One of the most important messages that Bhagwan Krishna gives to Arjuna is Abhayam, be fearless. Arjuna was afraid of battle, afraid of killing his relatives and loved ones. In our lives also we are paralyzed by fear. Omnipresent fear is one of the most insidious obstacles to our peace, happiness and progress in life.
When I say fear, I dont necessarily mean terror. But, rather I mean all that makes us anxious
, nervous, tense and in need of controlling our surroundings. The root of fear is distrust. We have been betrayed, injured and abused. We decide that the world and those around us cannot be trusted. In this way, we lose that faith which is so crucial.
What is the answer? The answer to fear is to firmly root ourselves in God (by whatever name, whatever form you choose). When we realize that God is always with us, always for us, we will never be afraid regardless of the circumstances.
Sure, our family and friends may betray us. They may injure us. But, if we give ourselves to God, if we make our relationship with Him our first priority then we will never be broken inside; we will always be cared for.
There is a story of a very powerful king. This king prided himself on being generous and caring for all his subjects. He would often boast that no one in his kingdom was hungry or cold or impoverished. Once, a holy man came to see the king. The king told the holy man how he provided for everyone in the kingdom so well. The holy man asked the king to come for a walk. While they walked in the forest, the saint picked up a large rock by the side of a stream. Break the rock, he ordered the king. The king looked surprised but immediately told his servant to smash the rock. As the rock broke open they saw a small frog, living peacefully in the nutrient-rich water which had gathered inside the rock. Have you provided this as well? the holy man asked the king. The king realized that he could not possibly provide something as perfect, as intricate as this food and shelter for the frog. He realized that it is really God who provides for all His subjects.
We must realize that if God can provide for even the smallest insects, He certainly will provide for us.
I heard a beautiful story of a young boy on a ship. The ship was trapped in a large storm and waves rocked the boat furiously. The passengers screamed and cried and held each other for dear life. In the midst of this terror sat a very young boy, calm, composed and angelic. When asked why he did not cry he answered, My mother is here, so I know everything will be all right. This feeling we must cultivate. If God is here, if God is with us all the time, then everything will always be all right.
We take out millions of dollars (or pounds or rupees) of insurance to protect our homes, our property, our cars. But, what about our lives? Who will protect our lives? We must remember our Divine Insurance Company. We must place all of our faith in Him. He will never betray us, and we will rest assured knowing that we are in the best of hands.
We must realize that we are Gods children. Just as a child is never afraid when his mother is near, so we must never fear. Fear immobilizes us. It freezes us. It prevents us from thinking clearly. Most of all, it serves no purpose. No tragedy has ever been prevented by fear. No catastrophe has ever been averted by anxiety. No. Calm, serene, wise understanding of the situation coupled with undying faith is what is needed.
Let us renew our faith in the Supreme. Let us give away our fears, our anxieties. Let us put all our insurance in the Divine Insurance Company. Let us realize that everything is just as it is supposed to be. We are in the lap of our Mother. How can anything go wrong?
Thanks to Shri Ajey Shrivastava for sharing this wonderful message from Swami Chidanand Saraswathi
Dear Sowmyaji,
Very nice to read this Janmashtami Mesage 5 which is mainly about “Fear” and how to overcome the “Fear” complex.
Let us focus our attention on what the Lord has said in Chapter 10 “Vibhuti Yoga” Verses 4 and 5 which is narrated below:
“Reason, right knowledge, unclouded understanding, forbearance, veracity, control over senses and mind, joy and sorrow, evolution and dissolution, fear and fearlessness, non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame and obloquy- these diverse traits of creatures emanate from ME alone”
It is important to note :
“Bhavanti bhava bhootanaam matta eva prathakvidha”
Meaning- “All the feeliings in the living creatures are seen as different but all those are from ME only as the source”
Thus if we rationalize our thinking a bit, and follow what the Lord has said, whenever we are in fear or tension or worry, we must meditate that it is a transitory situation and if we are mentally able to link ourselves to the Lord through any form of “Prayer” or “Japa”, the Fear, will vanish as the Lord replaces “Fear” with “Fearlessness”. This is GOD’s Magic.