Faith: Shraddha In God Works Wonders  

By Parmarthi Raina  

Faith is a rare gift of God granted only to humans, and it forms the basis of human relationships. We need to repose faith in our parents that they will always think of our welfare; in our children that they will not let us down; in our colleagues and friends that they will remain loyal. Similarly, for a seeker of salvation, a prime requirement is faith or shraddha in God.

Faith in people is based on our practical experience of them. We have no such experience of God. Does our faith in Him, therefore, have to be blind? As the following story illustrates, faith in God must be reasoned.

Faith in divinity

Once, when Narada muni was on his way to the abode of Lord Krishna, he happened to meet a Brahmin . The Brahmin , who was reputedly very spiritually advanced, requested Narada to find out what Krishna did for recreation. Further along the way Narada met a lowly cobbler working under a banyan tree, who made a similar request.

Narada told Krishna of the Brahmin’s and the cobbler’s requests. Krishna instructed Narada to tell them that as a pastime, Krishna sits on his throne and passes big, fat elephants through the eye of a needle. A bewildered Narada was about to express his astonishment when Krishna silenced him and told him to tell them exactly that.

The Brahmin laughed and ridiculed Narada when he heard this answer; how could anyone pass elephants, big or small, through the eye of a needle? Later, Narada told the cobbler exactly what he had told the Brahmin. The cobbler jumped up instantly and started dancing and singing, Hail the Lord! All glories to Him! Only Krishna can have such interesting pastimes. Narada was wonderstruck and asked the cobbler how he could possibly believe that anyone could pass an elephant through the eye of a needle. The cobbler picked up a fruit of the banyan tree and pointing to one of its tiny seeds, reasoned nonchalantly, if the Lord can put such a huge banyan tree in such a tiny seed, why can’t he pass an elephant through the eye of a needle? The Gita tells us that man’s shraddha is in conformity with his svabhava or natural disposition, which has evolved over several past lives. Man is constituted of his Faith. Thus, if a person has faith either in God or in the Devil, it is reflected in his thinking, his behaviour, his activities and his goals.

Faith is of three natures, conforming to the three gunas - sattvic or goodness, rajasic or passion and tamasic or ignorance. An individual preference for a particular deity, food and activity depends on the predominance of the guna in his faith.

The sattvic element which is present in varying degrees in all people, even the most degraded, is the source of faith in the divine. Man is, therefore, urged to enhance his sattva guna and reduce the rajas and tamas .

Faith is beyond belief. Belief is superficial and can be easily shaken; faith is firm and makes one steadfast. Lack of faith leaves a person weak and timid. He is called a man of doubt, for whom, says the Gita , there is no happiness here or in the hereafter. Faith in God is a source of strength and hope.

True faith compels even Lord Krishna to personally come to the aid of His devotees. Krishna kept the faith of Prahlada, son of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, by thwarting Hiranyakashipu’s attempts to kill Prahlada - finally when challenged, Krishna burst forth from a stone pillar as Narsimhadeva , and tore Hiranyakashipu apart with his bare hands - circumventing the half dozen or so boons Hiranyakashipu had acquired to make himself near-immortal.

It is possible for a human being to betray another’s faith, but God never betrays the faith of his Devotee.

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See also: Faith, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)