THE SUPREME COURT'S MANUSMRITI.

The puranas say that Manu was the first leader of manavas - people who possess manas or imagination - that is, humans. Manusmriti, code of appropriate social conduct for humans. The first Manusmriti established the caste system and validated practice of untouchability and gender discrimination. We rejected it and rightly so. The Constitution, the new Manusmriti, rejects homosexuals. At least, that is what the Supreme Court judgment on Section. 377 of Indian Penal Code seems to suggest in spirit, if not letter. From a procedural point of view, we can argue that Shikhandi is not homosexual. Never mind that in Vyasa's Sanskrit Mahabharata she is described as being born a woman, raised as a man, given a wife who turns away from her in disgust, forcing her to acquire male genitalia from a yaksha called Sthulakarna.

Was Shikhandi male or female? What will Shikhandi's physical intimacy with a partner be construed as - homo or heterosexual? But Shikhandi's very existence would be invalid in India going byt the Supreme Court judgment that criminalises those with a different sexual orientation. In the Mahabharata, Bhishma refuses to raise his bow against this 'non-man'. But Shikhandi rides proudly on Krishna's chariot, and enables Arjuna to bring the old war lord down, with Krishna's blessings. And as he lies in bed, Bhishma tells the Pandavas stories of Yuvanashva, the man who accidentally became pregnant by drinking a magic potion meant for his wives, and Bhangashvana, who lived his life both as man and woman, and so had children who called their parent both as 'father' and 'mother'. These 'queer' narratives are meant to educate the Pandavas, the future kings.

Indic temple art displays women in different stages of undress in passionate embrace. Platonic, Lesbian or to titillate men? Amongst the many costumes of Krishna in Nathdwara, Rajasthan, is the sthri-vesha, where he wears woman's clothes, remembering his mother and his beloved, Radha, and his form as Mohini. In Mathura, Shiva is Gopeshwara. The mask on the Shivalinga is decorated with female accessories, to participate in Krishna's raas-lila. Perhaps these were affectionate acknowledgement of transgender realities.

In their writings, Dhyaneshwar and Tukaram addres Vithal - Krishna to most Maharashtrians - as 'Vithal' or Mother Vithal; God is not Father but Mother, for in love and devotion, gender is sublimated. Such transgressive ideas can indeed be extended to romantic and sexual love. Many male devotees see themselves as lovers of God who they view as male while they express their longing in feminine terms. Are these mere metaphors or an acknowledgment of transgressive desire? Are they only limited to devotional spaces? Can they extend to laws of modern society that can then look beyond gender, at emotions, and allow consenting adults to make love in private? 

Why hinder the mind's expansion? The Upanishads refer to God as Brahmn to indicate that manas, mind, can brah or expand. But we choose to stay Brahmins, followers of Brahma, never quiet expanding, digging at our heels, arguing the right to stagnate, even regress. In the eighth century, Tamil poet Nammalvar wrote: 

"We here and that man, this man,/ and that other in-between,/ and that woman, this woman,/ and that other, whoever.../ ...being all of them, he stands there".   

The verse so wonderfully makes room for the entire spectrum of humanity. So different, is it not, from India's Supreme Court today?

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THE CENTRE MUST HOLD.

[Based on an article written Vinita Dawra Nangia published in The Times of India dated 10th July, 2016. It is an extract from the book "Love is Always Right - a sequel to the best-seller Best of O-zone - It's Your Life].

Each of us gets hit by chaos at some time or other, when everything seems to go wrong at the same time, and Murphy's Law kicks in with a vengeance. Multiple issues demand attention simultaneously, and each seems more important than the other. What do you do at such times? During a live Twitter chat, someone asked me how I manage in the midst of chaos. The answer came to me in a flash. "I become still and wait for it to pass over. Sthir. Centred. Meditative". If the only constant is change, one has to believe that bad times will pass too, just like good times get over all too soon. That's life. Being still does not mean lack of action. It is a withdrawal and detachment in order to shift the action within, a focus within to gain insight into what is outside you. And, I do believe that in any given situation, we always have a choice, which means the power still rests with us.The responsibility of choice is ours, and that is how we control our destiny.

So when multiple issues seem equally important, centred within myself, I concentrate on narrowing the focus to the one issue that cannot wait, or the one I cannot do without. Invariably, one of them rises above the others, and the choice is made. A centre of calm has been used to clear the surrounding chaos. It is when the cehtre cannot hold that all chaos reins. Remember W.B. Yeats' The Second Coming. 

