The Challenge-Part II

Ideas need equipments

We are all aware of virtues and know them to be qualities, but when it comes to action , we just do the opposite. Let us analyse it through some examples. We see, a very miserable looking fellow going along the road; he is always complaining. He is lusty, passionate, greedy, egoistic, ugly and indulges in falsehood, but yet he is talking about the beautiful world of religion, philosophy and truth.

Just like that all of us want to be loved. We want our ideas, our lives to be appreciated by others. Almost everyone wants others to be attracted towards him or her. Yet though we know the makings of good men, we cannot express it. Why is it so?

An artist, renowned the world over as a talented painter fell ill. He had many exhibitions; every where he was honoured and respected. Many of his canvases adorned museums and art partons homes. While in bed, an artistic theme began to take shape in his mind. The theme became so clear that he could visualise it in every detail. He could not restrain himself. Getting out of his bed, he took up the brushes and the exotic colours he needed.

Everything was there - the completed picture in his mind and the exact materials, but - the poor man could not paint anything. His arm had been stricken with paralysis during the illness. He knows the idea, but tragedy of tragedies - he has no instrument to hold his brushes. Even if he holds the brush in his fingers, they would not move.

We, too, have wonderful ideas. We want to be great men, but when we try to do it we become something just the opposite. The instrument is in our hand, but at this moment the hand is paralaysed - shivering, helpless. Similarly, the instrument by which the ideas of my intellect are expressed into the world are my equipments of actions; the instrument by which I convey my knowledge to the world is my throat. With hands and legs we act in the world. Though these instruments of the physical body act according to the ideas in the intellect, the executioner of them is the mind.

To be continued

About the author

Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Chinmayananda the great master's lectures were an outpour of wisdom. He introduced the Geetha Gnana Yagna. He wrote a lot of books on spirituality, commentaries to Vedantic texts, children books etc. He then started spreading His teachings globally.....