Day: August 3, 2024

Swami ji said…

Whenever, we reflect on our past experiences – we will realise – that whether it was at the culmination of a personal journey, or , on achieving a personal ambition – the feeling of satisfaction and achievement felt by us – inspite of it being sweet – it is also fleeting. Soon, without an aim, without a decided path to take, we begin to feel bored and restless. Nothing at all – no entertainment or distraction of any kind – can take that feeling away from us. Yet, the idea of being in discomfort again – by placing oneself in the clutches of uncertainty – by giving up the known , easy life – and venturing into unknown pastures – is what causes the heart and mind to be gripped with fear. We fool ourselves by listening to our wayward thoughts – which tell us mischievously – ‘ Tomorrow I will start afresh. Rest and enjoy life for today.’ While we are displeased at being stuck in the doldrum of today’s life – the fear of the storms of tomorrow – doesn’t let us easily step out of our comfort zone – either.

We all yearn for a comfortable life – ” एक ऐसा जीवन जो बिताने में बहुत आसान हो … आराम से कट जाए … जिस में हमें कोई भी परेशानी, मुश्किल और मुसीबत का सामना नहीं करना पड़े …जब सब कुछ आरामदायक हो…” In short , wouldn’t it be wonderful, if , life was nothing but a dream run – we tell ourselves? A picture perfect life. A kaleidoscope of bright colours; profusely abundant with joyful moments – where problems, difficulties and issues of any kind – simply do not exist for us.

Unfortunately, so involved are we in visualising a situation so idyllic and serene – that we miss out on the most crucial aspect of life – that ‘growth’ is born out of ‘challenges’…’ हम हमेशा ये भूल जाते हैं कि जब जीवन में सब कुछ आसान रहता है – हम आगे तब नहीं बढ़ते हैँ, बल्कि हम आगे तब बढ़ते हैं , जब हम चुनौतियों और मुश्किलों का सामना करते हैं…”

Can we enjoy having the same meal over and over again – every day of our lives? How many of us can wear clothes of the same colour every day? The thought itself is not too pleasing.Thus , how will we grow and evolve unless new, unexpected situations arise in our life? How will we develop mental toughness to overcome challenges and problems ? How will the mind learn to combat demanding times? How will we ever display the internal strength that God has endowed us with – if we are not faced with hurdles and challenges that we need to overcome?

Living a cushy, comfortable life in which we are unfamiliar with the face of any problem – where everything is available at the snap of our fingers – will naturally make us freeze at the mere sight of any untoward development in our lives. A lifetime that has not witnessed the emergence, handling and closure of a ‘चुनौति’ – would be a life less lived – as it keeps us away from the reality of life, and, far away from any scope of further growth. The mind needs to be challenged – by being put to the test – to think of innovative ways of coming out of a crisis. Our perspective towards life will change, if , we start believing that – ‘ ‘चुनौतियों’ एक तरह से हमारे जीवन के विकास का माध्यम होती हैं…” We must strike at the very heart of the malaise of wanting to live an ‘easy’ life – by understanding that a static life will not empower and enrich us in any way. Rather, it is the other way around. Challenges take out the best from us. Something that even we didn’t know about ourselves.Traits which were hidden in us – but come to the forefront to reveal a new us – during challenging times.

Think of Lord Krishna’s life…” क्या उनका जीवन
आसान था ? उन्होंने अपने जीवन में कौनसी चुनौती का सामना नहीं किया ? हर चुनौती का बलपूर्वक सामना करते हुए वो आगे बढ़ते गए…” Even as a child He was battling demons ; surviving perilous schemes and plots against His life. He was God on Earth, yet, He, did not opt for an ‘easy’ life. He was born to a King and Queen, yet , grew up in the village of herdsmen. He, being Lord Vishnu’s ‘avatar’ – was the King of all Kings, yet , preferred to sit on the seat of a charioteer – during the battle of Kurukshetra – which was fought between the Pandavs and Kauravs. If ‘He’ had not done what ‘He’ had done – would, we, humans, have ever recognised Him as the Presever ? Had He decided to live a life of luxury as any other king – would we have ever remembered Him as ‘God’ – thousands of years later ?
We need to remember that we don’t grow when things are easy ; rather , we grow when we face challenges. Every challenge that comes our way should be used as a stepping stone for our growth and progress.

How would a spiritual seeker even think of embarking on the spiritual path – if he desists from leaving the well known confines and comfort of his home? How would he ever aspire to seek liberation from the cycle of life and death – if he continues to be wary of the obstacles and challenges that most certainly have to be overcome by him – on his new journey ? The mental block that he has allowed to grow in his mind – that he is incapable of fighting and overpowering any challenge – has to be removed at the earliest – and he can do that only by drawing the inner strength that he has in plenty within him , place his faith in his Creator and walk towards Him fearlessly.