Part -2 Mooshik is at it again ! 336

Ganesha, I agree that you are a divine appointee and at the same time act as an easily approachable personal god. Rich or poor is not a consideration while you assist them to tide over crises, knowing fully well that they had brought them upon themselves by their own acts. Will you clarify this doubt for me, as me being your ever-present co-squatter on way side, shelter less abodes you select as dispensing points? 

Ganesha, after getting tired of subsiding the growls from his ample bowels, spared Mooshik a withering look. Realising his action, he immediately sent a cold wave to soften the effect and prevent Mooshik from vapourising on the spot. He signalled a “proceed”. 

Taking the cue, Mooshik asked, “When in fix, people fire appeals to super, semi and lesser gods. To doubly make sure, they visit godmen, roadmen, astrologers, parrot & tarot card readers. You will get a clear picture by imagining a number of people throwing stones to drop a fruit from a tree! If a successful fix is found, then the manpasand choice by the devotee, as the winner of his appeals, could be anyone from the super god to the tarot card reader! How the devotee is able to keep all of them in check and in suspense, till the result is declared?” 

Mooshik’s rambling itself was confusing whether it a question or a doubt. This reminded Ganesha that the doubt or question was like a mirror and a twin edged sword - only need to rotate by 180⁰, whether clockwise or anticlockwise does not matter. If he does not settle this doubt or question, he knew Moshik would have succeeded in showing him the mirror or taking a jab at him with the sword. 

To ponder over this dilemma and searching for a probable cause to exit now, he declared, “Mooshik, we are due to grace with our presence in the new wayside temple being consecrated, under a peepal tree. Must be little cool there with ample shade.  In a temple, a devotee is the king. Let us move.” 

Upset and taken aback, Mooshik murmured, “You conveniently forgot to mention about the birds that are patiently waiting to decorate us with tattoos!” 

Ganesh ignored this sarcastic remark and started moving out. With no other alternative, Mooshik followed in the shadow of his Lord. It was unusually a hot day! 

“Mooshik, it appears you have not yet completely come out of your earlier avatar.”

“No, My Lord. My doubt is based on credible intelligence I have gathered, as of now and here in this avatar.”

“Mooshik. Know this. People choose options. Gods give them choices.”

“When given the choice, then why they go for options?”

“A good question. A wrong choice and they end up with options to appeal to someone to correct or condone the wrong choice they have made. Answer this, “A while ago, you spoke of credible intelligence, by any chance it is from non-believers? And my suspicion is on three persons, who have been trying to cause a rift between us.”

“No. No, my Lord, the three persons you are suspecting are not per se non-believers but they only question the application of belief.”

“If not to undermine the devotion, what else could be their end game?”

“They are striving to weed out pseudo-devotion, which always works on a basis, and to purify the murky water by filtration and clarification. They are the vocal votaries of ‘something for nothing’”.

“Mooshik, why do you think this is crowd different from the quid pro quo crowd? Now also, are they, the vocal votaries, not asking “something” from us for doing “nothing” to us?” 

My Lord, here the “something’ means devotion and “for nothing” signifies without expectations.

Mooshik has coolly introduced another dimension to the concept of devotion and Ganesha’s worry was how to make the devotees to understand and act according to this doctrine. In what way, the act of people throwing stones at the fruit is connected to Mooshik’s doubt or question? Is he confused are trying to confuse me. Ganesha held his head in both the hands and thought for a while. Mooshik waited patiently for Ganesha to speak.

The stone and the fruit giving him a hint, Ganesha asked “suppose none of them could drop the fruit, what they would do?

“They will move to another tree and try again!”

“Supposing this attempt also becomes fruitless, what options do they have?”

“Go in search of a low hanging fruit in another tree!” 

Having brought Mooshik to where he wanted, Ganesha explained, “If the first attempt fails, the quid pro quo devotees will trim their faith on parrot and tarot card readers. Next, they will find no use for and do away with the soothsayers and astrologers. This will be followed by sidelining the godmen and demigods. Now, have they not brought enough pressure on the personal gods and super gods?” 

The deluge of possible options outlined by Ganesha left Mooshik speechless. Ganesha exhorted Mooshik to say something, just anything other than nothing.

Beaten by the Master in the game of riddles, Mooshik meekly asked, “My Lord, how do you manage this pressure?”

Ganesha vigourously flapped his elephantine ears and rubbed his hands with glee and said, “Though divine certified, neither am I a super god nor counted among the ranks of semi gods.” 

This unexpected answer jolted Mooshik with an array of power packed lightning bolts. Braving this shock, he asked, “Then what are you, my Lord? And why devotees are not putting you under pressure?” 

Once again, Ganesh succeeded in bringing Moshik to where he wanted him and said, “To reply in your own words - I am a something God wanting nothing. Many have realised this and so started consecrating temples by the waysides. Even the birds decorating us with tattoos follow this ‘something for nothing’ philosophy.

Do one thing, bring the vocal votaries of this philosophy to me at once. I would like to gather my own intelligence on what other philosophical branches they have climbed! No harm in being forewarned or being prepared. Who knows what is in store?” 

“How come they leave you alone without applying pressure?”

“Being the go-to personal god and residing in wayside abodes work in our favour. They think that with all the devotees clamouring to be heard, come to the conclusion ‘maybe Ganesha is attending to serious problems and surely our turn will come’ or ‘right now he is helpless to even shift a small boulder to help us’ and so on. They become wise after some time.  Mooshik, a few moments ago, you were reluctant to come out for this consecration, and do you understand now, why we are living in peace?” 

Mooshik shut his trap, tucked his tail and decided to sit in this new abode - at a lower berth and to the right or left side of Ganesha, as the consecrators have decided to place him.