Purpose: Conquering oneself.
Self attainment, realization, inner peace and saying “Thank you”. Saying “Thank you” to someone for whatever you are. It is like you are communicating to the whole universe in time and space and sending your thoughts and signals in every possible direction.
Let’s understand this with a contrasting analogy.
4 year old girl crying before going to school.
Girl: I don’t want to go to school, I want to play in your arms.
Mother: No, you have to go to school and learn.
Grandmother: Why are you sending her to school? let her play, she is too young.
Mother: No, she must go and learn. Otherwise, it will be difficult for her to survive in this cruel world. She must get education and with that education she will be able to sustain herself. So even if going to school appears like a pain now, it will be a boon 20 years later.
Girl: But I don’t have to earn, you are there to take care of me isn’t it?
Mother: No, at one point I won’t be there. You will be all alone then. You must learn how to take care of yourself and it is my duty to ensure that you learn that before I leave for the heavenly abode.
Girl starts crying and boards the school bus. She is angry and finds no point in submitting to a system which teaches her the art of survival.
That same girl, 25 years later.
Girl: Why should I go to a Church or Temple? It’s just a waste of time
Mother: No you should visit the holy place and submit before the almighty.
Girl: But I don’t need to submit to anyone, I am self sufficient and independent working woman. You have made me independent through education and now you only tell me to submit before some idol. How is that logical?
Mother: Education teaches you how to make a living. Philosophy teaches you how to make a life.
Girl: I don’t need any philosophy.
Mother: At your age I used to think like that. But trust me, visit a temple and submit before the almighty. This will make you more humble and you will slowly start realizing your inner self.
Girl: There is no almighty.
Mother: When you were 4 year old, you cried before boarding the school bus and did not want to study. But you had trust on me so despite not liking that school bus, you boarded it. It is because you had trust in me and my decision. So I am telling you again to trust my words and go submit before a god.
Girl: Okay I will submit. But what is the point? I don’t believe in this so why should I do it?
Mother: It’s okay if you don’t believe anything. Belief will come after submission. When you were 4 year old, you did not believe in education either. But you did go to school didn’t you?
Girl: Yes, I did.
Mother: So I am telling you, go to that Church, bend down before the god and say Thank you. Say Thank you to someone for whatever you have achieved in life. Seek. Ask. Pray. Learn how to curb your ego and bend.
Girl: Ok, I will. But for what?
Mother: One day you will also be a mother. Your education is just not sufficient for a 360 degree development. There is a thing called Character. Character is built through submission, devotion, belief and a lot of other things which you aren’t seeing now. Just do as I say, you won’t regret it 25 years later.
Girl: But what is the need of all this?
Mother: It is better to conquer yourself than fight unwanted imaginary battles. You can only conquer yourself through character. Go, conquer yourself.