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The exhortation of the 7th
century BC Greek philosopher, Thales, 'Know thyself' is identical to the
Indian concept of atma gnanam. This also is the process of discovering one's
svadharma, one's work upon this earth, This work, as applicable to each
person could range from sheer drudgery, as a labourer's, to highly
intellectual pursuits, such as a poet's or a philosopher's.
It takes all sorts of person
and professions to make this vast and wide world of men and matter. Those
consigned to routine, stereotyped or exhausting jobs could, to a large
extent, escape stress and consequent health damage, which would otherwise
visit them, by conceiving that they have to necessarily pass through that
stage in their evolution. This acceptance could by itself thus put a smile
back, bringing greater effectiveness into work. There are plenty of
practical examples of this in day-to-day events --- as in the case of a
fatigued driver who, waiting for his turn in crowded traffic, manages to
whistle a tune, obtaining for himself, in this process the power of
resilience and peace or the case of a harried house-wife, bound by a sublime
devotion to her family, is blessed with continual peace and bursts of
energy.
The process of comprehending
one's work upon the earth, and discovering one's potential and truest
interests is often through prayerful supplications --- 'Lead kindly light'
(the first lines of the famous poem of Cardinal Newman) and the identical
ancient Sanskrit prayer, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, meaning "Lead me from
darkness to light' In this pursuit, it would often become necessary to
involve also in mundane work or work for sheer livelihood, which may not
actually be in tune with the aspirant's ultimate vision. In such a case,
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's advice to be "in this world but not of the world",
is highly relevant. As observed by him, this is akin to a swan which has to
necessarily go to the lake for its food, but whose mind is always on its
eggs laid on the shore. This visualisation of the final objective, as
applied to human aspirations, would ensure that necessary changes and
re-orientation take place within, possibly without the aspirant even knowing
about it. The dross and the distractions drop off by and by, whereby he is
enabled to do justice to the call of the spirit. This also indeed is the
knack of realising one's dreams! |
