SWAHA PRESS RELEASE: Paramacharya Pt. Hardeo Persad
At present, many citizens are celebrating or are preparing to celebrate some religious occasion:
Easter, Ramadan or, in the context of Hindus, Nauraatum and upcoming Raam Navami and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. It is indeed portentous that such a flourish of religious occasions coincides with the current pandemic that plagues. Although mass congregation cannot and should not happen now, we can and should continue to worship in the safety of our homes. Dharma or duty is a quintessential principle of Hinduism and one that ought to steer you forward at all times. It is in this light that civic duty or civic responsibility is of utmost importance in current circumstances – stay at home and pray with increased reverence, devotion and sanctity.
For Hindus, Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti are two upcoming religious celebrations. Let us prepare our minds and bodies to fulfil our spiritual obligations while maintaining the laws of the land. God is omnipresent and can therefore be worshipped anywhere.
I therefore urge you to celebrate these occasions in your homes, using any of the following methods prescribed in Hinduism. These are:
- Vaachik –the chanting of mantras, kirtan, bhajans, stotras and chaalisas.
- Maansik-mental worship through meditation.
- Upaansu- simple five-step puja where physical offerings are made, inclusive of vaachik and maansik methods.
I encourage you to intensify your devotion and abide by the restrictions at this time. There is much benefit to be gained in maximising this solitude. It is an opportunity to reflect on your spiritual growth and ways in which you can advance mentally and spiritually. Let’s not waste this peculiar opportunity that we have been given. Remember that to every beginning there is an end. Every cloud has a silver lining and the darkness that hovers over our land will eventually pass.
Paramacharya Pt. Hardeo Persad
Spiritual Head SWAHA Inc.
March 29, 2020.