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

What beautiful lines. The centre falls apart when "the best lack all conviction" (cannot be centred and take responsibility into their hands) and when in that vacuum, the worst are "full of passionate intensity". A reflection of the times, don't you think? Indeed, it is important that the centre must hold - a still, all-knowing centre that makes the world go round. And a centre that keeps you steady and peaceful.

The Earth's gravitational pull centres its life forms. Oceans, air and gases do not slip off into space because gravitation keeps them anchored. The Earth's molten core keeps us safe from radiation by creating the magnetic field that surrounds Earth. At the centre of every successful project is a calm, focused person. At the centre of every happy family is a sorted couple. A happy family and good relationships serve as the centre of every happy person's life. If the centre is unsteady, everything scatters, and chaos rules.

So, what centres you? What keeps you steady, recharges you, provides you with answers to all your queries? It could be your family unit. It could be the person you love most in the world. It could be a hobby or even your occupation. The only way to know what centres you is to think of the person or activity that gives you a sense of extreme security and peace. This is your sacred space that emanates peaceful, happy vibes to all parts of your life. Keeping this in mind, you make your choices and tackle the fallout.

But ultimately, the centree has to be within you - there can be no better space to retreat to than within. This is where every question gets answered and all search ends. Your best and only centre is actually within you.

If this centre is disturbed, all else starts crumbling. Think of it as your charging zone. This is where you get the ability to manage your emotions and deal with pressure - the secret to great performance. When you are centred, you are thinking right and are balanced. It is the seat of your conscience. Carl Jung warned that destruction occurs when people lose their individual consciousness and become overcome by emotion.

How to centre yourself?

1. Distance yourself from situations for a clear perspective.
2. Focus.
3. Stay positive.
4. Block all negativity.
5. Believe.
6. Don't hesitate to act on your belief. 
7. Don't waste time regretting. Focus on resolving.
8. Don't be scared to reframe perspective.
9. Seek help from support group.

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RAMZAN: TIME TO CLEANSE ONE'S HEART.

Prophet Muhammad once called his companions and addressed them, "O people, know that a sacred month is upon you, a month that Allah has made sacred and made it obligatory to fast during days, and stand in prayer during the night". Ramzan is that special blessed month which is visiting us this time of the year. It is the time for detachment of the world, patience and thanksgiving to the Almighty. The Quran says, "Truly in the succession of the day and the night there are signs of God". For devout Muslims, Ramzan is the time to reflect upon God's signs. We grew up being taught that fasting protects from Satan. A time when the gates of paradise remain open, the devil claimed and the doors of hell closed. Fasting is essentially about purification, discipline of both body and soul. Love of the world is weaned by voluntary deprivations for prohibited things are extra-prohibited, and the permissible becomes prohibited during fasting hours.

Ramzan affirms the two foundations of Islamic principles, sabr and shukr, patience and gratitude. Fasting is about patience during the day and spending the nights in gratitude for God's generosity and compassion. Patience requires putting the other person before oneself, and it is people with these qualities who attain a high spiritual rank with God. Prophet Muhammad famously said, "Patience is half of imaan, faith". The Prophet Muhammad said that five things break thee fast of a believer, lying, backbiting, slander, false oaths and lust. Ramzan is a time for charity, to be conscious of other people's needs and to forgive those who have wronged you. The Prophet described the best charity in Ramzan as setting things right between people who harbour acrimony with one another. Islamic scriptures are clear that those who abandon their loved ones will not enter paradise till they make peace with them. 

Abu Madyan, the African mystic wrote, "One who is hungry becomes humble, one who becomes humble begs and the one who begs attains God. So hold fast to your hunger, my brother, and practice it constantly for it means that you will attain what you desire and will arrive at what you hope". The eighth century Sufi scholar Imam Jafar Sadiq from the family of Prophet Muhammad said, "Your day of fasting should not be like ordinary days. When you fast, all your senses, eyes, ears, tongue, hands and feet must fast with you". Fasting has been a tradition of prophets and mystics, holding timeless wisdom. Rumi writes, "Hunger is God's food for which he quickens the bodies of the upright". Shaqiq Balkhi, a ninth century mystic, taught that 40 days of constant hunger could transform the darkness of the heart into light. Sahl Tustari, another early mystic, fasted perpetually and earned the title of Shaykh ul Arifin, master of the knowers. He said, "Hunger is God's secret on  the earth". Ramzan is an extraordinary time to cleanse one's heart of spiritual maladies and to get closer to God.

