Stay Calm and Cool

 Even a little change in routine disturbs us — it could be illness, a stalled promotion, or absentee domestic help. It is easy to be calm when things run according to schedule, but when things go haywire, our mental equilibrium is shaken. The weak ones are driven to self-destruction while strong personalities remain even-minded and emerge successful. The little Prince proved he was made of stronger mettle. Krishna recited the Bhagwad Gita to warrior-prince Arjuna in Kurukshetra and explained to him the importance of being calm in all circumstances. Swami Ranganathananda explained that this is only a very external part of that wonderful term, stithaprajna, person of equanimity. The essential meaning is being deeply thoughtful. Blind attachment, fear and anger are three emotions that cause us to get caught in the karmic cycle of life. There is no escaping this cycle till we become stithaprajna and are freed from ‘raga, bhaya and krodha’. We get emotionally attached to things, people and circumstances, and any disturbance in the object of our attachment destroys our mental peace. Fear of past, present and future compromises our personality forever. We are unable to think and act calmly in the present. Fear disables one, preventing one from leading a normal life. One must be afraid of crossing a busy road, of venturing out alone at night in an unknown place. That is rational fear. Irrational fear must be avoided as it makes people weak morally. “Fearlessness is virtue. Fear is a sin,” said Swami Vivekananda

Economic Times, 20/08/2019