashinaH, यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः, ( Gita.. just enjoy what is left after offering to God in Yajna )
tena tyakthena bhunjeethaa.. तेन त्यक्तेन भुन्जीताः (Isavasya Upanishad.. what is left or given by God alone should be enjoyed) and so on..

That implies no demand,
no begging,
no grabbing
but just to be satisfied with what you have just what god gives us in His wisdom ..

The same Gita talks of a mature person
Yadruchchaalaabha santushtaH..
यदृच्छालाभ सन्तुष्टः
just being satisfied with what one gets by chance..

In yajnas.. there are many vedic mantras which openly beg the Gods for material benefits..

So begging by itself was not prohibited.. or seen as an inferior means of livelihood..

The initiates or Brahmacharis of Brahmana, Kshatria and Vysia castes were expected to visit the households of grihastas and beg for daily food,,

But only one conditions seems to apply..
Be a beggar before one who will give,
who is gracious and who is fit to be respected..

Of course if one can get something without begging,
that seems always a better proposition..

I am not entirely in agreement with the propositions that god knows what each Individual requires and would give that to him..
It is a generally acceptable view.. and it may be correct in a formal way..

But God is a very Senior decision- maker sitting at the top of hierarchy and the decisions he makes must be on policy matters of vital concern..
There can be deviations and lack of co ordination when such decisions are implemented at grassroot levels..

In the implementation of the rules, there can be various processes and modalities that would require action on our part too to ensure proper results..

The President of India appointed me to the Civil Services..
but can I expect the President to physically deliver my salary at home ?

We can think of things only on the basis of possibilities..

So, if someone asserts that he or she is holding all the aces.. and that he is the only one who is right, that is just ignorance..