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LET COMPASSION AND LOVE GUIDE YOUR ACTIONS.

Prince Siddhartha renounced the world and went on a search for Truth when moved by the abundance of sorrow and suffering all around him. He wanted to find an answer to sufferings of the world. He became the Buddha and shared his insights with those who were willing to listen to him. In the contemporary world, there are those who respond to suffering may be differently but with the intention of making a positive difference to those who suffer. In Gujarat, a diamond businessman, perhaps, moved by reports of suffering, did just that. His annual business turnover ran into several thousand crores of rupees. His 20-something son was well educated. He gave him a small sum and asked him to go to Kerala, live among blue collar workers and earn his livelihood on his own.
The businessman, born in poverty in a Gujarat village, had no opportunity for a good education, having studied only up to Class. V. By dint of hard work he built up his business empire dealing in diamonds. He wanted his son to gain the wisdom that one can't gain the wisdom that one can't gain merely from formal education. Suffering increases our sensitivity towards others who are similarly afflicted or subject to injustices of all kinds. This is one way we become compassionate. True compassion means not only feeling another's pain but also being moved to help relieve it. Human compassion binds us all. In a society where love and compassion become the guiding principles, suffering ought to cease.
Indeed the diamond businessman, who came up in life the hard way, had acquired a wisdom that mere bookish education can't give. He had learnt to share. He had distributed among his employees, 400 flats and 1,200 cars worth Rs. 51 crore as Deepavali gifts.
"Doing nothing for others is that undoing of one's self. We must be purposely kind and generous or we miss the best part of existence. The heart that extends itself itself becomes joyful. This is the great secret of inner life. We do ourselves the most good by doing something for others", wrote Horace Mann, the American education reformer. If we don do so, we are in danger of judgment. "For I was hungry and you gave nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me". (Matthew 25:42). To that lament Jesus added: "In that you have not done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have not done it to me".
Glaring inequalities represent the failings of a community. It is well to recall here Aristotle's statement that poverty is the parent of revolution and crime. Peace will prevail in any society only when injustices are removed. A saint who lived in the fourth century wrote: "The bread you store up belongs to the hungry; the cloak that lies in your chest belongs to the naked; the gold you have hidden in the ground belongs to the poor". 
It is in the same spirit, that Albert Einstein had declared that the only life worth living is a life lived for others!
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LOWER-CASE TRUTH AND ABSOLUTE TRUTH.

The search for lower-case truth is no less ambitious than the search for a transcendent reality that lies beyond the physical world. Should we be going after truths or the Truth? We are not proposing the return of religion in its former guise, or making a back-door argument for a new kind of worship. When it had a capital 'T', truth defined the essence of reality...We think that reality has led to a place that isn't explained by quantum mechanics alone.

1. There is no objective, external universe. What we perceive as physical objects and events are actually reflections of how the human brain perceives things.
2. Reality is one, a constantly shifting whole. It is pure process in which every event is connected to every other. The process is falsified when it is frozen and chopped up into isolated bits and pieces of data.
3. We live in a participatory universe. Ultimately, there is no distinction between observer and observed. Both are expressions of consciousness as it unfolds in time and space.
4. Space and time are not pre-existent and everlasting. They may have arisen with the emerging early cosmos.

In a paradigm shift such as this, everything gets reinterpreted in a radical way, and if you don't buy into the shift, the reinterpretation sounds outlandish such as the following:

1. Consciousness is ultimate reality. There is only one consciousness, which pervades existence.
2. Out of primal consciousness all matter and energy in the universe emerged.
3. Primal consciousness continues to play itself out as the evolving universe. But the source of consciousness is inconceivable, since it lies beyond time and space.
4. The human mind is an expression of primal consciousness, which is why we are able to perceive reality in the first place.
5. Mind comes first, matter derives from it.
6. To finally know reality, our subjective experience is a truer guide than collection of facts, for this experience is the only reality we live with throughout our lives.

The last point is where the lives of ordinary people are affected. Facts are no substitute for experience, and to say that scientific rationality will solve everything is a dangerous notion...We don't doubt the value of new findings about subatomic particles; we are only putting things into perspective. An expanded science cannot afford to shirk subjective experience through an abstract devotion to objectivity.

