We all like to keep pictures of God and saints in our homes. We keep them everywhere, in all the rooms and not just in our altar where we pray and worship. This practice is followed by all cultures of the world. Beautiful pictures of Gods, Gurus, holy men, saints, sayings from sacred texts and pictures of places of worship and sacred spots are found in homes everywhere in the world. This practice is popular and continues since time immemorial.
Our homes are our sanctuary. We come back home from school, college, work place, market, etc., and refresh and rest our bodies and soul at home. Just as the body is the temple for the soul, the home is a temple for our bodies. We take care to brush and wash our teeth and mouth, shower, wear fresh clothes, eat good food, exercise, etc., in order to take care of our bodies. We clean our homes, throw out the garbage, paint our homes, furnish it well and decorate to make our homes comfortable and comforting. All of us like to go back home. After all it is home sweet home.
A healthy body, clean and well-dressed appearance does not make a good person. Good thoughts, love and respect for fellow men and bhakti or love of God makes a person good, and purifies him gradually to receive Grace of the highest order. A fine, large, spacious home in a good neighborhood with good decor and furniture does not make a good home. A good home is a place where we are inspired to constant self improvement and self transformation and where the love of God permeates the atmosphere. In such a place, the body, mind and soul will always find comfort , peace and bliss. Such inspiration comes from the pictures of Gods, Men of God, Gurus, saints, holy places and writings from sacred texts. Whenever we look at them, they draw our attention and mind to higher thinking and love of God. They teach us to rise beyond our human levels to the highest level – to be one with the Divinity. They remind us that the most powerful force of the Universe – God- is with us at all times to love us, protect us, take care of us and inspire us. Let us see what Sri Ramakrishna had to say about having pictures of Gods at home:
The home of Sri Ramakrishna was peaceful and serene. The Ganges flowed nearby and could be seen from the semicircular porch of his room. On the walls of his room, many pictures were hanging. There were pictures of Maa Saraswati, Gaur and Nitai singing kirtan with their devotees, Dhruva, Prahlada, Maa Kaali, Maa Rajarajeshwari and Jesus Christ raising the drowning Peter.
Sri Ramakrishna once told his disciple M: It is good to keep pictures of sannyasis and holy men in one's room. When you get up in the morning you should see the faces of holy persons rather than the faces of other men. People with rajasic qualities keep 'English' pictures on their walls—pictures of rich men, the King, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and white men and women walking together. That shows their rajasic temperament.
You acquire the nature of the people whose company you keep. Therefore even pictures may prove harmful. Again, a man seeks the company that agrees with his own nature. The paramahamsas keep near them a few young boys five or six years old. They allow such boys to be near them. Attaining the state of a paramahamsa, a man loves the company of boys. Like the paramahamsas, the boys are not under the control of the gunas—sattva, rajas, or tamas. By looking at trees a man awakens in his heart the picture of a hermitage in which a rishi is practicing.
A man in love will try every possible means to win over his beloved. We must also utilize every possible means to transform ourselves and to woo and win the Divine Beloved. A constant reminder of God, His Love, His Grace, His Beauty, His Purity is essential for us to transform ourselves at a steady pace. Keeping pictures of Gods at home helps us in this. Let us do our very best in all possible ways and continue with the SitaRam mantra, meditation and following the teachings of the Guru and attain peace and bliss.
