Father’s Day

Father’s day is a celebration of fatherhood. It’s a day to celebrate the paternal bonds and love that we receive from our fathers, father figures and grand fathers. It is also a day to remember the Universal Father, God. Even though God is the Creator of all the things around us, we enjoy a special relationship with Him that is unique from all of His other creations. We are all His special children, literally the sons and daughters of God because He has created us in His image.

Traditionally a father has always played the role of a protector to children. To understand it, there is a beautiful analogy regarding the planet Jupiter. People often wonder what would happen to Earth if it were hit with a giant asteroid. Scientists surmise that one such asteroid struck the Earth millions of years ago and wiped out dinosaurs. People fear that one day such an asteroid might crash into Earth again. Scientists report that there is a protection offered to earth by the planet Jupiter. Astrophysicists have determined that Jupiter has 99.9 percent efficiency in throwing dangerous asteroids, meteorites, and space junk that comes into our galaxy back out into space beyond our galaxy. The reason it can do this is that Jupiter is 318 times heavier than Earth. Due to this large mass, Jupiter puts out a large gravitational field that acts like supersize vacuum cleaner. It pulls in toward it the space junk or meteors that float into its gravitational field, drawing it away from the other planets. That may be why the ancient Romans gave Jupiter its name. Jupiter means in Latin, the language of ancient Romans, “Sky-Father”. Just as Jupiter is a protective father to Earth so is every father to his children.

Whereas in Hindu mythology the planet ‘Jupiter’ is referred to as ‘Guru’. God, our Divine Father provides us protection by sending Saints and Masters (Gurus) on Earth to protect and take us back. Like Jupiter the grace of the Master protects us from worldly vices of Kaam (lust), Krodhh (anger), Lobh (greed) , Mohh (attachment) and Ahankar (ego). A Guru or a Master bestows his safety shield for his disciples. He constantly guides us and exhorts the importance of being good & noble to all the mankind, hence protecting us from committing bad Karmas. It is the Guru, or Master, who not only guides us but also takes away the burden of difficulties that we may have to face in our lives. As a protector, he deflects the problems of our life to keep us safe just the way Jupiter does for the planet Earth.

So on Father’s day, let us also honor and thank God, honor and thank our Masters and begin to lead our lives as true sons and daughters by loving God, all humanity, and all living creatures. The best way to celebrate this day is by remembering and being thankful for the gifts we have received from our physical fathers and the Divine Father. We should celebrate it by living up to the noble purpose for which we were created. In this way, we can return to our true abode, the home of God. God will embrace us as true sons and daughters.