In the new paradigm, a purely objective science is a chimera, an illusion kept intact by excluding actual experience of life as lived. One of the dogmas of current science is that everything can be known through the reductionist method - the whole is understood by breaking it down into its component parts, the way anatomy breaks down the body the body into cells, tissues, and organs. Yet the reductionist method is exactly what keeps us from seeing the larger reality we are all participating in.   

Truth is very different from the measurements that science relies upon as it explores finer levels of Nature. Like it or not, the pursuit of the truth is edging us closer to the Truth, as conceived of in Plato's idealism. Indic Vedanta, and Buddhist philosophies. The universe has a source, and it is consciousness.

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LIVING IN ABUNDANCE.

How would you define abundance? For some, it means a large quantity, plenty and unlimited supply and for most, it is expressed in financial terms but the true meaning lies in the word itself - Abundance.

Abundance: Dance is a state of being joyous, of letting it flow freely. It bridges the gap between the finite and the infinite. It elevates consciousness. There are various types of abundance:

1. Financial: Connected to wealth.
2. Physical: Connected to health and well-being.
3. Emotional: Anything connected to love.
4. Mental: Connected to peace, qualification, etc.
5. Spiritual: People who fall under this category not only understand themselves but also their purpose in life. Such people are open and attuned to their inner peace.

But how each of us perceives abundance, may vary as well. Abundance, for a person who has been in the hospital for months, would be as simple as sitting in a garden, breathing fresh air and hearing birds chirp or recovering completely. Abundance, for someone who has been away from home, would be enjoying a meal with his loved ones. Many of us enjoy such simple pleasures but often take them for granted.

Mother earth is abundantly flowing and has so much to offer. There is beauty all around us. Take a look at the parks, soak in the aroma. Movement of life can also be witnessed in theatres, malls, food and so on and so forth. There is a lack of awareness, among other things, in many of us. When we focus on what is lacking, we create negative thoughts, negative emotions and it causes undesirable manifestations. Have you ever wondered why some people are growing  richer and vice versa? It is all due to the mindset people have.

Abundance Mindset: Such people believe that there is abundance for everyone (wealth, love, joy, opportunities). They have an optimistic approach towards life. They mainly focus on what they want and have rather than on what they lack. They live is a state of gratitude and are happy for others' success. There's no jealousy or comparison of any sort in their minds.

Scarcity Mindset: They believe that there is a limited amount of anything, and cling to everything out of fear. They always worry about the future and this leads to fear-based decisions. They believe that situations can be permanent and use thoughts and words of scarcity. For example: "I am not capable enough" or "I do not have enough". They are mostly dissatisfied and envious. They have addictive tendencies like collecting things. All this comes from a scarcity mindset.

If one has to live a life of abundance, there has to be a conscious effort to change one's mindset from scarcity to abundance. 

Some of the biggest contributors to society have 'an abundance mentality'. They see life in a different way. They realise that by sharing their ideas and innovations with the world, everyone would benefit. It would help people lead a better life. offer better jobs and opportunities, etc. In return, abundance knocks at their door, in a bigger way than they can imagine. Living in abundance begins not by changing people and environment but by changing the way we look at others. Appreciating beauty rather than trying to control the environment. It's like emitting a new vibration. It is about being abundantly kind and generous to one and all. Being grateful to others and yourself as well.

USEFUL TIPS.

1. Every morning before getting out of bed, take a minute and remind yourself, "today is a new day". Invite new possibilities and  opportunities from the universe. Go through your list of gratitude and express thankfulness for all the blessings in your life.
2. Live in the moment. Most of us are either living in the past or the future which is an illusion. The only golden moment of utmost importance is the present. For example, while eating a meal with your loved ones, make a conscious effort to put the phone away and have a healthy conversation.
3. Focus on your thoughts and invite positive thoughts for yourself and others. Pray for people in pain.
4. Act of kindness. Wish others well. Offer compliments.
5. Laugh abundantly. Don't take life so seriously. It's very important to love and accept yourself unconditionally and laugh.
6. Eliminate negative influences, stay away from criticism, gossip, self-pity and jealousy.
7. Be joyous. Be happy for others' success as much as you are for yourself. Celebrate and life will give you much more than you can ever imagine.

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ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.

