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Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat. Show all posts

Thursday, June 1, 2023

The Tied Cat: Unraveling Rituals and Seeking Meaning


In a small village, there resided a Pandit, also known as a Poojari, whose role was to perform religious rituals at the local temple. One fortunate day, the Pandit came across a charming and adorable cat. Captivated by its endearing nature, the Pandit decided to bring the cat home and care for it as a beloved pet.

The bond between the Pandit and the cat grew stronger each passing day. They ate together, slept together, and the cat faithfully followed the Pandit wherever he went. The Pandit showered the cat with affection and ensured its well-being.

However, a peculiar situation arose during the worship rituals conducted by the Pandit. As part of the customary offering, milk had to be presented to the deities in the temple. Whenever the cat spotted the milk, it couldn't resist indulging in a sip. This posed a problem for the Pandit, as the cat did not comprehend that the milk was meant for the divine and not for its consumption. The cat would innocently drink the sacred milk intended for the gods.

To avoid any further embarrassing incidents, the Pandit devised a solution. Before commencing the worship rituals, he began tying the cat to a nearby tree. This became a routine practice, ensuring that the cat remained restrained during the period of worship. Once the rituals concluded, the Pandit would release the cat from its temporary captivity.

Years went by, and the Pandit eventually passed away. His son, eager to continue the family tradition, assumed the responsibility of performing the worship rituals. Without understanding the reasoning behind tying the cat, the son faithfully followed his father's customs. He believed that securing a cat before the worship was an integral part of the ritual.

As time went on, the cat also passed away, leaving the succeeding generations of the Pandit's family in a state of confusion. Unaware of the original purpose behind tying a cat, they were under the impression that the ritual could only be fulfilled by employing a cat. However, no cats were available in their village, causing them distress and a sense of incompleteness during their worship. Determined to restore the satisfaction they once experienced, they decided to procure a cat from a neighboring village. Once they had the cat in their possession, they promptly tied it to a tree and proceeded with their worship ritual, finding solace in its completion.

This tale serves as a reflection of our own lives. Often, we find ourselves engaged in certain practices or rituals without comprehending their true significance. Just like the descendants of the Pandit, we continue these customs without questioning their purpose. We may unknowingly become trapped in a cycle of tradition, carrying out actions devoid of understanding. It is essential for us to seek knowledge and understanding, to explore the meaning behind our rituals and practices. By doing so, we can ensure that our actions are rooted in genuine purpose and not merely empty gestures.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Pandit and the Cat

There lived a Pandit (or called Poojari which means the person who perform the rituals at the temple) in a small village. One day this Pandit got a cute pet cat.   Pandit loved this cute cat and decided to take it to home.  This cute cat used to eat with the Pandit and sleep with him. Wherever he goes, the cat follows him.  Pandit loved the cat and took care of it.

As part of the worship ritual, this pandit has to offer milk to his God in the temple.  As soon as the cat sees the milk, it drank it. It was become a problem for the pandit.   This cat doesn't know whether it is offered to God or not. When ever the cat sees the milk it started to lick the milk as usually pandit gave milk to the cat.

But the milk which offered to God is not for the cat.   Few times the cat came and drink the milk which has to be offered to the God.  To avoid such embarrassing situation Pandit started to tie the cat to a tree before he perform his worship rituals. It was his habit to tie the cat before he perform the pooja (worship). After the worship, he release the cat. Years passed and the the pandit died. His son started to perform the worship rituals. He continued the custom of tie the cat before the worship.

And it become the part of the worship ritual. Years passed and the the cat also died. Now the children of the pandit does not know why they tie the cat before the worship. They thought and felt to complete the ritual, they have to tie a cat. They couldn't find a cat in their village. They felt that their worship is not complete and did not find satisfaction. So they brought a cat from the near by village. After brining the cat, they tied it to a tree and did their worship ritual. Now they are satisfied.

We are like this.  Many of us does not know why we are doing certain thing, still we do it as a ritual.