I have seen people commenting, “Just by going to temple, doing a pradakshina, and breaking a coconut, what do they achieve? They have no real love of God.’’
The first sign of pure devotion is tolerance. Do not criticize. Know that each and every individual is progressing. The progress is different for different people. If you do not want to break a coconut or put flowers for a picture or idol, it is your wish. You may worship in your own way. But do not criticize any form of worship unless it causes injury to another (for example, animal sacrifice).
Nothing goes waste. Even the one who breaks a coconut as a form of worship, with the intention that it will be useful for making chutney later on in the day, loses nothing. In fact, even such people are better compared to the person who buys a cigarette or alcohol with that money or puts fire to somebody’s house.
Even the person who goes to a temple as a matter of habit, rather than with pure devotion and love of God, is still better than a person who goes to a movie hall or spends time in useless internet chat.
In course of time, love and devotion for God will spring from the heart of that person who is doing those acts of breaking a coconut or visiting a holy place. The progress may be slow, but the path is not wrong.
Every one is progressing. The theory of evolution is true for every individual. If possible, guide them and show the light. But, do not criticize… because criticism often leads to bitterness and repulsion. Moreover, the time and money may go into wrong places as mentioned above (instead of buying coconut and flowers, they may buy cigarettes or alcohol; and instead of visiting a holy place, they may visit the wrong places). May be, this is what is happening now in the case of many individuals. They strayed away into a wrong path and ruined themselves.
Now there are people who break coconuts, visit holy places and do a lot of crime as well! What can we say about such people? One fine day, even such people will realize their folly and light will shine in their heart.
Time is precious. This human birth is very precious. Let us utilize every minute of our life in constructive activities.