Are you in conflict with the people you love most? Do you experience incredible highs followed by invariable lows in your relationships? Have the days of wine and roses become days of whine and neuroses? Love tainted with selfishness is 'attachment'; it is only about you. You expect a return for your affection, tangible or intangible. You make demands on people and bind them. You feel insecure, vulnerable and threatened. Your expectations never seem to be met with. The more people do for you, the more you want. The relationship thus becomes conflict-ridden. In the end, it breaks down and you lose the person.

The age-old philosophy of Vedanta steps in with new ways of defining ourselves, others and the world around us - ways that will appeal to the younger generation. It takes dedication, a leap of faith and practice. Expand your mind. Get attached to a wider circle of people - community, nation, humanity. Work for loka sangraha, for the welfare of the world. As you get attached to the higher, you get detached from the lower. True love is born and your relationships become free from the endless strife that prevails now. In order to fill the haunting sense of emptiness in your life, you depend on people for your happiness. Thus the starting point is faulty. Only when you are happy within can you establish meaningful relationships with others. It is absurd to depend on others to fill the void. Vedanta says you are paripurna - totally fulfilled. You do not need anyone to make you happy. Gain knowledge of your fulfilled state.

Love others for what they are, the good as well as the bad. Understand that people behave according to their nature. Do you hate a Lion for its ferocity or a deer for its timidity? You love both creatures  equally because you understand their nature and accept them for what they are. What prevents you from accepting people as they are? Why do you complain when a partner gets angry or a child is timid? Look at others as part of yourself and you will focus on their best qualities. You will see opponents as partners, competitors as comrades. You will celebrate others' victory as if it were your own. Thus your happiness multiplies a billion times! Today you are happy only when good things happen to you. In the end, love turns Godward. You worship God in all beings.

Vedanta says there is only One. If you see separateness, it is your delusion. Just as one ray of light  refracts into seven different colours, you see distinctions and demarcations because you view the world through the prism of your body, mind and intellect. You see maximum separateness when you identify with your body. See the world through your mind and your circle of love expands to include your family. Rise to the intellect and you see oneness among your compatriots. Merge with Atman, the Spirit within, and all differences vanish.

You exult in the experience of the One in the many. You see yourself in all beings and all images in different mirrors. Only then will you be free from sorrow and delusion. And you will attain the exalted state of enlightenment.

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BLAMING GOD FOR YOUR PROBLEMS OR SUFFERING.

I am a good person. I pray to God everyday, but I have no relief from the problems or the suffering. Why is God punishing me and why is he so callous? It is as if he doesn't seem to care how we live, or whether we live or die. If he is so perfect, why did he not create a better world? 

If this world is perfect, the idea of heaven becomes redundant, is it not? It seems God is a good salesman. The prospect of heaven or liberation becomes a good selling point, if the earth is full of suffering. Therefore, he may have made earth a difficult place to live. It is as if he puts you in a dungeon and offers you the prospect of a permanent stay in a five-star hotel for good behaviour. Yet, to a lot of people the earth does not seem to be that bad. The earthly life has its own charms and attractions. Otherwise, everyone would have become a renunciant and strived for liberation.

On a serious note, blaming God for our suffering may be just an emotional and irrational response. Maybe God just does his duty (Dharma) and in the process, some are being hurt. In truth, everything around you do influence you in some way, does it not? Directly or indirectly, your friends, relations, colleagues, family, the institutions with which you are associated, your job or profession, the government, the earth, the planets and the stars play some role in your life. They make you happy or unhappy, and facilitate or obstruct your desires and actions. In the same manner, God may be influencing your life too.
When things go wrong, it is common for people to blame God, while atheists and rationalists respond with, "I told you so", attitude. Many people blame God for the suffering in the world or for the calamities and natural disasters, wondering how can a compassionate God let them happen. However, the subtle truths of the Vedas and scriptures such as the Bhagavadgita are not known to many. Hence, their thinking about God mostly falls into the general mode, which is influenced by popular beliefs. The question is, whether it is appropriate to blame God for what happens to people or to the world? How far is he responsible for anyone's life or their personal fortunes?
God is invisible, physically unapproachable and mysterious. Any conclusions which people draw about him are speculative, inconclusive and indeterminate. The doctrine of Karma implies that God is not responsible for our lives. Individual and collective actions shape the destiny of the beings and the world. Therefore, blaming God in itself may be bad Karma. From the devotional perspective, blaming God is symptomatic of the lack of faith, knowledge and purity. In this paper, I will examine these questions from the perspective of Hindu religion.
Two approaches to God: In Hindu devotional theism, we primarily come across two main attitudes or beliefs that are associated with God. Both are popular and influence the lives of people. They are stated below:

