Students, God and Universe…
That afternoon when sun peeked through the classroom window, striping the faces of my curious students with light and shadow. The usual quiet hum was broken by a small hand, Aastha’s I think, waving in the air.
"Sir," she asked, her voice full of wonder, "is there a God? And if there is, did He make everything?"
A wave of agreement rippled around the room. They all seemed hungry for an answer that would make sense of the big questions. I smiled, a promise to ponder this mystery together.
"That’s a great question, Aastha," I said. "But before we talk about who made everything, where do you go to talk to this God, or maybe even Gods?"
A chorus of "Temples!" filled the room, their voices echoing their faith with the pureness of childhood.
"And where are these temples?" I continued, gently nudging them to think further.
"On Earth, of course!" Drishya chimed in, always eager to participate.
I leaned back, a thoughtful frown creasing my forehead. "Interesting," I mused. "So the universe, this giant, amazing place we see through telescopes, only has a tiny speck called Earth where these temples are. Now, which came first, the whole universe or just our little planet?"
Silence filled the room, broken only by the soft tapping of pencils as they pondered the vastness of the idea. Finally, Aakash spoke up, his voice barely a whisper, "The universe, sir."
A secret smile played on my lips, hidden behind a gentle nod. "Exactly," I said, encouraging them on. "So, if this giant universe existed before Earth, before even temples, then where does that leave the idea of a God living in a temple? Did the universe create God, or was it the other way around?"
The question hung in the air, a seed of curiosity planted in their young minds. It wasn't about taking away their faith, but about sparking a desire to question, explore, and find their own answers.
As the afternoon light softened, casting a thoughtful glow over the room, I saw a shift in their expressions. It wasn’t a loss of faith, but a new consciousness. They realized the universe, and their place in it, held mysteries far bigger than any temple.
The question of God remained, but now it was woven with the wonder of the cosmos, something to ponder beneath the twinkling stars that night. After all, true knowledge starts with a question, and the seeds of wonder planted today could blossom into a lifetime of exploration.
