Magnificent bars of spiritual wine

It is very common to divide different religious philosophies of the world into two categories – the Western religions and the Eastern religions. Western religions refers to the faiths that originated within Western culture, and are thus historically, culturally, and theologically distinct from the Eastern religions. A true seeker never compares any of the paths that lead to the Supreme Truth. Different paths have their own beauty, magnificence and importance. All the religions of the world provide a different window view to the same Truth, to the same Light and to the same God.

As mentioned in my last blog, the Saints and spiritual poets of the world have often compared spiritual bliss with a divine wine. I recently came across some beautiful poetic lines from Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, who was a prominent classical poet in the early twentieth century. His grandparents were Kashmiri Pandits, who converted to Islam in the 19th century. Because of family background, he had good understanding of the Vedanta as well as Islam.

Once, upon his return from the European travel, a journalist asked him, ”Sir, now that you have travelled to the western world for many years, what do you think about the Western religions in comparison to the Eastern religions?” 

Dr Mohammad Iqbal recited these beautiful lines in the answer:

Bahut dekhe hai mene, Masrif aur magrib ke mehkhane

Yahan Saaki nahi milta, vahan baizok hai sada!

Many have I seen the bars of prayers and spirituality 

Here it’s hard to find a server, there the drink itself is bland. 

In these beautiful lines, the poet has referred the house of worship as the bars or taverns of divine intoxication and spiritual merriment. He stated that he has seen many bars of divine intoxication in the East and in the West. However, he felt that it is difficult to find a good server of drinks in the East as compared the West. In the West there are magnificent building and very impressive preachers who present the wine of spirituality in a wonderful manner. But, at the same time, the poet felt that the spiritual wine of the West itself lacks the taste and the deep impact. Whereas, in the East the wine is wonderful but the presentation is lacking – there are no magnificent buildings and there are no impressive preachers.