Spark 55
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
BE FEARLESS
Face the Crisis with Mature Outlooks
“Upanishads are the literature where you find the word ‘abheeh’ (fearless) used again and again,” said Swāmi Vivekānanda1. We need to overcome fear and act with mature outlooks, duly followed by corresponding actions, in both spiritual and mundane contexts. The ability to discern the right way forward is our greatest gift in life, expressing itself in our intellect (buddhi). This intellect is indeed the charioteer if our life is looked at as a journey by a chariot2. This journey will take us to the desirable destination if our buddhi is kept well-informed and vigorous.
The disease labelled as Covid-19 has given rise to widespread fear around the world. We are on tenterhooks till the experts announce that the world is safe again. Adding to our anxiety over the health hazard, there is significant concern over the damage to the economy of almost all the countries. Disease and death everywhere are making us nervous on one hand and, on the other, the loss of livelihood of lots of people is depressing us. The virus called Corona has jeopardized global life like never before. The fear of what tomorrow holds in store for us is disturbing us more than things actually happening on the ground.
Geetā has some advice
“Go for yoga,” says Geetā3, and continues, “for yoga, by definition, is that which frees you from the clutches of sorrow. Practise yoga, therefore, with a mind that refuses to get dejected!” Circumstances in life many a time are such that we have no other option but to face them. Why then go about the matter with gloom in our bosom? We must do what we can without falling into a melancholy mood.
Fearlessness is the first of the 26 signs4 that Shri Krishna speaks of, when he describes people who have a divine personality. And the divine charioteer urges Arjuna to stay away from all kinds of mental weakess5. The Lord includes the value of bearing with hardship6 when he lists nine marks of sāttvik (calm, God-minded) people. And, while describing able administrators and noble political leaders, he brings in the value of not running away from the battle on hand7.
The high pitch of the Upanishads
The lofty vision of the Upanishads questions the very basis of fear. When all are one, how can there be fear? Insecurity arises in duality8, not otherwise. For the overwhelming majority of us, however, such an appreciation of universal oneness can be hard. Can we imagine saying to the Corona virus, “Hey, you and I are one! Who kills? Who gets killed?” The ultimate message of Vedānta, all the same, can give us a glimpse of the pinnacle of human consciousness. We have a long way to go though.
One notch below, we have an Upanishadic9 statement exhorting us to be alert, vigilant. “Those who are prone to err cannot attain the Self,” goes the warning, urging us to avoid negligence. Therefore we need to keep away all forms of carelessness (pramāda), which can lead us to peril.
Swami Chidananda
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Notes:
1 Complete Works, Volume 3, Page 237.
2 The metaphor of the chariot in Kathopanishad, 1.3.3
3 yoktavyah anirvinna-chetasā “Practise it without getting disheartened.” Geetā 6.23
4 See all the 26 in verses 1 thru 3 of Geetā, chapter 16.
5 hridaya-daurbalyam tyaktvā – Geetā, 2.2
6 kshānti, Geetā 18.42
7 yuddhe apalāyanam, Geetā 18.43
8 dviteeyād vai bhayam bhavati – Brihadāranyaka Upanishad 1.4.2
9 na ayam ātmā .. pramādāt labhyah – Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.4
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