“Why do good people suffer or why do bad things happen to good people?” This question seems to be very common these days. It seems as though good people get the brunt of all suffering, while evil-doers enjoy life. But if we observe closely, we see that everyone undergoes suffering in some form. Keeping this in mind, our question becomes meaningless. Just because a person is good does not mean there would be no suffering in his/her life.
But what do we mean by ‘good’? In Sanskrit, ‘sadhu’ is the word used fora good person. Sadhu comes from the word ‘saadh’, meaning ‘to accomplish’. If we work for ourselves and achieve great things, there is nothing laudable about it, but if we help others to achieve their goals, then it is an accomplishment. If someone is good to you and you reciprocate, that is common courtesy. But if someone is harming you, and despite that you continue to wish that person well without expecting anything in return, it is real goodness. A sadhu bathing in the river saw a drowning insect. He saved it from drowning and was stung in return. Again, the insect fell back into the river and the sadhu pulled itout of the water and placed it under a shady tree. On seeing this, a person asked the sadhu, “Why did you do that?” He replied, “The insect did not give up its nature, so why should I?”
How can we achieve this goodness in our lives? To reach any target, we must first have a goal. Similarly, for achieving goodness, we must have a standard of goodness which is known to us, because only then can we rise up to the required levels. As long as we see differences in the world around us, true goodness will not manifest. This can be achieved only when we become aware of our oneness with others. An example will illustrate this point better. Every organ of my body is part of one whole. If the finger goes into the eye, there is instant forgiveness, because of the complete identification with the finger.
Now that we know what is good, let us see what suffering is. Objective suffering befalls all people, good or bad. Situations leading to suffering could have their roots in past actions. Objectively, the existence of pain or any other physical handicap cannot be denied, but the degree of sorrow this leads to is entirely subjective. Riches or positions of power do not guarantee happiness. People become miserable over small matters. If a person claims that he is good and is suffering, while the dishonest person is flourishing, we can be very sure that the person is not good. For a good man, the real suffering is to do something against his convictions. Suppose a pure vegetarian is faced with a situation of remaining hungry or eating beef, the chances are that the former option would be more acceptable.
All our spiritual practices cannot eliminate suffering, but they protect the mind and make suffering acceptable, just as on a rainy day, we cannot stop the rain, but can protect ourselves from getting wet with an umbrella. Bhagavan Krishna says, “A good person never suffers.” By some logic we feel that suffering and enjoyment is related to past actions. If we observe at the subtle level, we find immediate results of our actions. The moment a good thought enters our mind, we feel elation, and similarly a wicked thought causes agitation.
Real suffering is when we lose our goodness. Compromising with goodness is the greatest suffering. Even though superficially it may appear that evil doers are flourishing, it should not be an excuse to compromise. The problem arises when one does not have an ideal or when one is not able to live up to one’s ideal. But the greatest problem is when one believes that the ideal is not worth living up to and has lost its utility. Remember, a good man will stand by his convictions, because “If you do not stand for something, you will fall for everything.”
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It is important to understand that the air never gets depleted from the universe no matter how much is consumed. We are floating in a pool.
Natural law is that what one may absorb, others may not be absorbing it. For example: A leaf takes green colour, the flower is not absorbing it....it is taking another colour.
If someone absorbs fear, he is making someone else fearless. That individual is creating that field, atmosphere around by being receptive to it.....
Don’t take fear. An environment of fear is self-created... enhancing the devil by feeling fearful of him. By being fearful, someone else is becoming fearless. This is how terrorists work!
Each one is poorn. The Supreme has made everyone a reflection of itself.... Be fearless and counter attack. Now we have to be fearless, aware and conscious. This is the message.
Understand the subtleties. Everything is floating in the universe. Universe balances all. Same sun rays fall on the cactus as on the flower, what they do not absorb, shows on them.
Doubts and fear come when you are fearful, karmheen.
Face your fears... counteract by saying: “Why should I be scared when I am truly working on my self?” People often become submissive. Say to yourself: “I am in surrender if I am truthful then divine help will always be there for me” Energy is depleted by being fearful. Forward your fears to the Universe. “I am on path of truth love karm and light, I am not taking it.”
Watch the body language change. Grace will descend.....Be a worthy medium of divine grace.
Pranam
Karm is dharm.......Love never fails.....Truth always conquers
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L oneliness is lovely. Supreme bestows loneliness on people to provide them with an opportunity to search for their true self and get connectedto Supreme source of love and joy. In loneliness you can hear the sounds of true harmony, rhythm and perfection of Universal design. Use this loneliness to create something beautiful by developing a hobby that engrosses your whole attention. It may be reading, painting, gardening, music etc. May be through your hobby, you will get a friend or co-traveler of your own frequency.
Me, My self, My God
My Soul
And
My Tranquility
I am Five
I am not alone
This tranquility is what God loves!
Pranam
Truth always conquers .....Love never fails....Karm is Dharm
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Question: When somebody is not doing a good job and you are asked to coment on his or her work, how should one anser the question? I do not want to hurt anybody, but am wonderfing how to be truthful without causing harm?
Response: This is quite a tricky situation. If this relates to your workplace then it is a matter of discipline. If you are on the righteous path and mean to cause no harm to any one, then you will always createan aura of your own, where people will learn a lot by just being in your presence.
But at times you need to take a stand just to make sure no body takes advantage of your softness. It is the work in the workplace that is important. It is the corporate goal that is important. The team leader will have to lead by his/her own example and at times be hard in order to set the house in order.
As long as you don't deliberately hurt the other but do it for the good of the other, you are OK. It is like your child is hurt when you chastise her, but if you do not do it and allow her to do what she pleases, that could lead to wrong practices on the part of your child. Do you think that will ever do good to your child? Of course, you need to give freedom to your child to a certain extent else how will he flourish? But, you need to keep a check on how he uses the Freedom.
So, your motivation is to not hurt others. At the same time, getting the desired results out of a person or group also needs tactful administrative skills.
Look for the right time to communicate what you want to communicateand give it without any sense of ego involved in it, and let the other person feel that you are who you are. Tell the person that you want him to improve. Be gentle. Be calm but at the same time, be firm! Listen patiently to what the person has to say and before you conclude, try to delve on his opinions that make sense to you. Finally, incorporate both the aspects-yours and his and make your remark.
Leave the rest to the Divine in a note of utter surrender.
Finally truth hurts. But who is hurt? One who is not in the path of the truth and treads the path of untruth. How can you help that!
