” ‘अशांत’ क्यों रहते हो, ‘शांत’ रहो…”

Swami ji said…

It is routine for us to go to bed at night, apparently, to sleep soundly for eight precious hours – which for all practical purposes is a must , if , we want to stay healthy and happy. We were always told that a deep sleep does wonders – as it prepares us physically and mentally – to meet the bad or good that awaits us the following day. But , how many of us can honestly say – today – that we have a truly restful, rejuvenating, refreshing peaceful sleep at night? Are we able to relate with the wondrous nature of the words – ‘ I slept like a log’…? Or, do we envy those who say that they sleep like a baby? It is not uncommon to hear the words -‘I couldn’t sleep last night !’ ‘ I tried so hard to sleep but I just couldn’t !’ – being said by many of us as we stifle a yawn or two while saying so. But, we must try to find the main reason for the state of
wakefulness in us.

A good, sound sleep could be as distant as a long lost dream for most of us. Surprisingly, we don’t have to look too far to find an answer to this problematic question; as the answer is within us – ‘गहरी नींद तभी आएगी जब हमारा ‘चित’ शांत होगा , और , चित शांत तब रहेगा जब हम पूरी कोशिश करेंगे अपने आप को शांत रखने की

• irrespective of what has taken place throughout the day.

The cure for ‘अशांति ‘ – lies within us.We might have to put in every ounce of our will power to keep calm ; to remain unaffected; not get perturbed – by all that is happening outside of us; around us. There is bound to be friction between us and people who matter the most to us; things might not turn out the way we would want them to; our efforts might not get the desired result; we could have borne the brunt of someone’s anger; got a dressing down for no fault of ours; feel that life has not been fair and square. We can go on and on , and, keep counting the number of times we were treated unfairly. But , doing so will only add to our misery. ‘बार-बार इन्हीं बातों के बारे में सोच कर, हम अपने आप को ‘अशांत’ करते हैं कि ऐसा क्यों हुआ?’ Is it possible for anyone to sleep with a mind which is flooded with questions – which do not have immediate answers ?

The only way to counter this negative, cynical way of thinking is by bringing about a transformation ; a change in ourselves and be determined to remain unfazed in the face of any such developments that expect a volatile reaction from us. We have to accept – that things will happen the way they are destined to. It is our past ‘karma’ – working in the present moment. Worrying excessively about what tomorrow has in store for us ; when we start feeling that we are the ones who can control our lives and on seeing our over – ambitious dreams fizzle out – ” यह चीजें काफी हैं हमें ‘अशांत’ करने के लिए…ऐसा लगता है कि ‘अशांत’ रहना कितना आसान है; परंतु ‘शांत’ रहना बहुत कठिन…”

The worst part is that the sense of disquiet and anxiety that should have been alien to us – sits comfortably within us – and succeeds in banishing calmness and serenity from our being. Can anything be stranger than this? ‘ एक अशांत,अस्थिर
मन की सोच कैसे ठीक हो सकती है ? Doubt , despair and despondency are bound to cloud our thoughts and decisions. Weren’t Duryodhan’s anger ; agitated and restless mind – ‘ उसके ‘अशांत’ चित और अशांत मन ने ‘- which constantly hungered for more – responsible for making him blind to reason and for bringing his end at the hands of Bhim ? We need to always remember…” ‘शांति’ की ‘इच्छा’ हो तो पहले, ‘इच्छा’ को ‘शांत’ करो…”