Majority of youngsters Bhavini Dubey interviewed for krrisha.com inferred that reverence has no awe. But, in reality the very origin of the word has the element of ‘awe’ in it.
Whatever, it is a fact that as long as you revere something or somebody out of fear, you are at the lowest level of reverence for it or him respectively. You need to evolve this way or that way and have love instead of fear for that principle or person.
Having fear means having negative reverence out of superimposed or unclear perceptions about the person or the principle. But, fear of losing the person or principle one reveres is not fear. It is a negative resolve not to get away from the source of inspiration and hence should be taken as reverence only. Therefore, this fear only confirms reverence for the person or principle.
Let’s get deeper
Reverence is the most misunderstood word in English as originally it meant ‘respect through fear’ and later on it stabilised as ‘deep respect’. Now it only means “a-must-deep-respect-for somebody or something.” However, it is popularly equated with the Sanskrit word Shraddha, which has no trace of awe in it! Because, Shraddha is based on clear awareness about the person or the principle. So, it is natural and not compulsive at all!
But, let’s discuss and investigate into the science of Shraddha, as such. Shraddha in Sanskrit means “directional energy responsible for your future situation.” I have explained it in great details in my book Beejankuri : The Seed of Bhagwad Gita, discourse Seventeen. Here it is suffice to know that Shra stands for forward energy direction or evolutionary direction and Dha means of the very basis of your experiential being. Therefore, we must understand that Shraddha is not just an emotion or a word, it is a science of direction which decides your future.
Let me explain it through an example. Visualise a magnet and an iron nail at a distance. The moment the nail is brought near the magnet, it experiences a directional pull. This pull decides the future of the nail. If you keep the nail in that state for a period of time, it will begin to show the magnetic properties. This directional pull is called Shraddha. It decides your future. So, whenever you have a Shraddha for a person or a principle, you have energy connection with it and have a direction towards the same future. If you have Shraddha towards Christ, Christ you will be. If you have Shraddha towards Devil, then Devil you will be. Of course, then it will be called ashraddha —or anti-evolutionary energy direction= that is devolutionary direction. Because, Shraddha is the directional energy which decides your future.
Who to revere?
The object of your reverence decides your future. Therefore, you can know for sure where you are heading. Shraddha is not a temporary energy direction. It is that you have earned through a series of lives. So, you cannot go against it. You will have to follow the direction. But, there is a hope for those who have a negative direction.They can wilfully have Shraddha for some evolutionary principle or person. Because, there is another principle given by Bhagwan Krishna. That is “You may be the most corrupt. But, when once you rightly resolve to follow an evolutionary principle, you are as good as evolved. All must consider this fact for sure.” (Discourse Nine). This brings us to the conclusion that Shraddha plays a vital role in your life and it has the potential to decide your future.
Krishna’s clarity
Seeing Shraddha of Arjuna, Krishna called him Himself—“I am Arjuna among the Pandavas.” What does it mean? It means Shraddha of Arjuna towards Krishna is going to evolve him into Krishna in future. Here we are talking about the principle and not the personality. Principally, Arjuna will be Krishna or is Krishna.
Krishna, therefore, says in Discourse Seventeen, श्रद्धामय: अयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्ध: स एव स:—It has very deep meaning. But, in the present context it is: “This personality in you is made of directional energy. Therefore, the person is verily his own Shraddha (directional energy) .”
That means your Shraddha decides your future. Therefore, the person you rever or respect is your own future!
Vivek Sharma
Editor-In-Chief
krrisha.com
Reverence is a feeling that is evoked in a person when he comes across a personality or individual who he/she feels has done something he/she might not be able to do. It is more out of awe rather than pure appreciation for the said person.
Level of selflessness of the person invokes reverence towards her/him.
Fear can guarantee respect perhaps, but not reverence. Reverence is a more of a heartfelt and deep emotion .
For the sake of an example I may respect religious traditions despite being an atheist, but i might not hold them in great reverence.
Inference: Reverence is one's reaction of awe towards another person's selflessness. Fear may force respect but not reverence.
Aditya Shukla
Reverence is having deep respect for someone.
