Many things have happened over the past two weeks, least of which includes the reconfiguration of the spiritual centre of the universe. But let's follow time, since we are not Avataric enough to work otherwise.
This goes back to the beginning of last week, when a couple of us were discussing quite esoteric topics in the Mandir. And in our midst was a member of the highest echelons of the Centre. I won't name him, but it won't be difficult to guess. He is the only one who still smiles at normal devotees and has not ended up getting more and more stone-faced as he has climbed the spiritual ladder.
So, we were discussing why we should never judge anyone else (which is an excellent point to pontificate on), and why everything is his or her destiny. And, as a self-confessed anti-establishment guy, I ended up getting ineluctably polarized during the course of the conversation. The bulwark of their collective argument was that everything is perfect, and nothing is wrong, and that it is our drishti that creates this skewed srishti. All well, but for the fact that our group was constituted by normal guys who did normal things and didn't hesitate to call a spade a spade, even though the same Atma pervades that inanimate tool as well. I kept wondering during our conversation, whether, happening to see their brother getting belted by the road-side, it would still not warrant any action from their side. We live in a world full of 'yes-men' who are ever ready to let loose the fusillade of 'Swami says this' and 'Swami says that'. It's about time we have people who didn't have to live on borrowed self-esteem. As always, he who thrives by social recognition will die by social rejection. We have to live for and by bigger reserves of strength and vigour, that will push us to do what is right, irrespective of what is convenient.
The easiest thing in a group is to be part of the group, immune to the cold gales of conscience and muted to the calls of action. And normalcy is defined by 95% of the population. Nobody can afford to be different, when they can afford to be popular. But popularity is the easiest goat to sacrifice, at the face of gross injustice. When can we stand up with courage and ask ourselves if we should not be doing something what we perceive is wrong, though we can always shield ourselves with the lame shield of 'Dontjudgeanyone'?
At the end of the day, it's cute to be a lemming, but always more worthwhile to be a lion, popular or otherwise.
Every Messiah who walked this planet had a message and "..the only one who still smiles at normal devotees and has not ended up getting more and more stone-faced " is a great role model of our Messiah message-
ReplyDeleteDont be a beggar or consumer of happiness from other people. Be a giver or a contributor to others happiness. However bad the others may be-contribute to their happiness. Love All Serve All. Serve out of happiness and love not for the sake of happiness and love. There is no way to Happiness - Happiness is the way!
Our man is an exception and therefore a role model. Most of the others (even if they are not stone faced) are a great warning to others of how one should not be!
"Being a role model is the best service you can do to others"- says Swamy!
All of us in Swamy's path consider ourselves as the "chosen ones"- we should seriously and sincerly ask ourselves -what are we the chosen ones for- To be a "role model" or a "warning" to our fraternity and humanity at large?
A very nice article Praveen. This will explain why most people prefer to be a lemming rather than a lion. I will disclose authors name later
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Siddhartha`s loved ones had planned a different path for him but it was in disobeying them, Buddha, the pathfinder was unfolded. Mahatma Gandhi, Rajaram Mohan Roy, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela... all of them, whom we consider the architects of a new social conscience, authored a political or social revolution by their choice of disobedience.
You can either be a psychological adult or a psychological child. A psychological adult is like a painter. The brush is in his hand and he has the choice of strokes. He creates what he chooses to create. A painter is a choice maker. A psychological child is like a painting. It is a consequence of the painter`s choices. It has no say in what it is becoming. A painting is a mere consequence receiver. Mona Lisa may be the world`s finest piece of art. Yet, it is only a consequence of Leonardo da Vinci`s choices. Millions of Mona Lisas can be duplicated; will there ever be another Leonardo da Vinci?
Your loved ones, your society, your religion, your constitution, your organisation, and your community - everyone wants to play the role of a painter in your life. There is no point in placing your life in someone else`s hands and then cribbing, crying and sobbing that you are not happy with your life. An obedient painting should gleefully accept what it has become, for it had chosen obedient surrender to its painter. Else, snatch the brush. They had their life and if they have missed the chance to paint their life it is their missed opportunity. The canvass of your life cannot be used for their experimentation. You may not have the genius of a Leonardo da Vinci, but it`s okay. Make the strokes you can; scribble; at least what comes out will be your making. Then, your life becomes your responsibility. You might make mistakes, but they will be your mistakes.
Of course, the process of a psychological child attempting to become a psychological adult is always painful for everyone involved. It rarely happens without tears. It is through practice of disobedience that a consequence receiver becomes a choice maker. The choice maker begins to feel that he is losing the hold he always had on the consequence receiver. If you succeed in becoming a choice maker, he cries; if you fail in your attempt, then you cry. Either way, the birth of a psychological adult or the failure to become one always brings with it tears. But those are life`s ways of evolving a new you. Either tearfully become a history maker or tearfully remain a history reader. The world that cries when you begin, will stop crying once you start producing results.
Neither are all disobedient people disrespectful, nor are all obedient people respectful. Lord Mahavira said, `Live and let live.` Christ said, `Love thy neighbour as you love thyself.` Even such messiahs have asked you to put yourself first and then the rest of the world. A choice maker merely puts self-respect first, before he attempts to respect others.
You have only one life to live. Even if you are reborn, you will not be born as you. Don`t miss this chance. Don`t miss yourself. It is better to earn a bad name and live a good life, than to earn a good name and live a bad life. Dare to be yourself.
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