Positive thinking Etc – Some thoughts by Vichu

Positive thinking Etc – Some thoughts

One of the oft repeated refrain of almost everyone in these current times is the need for a positive frame of mind, even under extremely difficult conditions. I heard different versions of this theme from relatives, friends, attendants, doctors, and who have you, when my brother Gulpa was in Hospital.

Though seemingly different, Gulpa’s lament that it was his intellect rather than the lack of it, which appeared to prevent him from being positive, was so undeniably profound, that this triggered a thought process, which led me to wonder whether (a) there is a co-relation between one’s intellect and ability to absorb the full import of modern day clichés and (b) the very definition of the word “positive” can have different interpretations (like say a terrorist is another man’s angelic freedom fighter etc).

The temptation to draw parallels with mythology is just too strong for me to ignore, regardless of whether they can be relevant in the presumably rational modern world of today. So here I go…..

Raja Parikshit is cursed by a Brahmin that he will die on the 7th day by a serpent’s bite. The Raja hands over the reigns to his son, seeks ultimate liberation from the karmic cycle of births and deaths, and rishi Suka guides and blesses him. ( Bhagavatham epic).

(The question is as to whether Parikshit’s “jignyasaa” is positive or negative. He is a king, he could have gallivanted around the world, enjoyed life to the full in these 7 days, and Readers Digest could have written a “best short story” about how the king faced a grave tragedy and lived life to the full and can be a model story on how positive feelings help in converting the most grave situations to one of “bliss”)

Kunti wants the Lord to give her only “kashtams” so that she will always remember Him. Positive or negative thoughts?

Kunti is one of most devout bakthin of the Lord. The Latter would have given anything she wanted, but yet she chose to ask for difficulties to visit her at all times, lest she forgets Him.

Let me get to one of the modern day clichés; A half liquid filled glass is placed before you, and a view whether it’s half full or half empty is what supposedly decides as to whether one is positive or negative.

The view it is half empty, and therefore offers itself scope for adding some more can definitely be more positive than the view it is full and therefore lend itself to being complacent. In an exam the pass percentage is 35%, and one who just scrapes thru; is he positive when he is happy that he has 35% or when he feels he needs additional 65% to excel?


Before one starts wondering as to what is the connection between these and the “intellect or the lack of it being the cause for comfort” debate, let me come straight to this.

Based on my “tajurba” (experience) I would divide people in three broadly different categories

The wise. (The most evolved …. The jeevan mukthas.

The intelligent worldly wise.

The ignorant. These are ones who are seekers for reaching either of the above 2 destinations.


One of the major differences between 1 and 2, is that the former feels no need to ever ask the questions “why” and “how” whereas the latter almost invariably is in the “question” mode.

The difference between the 2nd and 3rd, is that while the former prides himself on the fact that he is intelligent, and is almost sure that he has the answers for all the “whys” and the “hows”, the latter irrespective of which of the 2 destinations, he is after, is constantly seeking answers.

I strongly believe that many of us like our family members are in this 3rd category, seeking to reach the 1st category, and are denied of a day-to-day mentor who would offer like Krishna to Kunti or Suka to Parikshit, comfort levels about (a) the path being appropriate (b) giving us strengths to be resilient to pains and (c) giving us the ability to know as to where the 2nd category ends and 3rd starts.

Thus to come back to Gulpa, what he is fervently seeking is the reaching of the first category, thinking he is in the 2nd stage where as methinks, all of us are extremely intelligent to realize that we are all in the “ignorant” 3rd category, and though are clear that we have to reach the first stage, we do not want to nor can one totally miss out on the 2nd category.

The rub is that the 2nd category of the intelligent worldly wise seems to corner all “blessings” including those of the “jeevan mukthas” and apparently having the cake and eating it too. Just because we want a piece of worldly goodies (the category2), but yet steadfast in our belief that we have to graduate to 1st category, we feel we are punished and repeatedly being cheated with apparently no relief from hordes of misfortunes.

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Coming back, to the co-relation theme, for a man who has the 1st category as its destination, the Parikshit/Kunti model seems to be the most positive thinking. However for the ones who have the next category as their destination, this is the most negative.

This positive/negative stuff to me therefore sounds trite, boring, and flippant and many a time obnoxious.

And when the Bhagawad Gita’s “just do it without any expectations of an outcome” kind of prescription, is given by Aacharyal, though it makes immense sense and it also makes it abundantly clear that this is the only path to salvation, ( Naanya pantha ayanaaya vidyate), this still leaves an ignorant like me with just a little bit of cold comfort.

Blasphemy or a genuine cry for succor? Will the Gods ever condescend to give some indication? Or like my late father would love to say, I do not deserve an answer as I do not even do my daily “sandhya” regularly/properly.


Any rejoinders please……………..


Love

Vichus