DEFEATING STRESS

DR.SHRINIWASKASHALIKAR

Our stress is produced due to the tussle and tug of war between; the innate attraction of our soul and the dragging force of temptation towards the hyped thrill in; romantic associations, the utopian radicalism, charity, indulgence, physical sex, fashions, glamour, glitter, power, fame, entertainment and even working for hyped academic and other varieties of successes and achievements.

The Hindu dharma is actually a conglomeration of perspectives and practices of various traditions and ways utilizing physical, instinctual, emotional and intellectual needs; and cognitive, psychomotor and affective capabilities; and all the means and ways possible in the nature; towards simultaneous blossoming of self and all, i.e. self realization!

If and when we rebel against such way of life due to ignorance, there are some possibilities

about our fate. Thus, we may become atheist. We may shun the rituals and get converted to a religion where there are fewer rituals. We may become bohemian and indulgent. We may leave the mainstream society become ascetic. We may become a radical and take to arms or we may become morbidly ambitious and resort to illegal activities. Of course there could be many more possibilities.

However, the issue is that in every possible fate we become indiscriminately violent towards self and the others and unhappy and disgruntled in the heart i.e. STRESSED. This is reflected in the society in which we live!

All the sermons about austerity, simplicity and goodness; are rendered ridiculous; and all the propaganda of indulgence and petty pursuits are rendered obnoxiously repugnant.

The forces assisting our inward return or following the call of our soul are unable to decisively conquer the forces dragging us (due to lack conviction and weakness) away from our soul! This leads to unbearable stress!

Whether we call NAMASMARAN; good, bad, scientific, unscientific, logical, absurd, rational, irrational, theistic, atheistic, religious, irreligious or anything, it is the (chief or most important) way (other means are adjuvant), that reorients our perspective, thinking, instincts and our whole existence towards the quest and the thirst of our soul i.e. simultaneous blossoming of one and all. NAMASMARAN is neither the monopoly of so called religious gurus nor is it an issue isolated from science. Through NAMASMARAN our life (and also the social life) gets reoriented and reorganized; in every possible way to self realization i.e. blossoming of one and all and thus decisively defeat our stress!