The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Reject dejection

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Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Reject dejection

Chennai, April, 28. The ability to display courage in times of grave trouble is indeed a divine gift. No one born in this earth which is `karma bhoomi' can escape grief at some stage or the other; but that should not lead one to the brink of disaster nor should he drown himself in the ocean of misery. Dejection is the greatest enemy of mankind.

The cycle of birth and death is a continuous process, based on one's good and bad deeds in the past, and cannot be broken easily. Feeling demoralised by the turn of events in one's life, a person wallows in self-pity, which may result in contemplation of suicide. From that stage the mind, enslaved by emotions, tries to find justification for such feelings with the thought, "After all, none will care whether I live or not." The scriptures warn us that even the thought of taking away one's own life is sinful. One does not escape misery by taking such an extreme step.

In a discourse, Sri M.R. Nagasubramaniam said that wise men, by the grace of God, patiently underwent sufferings. Depending on divine guidance was bound to fetch results since there was no single example of God ever letting down His devotees. One should develop the ability to be positive, no matter how trying or vexatious the situation.

The Ramayana emphasises the need for equanimity and courage in the wake of trials. Kausalya and Anjaneya highlight this in different situations. Deeply distressed over separation from her son Rama, Kausalya cursed her fate and spoke to Dasaratha in an agitated frame of mind, crying, "That lordly one (Rama) has been undone by his own father, like the young fish is swallowed by its parent. You have destroyed the state, the ministers, me and my son, rejoice." Her taunting words plunged Dasaratha into gloom. His plea to her to spare him her biting remarks made her realise her folly and she begged his forgiveness. Then she advised her husband not to become despondent. Her conciliatory words calmed his agitated mind. He later reflected on the folly of his youth, wherein as an archer he practised the art of hitting the target by sound, rather than by sight; for, mistaking the sound of a pot getting filled with water to that of an elephant drinking water, he aimed his arrow in the direction, but killed inadvertently a young ascetic and orphaned his aged parents. After narrating the resultant curse, the agitated king found tremendous inner peace.

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