There is a famous proverb – “God helps those who help themselves”. A perfect corollary to this is – “Nature ‘destroys’ those who are weak – who cannot struggle to stand up against its challenges”. The Gita also states – “Man himself is his own friend or foe.” A human being has been given the freedom to choose either a disorderly way of life and throw himself in the abyss of decadence or continue to climb peaks after peaks of success by adopting an active, orderly and meaningful life. The Gita further calls us to make an endeavor for self-upliftment, and not to disgrace our life by following a path of ignorance, inaction, and degradation.
All happiness, beauty and conveniences available in this world have no meaning for someone who does not have the capacity to enjoy them. For example, for a blind person all beautiful sights of the world and objects of beauty are practically non-existent. On losing one’s sense of hearing one cannot listen to the speakers, advisers, singers and musicians. To a mentally deranged person, entire world appears like a lunatic’s bin. With persistent disorders of metabolic and circulatory systems, one can’t enjoy healthy life for long. If we want to experience and enjoy the happiness, beauty and order pervading around, we must first get rid of our own shortcomings and negativities.
History of human civilization and growth shows that the path of progress has been made through persistent and systematic deployment of resources (including the resource of skilled talent) with prudence, foresight, and sincerity. This is essential for sustainable progress of individuals and the society. In the absence of these attributes, even those inheriting large fortunes, favourable circumstances, and ample resources, would often miss the right opportunity and/or appropriate action and might be the loser in the end. It is true that, “Chance favours those who are prepared;” and “One carves one’s future by one’s own abilities and efforts”.
Strength of Courage:
It is one thing to be stout, tall and healthy, but, it is quite different to be courageous. A healthy person appears attractive and is looked upon with admiration. However, in the absence of curiosity, determination, steadfastness, courage, energy (to take up the demanding tasks in hand), and endurance, the person appears discontented, troubled, apprehensive and worried. Such a person makes a mountain of a molehill of problems/hurdles on the way, and is always in search of excuses to avoid facing them. On the contrary, challenges and adversities prove as paper-tigers to a courageous, determined, and wise person.
Physical appearances are often deceptive. Within an invisible, seemingly inert atom is hidden enormous atomic power, which, if properly channelized, can do wonders. Similar is the case with the power hidden inside a human being. In order to become truly strong and powerful, one needs only to activate the hidden inherent source of energy within his own self. An average man utilizes only a small part of this energy in somehow taking care of his needs of food and family. On the other hand there are others, who continue to draw from this inner energy for fulfilment of higher-level aspirations towards dignified goals, for which they consistently plan and prepare. Such determined persons, who, in terms of physical appearance are indistinguishable with the masses, achieve such great feats that astonish the world.
There is thus a world of difference between these “super-humans” and others (the ordinary mortal beings). It is, however, not due to some extraneous factor or ‘boon’, rather, a natural outcome of their enlightened thoughts, evolved aspirations and unflinching endeavors. Great personalities mustering courage for big tasks make unwavering endeavors and resolutely resist impropriety. None of these acts are impossible for anyone. However, only a few have the courage and determination to do so. Whenever the seed of progress sprouts within the inner-self of a person, it is expressed as nobility of his/her actions. Improvement of one’s behaviour and deeds is a sign and also a prerequisite of one’s ascent towards excellence.
Ignorance makes a ghost out of a bush and a snake out of a rope during the night. Cowards get scared of even their own shadows. On the contrary, courageous persons undertake long hazardous journeys without any companions whereas timid dare not go out alone even from their house during the night. Those who tread the path of progress and excellence conquer many seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Our history is full of many such immortal beings. For example, in spite of suffering from multiple wounds and pierced with arrows in the Mahabharata War, Bhishma Pitamah had, by his astonishing willpower, kept death at a distance, till Uttarayana (summer solstice) began in the last battle of his glorious life. Victorious Rajput king Rana Sangram Singh was inflicted with over eighty wounds; still he fought intrepidly with swords in both his hands till his last breath. Indeed, a brave dies only once, whereas a coward sees numerous moments of death in his life.
Significance of Orderliness:
It is unfortunate that man uses barely 7% of the real power of his consciousness-force in his entire life-time; that too, mostly in looking after his body’s needs and comforts; the remaining 93% of his consciousness-energy lies in a dormant, unknown and unexplored state. Then what right has he to complain or cry for his deprivations? Why should one sympathize with him? In fact, this is like — an owner of a treasure lamenting for his poverty, because he has lost the key? Apart from ignorance, negligence, and lack of will and courage, the principal cause of this ironical state is — near-total absence of orderliness on most fronts of life.
Orderliness is an integral part of the process of self-development. Though it may appear as an insignificant ‘quality’ to most people, the habit of orderliness in every task, however small or sundry it might be, is very important for cultivating organizational skills, efficiency of planning, optimal and systematic use of time and other resources, and overall management of life. The significance of these qualities is well known for progress in worldly life. Apart from brilliant skill and experience in his field of expertise, the head of an organization has to have adept organizational/managerial skills. For example, an intrepid, patriotic, dedicated soldier may become Commander-in-Chief if he has additional distinction of timely strategic planning and management of the adverse situations on the war front. Success and rising profile of an enterprise largely depend upon the vision, planning, and excellence of its managers. As evident from the word-meaning of “governor” (meaning: director, manager), effective governance and leadership also requires apt management of the system and the people.
