Hundreds of Gods. Millions of pujas. More often than not, one hears the abject "necessity" to perform a certain puja which will bring prosperity and well being. Then days later, one hears of another puja that proffesses to the same effect. Then another, and another. It is a viscious cycle that one finds being enmeshed in all the time. One is, but, forced to wonder. Are we really 'invoking' God to bless us with success or are we getting entangled in our insecurities? Is it the 'fear' of the unknown harm that might befall us if that one puja, and many, many after that, is not performed? More the unfounded fears, more the superstitions and false beliefs associated with it. More, and interminable.
What I would like to question is this- Is God really that ruthless that He won't wish his devotees their welfare by one sincere chant of His name, one prayer- unfeigned and earnest? Are those extensive rituals and innumerable ceremonies with their attendant paraphernalia the only way to please Him? Many of us,unfortunately, still allow ourselves to be swallowed up by such preposterous ideas, drowning deeper and deeper into the abyssmal pit of retrogressive and orthodox doctrines. When will we extricate ourselves out of it? If there ever is a right time, when will that be?

How much of his own self does a man own? How often does he have to surrender to the wishes of another for the fear of being mistaken 'impolite' or 'disrespectful'? How many times is wanting to be in-charge of domains that are exculsively his own misconstrued as indications of being 'stubborn' and 'self centered'? When is free will appreciated and when is it insolent? Devotion- must one be 'directed' to its hows and whens by the whims of society or should he be unfettered, to practice, preach and even discard it if he so desires for how potent will that prayer be that has'nt come from the heart, but has been 'instructed'?