RELIGION?
NOPE....KEEP THE FAITH!

As the Navratri tale says Shakti, goddess Durga is Shiv’s consort Parvati, daughter of Menaka and the Himalayas. Shakti, the female energy of Shiv, she is mild and fierce too with names like Uma (light), Gauri (brilliant), Kali (chandi), Jagaddhatri as Amba, Bhadrakali and Bhairavi (terrible). When the gods after a long war were defeated by the demons headed by Mahishasura, the buffalo demon, were driven away from heaven, they approached Brahma who took them to Vishnu and Siva. Durga took the task of ridding the world of oppression and in the fierce combat, she killed the powerful demons and then came to face with their kind Mahishasura, who was considered invincible. Mahishasura changed his form from buffalo to a lion. When she chopped him, he turned to human form and when he was struck with her sword, he became an elephant, again to resume his buffalo form. Finally, trapped under her foot as her spear pierced his chest. This Mahishasura represents the animal instinct in man which is sometimes too powerful to control but must be controlled by supreme god. Greed, temptation, gossip, bickerings, self centeredness and any evil disguises are to be overcome otherwise it is the end like Mahishasura. The goddess reflects the noble intentions and kind deeds, determination to end exploitation and stand by the righteousness. This is the faith that is built in the human heart, a message of Navratri, the killing of evil thoughts, Mahishasura. Rama is said to have performed Durga Puja to invoke the blessings of the goddess before he left for Lanka to fight for Ravana. Hence, Dussehra, the winning of ‘Good over Evil’

Hence, religion is a holistic approach. Significance of the deities pointing the need for deriving solutions to problems and as believed, Durga triumphs over evil, Saraswati removes ignorance and Lakshmi brings prosperity. And then, there is this Faith – Spread the love, banish hate, shrug off the black seeds of anger, selfishness and malicious ways and Faith makes you perform the right deeds. Keep the Faith.

Religion is extensively observed with a Faith in God all over the world. In their religious goals, men do not differ from one another, no matter where they live and when. All seek favour and protection against dangers of life. They pray for courage in hour of conflict, comfort in time of grief, guidance in daily concerns. They release pangs of conscience. Six great Religions:Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Some have similarities but all six obviously have supplied answers to some of the great questions raised in every human mind by the mystery of life. All of them help men to bear their sorrows. They all tell men how to live, give assurance in the presence of death. Every Religion has noble teachings and lofty moral goals.As Osho says "God has been talked about in every corner of the world but God has remained far away, beyond the stars. Only India has established that God is within man. And in realising that God within man, only India has given man the capability, the dignity and the beauty to be himself becoming the temple, the shrine. How every being can become a temple and how each being in each moment can become a prayer - this you can call my Dream" Leaving aside our Religious Differences, the World can be a Better Place on earth and spread the message of a big great Religion called HUMANITY!