One God, Different Names

Let’s try to be good human beings, without discriminating against each other on the basis of caste and religion, and pray together to that one God, says DR PUSHPA CHATURVEDI

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,” said Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. We all have read about the romance between Juliet and Romeo. As Romeo belonged to a rival family from Montague, that is what came in the way of their union. It’s then that Juliet said that his name meant nothing, because for her, even if his name was different, he would still be the same beautiful young man she loved.

I am sure you all will agree that it’s never the name which defines inner beauty, character, personality, morality and spirituality of a person ― it’s  the attitude, thoughts, feelings, actions and behaviour which defines a person.

Discriminating by name, caste, religion, or nationality or lineage is unjustified, unfair and inhuman. God is one is the eternal truth voiced in the Vedas. God is one but has different names in different religions.

It’s the human-made religions which have given God different names. For Hindus, He is Brahman, for Sikhs He is Wahe Guru, for Muslims He is Allah, for Christians He is Lord Jesus, while Jews refer to God as HaShem.

It doesn’t really matter what name you use to pray to Him, as ultimately your prayer will end up at the same address. The one God will always get your message, no matter what religion you belong to. 

God will be really happy ― only if we humans live with the belief that it’s not about the name we worship, but it’s all about that One God we invoke by different names and in different ways and through different rituals. 

By evolving as humans and developing the ability to appreciate spiritual values, beliefs and practices different from our own, we will understand each other much better, be more tolerant of each others’ religions, and be able to practise true humanity.

Today we need to understand that by fighting over chants of Jai Shree Ram or Allah, we are demeaning the very oneness of God to whom we all pray to by using different names. Indeed, what’s in a name when God is one?

This does not mean we should do away with our name. Our name is our identity, but we should never make it a fetish or a prestige issue. There is, of course, a positive side to a name. For instance, while naming a child, many choose a spiritual or religious name for their child. Kundalini Yoga says that “a spiritual name is the designated destiny that becomes your identity on the Earth.” 

The sound of a person’s name carries an energy with it. It is believed that this energy helps manifest the designated destiny that becomes one’s identity. But let’s remember that nothing is that simple and automatic, because a lot depends on one’s upbringing, thinking and actions; the desire and change  to improve daily; to live as a good human being  and ooze positive energy ― whatever our name may be.

While contemplating on ‘Whats in a name?’ I am reminded of the name Ashtavakra. Ashta means eight, Vakra means bend or deformity. Ashtavakra was a very ancient Vedic sage dating back to 7,000 years ago.

Ashtavakra meant “crooked in eight places” and referred to his physical deformity at birth. It is said that his father, a great scholar, cursed him to be born severely deformed, while he was still in the womb, because the foetal Ashtavakra corrected his father’s recitation of the Vedas in front of his disciples.

Despite being named as crookedly bent at eight places, he wrote the  Ashtavakra  Gita, an enriching dialogue between himself and King Janaka  in which he showed the king the way to enlightenment by his teachings on the nature of the soul, reality, and bondage, based on non-dualistic philosophy and on the complete unreality of the external world and the absolute oneness of existence.

As I was pondering on the phrase ‘What’s in a name?’ on my morning walk, it started to rain. My eyes fell on the weeping willow tree on my path. I took shelter from the rain under it and wondered why this name for such a beautiful, graceful tree, whose green branches, which are so full of life, seem to bend in humility.

In a while, I saw tear-like drops drip from its branches as it rained. It’s then that I realised that it’s these tear-like drops, which were trickling and mingling with the earth, and hence it’s name weeping willow. Soon it became a smiling, talking tree and started talking to me.

On my morning walk, I heard the weeping willow talk. 

“What’s in a name?” it asked, innocently.

“Though you’ve named me the weeping willow tree

No, I don’t weep as you folks think of me 

I greet you every day with a smile and a swing 

as I bow, nod and sway in this cold, blowing wind.”

I looked up at its humble ways, 

saw each branch reach out with open arms and divine play,

to hug and be hugged each day 

As the clouds start to pour, rain pelts the drooping willow 

tear-like drops from long slender leaves kiss the lush green grass pillow 

The willow stands tall and firm, as it’s nodding green branches reconfirm 

like a beacon of strength and stability, a symbol of life and fertility

The weeping willow does not weep, even as its branches seem to sweep 

It’s an epitome of humility and endurance 

its drooping shoulders are its life assurance 

Names surely give us a sense of identity

which is important for each one of us

but this will not change the reality

We must remember that what we become ultimately

depends on our humanity and spirituality

We all need love and compassion for each other

So let’s try and live up to be good human beings

without discriminating against each other

by name, caste and religion

and stop fighting about the different names

we use to pray to that one God.

So, have you analysed the meaning of your name? Are you living upto its meaning? Or is your name just a name to identify you.

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Dr Pushpa Chaturvedi, a paediatrician with over 50 years’ experience, is an educationist and researcher, with over 100 research publications, mainly on social paediatrics in renowned medical journals. Ex-Professor and Head of Department of Paediatrics, MGIMS Sevagram, Wardha, she is a thinker, writer, poet, artist and a spiritual blogger with over 500 blogs to her credit. Dr Chaturvedi is also a keen traveller, music and nature lover.

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