HARMONY

SEEK HARMONY WITH NATURE

Turn despondency into a winning attitude :

We all win or lose sometimes. Every moment of our life, we are either gaining or losing something or the other, even while we are idle. One need not be over joyful on winning and devastated on losing. Our families also react differently on winning or losing. They burst crackers in joy, visit religious places to thank almighty but sit in guilt on our losing and consoling us to get prepared for the next opportunity. The ecstasy of winning or the guilt of the set back is two sides of human nature. We have to overcome both, and be calm. Look for the different persona; you turn out to be then.

Oh! What a woeful set back?

This attitude only causes health problems and stress. I still feel, reeling under the effects of a terrible loss of reputation that erupted all of a sudden in a most unexpected way making me slipping under despondency and bouts of depression. But I accepted that as a ‘will- of- God’ and moved on.

What more intriguing could be, when for the honour and dignity of the position of the post, I literally toiled very hard for a year and entered the examination hall with great confidence, but soon walked out of it after writing on the answer sheet- “if this is the way the exam is organized and conducted, better it is to quit, than to sit for it and remorse for ever.” There was free for all and open mass scale cheating and top of it outside help was made available to many examinees. Today I do not regret that decision of mine and stand with pride whatever I am.

Twenty five years later I even desisted my children to join any state sponsored institution in that state though they qualified many of the all India exams, and got allotted that state.

But three decades of taking that stand to quit, once again started haunting me. The honour and pride of all these years gave way to utter despondency and stooping down of humanity. Unfortunately in the same state a woman in collusion with her husband and some others sent me to jail for no rhyme or reason. She took offence of my visiting her residence to request for repayment of some outstanding dues towards my organization. She indebted some money to my organization for the money borrowed by her five years back.

It was early morning and though I could not meet her, but she developed an altogether different story in collusion with some negative oriented persons. The list included her own father and a minor son, her husband, her father in law, two neighbours, some police officials and may be some judicial administrative staff. She alleged that the outstanding dues as requested, were in fact handed over, when I visited her residence and that I embezzled the amount in breach of trust.

A child like game plan started unfolding. My organization came to my rescue and rebutted all her allegations before higher judiciary and got me released on bail. But she again popped up and resorted to all gimmicks so as to delay the trial. Two years went by, without any justice in sight. Using my prerogative powers as per the mandate accorded to me, by my organization, and considering the best interest of my organization under the circumstances and to meet the ends of justice, I suo motu moved the High Court for quashing of the trial. Looking into the malicious game plan of the opposite parties, the hon’ble judge stayed the trial and summoned the parties to reply within a specific time. That was a big relief by no means.

But the real big relief I got from the ignominy of being in jail for no fault of mine, came from within. It is rightly said there is a higher court than the courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts. How to keep a balance between self and nature’s order is a unique phenomenon that I experienced in the jail compound. The experience can only be realized by a conscience of super order and blissful awakening.

It dawned upon me, that you are not an isolated entity, but a unique irreplaceable part of cosmos, an essential piece of the puzzle humanity. Each of us is a part of a vast, intricate and perfectly ordered community that includes nature as well. Where do we fit in this web? To whom are we beholden?

Look for and come to understand your connections to other people and living creatures. We should locate ourselves with in the cosmic scheme, by recognizing our natural relations to one another and thereby identifying our roles in relation to each other.

Seek harmony with nature, though nature too is not ideal. Sit along a sea shore side, you will notice each wave is coming to you and going back of its own, without being asking from you and each one is different, some taking gigantic proportion and some as smooth as child like. Look at a orchard, each tree there, is similar fruit bearing yet is different in shape and size, though the tastes of all their fruits may be sweet and delicious. Likewise you just connect yourself, you will simply love nature in its all diversity and splendor, and of course yourself.

Let others behave as they will, because that is not within your control anyway. Understand that nature as a whole is ordered according to reason, but it is not that everything in nature too is also reasonable, just perceptualise, it is perfect. It is not going to command you; it is there to only guide you. Focus not on what, one relation does at a particular moment, but on keeping to your higher purpose - go towards seeking harmony with nature itself. For that is the true road to freedom.

Love the nature in all its splendor:

There were huge array of trees in front of my heavily iron barred jail window, which used to remain open all the time, as there were no shutters to close or open it. Day in and day out, I could always see those tall trees with thick leafy branches. One day at around 4 AM I saw the branches coming alive, each   bird over the tree was busy chirping as if welcoming first ray of sun. I got engrossed in that scene. Soon all the birds ventured out for bringing succor for their tiny tots. By afternoon they would start returning back to the branches full of leafy nests. I noticed that birds are not of the same flock, but are of different species. This made me to reason how in harmony they have been staying on these trees. As the last flock returned at around 5 PM, it once again made me to ponder how far I am from the cluster of civilized society.

Why we have been kept in isolation at such a great distance from the freely moving persons? What great crime I committed just for the asking of dues of my organization? Why God made everybody deaf and dumb? Nobody was inclined to hear nor willing to comment, on my integrity. But the birds became messengers of my thoughts, each day I used to convey my feelings and the same day itself they used to bring home the sweet message, that all is well. There returning suggested that there is peace and love all around and in turn used to give a blissful consolation that no one has attacked or injured them, for no rhyme or reason.

One day around noon, the jail warden came with labour along with cutting instruments. They started pruning the branches mercilessly. Out of curiosity I asked why this is being done, one of the guy replied, it is because some of us may not use these branches as ladder and escape from the prison walls. I asked him who are you, are you from outside, he said no, I am just like one amongst you. I am a carpenter by profession, and have been ordered to cut the branches. I simply whispered to myself where all those birds will go now!

To my utter surprise, the birds returned as usual and quietly sat over whatever available branches. They did not protest to anybody, nor do they have the capacity to argue with anybody. And even if they had that temerity to do so, of what use it could have been. It reminded me of the incident thirty years back when I also quietly accepted to quit, than to protest and jeopardize my other career options. Next morning I realized that the pruned tree in front of my sight is still standing, but as skeleton. The sweet chirping of birds with more profound volume, now shifted to the another one standing in the middle of our compound, whose branches were not touching the walls. That once again provided a great lesson. There is no use in crying and protesting, just switch over to bigger self.

Now look at it otherwise. Don’t run on the sidelines as a timid, but be at the centre to face challenges. Just like Arjuna’s chariot, which Krishna brought at the centre of the battle field, to let him get a panoramic view of all those, who had decided to take a stand for the honour of ego (individual self) or for the pride of righteousness (principles of dharma). It was a realization for Arjuna, the warrior, to identify himself in this myriad life cycle. So be in harmony with nature’s principles and self, by taking a stand on what is righteous.

The exam I quit thirty five years ago was the test for the selection of judgeship, but I selected the court of conscience than the court of justice. And I hardly regret that decision. I would have been sitting   amidst arguments what is right, what is wrong, without perhaps knowing what is really true, though proclaiming ‘satya mev jayate’.

Be with nature, which is always pristine and truthful. Seek harmony with nature, for a blissful living.

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