Rain is Divine
Grace
Divine Grace descends
unasked. It descends as RAIN. No life can ever be
sustained if rains fail. Rain also brings havoc when it comes down in far
greater quantities than our systems can absorb. Grace must be received with inner true gratitude and unconditionally. But,
we often curse the rain when it interferes with our work. Rains will never fail
if the population is conscious that it is God's grace descending in the form of
water. This year there is a short fall in rainfall in several districts in
Tamilnadu. Can it be made good before the season is over?
The Southwest monsoon this
year has not done its duty. It is a past event. Can Tamilnadu receive its full
share and can the rest of India make good the loss of rain? Both are eminently possible if the Spirit
of the rain or water is invoked. Who should do it? How is it to be done?
If any one takes upon
himself this task, the response will be commensurate with his emotional
identification with his state or country or even town.
The simplest method is to
pray for rains. More powerful than that is to pay attention to water by using
it carefully and with devotion. Conservation of water in any form is spiritual
attention to it. Not to curse the rain
when it comes down may be the most important discipline required of us.
Several years ago a realised
person took many of his devotees to a dry dam in Karnataka and sat there in
prayer. Atheists demonstrated, protesting against superstition. Next month the
dam was filled. It is said that atheists have a greater faith. Their faith can
be expressed as respect for human beliefs. Even that attitude will open the
heavens. There is a flower called bridal creeper whose spiritual significance
is 'water'. Offering that flower to God will bring down rains. The creeper has
dense cascading clusters of small white bell-shaped flowers.
Methods of conservation and attention to water:
o
To
use if frugally even at times when it is available copiously.
o
To
have a feeling that water too has life.
o
Harvesting
rain water to recharge the aquifer.
o
Employing methods that will use water better – to use it more
productively in the fields avoiding seepage and leakage.