The great battle of the Mahabharata is about to begin. It is a battle of dharma vs. adharma, good vs. evil.
The forces of the Pandavas and Kauravas face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to take the chariot right into the middle of the two forces so that he can see the adversaries he must fight.
Arjuna, the third brother of the Pandavas, is a hero of many battles, and his name strikes fear in the hearts of his enemies. However, seeing many of his family members on the other side of the battlefield, Arjuna becomes distressed and is in a dilemma. Many thoughts race through his mind: 'How could he kill his own relatives, friends, and guru for the sake of a kingdom?' He grapples with the thought of killing his great-grandfather, Bhishma Pitamah, in whose lap he played as a child, or his guru, Dronacharya, who taught him the art of warfare.
Besides, there are closest relatives and friends to consider. Although Arjuna is a warrior accustomed to killing the enemy, how could he slaughter his own people? This thought causes him great distress and anxiety. He tells Krishna that his whole body is trembling, his throat is parched, and his bow, Gandiva, is slipping from his hands.
Arjuna retreats to the back of his chariot, sits down, and declares that he will not fight. He adopts a pacifist attitude, declining to participate in a fight for truth and justice. Arjuna does not question the right or wrong of the war; he is simply wary of using violence against friends and relatives who have become foes. If such turmoil could affect the blessed child of the divine, what would happen to a common man in such a situation?
Arjuna has Lord Krishna as a friend, guide, and philosopher. In the battle of the Mahabharata, Krishna serves as Arjuna’s charioteer, guiding him through the complexities of war.
At this crucial moment, Krishna intervenes and exhorts Arjuna to fight. This is what the Bhagavad Gita is all about: duty over love, ahimsa (non-violence) over hinsa (violence), and Krishna motivating Arjuna that it is his moral duty to protect dharma and abolish evil forces from this earth as a Kshatriya. It is also a call for selfless karma without concern for rewards.
In such a crisis, anyone would give all that he has for one gleam of light, for one sign of the divine. When beset by doubt, denial, and despair, one can escape these only if God is on your side.
In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, verse 56, Krishna states: “One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.”
Arjuna sees the light, as God Himself is guiding him. But what about ordinary mortals who must battle their demons every day? Fear is ingrained in our nervous system and instinctively emerges from infancy onwards . It provides the survival instincts necessary to keep us safe when danger looms.
Fear is a universal human experience, triggered by the perception of danger.
Deepak Chopra cautions that attempting to eliminate fear and anger without understanding their meaning will only strengthen them and cause their return. Conversely, Carlos Ruiz Zafón believes being scared is natural and nothing to be ashamed of, asserting that fear is a sign of common sense; only complete fools are unafraid of anything.
Fear, perhaps, is the greatest enemy to conquer. J. Krishnamurti states, “Fear is one of the greatest problems in life. A mind ensnared by fear lives in confusion and conflict, and therefore must be violent, distorted, and aggressive. It dare not stray from its own thought patterns. Until we are free from fear, we may climb the highest mountains or invent every kind of God, but we will remain in darkness.”
Sadhguru shares his perspective on fear. He suggests that fear arises when we are not living our lives but rather dwelling in our minds. Our fears concern what may happen next; thus, they often relate to what does not exist. In that sense, they are entirely imaginary. If one suffers from the non-existential, it can be considered insanity. However, if one is rooted in reality, fear dissipates.
Feelings of fear, worry, or stress can be troubling, but they typically fade once the cause of stress is removed. You usually do not need much assistance to combat fleeting fears, as they do not linger.
Sadhguru regards fear as a product of a hallucinatory mind rather than a product of life. We often suffer from things that do not exist because our minds are not rooted in reality.
Anxiety is a more serious condition. It is common to feel anxious in high-pressure situations, such as before giving a speech or sitting for an exam. You may also experience anxiety after a stressful event, such as an accident. However, an anxiety disorder differs, as those anxious feelings persist even when there’s no obvious cause.
If you experience feelings of anxiety that are severe or frequent, or if they affect your daily life, it is important to talk to a physician. Many people suffer from anxiety for years before seeking help, but your doctor can suggest various treatment options if you have had these feelings for a month or more.
On the other hand, a phobia is an irrational fear of a certain object or situation. Someone with a phobia can experience intense anxiety when exposed to a specific object or situation—or sometimes even by merely thinking about it. Common phobias include flying, confined spaces, spiders, and leaving familiar environment .
There are several ways to tackle your fears. If you have mild symptoms, your physician might suggest lifestyle changes as a first step. Simple changes like exercising regularly can reduce stress levels. Eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep, and reducing or avoiding stimulants like caffeine and alcohol can also help.
For more severe symptoms, your doctor may recommend seeing a therapist for treatment. Therapy can provide strategies to address and manage anxiety or phobias.
Like adults, children have their own fears, which can often be different from those of adults. Children might be afraid of situations or objects that adults do not find threatening. Making fun of a child or forcing him to confront fears can worsen the situation. It's crucial to take children’s fears seriously and encourage open discussions about their feelings.
Parents often teach their children to be cautious of specific dangers, such as fire or crossing the road. In these instances, anxiety can be beneficial, as it helps protect children from harm. However, children can also be fearful of situations or objects that do not pose a threat to adults. As a child matures, the sources of fear may change—fears of the dark or monsters in the closet may evolve into concerns about burglary or violence.
Fear has many dimensions; it can be real or imaginary. It can paralyze you, but it can also motivate you to confront danger, especially when your loved ones are in peril.
I recall a moment vividly when I cast aside all caution to protect my dear child. My daughter Shafina was just four years old in 1976 when we visited Kashmir. My wife, Uma, Shafina, and I were in Sonmarg, famous for its glaciers. A popular activity there is sliding down glaciers on a sledge . While negotiating with a tourist guide to hire one , I suddenly heard Shafina's cries for help.
The mischievous girl had climbed to the top of a glacier, and how she managed to do so remains a mystery. I rushed to the guides for help, but they refused, saying it was too risky. Looking at my sobbing child, I decided nothing could stop me from climbing the glacier to bring her down safely. Somehow, I reached the summit in no time, picked up my daughter, and safely descended.
This moment exemplified real fear—fear that could also serve as a positive force. I remember another incident involving my wife’s uncle, who was paralyzed from the waist down. This happened nearly fifty years ago when he had a two-year-old daughter. He was relaxing on his charpoy in his balcony with her, the only ones home. Suddenly, a large monkey entered the balcony and advanced toward the child. In a moment of desperation and parental instinct, he stood up, picked up his daughter, and chased the monkey away with a nearby stick, despite his paralysis. Even the best doctors could not explain how he regained strength in his legs temporarily. Perhaps the love for his daughter and the fear of harm awakened extraordinary courage.
I believe most of our fears are imaginary, such as the fear of the unknown. My imagined fear of being alone in the dark has stayed with me my entire life. You could call it a fear of spirits, demons, or ghosts. Although I know they do not exist, I can still imagine their presence, and that is terrifying. I am now 81 but have yet to free myself from the demons of darkness.
Sadhguru poses a blunt question: What could happen at the most? You may die, and nothing more. So, why not live your life to the fullest before that inevitable moment arrives?
To keep demons away from your mind, maintain a clear mind and conscience. Focus on the present and release any guilt about the past. You cannot change it. Holding onto guilt drains your energy and concentration. Let go of past guilt. Whatever happened, happened for the best; whatever is happening, is happening for the best; and whatever will happen, will happen for the best.
Always remember, the world is a stage. We are all actors, with our strings in the hands of someone else. We come to the stage, perform our role, and go.
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