In Search of Happiness
Deutsch English “The world is a place of happiness for everyone,” that was her message. She sent her New Year’s greeting in Gujarati. Curious, I used a translation program because I wanted to understand. It sounds beautiful. Too beautiful, I think. Gujarat is a state on the west coast of India, just below Pakistan, almost as large as Austria. A region that devotes itself intensely to the worship of gods like Krishna, Rama, and Ambe with poetry, music, and devoted Bhakti Yoga. Hinduism plays a major role in Gujarat; it is considered one of the great world religions, or rather three, as it is a collection, an encyclopedia of different religious and philosophical concepts. There isn’t just one god, but many gods, whose rank and appearance change. For me, that’s out of the question, far too opaque. A young woman was literally captivated by it. “The world is a place of happiness for everyone.” Really? Would a Ukrainian say that on ...