SHARIAT

 
Question: The Hindus, Christians, Parsis, we all perform external ceremonies. Do they have any significance? I personally feel they have no intrinsic value (a question asked of Meher Baba in February, 1929).

Answer: All Prophets and Sadgurus made the disciples of their inner circles spiritually perfect, as perfect as they themselves were. They made them realize God and freed them from the ceaseless rounds of births and deaths.

To the disciples of their outer circles they showed the paths of Bhakti and Seva (Devotion and Service), and instilled into their minds certain esoteric facts.

For the masses of people they left the shariat or the ceremonial side of religion and taught them doctrines which they could understand.

But even the shariat, which the great Masters and Avatars taught ordinary people, is, if properly understood, full of deep significance. The kusti ceremony of the Zorastrians, the tal-bhajan of the Hindus, and the namaz of the Muslims are nothing but beautiful remedies for the removal of sanskaras.

Take the kusti ceremony of the followers of Zoraster. The three knots, that are tied when performing this ceremony, indicate humata, hukhta and huvarshta, or good thoughts, good words and good deeds. The striking off, of the sacred thread, while reciting the kusti prayers has also great significance. From the material standpoint, it means the removal of dust that may be on the thread (outward manifestation); from the exoteric religious standpoint, it signifies the act of driving away of bad desires and bad thoughts (mental manifestation), and from the esoteric spiritual standpoint, it signifies the wiping out of sanskaras.

If the kusti ceremony is performed in right earnest and with great sincerity of heart, it certainly wipes out some of one's sanskaras. But if one performs it a thousand times a day only mechanically, just for show or for the observance of customs, it will be of no avail. One kusti ceremony performed with genuine devotion will do far more good than one thousand kusti ceremonies performed without genuine devotion.

The purpose of the tal-bhajan of the Hindus and of the namaz of the Muslims is no different from that of the kusti ceremony of the Zorastrians. Both are meant to divert the devotees minds from the world to God. But this purpose is served only if prayers are offered with devotion and sincerity. You must certainly pray to God, but do not reduce your prayers to a farce.

You may jump, shouting at the top of your voice, 'Tukaram,' 'Tukaram' for years together, but if that shouting is devoid of genuine devotion, will it do any good to you? It is not the high and wide jumping, high and low singing, and slow and fast ringing of the tal that takes you nearer to God. What is required for your spiritual upliftment is bhakti or devotion, and not the mechanical murmuring or shouting of mantras.

It is no exaggeration to say that most of the followers of every religion pray to God and celebrate ceremonies with a view to do their duty not by God, but by shariat. A Zorastrian, while offering prayers, is oft seen counting the number of the remaining pages of a lengthy yasht (chapter) which he has just begun praying and which he is eager to finish off. Poor fellow! He thinks not of God, but of getting relieved from it as early as he can. Have you not seen Parsi priests inquiring the prices of vegetables and rates of shares in the midst of their prayers? Have you not seen orthodox Parsis gazing at the dainty dishes, while performing the kushti ceremony at the time of meals?

Write in your heart that prayers offered and ceremonies celebrated without devotion are neither of earthly nor heavenly use.

Shariat is useful, only if it is observed in the proper spirit, i.e. with great devotion and sincerity.