I usually offer reverence to people I love or have a heart for. It doesn't mean we should ignore the downtrodden. Reverence should be shown to everyone equally. Mostly people offer reverence to God by worshiping in temples, churches etc. but when we leave church or any holy place, we usually forget humanity; we often forget that as humans we are made in the “image and likeness” of God, giving us a dignity above the rest of Creation. For this reason, we should have and show reverence for others. Every human life is sacred, valuable, holy because every human life is an image of God. We are living, walking, breathing, sacraments.
According to me fear doesn't play any role in invoking reverence. Having sympathy for others is important. We should not have emotional or cultural barriers stopping us. It's a duty of human to protect others.Inference: A feeling of deep respect clubbed with love is reverence. As humans, its our duty to have reverence towards others. Fear plays no role in determining reverence.
Harsh Jagitiani
In simple words, reverence means 'paying respect'. It can be out of fear, authoritarian orders or by will.
If I offer reverence to someone then that is mostly out of respect and adoration for a particular person, be it be God or the universe.
If you think of reverence in religious context, then yes many a times people get influenced easily due to the human nature of conforming and hence here fear plays an important role.Inference: Reverence is paying respect which, owing to the conforming nature of humans, can at times be determined by fear. For me, respect and adoration build reverence towards someone/something.
Jayshree Mishra
Reverence is innate or deep respect for something or someone, it can be considered profound respect.
Based on one's beliefs and values that they attach to that something/someone, one offers reverence.
For me reverence comes naturally when I see one has suffered and endured hardships. Reverence is felt towards the meaning or value that one attaches with someone/something.
Fear is just a feeling, it won't invoke reverence, respect as a matter of fact is earned through years of endurance and determined will.
Inference: Reverence is deep, innate, profound respect that surfaces owing to the value one attaches to the object of reverence. One's endurance invoke's reverence from me. Fear doesn't determine reverence.
Tejas Tripathi
Reverence for me is something undefinable but trying to put it in words, reverence is a feeling of love and respect towards someone or something.
My sole reason to offer someone reverence is that I respect and love them. But sometimes people respect someone for their own greed (there are many who love and respect God but many other show respect for their greedy purposes; they would pray to God and ask for job, job promotions, money, good marks etc)
If fear invokes reverence then it isn't true. True reverence involves love and not fear. Inference: Reverence is a combination of love and respect that at times is inexplicable. Love determines reverence; if fear invites respect then its not true. Reverence involves love and not fear.
Atharv Patil
Reverence simply means a feeling of great respect.
I believe it comes from within or cannot be "offered"to something or someone so easily. This feeling might evoke from your own experience or from another's story of one. It is not a voluntary action, we do not have control over this feeling.
No, Fear doesn't play a role in invoking reverence.Inference: Reverence is a feeling of great respect. It is natural and innate. Fear plays no determining role in the occurrence of reverence.
Somya Tripathi
Reverence to me, means to accord someone with great respect.
I believe that reverence is earned.
So when I offer someone reverence, it is because of the person's deeds.
To some, fear may play a role in determining their reverence towards someone/something, in fact many a people are so governed but it doesn't hold true for me.Inference: Reverence is to accord someone with great respect; one earns reverence through one's actions and deeds. For many, fear determines reverence but not for me.
Mahek Haider
Compiled by Bhavini Dubey
Refined respect is reverence and it carries love as its construing element and reason for occurrence. Fear cannot play any role in determining reverence. The Bhagwad Gita is a luxurious lore that highlights Arjuna's reverence towards Lord Krishna which can clearly be witnessed as evolving gradually through the discourses of The Bhagwati. Whereas in earlier chapters, it can be witnessed that Arjuna persists on his stands and pesters Krishna with so many questions but in the last (18th) discourse, with refined understanding and absolute surrender towards The Lord, says:"... karishye vachanam tav.." The beauty of reverence can always be witnessed in sweet surrenders of bhakta towards The Master, be it be The Warrior Prince Arjuna, The Only-Krishna-Witnessing Mirabai, The Gyan Radiating Sant Kabir, The Sweetly-Persistent lover of Krishna-- Naamdev and so many more.