Life is but Thought

 Quote from the True charm and power of Vedanta

 

Life is but Thought

 

In saying this Coleridge is echoing what Indian thinkers have always preached. You are what you think you are. That is t say your own estimate about yourself is largely an index of what you are now and what you want to be in the future. The present is always important because it is the foundation on which the future is built. The present may be clumsy and uncertain but if you are clear in your mind about what you want to be in the future and if you organize yourself accordingly, there is no reason why you will not be what you want to be. Whatever may be your goal, you have to have the requisite will to achieve in and you have also to choose the right path. First ask yourself what you want and then start working to that end. There will be difficulties, but you brace yourself to face them squarely. Be sure you are never cowed by anything. If others have overcome such difficulties you too can overcome them. If you have to from an estimate yourself, you do not form it on the basis of what you are now and what you have so far achieved.

 Look at persons of your caliber and study what they have achieved. It is by comparisons that you learn what you are capable of. You discover to your surprise that most of those who have achieved great things in life are people of average merit and some-perhaps most-of them are markedly inferior to you. How is it that they have done so? By their will by their own efforts. To begin with they never suspected what they were capable of but as they started working hard, they slowly began to discover new sources of strength within themselves and their potential. Once they tasted success they never looked back, they kept pursuing forward from one success to another.

 Turn to the Gita when overwhelmed by doubt

By Jaya Row

 

 
Do you find yourself torn between the devil and the deep blue sea? Are you cruising along and suddenly you get knocked down by a challenge? Do you get overwhelmed by doubt and indecision? The Bhagwad Gita helps resolve the conflict within.

 

Though 5,000 years old, the Gita is timeless. The inner space of uncertainty and indecision, emptiness and unfulfillment that Arjun faced is one we all know. The eternal principles of the Gita have inspired generations of young seekers across the world to gain victory over their own frailties. All challenges are within. You have to gain mastery over yourself to win external problems.

 

Arjun gets pushed into battle and buckles under the challenge. Krishn says there is no place for grief in life. He speaks of joy, cheer and exhilaration. All problems stem from a slight maladjustment within. Correct that and the problems vanish.

 

Dhritrashtra, the blind king and father of the Kauravas, asks Sanjay, the commentator of the battle, what his sons and the sons of Pandu are doing. The root of all conflict and war is a feeling of separateness – mine versus yours – which Dhritrashtra displays. Pandu was his brother. He should have seen Pandu’s sons as his own. But he views them as enemies.

 

Dhritrashtra epitomises the mind, the abode of emotions and feelings. The mind is blind. Gandhari represents the intellect, the domain of judgement and discrimination. The intellect can see. However, when the intellect gets smitten with emotion, it gets blinded too. This is indicated by Gandhari blinding herself after marrying Dhritrashtra. The result is devastation and destruction.

 

 

Sanjay points to Duryodhan’s arrogance. Arrogance blocks the intake of knowledge. Duryodhan disregards the wise counsel of elders like Bhishm and Dronacharya and embarks on this foolhardy battle.

 

Duryodhan’s army is one and a half times that of the Pandavas, and yet he is insecure. Insecurity stems from viciousness, wrongdoing and a feeling of otherness. A warrior’s strength comes from noble ideals. Duryodhan has nothing but his selfishness and foolishness to fall back on.

 

Arjun is battle-ready and asks Krishn to drive him between the two armies so he may see those who have gathered to please Duryodhan. Krishn drives Arjun in front of Bhishm and Drona to show that not everyone is there to pander to Duryodhan. He wants Arjun to follow their example and just do his duty. Arjun, however, succumbs to sentiment. He sees in the enemy lines his beloved patriarch Bhishm who had renounced the kingdom for which they were fighting. He sees his guru Dronacharya who had taught him archery. He sees relatives when he should see warriors. When emotion comes in the way of intellectual conviction he falters and falls. He makes absurd arguments to justify his stand and displays false vairagya, dispassion. Confused and exhausted, he collapses, unable to stand, his mind whirling, mouth dry, body trembling and hair standing on end.

 

Thus, the mighty Arjun breaks down, overcome with frail pity, oblivious of his obligation as a kshatriya, ruler, to uphold dharma, righteousness. When we lack a higher vision, we are weakened by wavering emotions. We get bogged down by irrelevant things. The intellect gets clouded and we embark on a disastrous action plan. This is Arjun’s state.

 

Arjun had not asked for the war. Yet he has to play a central role in it. He has to first resolve the conflict between his head and his heart, both of which are saying different things. The stage is set for Krishn to teach Arjun, and through him, all confused and troubled souls down the ages. Millions of people have turned to the Gita in their hour of crisis and found the light of wisdom, the clear path out of darkness to Truth. And so will we if we listen to Krishn’s advice with an open mind.

 Watch Bhagwad Gita Ch 1 webinars by Jaya Row every Saturday 6-7 pm on YouTube. Register for free: vedantavision.org/gita

 IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week Chhangte no 7 scored a goal, atk kakauo no 7 scored a goal, and wta tennis savalnka no 7 beat swetak in semi,