1. I am an aspect of God;
2. God is my creator and controller.

The first one is the spiritual path of righteous actions, with right knowledge and pure devotion. In the first, God is viewed as oneself. In the second, God is treated as a Supreme Being, Lord and Protector. Both the approaches or belief systems are valid in Hinduism in their own respective ways.
They played an important role in the development of the ritual and spiritual philosophies and practices of Hindu Dharma. The schools of dualism (Dvaita) and non-dualism (Advaita) are centred around them. In the following sections, let us examine these two approaches in the context of the relationship between God and his devotees.
I am an aspect of God: The approach acknowledges your spiritual nature as an eternal self. If you believe that as an eternal soul you are an aspect of God and represent him upon earth, it follows that you have to reflect that attitude in every aspect of your life and exemplify God in your thinking and conduct, performing his duties as if they are your own without any duality. As a part of it, you have to cultivate divine qualities such as detachment, selflessness, purity, truthfulness, similarities, non-violence, non-possession, equanimity, stability, etc., and reflect them in your thinking and actions. As the upholder of Dharma, letting God become the center of your life, you have to manifest him through you and in you.
Those who live their lives in this manner, transcending their desires and attachments, never find a reason to complain about anything. They accept the events and outcomes in their lives with equanimity. Living their lives as a sacrifice and exemplifying the ideals of Dharma as the true devotees of God on the path of renunciation they experience no duality or little duality.` 
However, you do not ordinarily find such people in today's world. Even if there are, they are not easy to find since they do not seek public attention. If at all people find such a person, they put him on a pedestal and worship him as himself, rather than follow his example. The truth is in God's reality. There is no duality. He is both the subject and the object, the cause and the effect, the one who causes the suffering and suffers from it. From this perspective, the question of blaming God does not arise. 
God is my creator and controller: In this approach, which is more popular, devotees put an onerous responsibility upon God, believing that he is rather Supreme Lord and controller and responsible for everything that happens to them. However, in most cases their devotion remains tainted by selfishness and egoism. If you want God to take care of your life, you must totally surrender to him and let him take responsibility for it, accepting whatever that happens to you without judgment and complaint. 
If things do not happen according to your expectations, you have to accept it as the will of God or part of your Karma and remain steadfast in your devotion. A true devotee never complains because his surrender is total, and his faith is pure and firm. In real life, it is difficult to see such devotees whose minds are free from egoism and selfishness.
Most people worship God, but they do not possess the trust or the conviction to surrender to him unconditionally, or believe that whatever happens is the will of God and for their good only. They engage in desire-ridden actions. When life takes unexpected turns, they either lose faith in God or try to take control of their lives. The truth is, when people perform actions with desires and attachments, they become responsible for them and their consequences. God plays no role in them, other than being a witness. Worship is also Karma when it is done with selfish intent.
Your surrender must be total: Your relationship with God is important. Left to himself, God does not take sides. However, you can bring him to your side with purity, faith and devotion. Such is the power of true devotion. It makes an otherwise indifferent and detached God listen to you. You may approach God by different paths, but it is important to remove the barriers that stand between you and him. With purity, faith, resolve, knowledge, righteousness and devotion, you can let God be part of your life.
The Bhagavadgita clearly states that God is indifferent and equal to all, He does not easily interfere with our lives. However, he may respond to the prayers and supplications of His devotees. Therefore, if you have a serious problem or adversity in your life, pray to him with all sincerity and accept the outcome, but do not blame Him if your prayers are unanswered. Even as a devotee, you still have to resolve your past Karma and overcome your impurities.
The Upanishads state that Isvara, the Supreme Lord of the Universe, is without desires, duality and attachments. He has numerous aspects, of which Death (Kaala) or Time is one. He is the Lord of the mortal world. Hence, it is subject to death, destruction and impermanence. Calamities and destructions are, therefore, part of our lives and no one can fully escape from them. Since He is also the protector and upholder, pray to Him with all sincerity when you have problems and difficulties, without blaming Him if they are unanswered. Blaming God is in itself a negative Karma because both creation and destruction are part of his functions and he may be just doing his duties for the order and regularity of the worlds.
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