However, it should always be kept in mind that these qualities alone do not account for glorious success and excellence worth the human-dignity. That way, even devilish leaders, terrorists, tyrants, mafia gangsters, etc, also are very skilled, sharp, courageous, and proficient managers. Then what is it which transmutes an ordinary human into a preeminent, great personality? It is the purpose, aims and intentions for which the talent is applied and the manner in which it is deployed. It may also happen that initially someone aims to use his talent(s) for a noble cause, but gets trapped in arrogance or false pride after gaining popular recognition and respect, or gets strayed by the agile passions of the mind. All the talented persons desirous of excellence in life should be extra-cautious against such delusive attractions and pressures. This cannot be achieved without thorough introspection, self-discipline, and cultivation of philanthropic outlook and life-style.
Virtues of Excellence:
Self-less act of charity (dāna) is glorified as a noble activity in all religions. Motivating others towards constructive philanthropy and service should also be regarded as sacred an act as generous distribution of alms. In this context it should always be remembered that the minimum requirement is acceptance of simple living, say, like that of an average citizen of the country. Unless this is done, satiation of the desires and lust would not permit anyone to perform even the minimum philanthropic activities necessary for making adequate use of one’s in-born potentials and nurturing inner qualities and strength. The ravines of desire and lust are so deep that even after filling them with maximum resources, labor and expertise in the small span of life, man cannot hope to level them. Unless one is willing to surrender his cravings and selfishness, it would not be possible to achieve satisfactorily the high objective of pre-eminence in life. Here again, the necessity of courage and orderliness is obvious.
There is no need to look for external means for developing one’s talent. Talent is made to grow from within. However, it necessarily requires removal of those obstacles which offer formidable resistance to one’s attempts to achieve excellence. The moment one begins to cultivate courage and orderliness as natural disciplines, one opens the doors of an all-round progress.
No one knows whether and where the ‘Pāras’ (the mythical stone for alchemy) exists, and whether and how it turns everything into gold by mere touch. But it is an established fact that luminaries tend to attract innumerable followers and associates. The biographies of most of the great persons show that with the help of their pratibhā1 (talent) and credibility in the society, they got enormous strength, enthusiasm, and support from all quarters, surmounted mountains of obstacles, and reached the pinnacles of success. The impact of their character and personality itself was able to make others accomplish such feats which they themselves could not by their own efforts. It is indeed like a beatifying gift of the Almighty to attain such a divine/majestic potential and make use of it to transform the haphazard and strayed lives of many into well-organized and truly progressive ones.
In terms of Anatomy and Physiology, all members of the human species have more or less common features; their biological needs are also generally similar and so are their natural habits of food and requirements for healthy survival. Nevertheless, while many are found complaining about deprivations and lack of resources, with their elevated talents and inherent excellence, a few rare ones are able to become many times more successful with those very resources and opportunities. What might appear as formidable constraints to others, those very circumstances become the cause or support for high rise for them. Only because of their talent, at times, people accomplish such remarkable feats and attain such great success, fame, and influence that it appears to the onlookers nothing short of a miracle.
The radiance of pratibhā also creates a strong field of personal magnetism and charisma that naturally pulls large number of friends, associates, and followers. Who had travelled around to invite and organize the “bears and monkeys” (who became the strong army of Ram in his victorious war against Ravana), the “Gopa-Gopis” (associates of Krishna), Bhikkshus and Parivrajaks (followers of Buddha), and Satyagrahis (patriotic participants in the non-violent freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi)? How do the butterflies and honey bees sense the presence of flowers and rush towards them from odd places? The lives of great personalities, though hard and full of testing adversities, have such an attraction that numerous persons are found eager to emulate them and endeavor to establish high ideals in the society.
The grandeur, beauty and prosperity found in this world have not come into existence simply because of wealth and materialistic resources. Hidden behind each outstanding achievement in this world is the will of some creative genius and visionary who conceptualized, planned, took initiative at an appropriate time, efficiently took care of all aspects, and finally made his vision/dream materialize by putting in his full dedicated effort. This is what defines grand success. One does not have to beg or wait for somebody’s mercy or help to achieve it.
If a person constantly introspects and makes perseverant endeavors to sharpen and augment his intellectual and physical faculties, tries to refine and strengthen his mind, and progressively shoulders and fulfils greater responsibilities, then by virtue of his increased and refined potentials and efficient management skills, he is crowned with success in all his efforts, wherever he goes. This is like a divine gift which can turn an ordinary person into a luminary. This pratibhā is no less than what would lead to attainment of Riddhi-Siddhi – supernormal powers.
If the level of thoughts, character, intrinsic faith, wisdom, courage, and managerial capacity of a person are high (evolved), the effect and consequences of these attributes will not remain confined only to him. Directly or indirectly, they will also contribute to the upliftment and motivation of many others who come in his contact. The invisible aura of such an illumined person expands and spreads the spring of its positive attributes wherever it reaches.
In a nutshell, excellence accounts for holistic growth of the individuals as well as the society. Sagacious texts also convey that a distinct talent or extraordinary faculty is adorable only if it is also guided by awakened Conscience. Self-discipline and self-refinement are regarded here as essential for nurturing talent and excellence. Cultivation of unflinching determination, courage, orderliness, punctuality, integrity, motivation, diligence, positive and prudent thinking, compassion and philanthropy, is identified by savants as integral to the process of self-refinement. Expansion of these qualities augments and illuminates one’s talent. Like the legendary Kings Bhagirath and Harishchandra of prehistoric times, the excellence of thoughts, character and deeds of such an illumined person continues to inspire and elevate the lives of many over generations to come.
Akhand Jyoti Magazine 2016 May-Jun