Bond Of Protection

 Raksha Bandhan (August 11th) is traditionally celebrated between sisters and brothers as a bond of purity and protection from all evils. But rituals in earlier times were quite different. Every family had a priest who was invited home for prayers and purification of vibrations. The priest would tie a sacred thread – a thread of pledge – on everyone’s wrist. Raksha Bandhan is tying a thread in the divine remembrance of God, pledging purity in thoughts, words and actions. Pure karmas and sanskars are our biggest protection. Karmas create our destiny. If every karma is pure, then destiny is positive and protected. If we broaden the horizon of our thinking, we realize that not just brothers and sisters, but every soul requires purity and protection. So Raksha Bandhan is relevant to all – men and women, young and old equally.

We are presently celebrating 75 years of Bharat’s Independence, the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, fuelled by the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The word Atma means I, the soul. Nirbhar means dependence. Who am I dependent on? On the spiritual self or soul. Thus, it translates to self-dependence. Each of us wants freedom in every sense and we dislike any form of bondage. But interestingly, Raksha Bandhan is one bondage that we enjoy. So, this year as we tie the divine thread of Rakhi, let us liberate ourselves from emotional bondage and take a pledge of Spiritual Self-Dependence.

In tomorrow’s message we will see how our purity is our protection and how it makes us spiritually self-dependent.