Nasty Game that Divine Plays
July 29, 2024
We watch videos where people are pranked. They reach a tipping point in anger, disgust or frustration and we, as audience, behind the screen laugh at them and then those subjects are shown the camera- ‘Look there! You have been pranked!’ And that person spots the hidden camera, smiles that its not permanent and moves on. Well, we too, as audience want to enjoy yet another scene where a person is pushed to the brim for us to have a good laughter. And if any show or a person is not providing optimal comedy, we switch the channel to another. Well, meaning, that show is easily replaceable. And that is what Divine does with us.
While reading Srimad Bhagwad Gita (Swami Nikhilananda’s translation), I came across a verse which said that we are merely instruments of the Divine. Which indicates that Divine created us, so obviously, Divine will make use of us, most probably for Her/His own work and its better we do things with surrender. Doing our tasks keeping in mind that its Divine’s tasks, offering the results back to the Divine and trying our best to situate our own minds on Divine because Divine is the originator, sustainer and dissolver of all that there is.
It sounds sweet when its called ‘instrument of Divine’. Well, I wont be wrong if I say that we are mere pawns at the mercy of Divine. If in the game of chess, a particular pawn plays well as per the situation, its a good game and if not, it will be eliminated and well, it doesn't mean much to the player because unlike chess, there are unlimited pawns here in life- people like you and me.
There is a term ‘paramananda’ in Sanatana Dharma denoting a quality of the Divine (or any form of deity in Hinduism) which means the one who is ever in highest bliss. The Divine draws happiness when the people play His/Her game, mere pawns forever waiting to succeed and then suddenly turn into ashes. Anyway, if you don't succeed, no problem! It hardly matters to Nature and you will be happily replaced for the show must go on, no matter what, for the Divine’s mirth because like a comedy show, ignorance is a laughing stock which makes us a fool in front of the wise Divine.
God is everywhere, even in this creation. Like a play has climax, this place too has such climax and that’s what the Divine sees or say, loves to see.
Tragedies are worth watching, I must say, for nobody lived a life without shedding a tear. And like how a person loses everything and if persists and holds on to Divine, she/he builds it up again she/he may end up in another tragedy or a blessing and yeah, as per Nature, its progress. Maybe Divine likes to watch us make house of cards and destroy it in a flash to see our reaction or resilience. If you are not able to grow from it and through it, well, you are not worthy enough or maybe you don’t fit into the game and lo! There comes your replacement. They say, Nature is random, deal with it but yeah, Divine will always be in mirth, so you hardly matter here.
Don't you believe me? Imagine you were never born. People whom you call a family might be doing the things they do to you, to some other living body. The things you cherish and keep close, will be used by somebody else. Yes, really, you hardly matter, you pawn!
I heard many stories of Divine creating this world and then chose to make this life with misery and mirth, both. Maybe Divine created this Earth with a view of just simple mirth and happiness and compassion but why couldn’t these qualities be everlasting since birth? It is because like us, Divine likes drama too and we are pawns offering a good laughter.
I have done many mistakes. I have seen people elder to me making mistakes and I have seen children younger than me making mistakes as well. Whom will Divine call and who will be kicked out, only Divine knows because the Divine has the key and we are pawns. Replaceable pawns.
First, your body is made perishable, growing old each day. plus, you’ve got the faculty of desire and wish and if you wish to be more than a pawn, you are egoistic. But, the show must go on because the pawns are at play and the Divine is most probably watching and smiling, because you hardly matter. You are a joke. Gulp it down.
Sri Maa, my guru, once said that this life on Earth is like a game of Dark room and we have to play to get out of here. Now I wonder, do we have to keep on playing this dark room with diseases, problems and heartbreak for multiple lifetimes mixed with bouts of mirth, laughter and blessings?
Well, its a nasty game that Divine enjoys. If results are great, its Divine grace and if I fail, its my karma. Well, even the greatest of saints faced the brunt of the random nature and its nasty game. You know how we show an imaginary treat to a dog and it comes happily wagging its tail because we just want to pet it and we are happy doing so. Sometimes, out of mercy, we really give it a treat. Well, yes dear pawn, we are dogs like that and if there is mercy, we get a treat of Divine.
The being who can create universe, enjoys this game. Sometimes the karma bears fruit and sometimes not which can be covered up by saying that Nature is random. As my guru indicated, the key to get out of this nasty game rests with the Divine itself. So, I will stick to my path because I am done being what I am.
So, hello dear pawn or the instrument of Divine, welcome to the world. You are a slave or an experiment of the invisible hands or the Divine mercy. Smile because many cries have gone unnoticed anyway and it hardly matters, dear pawn, in this nasty game! Many have ended up in a suicide and many are dreaming of it. Or you can say, many are just bombed into pieces. If you have come this far, congratulations o dear fool, walk on because that's called glory in this nasty game. Be mad to break it through!
-Chitra Om
