Wrath of the Ocean Gods

Much have been said and written about the impact of the earthquake and tsunami from the Indian Ocean.

I have been totally ignorant of the full impact of the force until I actually picked up the newspaper three days back, only to find out that the death toll had risen up to more than 100,000. True, my grounds slightly trembled that day but little did I know that at the same time, many were fighting for dear life across the region.

I see pictures of death everyday. Corpses, mass burial, destruction, stench. I can’t imagine the pain the victims had gone through. It makes me feel like a fool to sit here only to extend grief and sympathy.

Yet again, at this time, I am filled with many questions that no one can answer. Why? Why did this happen? Why the God who created us, breathed life into us, could actually take it back in such a cruel manner? Why?

When I look at the pictures of bodies, I realized the greatness of each breath that I take. Truly, once that ‘something’ that resides inside of us leaves our body, we become useless. No matter even if it’s the most beautiful person on earth, once dead, it’s no longer beautiful. Just a corpse, with the real ‘beauty’ departed.

If I was in that situation, being washed to death, what would my last thoughts be? Would I fight? Would I give in? Would I think of my loved ones or would I think of God? Would I think about all my responsibilies or would I think of all the things I had always wanted to do? Would I be filled with sadness or would I be filled with anger? Would I be happy, willingly giving back my life to the ‘person’ who actually gave it to me? What would those who had perished had in their minds while battling the waves that battered them to death?

It just takes a single swipe, a bat of an eye to lose this precious life. I have heard this line many times, “Life is short, enjoy while you can”. What kind of enjoyment will actually make me feel better when I’m fighting for my last breath?

I asked my friends and they told me to quit talking crap. I asked my teacher and he gave me scientific answers. I referred to Bagavath Gita and it told me ‘only those who think of Lord Krishna at those last moments will return back to him. I was not satisfied.

I turned to my family and they showed me a man who could answer my questions. I have embarked on a journey to find out the reasons, to find an endless happiness untouched by all the pain and misery of the world, unstained by the fingers of doubt and death. The ‘journey’ stretches for miles and miles, only with this man as my guiding light. I do not know if I will find out the answers in the end. Even if I don’t, I will continue searching until I have found a satisfying answer, which quenches the thirst in my heart. I have begun my voyage. How about you? What have you do done to find out the reason for your tiny existence in this world?



I light a candle in my heart...I pray and grief for those who had perished...May God bless your souls...