The flow of life is constant and eternal. In this flow, every living being performs its assigned role and progresses towards completing its given life. At the same time, the eternal cycle of change is also active. As night follows day and summer comes after winter, the cycle of pain and pleasure, rise and fall, life and death continue and are certain. This cycle and the frequency of its phases coming at fixed, regular intervals is the eternal truth of life.
From this perspective, excessive attachment to any one phase of life is an invitation to a contrary disposition. To give disproportionate importance to one truth is an unwise attempt to negate the other truth. When a person is placed at the height of pleasure and comfort, he simultaneously and ironically also feels terrified of its possible loss and deprivation. The deeper the attachment to any person, post, or object, the greater the fear of its failure and greater the waves of envy and anxiety rising in mind.
Keeping in view this eternal cycle of change in life, it is wise to neither become ecstatic and haughty on happy days nor so sad on bad days as to slide into the darkness of depression. One can see that summer will follow winter and dawn after night. Similarly, happy times will certainly come after days of misery and sorrow. This is the divine scheme. Its realization and unwavering faith in a bright future help a person maintain his equanimity and balance between the ups and downs of life and confidently face the moments of crises with patience and composure.
Do not expect too much from anybody. Everyone has his problems, compulsions, and limits. If your work is not being done satisfactorily or somebody is not coming up to your expectation, it could be possible that he is not doing it deliberately. Maybe his internal and external circumstances and familial or social conditions are hampering him. Therefore, it is not wise to form a fixed opinion about anybody in haste. Everyone is treading the path of life according to his swadharma (assigned duty). Ultimately all of us are instruments of this divine play of the Almighty and puppets in His hands.
In this way, this fleeting life is an opportunity to pacify the longings and thirsts of the inner being. It is a ground to fulfil incomplete dreams and live out the emotions and passions. Serving for the public good while treading the path prescribed by the guru is the door to freedom from internal bonds and ties, and every moment is a festival to live a life of fulfilment. Other persons’ negative thoughts, beliefs, and decisions cannot be allowed to interfere in this scheme. If you are doing your duty honestly and to the satisfaction of your conscience, you should rest assured that you are on the right path.
Akhand Jyoti Magazine 2022 May-June
