Swami ji’s Sandesh… “जीवन में ‘अर्जुन’ ही नहीं, ‘अभिमन्यु’ भी बनना सीखो..”

“Jeevan mein ‘Arjun’ hi nahi , ‘Abhimanyu’ bhi banna seekho“

Swami ji said…

“In the ‘Mahabharat’, ‘Arjun’ was destined to win against all his foes. Not only did Arjun possess unparalleled skills of a great archer ; but, he also had God – Shri Krishna, Himself, by his side and once his doubts were clarified by Lord Krishna, his belief in himself ; in the rightness of his actions grew beyond measure. He gained supreme confidence not only, in, himself, but also, in the fact that victory would be theirs. He fought one of the greatest battles on the battlefield of Kurushetra and tasted victory.”

” Similarly, when good fortune and success come knocking at our door; when we feel that the steps taken by us to experience the ‘winning’ moment had been just and right, then, like Arjun, we too can feel worthy enough of receiving acknowledgements and recognition that we knew would be coming our way, as ‘आप जानते थे कि आपकी जीत निश्चित थी aur जब जीत’ निश्चित हो तो ‘अर्जुन’ कोई भी बन सकता है ‘ In such circumstances, when one has the Midas touch – it becomes easy to look strong and unfettered. One exudes an aura of both spunk and elan. It is easy to captivate and draw admiration from others as they are well aware that you are bound to succeed. Like a gambler on a lucky run, every move you make seems like a masterful, winning strike and as a winner you will always be remembered. The inspirational words of winners, stressing on their beliefs and attributing them to their success are heard over and over again. But, is it possible for all of us to only face win win situations and be winners all the time ? “

” Let us reverse the situation now, and, for a moment think – ‘What kind of an image do we present, project – when faced with unanticipated and completely unexpected developments in our lives?’ Do we lose every vestige of faith, belief and confidence and simply grapple with the problem mindlessly, without a sense of purpose and direction. Is it a case of being a winner only when things around us are conducive to us? How we react in adverse conditions is a true test of our character ! Do we make an attempt to win situations that require unprecedented mental courage and strength?”

” It is possible one might lose a loved one ; be given the ‘pink’ slip and informed that his services were no longer required ; or, is all of a sudden afflicted with a deadly disease. There is no “success’ at the end of the dark tunnel in such cases. Often, such misfortunes, seem more like a walk to the gallows, as there is no sweet reward for the suffering one goes through while living through ‘them’. How can one behave confidently in such a situation? What is there to be confident about, one might wonder, in such a hopeless situation ?”

” परंतु जब जीवन में ऐसी मुश्किलें और चुनौतियां आती हैं, या मृत्यु निश्चित हो, तब क्या हम ‘अभिमन्यु’ बनने ka साहस रखते हैं? During such moments, we should understand that since the storm that has risen out of nowhere before us, has not been created by us, it is not possible for it to be controlled by us either ; but, what we can surely do is to plot the course, set sails, and try our best to manoeuvre successfully through the life threatening storm. ‘Abhimanyu’, Arjun’s son, did not let the thought of his imminent death at the hands of his enemies – while he was trapped in the ‘chakravyuh’, surrounded by his opponents, baying for his blood – shake his mental strength and courage. He knew that his end was near. He could have surrendered to the enemy and requested a quick painless death; yet, he chose to struggle on – to fight on with the same confidence and energy as had always been shown by his father ‘Arjun’. ‘Abhimanyu’ fought – what one could refer to as a “losing battle” – but he still fought it , like a lion, with every intent to win, with the belief that he would win.”

” All of us face such ‘losing battles’ at some point in our lives. But, this does not mean that we should quit without putting up a fight against whichever challenge that we are destined to face. For, it is neither our circumstances, nor the result ; but, our actions and our intent that ultimately count. If Abhimanyu’s name is remembered today, it is because of the courage and bravery that he had shown in the face of adversity. While he may not have won his final battle, his legacy has lived on for generations. Similarly, we too must ensure that the life we live in this ‘karambhoomi’ is one where we are strong, courageous and positive minded ; where we are steady and strong beacons of light that can outshine and eliminate the darkness of challenges, not only for ourselves but for others too.”