In our day-to-day lives, we come across certain people who have everything in them except for a positive outlook or attitude toward life. Education and a higher social status on their part do not even make a difference. They would just not think of taking life in a positive way, be it their social, material, or spiritual life. One person would often tell me, “See, there is always ‘Puja Path’ in our family. But I take no interest in all this. After all, seeing is believing. How can I say that God exists unless and until I see him?”
I always try to convince him. Look, you have not seen air. Neither have you seen gravitational power. This does not mean that these elements do not exist. We cannot see them, but we can feel their presence, just as people have felt the presence of God since time immemorial. Prahallad, the great Hari devotee, told his father, Hiranyakashipu, that God is omnipresent. He was even present in the pillars that adorned the royal palace. The demon king did not believe what his son said and gave a fatal blow to one of the pillars, which resulted in his death by Narasingha, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This is what modern-day science has tried to prove—some sort of power does exist in the universe, which enlivens everything.
I further my argument before the said person. Secondly, how could you see God when he does not live on Earth? He may be visiting our planet on special occasions. He is formless and limitless. You cannot see him the way you cannot see ‘Ishwariya Kanika’ or the God Particle, which was the talk of the day years back. All the deities whom we worship are but different manifestations of the omnipresent Almighty. Moreover, how could you see him with your naked eyes? You need the right bhakti (devotion) and meditation.
In our shastras and puranas, it is mentioned that whoever has seen God has only done so through a special vision. Of course, you could see Ram and Krishna had you been alive during their time, as they were incarnations of God and lived on Earth. Even Veer Arjun had to be endowed with a special vision to see the ‘Biswarupa,’ even though he was so close to Krishna.
Still seeing no ray of hope on the face of the person, I get down to a more practical level. Do you not see the sun rising and setting daily? It gives light and energy to the whole world, without which life would not have been possible. Have you ever gone in for a salute or ‘Surya Namaskar’ for the great service it has been rendering since time immemorial? Do you not also see the moon over the horizon, which is a great friend of the Earth, makes waves in the ocean possible, and keeps the Earth slanting at a particular degree to make the seasons change?
Have not the sun and the moon been visualized as gods in our shastras and puranas? Are you not able to see them? You can also see the other planets and stars in the sky, which have also been painted as different forms or manifestations of God. The person tries to listen to me and see through things. But the next day or even after a few moments, he becomes his normal self.
This is not the end of the story for such people as far as having a positive outlook on life is concerned. What to speak of normal life when they look down upon spiritualism, though it plays a pivotal role in life? Life is not an easy journey, and all of us must realize it. It is full of ups and downs, joys and sorrows. It entails struggle when we try to achieve something or succeed. But the irony is that certain people always expect it to be a bed of roses minus the thorns. This is due to a lack of a positive or optimistic attitude toward life. Though we know fully well that life is not bereft of disease, old age, and death, certain people conceive a life without all this.
In Indian tradition, there are mostly two theories governing the pattern of life. The first theory holds that everything is predestined, and man has hardly any control over the scheme of things. The second theory talks about action and says that as you sow, so shall you reap.
Having faith in religion or spiritualism may be confined to a personal level. But the scheme of things around us and a perfect system at the center are enough to imbue somebody with the feeling that if not God, some force is definitely behind all this, without which everything will end up in a mess. The sun, the stars, the planets, and the moon operating in their respective positions for millions and billions of years should leave a message for all of us that our life is too small a thing not to be taken positively. We should also strike a balance between the theories of fatalism and action. Let us have faith in destiny while at the same time doing our duty. Lord Krishna, in the Geeta, has advised us to do our duty without waiting for the result.
The present-day man is obviously leading a busy life full of tension. Life has turned out to be fast and complicated, and the vicissitudes and complexities of modern life often make him frustrated and even depressed. There are cases of suicides, which is really alarming. In such a situation, having faith in a divine scheme of things, if not religion or spiritualism, and a positive attitude towards life will come to our rescue and provide us with peace of mind and zest for life. Being positive in life will only be an asset for all of us.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own)
Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
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